AT&T plans to change the icon indicator in the status bar of some Android phones from “LTE” to “5G E” in select markets.
This “5g E” logo will appear in cities and towns that have been upgraded to AT&T’s 5G Evolution technology, which is not 5G at all. the phones will be connecting to faster 4G LTE that relies on 4×4 MIMO, LAA, 256 QAM, and other LTE-based technologies.
What AT&T calls 5G Evolution will be up and running in more than 400 markets by the end of the year. It is in these markets that Android device owners will see the logo change. The change arrives just as AT&T launches its mobile 5G network.
As of now, the only device that can access the nascent 5G network is a mobile hotspot. AT&T isn’t expected to offer a 5G phone until February or March. That 5G service will appear as “5G+” once it arrives.
AT&T’s planned “5G E” change will mislead some consumers into believing they are connecting to 5G service when in fact they are not. This move may even backfire on AT&T, because if the poor consumer thinks they are already on 5G, why would they upgrade their phone?
