Apple iPhone 8 users were in for a surprise this Monday when they saw their AT&T carrier symbol change from 4G LTE to 5G E after a new iOS rollout.
However, it seems that the whole exercise was just a gimmick by the American conglomerate. AT&T users are not on 5G, which is speculated to be much faster than the current 4G speeds that fuel smartphones these days.
Is it really 5G?
The 5G E stands for 5G Evolution, which is basically the same as AT&T’s 4G Advanced Pro Network. AT&T users were already using the Advanced Pro Network before the company decided to change its name.
The company justified the rebranding by stating that the 4G Advanced Pro Network is a stepping stone to 5G, as it uses similar methods and technologies. While that is not false, it is undoubtedly a case of false advertising as true 5G runs on a completely different frequency.
AT&T gets sued
The reasoning justifies the gimmick somewhat, but the company is receiving flak from other mobile carriers and the media for the misleading move. Other networks have been operating on 4G Advanced Pro Network too, but none of them used the word 5G.
Even if the company did roll out 5G networks, no smartphone in the market could run it. A few new models have been launched, but they are not out for sales yet.
Sprint, an American telecommunications company, has even sued AT&T for deceiving customers.