You know about 5G, but have you heard of 5.5G? Technically, it’s also called 5G-Advanced. It’s a bridge between 5G and 6G, offering 10 times faster speeds and better connectivity than standard 5G. India’s two major telecom companies, Airtel and Jio, are in the process of rolling it out in a phased manner through network slicing and carrier aggregation. It’s worth noting that this technology is considered a crucial step before the arrival of 6G.
5.5G, or 5G Advanced, isn’t a completely new technology; it can be considered a super-advanced and improved version of existing 5G networks.
It’s considered a stepping stone before the arrival of 6G, and both major companies are working to roll it out.
This technology advances beyond the basic version of 5G. It’s made significantly better and stronger on the back end through new software, AI, and advanced antenna algorithms.
For ease of understanding, it can be likened to the Pro or S variants of a phone. While the name remains the same, the performance and capacity are improved.
The difference between 5G and 5.5G can be understood by considering some specifications. For example, while 5G offers speeds up to 1 Gbps, 5.5G can increase this speed to 10 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload.
Furthermore, 5.5G’s latency is reduced to just 1 millisecond. This allows online gaming and live streaming to happen in real time without buffering.
The biggest feature of 5.5G is the presence of artificial intelligence in its backend architecture. This network can automatically decide when and how much speed to provide to the user.
5.5G networks support Passive IoT technology. This allows even small, battery-free sensors and smart devices from around the world to be connected to a single network.
If you want to use a 5.5G network on your phone, you don’t need to enable any separate settings. However, you must meet three simple conditions to use it.
First, your phone must have a chipset that supports 5.5G. Currently, only the latest flagship processors, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or MediaTek Dimensity 9300/8500 Extreme and later, support it.
If your phone is compatible, mobile companies can enable it on your phone from the backend through an update.
In addition to the correct chipset, your phone’s network settings must also be correct. To do this, select 5G (Auto) under Settings > Mobile Network > Preferred Network Type on SIM. This will allow you to use 5.5G networks on your phone as soon as they are rolled out.