These days, you can’t even discuss cellular service without at least mentioning 5G, the most advanced cellular standard that comes with most phones today.
5G comes in a variety of flavors, depending on the carrier. Examples include far-reaching and slower 5G connections, medium-range and medium-speed 5G connections, and of course, the more attractive and incredibly fast short-range 5G connections. Carriers market each of these 5G connections differently, but they all have one common denominator: 5G is a new technology.
Like all emerging technologies, 5G will weigh you down from time to time, and it’s not fun at all, given all the hype that surrounds 5G and its capabilities. With that in mind, iDB is here to discuss some of the most effective 5G troubleshooting steps you can follow if you’re having problems uploading data on a 5G connection.
Fixing an unstable 5G connection
If you’re having trouble downloading internet content on a 5G connection, here are a few ways to restore expected functionality:
Cyclic flight mode
If you are unable to load a web page or an application connected to the Internet while connected to your carrier’s 5G connection, this may be a temporary blockage. You can fix this problem by turning Airplane Mode on via Control Center for a few seconds and then turning it off again. Your device should automatically reconnect to 5G and you can try again.
Reinstall SIM card
Another thing you can do, especially in the case of an iPhone with a physical SIM card, is to remove it and reinstall it. This can help if the contacts on your SIM don’t have the proper contact with the contacts on your iPhone. Sometimes reinserting the card can improve contact, but another potentially useful thing this step does is reinitialize your connection to your carrier’s 5G network. If you have an eSIM, you can probably skip this step.
Switch to 5G mode on.
Your iPhone is usually set to the 5G Auto setting under Settings → Cellular → Cellular Plans → Voice & Data, which automatically switches you between 5G and 4G LTE based on various network quality conditions. If you find yourself not maintaining a reliable 5G connection, you can try using the 5G On option, which forces a 5G connection when available.
Allow more data in 5G
If certain app or phone features don’t work on your 5G connection, it might be because your iPhone is restricting certain Wi-Fi features. You can use the Allow More Data on 5G option in Settings → Cellular Plans → Data Mode to enable data-intensive features over 5G connections, such as major app updates, iPhone software updates, and lots of other things that are usually limited to Wi-Fi. -Fi connection.
Turn your device off and on again
When your 5G cellular services are not working properly, you may have a glitch in your device software. You can try rebooting your device to re-initialize all of that software on a fresh boot, which might get it running again.
Check for software updates
Another thing that can help with an unstable 5G connection is to make sure all your software is up to date. There are two things you want to check: Settings → General → Software Update for general iPhone software updates, and Settings → General → About for carrier package updates. When you visit these panels, you will see a software update prompt – if you don’t see prompts, then you are already up to date.
Go to another place
Sometimes the problem is related to a particular cell tower, which is especially common these days given that carriers are actively upgrading cell towers with 5G equipment. When towers are under maintenance, they may operate at a slower rate or not at all. In some cases, operators upgrade equipment with 5G radios and activate them only after a few weeks. If this happens, you can try moving to another location that is served by a different cell tower to see if the problem persists.
Upgrade to 4G LTE
If you can’t get 5G to work properly, then one of the best recommended remedies, even by carriers themselves, is to simply switch back to 4G LTE. You can do this by going to Settings → Cellular → Cellular Plans → Voice & Data and selecting the LTE option. This will prefer 4G LTE over 5G and won’t fix your 5G connection, but it should be more reliable, at least until you fix the 5G issue.
Contact your carrier
As a final troubleshooting step, if none of the above methods worked for you, you can contact your carrier for assistance. In many cases, carriers can troubleshoot issues with you by phone or chat. This may involve a series of steps similar to those mentioned above, or opening a support ticket in which the carrier sends a technical team to service your local 5G-enabled cell tower.
Conclusion
It’s never fun when your iPhone’s shiny new 5G capabilities don’t work the way you expect, but the good news is that some common-sense troubleshooting steps can often get you back on track.
Were you able to resolve your 5G connectivity issues after following the troubleshooting steps mentioned in this article? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.