Google’s monthly update on Monday mainly addressed the issues with touching Edge 4a 5G. However, the February security pattern also added support for T-Mobile Standalone (SA) 5G on that phone and the Pixel 5.
In rolling out 5G, carriers used their existing LTE networks to speed up implementation. This non-standalone network architecture (NSA), in the case of T-Mobile, has 600MHz 5G combined with and dependent on mid-range LTE. Access to the latter network is required to access the former. As such, the ‘5G signal only extends to the mid-band LTE’, neutralizing the benefit of the new technology.
With the introduction of standalone architecture (5), 5G can exist without and function independently of LTE. Signals can move further, allowing better penetration inside / building. In its announcement to enable this network in August 2020, T-Mobile says that ‘it has immediately increased its 5G footprint by 30 percent’, which helps the latency and ultimately – but not currently – speed.
In SA areas, T-Mobile engineers have already seen a 40% improvement in delay during testing, and this is just the beginning of what can be done with Standalone 5G.
T-Mobile
At the security level of January (and earlier) you could see that NSA is being used by going to Settings> More about phone> SIM status> Mobile data network type.
After this month’s update, many people encountered SA 5G where they would normally get NSA. It also extends to Google Fi (as seen on the right screenshot), which rents service from T-Mobile.
Like all other connectivity issues, SA 5G depends on the network being built in your location, as well as a compatible SIM card in the case of T-Mobile.
The February patch with standalone (SA) 5G support is not widely distributed to the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G in the US. Compared to previous months, the button “Check for update” not downloaded immediately. This is because there is a separate T-Mobile / Sprint build (RQ1C.210205.006) this month, so be aware of the page loading.
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