Verizon has spent years promoting 5G, despite bringing only a small speed update outside the limited areas where the millimeter wave spectrum has been deployed, but the operator’s support team advised users yesterday to turn off 5G if their phones are suffering low battery life.
‘S tweet VZWSupport, now excluded, said: “Are you realizing that battery life is running out faster than normal? One way to help conserve battery life is to turn on LTE. Just go to Mobile> Data options cell phones> Voice and data and touch LTE “.
Although Verizon did not mention 5G in the tweet, people who responded to Verizon on Twitter and journalists who wrote stories noted that the effect of these instructions is to turn off 5G. “LTE is active by default as a backup for those times when 5G is not available. Following these instructions actually has the effect of turning 5G off,” noted Mashable. (Verizon’s instructions are for iOS, but you can also disable 5G on Android phones.)
Apple fights 5G battery consumption with “Smart Data” mode
An Ars story in December 2018 warned that 5G components would occupy precious space within smartphones, reducing the size of batteries. In October 2020, Ars’s review of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro noted that “5G seems to have a big impact on battery life, especially when you’re using that ultra-fast mmWave.”
Apple said it has implemented a “smart data mode” that changes each phone from 5G to LTE when 5G speeds are not needed, saving battery while allowing phones to use 5G when the speed increase would make a noticeable difference. Activating “5G Auto” in the iPhone settings activates Smart Data mode; the other options are “5G On” and “LTE”. Apple notes that the 5G On mode “Always uses the 5G network when available. This can reduce battery life.”
We asked Verizon for more details on the impact that 5G is having on its users’ battery life today and will update this article if we receive a response.
Verizon’s tweet came just days after its latest 5G announcement that “parts of Sacramento, Seattle and Pensacola” are the newest areas targeted by Verizon’s “aggressive launch of its 5G Ultra Wideband transformational service”. Verizon has also pledged to spend $ 45.45 billion on a mid-range spectrum auction it plans to use with 5G.
Samsung, Huawei also warn users about 5G battery consumption
Other phone manufacturers have recognized 5G-related battery consumption on the support pages. Samsung tells users, “You may notice that your phone’s battery drains faster than normal while you are connected to a 5G network. This is a limitation of current 5G networks and will be improved as the networks expand . ” The Samsung support page continues:
At the moment, 5G networks are only used for data connections and are not yet able to carry calls and messages. Your phone will need to maintain a connection to the 3G or LTE network in addition to the 5G network for calls, text messages and data to be delivered consistently.
Since your phone is connected to multiple networks simultaneously, the battery will discharge faster than you normally expect and the phone may be hotter than just 3G or LTE.
As 5G networks grow in capacity and capacity, they will be able to handle more functions of your phone with less battery consumption.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) supports the explanation of multiple networks. Jumping between 3G, 4G and LTE consumes a lot of battery, and the “current limited 5G infrastructure exacerbates that [battery-drain] problem, “says IEEE.” Today’s 5G smartphones need to maintain a connection to multiple networks to ensure consistent phone calls, text messages and data delivery. And this multiplicity of connections contributes to the depletion of the battery. “
A Huawei support page informs users that they may experience faster battery consumption on 5G compared to 4G, especially when streaming video. “On a 5G network, more bandwidth is needed to create a smooth user experience when using the Internet,” says Huawei. “Therefore, more energy can be consumed, especially when using the Internet to watch videos online.”
The wireless industry deployed 5G before operators were ready to use the “standalone 5G” version, which does not require connection to 4G networks. But that is changing, as T-Mobile launched autonomous 5G in much of the U.S. in August 2020, while Verizon and AT&T have plans to follow suit.