How do I get 5G service?

[bejb]

I used to live in a total mobile signal blackspot - until a phone mast was built about 1.2 miles away with clear line of sight, and O2 started transmitting about 6 months ago (I live in the UK postcode NE65 7AN).

The O2 website says I should get 5G signal outside. I have an O2 SIM which they say is 5g ready. I have a 5g router - a Zyxel FWA510.

But the router says it cannot receive 5G signal, only 4g - even when I have it outside.

So it could be the transmitter, the sim or the router.

How do I get O2 to confirm they are transmitting 5g (which band?) and that my SIM can detect and use 5g?

[bejb]

Thanks for the reply. I've had a look on my pone and also in the website. and they don't seem to say there is an issue now. I've turned the router off and on again and I still can't get 5g 😞

[Enlli]

You need to either get someone with O2 5G standing next to the router to see what they get or trying the router in another area where O2 5G is solid.

Of course, it may be that O2 have not enabled 5G on your account.

[Oxonian]

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@bejb wrote:

That is a very good call. I'm not sure how I will do that, but it is worth a go. Thanks for the idea!

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You are welcome @bejb. Please report back when you have an outcome. 

And please don't forget to follow up the point that @Enlli has made - have O2 enabled 5G on your account ? 

[bejb]

OK, so I did the test, as suggested. I have a 12V, 12Ah LiFePO4 battery with a solar panel in an outbuilding, providing lights, so I took that, put a connector on it, so the 5G router would work and was portable. I then took it with me on a trip I was already taking to the West Denton area of Newcastle and tested it there.

The router said it had very strong 5G and LTE signal, connected via 5G-NSA, bands N78 (RSRP -65) and B8 (RSRP -58).

So to me, that proved that the router was working with 5G and so was the sim.

It suggested to me that the transmitter near my home is not currently broadcasting 5G. This is disappointing. Previously, there was no O2 mast for many miles, and no mobile phone signal. The O2 coverage map showed no signal of any kind at my house (2, 4 or 5G). They then built this mast just over a mile away, clear line of sight. I can get decent 4G signal and the O2 coverage map has been updated to show good outdoor & indoor coverage for 2G and 4G and outdoor coverage for 5G. So O2 say the mast should be providing 5G. But it isn't.

This suggests to me that the 5G coverage map for O2 is over optimistic and shouldn't be relied upon as a guide to the likelihood of coverage.

Assuming at some point it is going to be enabled for 5G (as their coverage map says), I wish I knew when that was planned.

[Oxonian]

@bejb 

Coverage maps are always an indicator rather than a promise ; for all networks, they always seem to be optimistic. 

I don't believe that Customer Service will be able to tell you when 5G is available on that mast.

At least you are now aware that it isn't your kit that is at fault.