- Apple announced its 5G-enabled iPhone 12 series
- Many users are facing 5G availability and connectivity issues
- Troubleshooting suggests updating the carrier plan, getting an updated SIM card
Apple’s current flagship offerings present users with four different models to choose from. The iPhone 12 series were revealed in the Apple event. The most touted feature of these iPhones is 5G, which was evident from the event invite reading ‘Hi, Speed.’
Even though 5G infrastructure isn’t fully implemented, it is available across several locations within the U.S. as well as China. 2020 has seen strong competition in the nascent 5G smartphone market, where several manufacturers have already launched their 5G offerings.
The entire iPhone 12 lineup supports the 5G feature, including the mmWave on all US models. But real-world usage of iPhones portrays a different scenario. Many users noticed that 5G is not available on their devices after it was set up. There might be several factors causing this issue, and users need to troubleshoot what’s going on. Some of these factors include the SIM card, iOS settings, wireless plan, carrier service, etc.
In the iPhone 12 series, 5G support is turned on by default within the iOS 14 Mobile Data settings. Under the Smart Data Mode, the iPhone can alternate between 5G and 4G/LTE whenever needed. Users can also change this setting manually.
Additional tips for troubleshooting the problem
5G not working on iPhone 12
- Troubleshooting your carrier plan: even if your data plan is up to date and includes 5G, you should double-check whether your plan includes 5G service. Some of Verizon’s new plans do not have different naming or prices, but many customers need to make a change to get 5G service. AT&T, on the other hand, is warning users to need to change their plans by logging in to their accounts.
- Troubleshooting the SIM card: if the iPhone 12 is purchased through a carrier or with Apple that includes carrier activation, there will not be any issues. But if a SIM-free iPhone 12 model is purchased, users may have issues pairing it with their older SIM cards. They may need to get a new SIM or upgrade the current SIM to support 5G. With the T-Mobile Standalone 5G, older SIM cards are not compatible with the Standalone technology. Thus, Verizon users need to update their SIM.
- Troubleshooting iOS Settings: By heading to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, you will see the option to enable Data Roaming and 5G services.
- iPhone 12 5G not working with Dual SIM: Apple shared a support document stating that if you use Dual SIM mode, both the lines will revert to 4G LTE.
Carriers across the globe are still rolling out support for 5G roaming, and Apple suggests that users get a local SIM or an eSIM to use on a single line to get 5G wherever available.