Apple on Wednesday released iOS 16.2 RC to developers and beta users ahead of the official release of the update expected sometime this month. As we know, the update adds new features like Apple’s Freeform app, new HomeKit architecture, and Apple Music Sing. But under the hood, iOS 16.2 also enables support for 5G networks for iPhone users in India.
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T-Mobile is out with a report today on “The State of Fixed Wireless Access.” Using its own data and research from a number of independent third parties, the Uncarrier says it’s leading the rollout of 5G Home Internet by a wide margin over Verizon, offers one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings across all broadband providers, shares why customers are switching, and more.
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After launching free 30-day eSIM trials last month, Verizon has announced that it has hit its goal sooner than expected of covering 175 million customers with its speedy 5G UWB connectivity. The milestone marks a big expansion of Verizon’s 5G coverage going from 100 million to 175 million in one year.
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When 5G was first launched, the big question for smartphone users faced with the prospect of replacing their devices to use it was: Is 5G worth it?
The huge popularity of 5G devices seemed at first to indicate a resounding yes, but there are now concerns that the novelty has worn off, and that many are still seeing little real-life difference between 4G/LTE and 5G speeds …
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Over the last two months, we’ve seen a few reports that show iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max as the fastest 5G smartphones. Now Ookla is back with its latest report that solidifies Apple’s spot as the maker of the fastest 5G devices in the US, UK, and more.
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Known for its in-depth, independent reports on wireless carriers’ networks that are based on millions of measurements, Opensignal is out with its first study on how fixed broadband services compare in the US. Along with traditional providers, Opensignal has included Verizon and T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet services.
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T-Mobile increased its 5G Home Internet coverage from 45 to over 50 million US homes back in September. Now the Uncarrier’s 5G Home Internet service has expanded again to 70 new cities in the Midwest to cover 6 million additional homes.
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In the month since the iPhone 14 lineup has been in the wild, we’ve seen two reports that measured the average 5G download speeds between 38 and 50% faster than the last generation devices. Now a new study from Ookla corroborates those results showing an improvement of 40% and beyond for cellular performance on iPhone 14 and 14 Pro in the US. But one country saw a massive 130% increase in 5G median speed for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
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Last year saw temporary airport 5G restrictions imposed after safety concerns were voiced over potential interference with radio altimeters on airliners. A body representing the aviation industry has now called for these restrictions to be made permanent.
It’s the latest development in what began as an embarrassing clash between two different government agencies …
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At this point, we already know a lot about the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. When it comes to performance, the new devices are a bit faster than their predecessors thanks to the A16 Bionic chip. But what about 5G? Based on comparison tests conducted by SpeedSmart, the new iPhone 14 Pro models can also achieve higher 5G speeds than iPhone 13 Pro.
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AT&T is about to make several 5G smartphone owners angry as the company says “older devices” won’t support its newer 3.45Ghz midband 5G. With that, only iPhone 14 owners and some other 5G phone customers will be able to take advantage of this new band.
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Enhanced 5G services offering higher speeds aren’t yet available to many, but there’s good news for AT&T 5G Plus – the faster service will now be fully usable by the iPhone 12 and up.
The carrier had previously indicated that only 2022 devices would be able to take advantage of the full range of frequencies …
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Opensignal is out with its latest report and it’s an interesting one. All of the major carriers tout their fastest flavor of 5G with a different marketing name. For T-Mobile its UC (Ultra Capacity), Verizon uses UWB (Ultra Wideband), and AT&T calls it 5G+. Now Opensignal has quantified how often these enhanced 5G connections are available, how fast they are, and more.
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Verizon has increased its C-band spectrum to 100 MHz in “many markets across the US”. This is a notable increase from the 60 MHz it has been using in 5G markets to date.
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Opensignal is out today with its latest in-depth report on 5G. T-Mobile continues to lead the pack when it comes to 5G download/upload speeds, availability, and reach. Meanwhile, Verizon did repeat its wins for the 5G Voice app and Games experiences in the latest report.
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T-Mobile expanded its 5G Home Internet coverage from 30 to 40 million US homes back in April and launched its “Internet Freedom” initiative in May. Now the Uncarrier is out with the news that its 5G Home Internet has expanded to 81 new cities across Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
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See the update at the bottom of the piece.
The iPhone 15 was expected to be the first lineup to use an in-house Apple 5G chip instead of the Qualcomm ones used in current models. A recent report suggested that this won’t be the case because Apple has hit problems with the design, but a new analysis suggests that this is only half-right.
Which is to say, there is a problem with the Cupertino company’s attempt to dump Qualcomm in favor of an Apple modem chip, but it’s a legal one, not a technical one …
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A new study from Opensignal looks at how 5G performance compares at the 25 busiest airports vs 5G/LTE overall speeds as well as putting the numbers up against the national average in the US. Despite Verizon and AT&T pushing back their plans to launch 5G C-band coverage near airfields due to FAA concerns, airport 5G connectivity is offering an impressive experience.
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Ericsson’s 5G Apple patent infringement claim has now reached its sixth country, with the latest filing in the UK’s High Court. The Swedish telecoms company is trying to obtain import bans on iPhones in the US and elsewhere as it piles on the pressure for Apple to reach a settlement.
One patent expert says that “the noose is tightening” on the Cupertino company, as it is looking increasingly likely that Ericsson will succeed in obtaining an iPhone injunction sooner or later …
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T-Mobile is looking to break the conception that gigabit 5G speeds require the difficult to deploy mmWave spectrum. In what the company says is a “global first” it has successfully reached 3 Gbps speeds with a Samsung Galaxy S22 in a production network test.
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Opensignal’s latest study published today looks at 4G and 5G cellular performance compared to public wifi across the US. The big takeaway: in a change from past years, users will have a much faster experience if they’re able to use 5G (even Sub 6Ghz/mid-band) instead of a public wifi network.
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It’s been just over a year since T-Mobile launched its 5G Home Internet and today the Uncarrier has announced a slew of updates to make the service more appealing than ever. From a free trial, up to $500 in early termination fee coverage, $50/month lifetime price lock, and even $50 off an Apple TV, T-Mobile is aiming to give customers the “freedom to switch” from their existing broadband provider.
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As previously reported, Apple plans to pretty much ditch Qualcomm’s cellular modems for its proprietary 5G modem starting in 2023. According to a story by the Wall Street Journal, not only does Apple keep aiming for a next-year release, but it’s giving out lots of hints.
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It’s been just over a year since T-Mobile launched its affordable 5G Home Internet and it appears it’s being adopted quickly. Along with the anniversary, the uncarrier announced the service is now available to 10 million additional households, making it accessible for a total of 40 million US homes.
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