Why 5G UC Meaning is Significant for your iphone or Android?
iPhone or Android users having T-Mobile’s cellular network may see the “5G UC” icon on the status bar instead of just 5G. You may have noticed it on your phone but can’t understand what it means. In this article, we will talk about 5G UC meaning.
5G UC Meaning
This sign is to indicate that you are connected to a specific type of 5G network, which you can only see on 5 G-supported Android or iPhones. 5G UC meaning is 5G Ultra Capacity, and the icon is specifically designed to show that your mobile phone is connected to the Ultra Capacity 5G network of T-Mobile. The icon has become prominent in iPhones and Android phones since September. iPhone versions starting from iPhone 12 supports a 5G network.
What is 5G UC?
5G is actually a complex subject to understand, as there are different types of 5G offering different speeds. The 5G networks of T-Mobile are of two types. One is “5G Extended Range,” and the other is “5G Ultra Capacity.” The first type provides a network speed of more or less 4G LTE and covers most parts of the country, including less built-up rural regions.
So, what does 5G UC mean? It provides a faster network speed than 4G LTE.
When you see the 5G UC icon on your phone, which is connected with T-Mobile, you can be assured that you will get a faster and better 5G network. When your network gets a slower 5G Extended Range connection from T-Mobile, there will be only a standard 5G icon.
Technically, the Ultra Capacity icon means you are connected to either millimeter or mid-band wave 5G. For T-Mobile, it’s mid-band 5G, which makes up most of its 5G network. The standard icon indicates a low-band 5G.
There is a map website of T-Mobile where you can access the type of network coverage an area gets. The Coverage Map website distinguishes between 5G extended range and 5G UC, with the latter being colored dark magenta.
So, if your area falls within the magenta-colored portion of the map, you will understand you are getting a faster 5G network connection. If not, it means you have a slower network.
How do Other Cellular Carriers and Androids Show the Speed?
The 5G UC meaning faster network, was visible on iPhones with T-Mobile’s network from September 2021. A few months later, it was visible on Androids too.
But, you will not see the icon even if you use a 5G-supported iPhone or Android but other cellular carriers than T-Mobile, like Verizon or AT&T.
What are 5G+, 5G E, and 5G UW?
Like 5G UC, other icons are added to the 5G logo, such as 5G+, 5G E, and 5G UW. Similar to UC, all those icons indicate faster 5G network speeds than the standard low-band networks.
The 5G UW icon shows that the iPhone is connected to the Ultra Wideband 5G network of Verizon.
The 5G+ status icon means your phone is getting a faster 5G network while connected to AT&T’s millimeter wave.
5G E indicates that the user has an AT&T network connection similar to 4G LTE. 5G E is not an authentic 5G connection, for which AT&T was sued for misleading its customers.
Does the Logo Appear Outside the USA?
As far as iPhones are concerned, the terms 5G+, 5G E, 5G UW, and 5G UC are seen on the official website of Apple without mentioning specific cellular carriers. So, you can see those icons on iPhones outside the US.
Conclusion
By now, you have clearly understood the 5G UC meaning and that this icon ensures a faster network. But it doesn’t necessarily mean your 5G network is slow with a low-band wave whenever you see only a 5G icon. It depends upon the cellular carrier whether they will use such logos to indicate a faster network.