How (and Why) to Get Gigabit LTE on Your Android
Android: We’re constantly hearing about 5G , the ultra-fast network intended to replace our current LTE service, but there is still a way to get significantly faster data rates on your smartphone right now. All you need is a suitable Android and Gigabit LTE phone from Qualcomm.
What is Gigabit LTE?
Gigabit LTE gets its name from a maximum speed of 1 gigabit per second. In real life, you are more likely to see download speeds around 400-500 megabits per second, but this is still a big update. According to a recent report, the average 4G LTE download speed is between 17.45 and 9.76 Mbps in the US, depending on your carrier.
Qualcomm was the first to announce Gigabit LTE in 2016, but last year we saw all of the top carriers in the US move to come up with a new feature. In the meantime, several high-end Android phones powered by the latest Qualcomm processor have arrived supporting this service. The list includes the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Active, Moto Z Force (2nd Gen), LG V30 and HTC U11 (notably the Pixel 2 and OnePlus 5, which offer the same Snapdragon 835 chip, are missing from this list). …
As long as you have one of these Android phones and are within range of a Gigabit LTE signal, it should work automatically.
How it works?
Qualcomm’s new technology uses several different strategies to skyrocket mobile data rates. The first is carrier aggregation, which means combining many different LTE signals together to create one large network that offers higher speeds and less congestion. Every Gigabit LTE smartphone also comes with four built-in antennas that can double your speed in some situations and help boost signal in areas where there is usually no service.
Finally, Gigabit LTE leverages unused spectrum – this is the range of electronic waves used for data transmission – to offer new LTE-U and LAA (Licensed Assisted Access) networks and improve download speeds. This only works if you are within range of a CS, basically a small box delivering the signal. So this is not always an option, but it can help reduce congestion in high traffic areas such as airports or concert venues.
What is Gigabit LTE for?
Faster transfer rates mean you never have to deal with buffering YouTube or Netflix videos on your phone again. It also allows you to download hours of content in just seconds, so you can quickly save multiple movies and podcasts for offline use right before you get on the plane. As virtual reality becomes more popular, Gigabit LTE will make it easy to stream high-quality 4K video without any lag.
As an added bonus, using Gigabit LTE will even speed up the work of those around you. By taking advantage of unused networks and faster data downloads, you’ll be able to clear lines for everyone else so no one gets hurt by the horrible internet on their smartphones.