As an MVNO, Google Fi is dependent on big carriers' infrastructures to offer their customers some of the exquisite services like 5G. Google Fi confirmed last year that it will offer 5G mobile service to its customers thanks to partnerships with Sprint and T-Mobile.
Now that the first 5G smartphones are well behind us, we're starting to see reports about Google Fi phones being able to connect to T-Mobile's 5G network. Android Central's Andrew Martonik is using a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra on Google Fi and he noticed that his phone switched to T-Mobile's 5G network in New York City.
The problem is the speeds achieved by the phone (135Mbps download / 42Mbps upload) on T-Mobile's network are far from being 5G speeds. Nevertheless, it looks like the cellular indicator does show that the phone is connected to the “5G/LTE/3G/2G” network.
Furthermore, Andrew mentions that his phone's diagnostic screen confirmed it was on Band N261, which is mmWave confirmed by the carrier to be available in small areas of select cities.
Of course, you won't be able to take advantage of blazing-fast speeds on your “Designed for Fi” smartphone unless it supports T-Mobile's 5G networks.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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