5G coverage but only 4G connection

[Weatherman478]

I am hoping one of you wise people can find a solution which has beaten the whole of EEs tech support. I have a S22 Ultra on EE. I live in a 5G area but my phone only ever shows the white 5G symbol  ( there is no 5G data)but it only connects to LTE. I have looked at Net Monster which tells me that I am in a 5G area but it is disconnected.
However if I moved in another part of town I pick up 5G. To further complicate matters I have tried a couple of friends phones (IPhone 13 and Fold 3) in my house and they pick up 5G and have speeds to confirm that. MY S22 gets,around 70 Meg on 4G but both of my friends phones get over 200 meg. We have tried swapping sims and phones and the results are the same.EE tech support have checked and can see Iam only connecting to LTE in my house and when they checked my friends numbers they were connected to 5G. So the problem with my phone seems to be in my post code area only but it affects just my phone.

Can anyone think of anything else to do before I throw the phone out of the window. 

[Chris_B]

@Weatherman478   Just ask is that only in your house ? what’s it like outside? What does EE status checker say ? see here  on that page it also says if you’ll get 5G indoors also.   I live in a 5G area and that pages says “You'll get good coverage outdoors, but weak or no coverage indoors”. but I get a great signal indoors.   Don’t forget all signal checkers are a guide and not a guarantee of service. 

[Weatherman478]

Hi, The coverage checker says I should have full 5G coverage.  This problem is around my whole post code. Yet as soon as I move to the other 5G mast in the area I get 5G.

The screen shot show what .y phone says  

 

[Weatherman478]

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[Weatherman478]

The first phone was from my S22 and as you can see its connected to Lte .This shot is from a Fold 3 both in the same house at the same time. 

 

[bristolian]

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@Weatherman478 wrote:

We have tried swapping sims and phones and the results are the same.

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Can you clarify what you mean by "results are the same". Did the issue follow the SIM? Or remain with the phone?

[Northerner]

Hi @Weatherman478 

Comparing two different manufacturers just highlights the software or radios are different will and therefore produce different results. If your S22 picks up 5G at other locations then it's not your phone which is the issue. You could try factory resetting although that is an extreme option.

You could also ass EE for a new SIM (or go into store as it's quicker) 

Lastly (and this is my own observed) I have an S22 ultra and it says 5G but I never seem to receive those speeds. Maybe as the infrastructure improves it will get better. In your case it seems local which means it's an authentication issue.

[Weatherman478]

Just to clarify.  If I put my sim in a friend's Iphone 13 or Fold 3 my sim connects and gives 5G speeds. If either of my friends put their sims in my S22 ultra they have the same problem as myself. No 5G throughput.  However if I put my spare Three sim card in my S22. That connects to 5G with speeds over 200 Meg. Both Three and EE share the same mast so coverage should be the same.

[Northerner]

Hi @Weatherman478 

3 is a difference provider. Just becase they share a mast this doesn't mean anything to your network reception. 

Your phone will always connect to the strongest signal which might not be 5G. It all depends on the radio in your phone. 

Try turning off automatic network selection on your device and manually selecting EE. 

You said early you S22 connects to 5G in other areas so it's not your phone. 

Thanks 

[EssexBoyEE]

If Netmoster is telling you the 5G is Discounted, then you are not connected to the 5G Signal Layer, irrespective of what the Phones 5G Signal Bar is telling you. There's another App I use called G-Mon Pro (its Free), that App will also give you 5G Info like 5G Cell ID, RSRP SNIR etc, which is good Signal Info, the 5G Info appears in a Second Box below the normal 4G Signal Info Box BUT only if you are actually connected to the 5G Signal Layer so this is also a good indicator of your 5G Connection Status.

Another thing to point out is that on the EE Network even under normal 5G Signals that you can use are not always shown as Connected or Available until you do a reasonable heavy Data Download, an Ookla Speed Test would normally suffice, Do a Speed Test then as it comes towards the end of the DL Test, stop the Test than immediately do another Test, while all this is going on look at the 5G Signal Info on either Netmonster or G-Mon Pro and see id the 5G Connection State changes. By the way Ookla will also pull off 5G connection states and these can be viewed in the Ookla Speed History's Tests as either LTE (4G) or 5G.

Is you S22 Dual Sim?, if so try swapping the Sim Card to the other Sim Slot check the Preferred Network Settings are correct of 5G or NR for each of the Sim Slots.

Can you access Phone Info (*#*#4636#*#*), being a Samsung it may not let you do it, or you could try the Phone Info in the Netmonster App, bottom left three dots. if you can check the 'Set the preferred network type' is correct and includes a reference to 5G or NR, again check both Phone Info 0 and 1 if its a Dual Sim.

Lastly, Ive come across this before, EE us a 5G NR Feature called ENDC, basically what this means is that you are able to pick up a 5G Signal from a different Mast that your 4G Signal is registered to, ie you may have more 4G Masts than 5G in your Area, so ENDC will if the 5G Signal is good enough use both the 4G masts and the 4/5G mast for a 5G Connection, but it could be the local 4G Mast at your Home Area has a Fault or a mis configured ENDC on the Network, but that does go against the grain a bit if other Phones are being able to use 5G in your Home or it could be they locked onto a different Mast?

Lastly as already been said, ask EE Tech to send out another Sim to you and ask them to Recycle your Connection Setting at their end.