What is 5guc and How is it Different from Typical 5g Network?
What is 5guc?
5guc stands for “Ultra Capacity 5g” and it is quite obvious by the name that this type of 5g network is more efficient than any other.
But this technology is only for the latest cell phones or for the users of the T-Mobile cellular network. If you have the latest iPhone or Android, you will see “5g UC” displayed instead of the typical 5g.
5GUC is the world’s first end-to-end 5G Unlicensed technology. It is a solution that offers both LTE and 5G NR in unlicensed spectrum providing a single, scalable platform to support all Licensed Assisted.
Access (LAA) use cases include enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC).
The benefits of 5GUC include:
1. Increased capacity:
By aggregating LTE and 5G NR in an unlicensed spectrum, 5GUC can provide significantly more capacity than LTE-LAA alone. This will be vital to support the growing demand for data services.
2. Improved efficiency:
5GUC uses advanced modulation schemes and millimeter wave (mmWave) technology to achieve better spectral efficiency than LTE-LAA, resulting in more data being sent over the same amount of spectrum.
3. Lower latency:
The use of mmWave technology and beamforming techniques in 5GUC can enable latency as low as 1 millisecond, which is critical for applications such as live video streaming, gaming and virtual reality.
4. Increased flexibility:
5GUC supports a wide range of deployments, from small cells in urban areas to macro cells in rural locations.
This flexibility will be vital to supporting the rollout of 5G networks around the world.
So, let’s have a look at some deep functionalities of this 5g type.
When 5guc Icon Appears?
As we mentioned above that this 5g type is only for users having the latest phones or connected to T-Mobile’s network.
If you have the latest phone (normally, iPhone 12 or above), you’ll see the icon of 5guc instead of any other icon.
Note: You can use ultra-capacity 5g only on phones that support 5g. It is not possible to use it on any device which is not 5g supported.
The most interesting thing is, in the mid of September 2021, we have seen this icon for the first time.
5g Ultra Capacity VS. Any Other 5g
It is quite obvious that ultra-capacity 5g is much better than any typical or traditional 5g type. Different 5g networks offer different speeds and 5guc has the best.
Undoubtedly, the algorithms of this 5g are very complex and are not understandable by a simple mobile user but the good thing is, these algorithms force 5guc to work efficiently and quickly.
Now, getting back to the point!
Usually, 5g works with three common spectrums and all these three are mentioned below:
- mm Wave
- Mid-band (sub-6)
- Low-Band
All these three have different speeds ad different functionalities, so let’s have a brief look at them.
1. mm-Wave
This common spectrum is considered as fast, new, and short. It is not wrong to say that this technology is fast enough to transfer multiple bytes in a fraction of a second.
Most of the new phones are using this technology in their 5g networks. You might be surprised that this spectrum works above the 24 GHz band. This number of Hz ensures the super-fast transmission of data.
2. Mid-band (Sub-6)
The mid band is also known as “Sub-6” and it is quite obvious by the name that this spectrum has a decent or mid-range speed.
But still, considers one of the most useful and practical spectrums of 5g.
The operations of this spectrum are done within 1-6 GHz which is quite normal but still a good option.
3. Low Band
We have seen this spectrum in the early 90s and this spectrum is using since the use of 2g networks. It has a minimum GHz which is below 1.
You can consider this spectrum as the slowest.
Types of 5g T-Mobile Offers
Basically, T-Mobile offers two types of 5g networks; one is known as “5g Extended Range” and the second one is “5g Ultra Capacity.”
Both of them are a bit different from each other in terms of speed and functionalities, so let’s get deep into it.
1. 5g Ultra Capacity (5guc)
As we have mentioned above the common spectrums of 5g and it is not wrong to say that “mm-wave” and “mid-range” spectrums are working at the backend of this 5g type.
It means 5guc has the most efficient and fastest data transfer algorithms.
2. 5g Extended Range
In simple words, this range has a low bandwidth and a slow data transfer rate. Most of the phones are still using this type of 5g.
T-Mobile offers an extended range for android phones which are 5g supported but still not that new for handling the high transfer speed.
Except for the latest iPhones or other latest android, all the phones work with the traditional or extended range of 5g.
Are Other Cellphones Will Get this 5g Range in the Near Future?
5guc is currently used in only the latest phones and it is not clear whether this technology will come in the old devices or the typical devices.
This technology was first seen in the latest iPhones and still, you can see the icon of “5g UC” in the latest models.
But there’s a twist here, this icon is only seen on the iPhones connected with T-Mobile cellular network. It means if you are willing to use ultra-capacity 5g, you have to get a network from T-Mobile.
Else,
You can use the typical 5g which has the lowest bandwidth and speed.
Does 5g is Good for Your Phone’s Battery?
5guc is healthy for your phone’s battery, we have seen this 5g is not draining the battery of your cellphone.
Sometimes, low coverage or low bandwidth while transferring the data may drain the battery of your cellphone.
The most surprising thing is, 5g networks are not destructive for your phone’s battery as the 4g networks were.
How Can We Enable 5guc?
First of all, you have to get an iPhone supporting a 5g network (mostly iPhone 12 or above) and then you have to follow some steps mentioned below.
- Go to the phone settings.
- Click on the cellular settings.
- Get into the cellular data options.
- After selecting the voice and data, you can enable 5g Ultra-Capacity.
By following the above-mentioned steps, you can enable this 5g on your devices and enjoy the fastest streaming and quick data transfers.
Sometimes 5g Turns into LTE!
This is one of the most common situations where 5g networks convert into LTE because all the areas are not covering 5g technologies.
So, when you are around any area that has no access to the 5g networks, then 5g will automatically convert into the LTE.
This is not something to worry about. As soon as will be in an area rich in signals, you will get your 5guc back.
Conclusion
In this era of technology, it is not a good option to wait for several minutes for transferring data and that’s the reason we have explained the 5g ultra-capacity.
This technology uses two spectrums named mm-wave and mid-range. These two fast spectrums ensure the quality and speed of the network.
We have mentioned everything related to 5guc in this guide, you can have a look at them.
Hope you enjoyed reading this guide!
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