With all the talk about Verizon finally debuting their 5G network, it’s being reported that it’s actually slower than its 4G LTE network. So much so, that users are just disabling their 5G services unless they’re close to a location where Verizon has its mmWave network enabled. This discovery is the result of testing done by PC Magazine’s Sascha Sagan who names Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) as the reason why.
DSS allows wireless operators to run a 5G and 4G LTE network side by side which sounds great in theory, but Verizon doesn’t have enough 5G spectrum just yet for it to work. Over the past few years, Verizon has been working tirelessly on their mmWave 5G technology with slow rollouts of its mid-band 5G network using DSS. This, however, has resulted in an even worse performance for most phones running on Verizon’s 5G network.
The best solution for Verizon customers facing slower speeds is to just disable 5G for now, but don’t get too disappointed in Verizon just yet. In speed tests conducted earlier this year, T-Mobile’s 5G network is slower than Verizon’s 4G LTE network, even with dedicated 5G bands. That same test unveiled that AT&T’s 5G network is also slower than its 4G LTE network, which is expected since AT&T uses the same DSS technology.
The tests Sagan conducted were done in New York City so if you live elsewhere, try doing your own testing to see if you actually do have faster 5G speeds on your Verizon device. If not, you should turn 5G off for now until Verizon adds more dedicated 5G spectrum, which would lead to improved 5G speeds.
It’s worth noting that these tests don’t apply to Verizon’s mmWave technology, which offers the fastest 5G speeds over any other carrier. The problem with mmWave 5G technology is that it’s built on high-band spectrum which cannot travel far and be easily blocked by structures such as buildings, trees, and walls. So if you’re a Verizon customer and see the 5G UB logo pop up the speeds alone may be worth it if you stay within range.
Source: The Verge