Right now, there is a possible gap between users of 5G phones and users of 5G. Nearly 40 percent of 5G phone users leave 5G turned off all the time, a survey by Android Authority finds. What is not so clear from the results is whether all the surveyed users actually have 5G subscriptions.
That might be one of the growing pains 5G now experiences, as power consumption is higher than for 4G, for several reasons. For starters, the devices must remain connected to both 4G and 5G networks. Sometimes, when devices are using dynamic spectrum sharing, power consumption likewise is increased.
Standalone 5G will help. Mid-band spectrum will help. Battery drain will become less of an issue. But, right now, significant numbers of mobile customers owning 5G devices and who can use 5G networks appear to defer.
