The 5G Icon Isn’t Always What It Seems

You’d think that when your phone proudly shows a 5G symbol, you’re connected to the next generation of mobile. Faster speeds, lower latency, futuristic services. Right?

Not quite.

A new study in the UK shows that in almost 40% of cases, the 5G icon is basically a sticker slapped on top of a 4G connection. It’s like putting a “turbo” badge on a car that still has the same old engine under the bonnet.

📊 What the data says

Researchers ran 11,000+ tests with the SignalTracker app:

• 62% were true 5G connections.

• 38% were really just 4G… but still wearing the 5G logo.

In other words: more than a third of users aren’t getting the experience they’ve been sold.

⚡ The technical sleight of hand

This isn’t a bug. It’s a feature.

Most UK networks rely on Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G, which piggybacks on 4G as the control layer. Phones are programmed to display “5G” if any 5G element is present—even if the bulk of your traffic is still flowing over 4G.

So the icon isn’t a performance indicator. It’s marketing baked into your handset UI.

📉 Why it matters

The numbers tell the story:

• True 5G averaged ~49 Mbps.

• “Fake 5G” (actually 4G) averaged ~27 Mbps.

That’s almost half the speed—but with the same glowing logo.

📡 Operator scorecard

Not all operators are equally guilty:

• Three → 94% “real” 5G

• Vodafone → 93%

• O2 → 66%

• EE → just 32%

For EE customers, the 5G logo is basically a coin toss weighted against you.

🗣️ The bigger problem

Consumers don’t mind gaps in coverage. They do mind being misled.

If you buy a pint of beer and the glass arrives half-empty, you’d be annoyed—especially if the menu just said “beer.” The same applies here: if the icon says 5G, it should mean 5G.

✅ My take

• The 5G icon ≠ 5G performance.

• One in three times, it’s 4G in disguise.

• Operators vary wildly—some are trustworthy, others less so.

• Transparency would build more confidence than these tricks.

The industry has to stop hiding behind icons and start delivering experiences. Otherwise, the only thing 5G will accelerate is consumer cynicism.