We have been sold the promise that 5G is the ultimate, lightning-fast future of mobile connectivity. Yet, many users find themselves manually disabling 5G on their devices because their old 4G connection was actually faster.
If you are asking, “Why is my 4G faster than my 5G?”, here is the technical reality behind the marketing hype.
1. 5G Has Terrible Penetration
5G operates on much higher frequency bands than 4G. While high frequencies can carry massive amounts of data, they have incredibly poor range and cannot penetrate solid objects well. If you are indoors, behind a thick wall, or even just behind a leafy tree, the 5G signal degrades massively. In these conditions, a strong, low-frequency 4G signal will effortlessly outperform a weak, struggling 5G signal.
2. The “Fake” 5G Icon (DSS)
Many networks use a technology called Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS). This allows them to broadcast a 5G signal over existing 4G infrastructure. Your phone shows the “5G” icon, but you are essentially sharing a 4G lane with a 5G badge. Because the network is actively juggling both 4G and 5G traffic on the same frequency, the overhead can actually make it slower than pure 4G.
3. Network Congestion
If everyone in a city center buys a new 5G phone and connects to the limited number of active 5G masts, those masts become congested. Meanwhile, the older 4G network might be relatively empty and therefore faster.
4. Edge of Coverage
5G masts have a much shorter range than 4G masts. If you are on the very edge of a 5G coverage zone, your phone spends processing power constantly trying to hold onto that weak 5G connection, resulting in packet loss and slow speeds.
The Solution for Reliable Data
If you are running critical business hardware (like CCTV, routers, or payment terminals), stability is far more important than theoretical peak speeds.
Anywhere SIM’s multi-network SIMs are engineered to prioritize the most stable and strongest connection available, whether that is a robust 4G signal or a clear 5G signal. We don’t force your device onto a struggling 5G network; we ensure you always have the highest quality data connection possible.