In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of missing 5G from the Preferred Network Type. The fifth iteration of the broadband cellular networks has once again picked up the pace, this time thanks to its recent rollout in India by Airtel and Jio. As of now, they are still in the testing phase but by the end of the year, the wider rollout pan India is expected.
However, many users have voiced their concerns that even though their device supports 5G, they are unable to select the same from the Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs > Preferred Network Type section as it is missing altogether. As a result of this, they are unable to enable 5G on their device. If you are also in the same boat, then this guide will make you aware of a few nifty workarounds to resolve this bug. Follow along.
Table of Contents
Perform a Few 5G Tests First
First and foremost, there are a few 5G prerequisites that your device needs to qualify. if your device doesn’t qualify for any one of these tests, then you might have an issue or two in opting for the 5G network.
STEP 1: Make sure your Device is 5G Supported
As obvious as it may sound, you should double-check that your device supports 5G. For that, you could either have a look at the back of your device’s box or check out our comprehensive coverage on the list of all 5G-supported and 5G-ready phones in India.
STEP 2: Check if your Phone is 5G Supported ‘or’ 5G Ready
Although both the 5G Supported & 5G Ready phones are 5G compatible, yet, there exists a small difference between them. 5G Supported phones mean the device supports 5G but is not yet enabled. It will be enabled by the OEM in the subsequent OTA update. Until then, you wouldn’t be able to use 5G even if Jio enables it on your phone number.
For example, Pixel 6A is 5G-supported but as of now, 5G isn’t enabled. So you will have to wait for Google to roll out an OTA update that will enable 5G on your device. On the other hand, 5G Ready devices come with 5G enabled out of the box. For example, Nothing Phone 1 is 5G Ready. So as soon as Jio activates 5G on your phone number, you will be able to use it straight away.
STEP 3: Make sure you live in 5G Supported Regions
Next up, make sure that you live in a city where 5G is supported. When it comes to Jio, only Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Varanasi qualify as 5G-supported regions, at least for the time being. In the case of Airtel, 5G is currently available in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi. You could expect more cities to be added by the end of this year, for both Airel and Jio.
STEP 4: Make sure you have a 5G Recharge Plan
Some operators require you to have a 5G ready plan recharged beforehand. While there is no specific 5G recharge plan for Jio as of now, but you will atleast have to be on the Rs 239 4G plan to qualify. Similarly, Airtel 5G Plus will be available on existing 4G SIMs as well.
STEP 5: Verify Dual 5G SIM support
If your device has a dual SIM card slot, then double-check that both these slots support 5G. In this regard, if your device has any of the below listed chipsets, then it supports Dual 5G SIM [you could check the device;s chipset usign the CPUZ app or GSMArena website]
- MediaTek Dimensity 1000
- MediaTek Dimensity 1000+
- MediaTek Dimensity 820
- Snapdragon 865
If your device doesn’t have any of the aforementioned chipsets, then it might not have a Dual 5G SIM support. Well, there’s nothing to worry about as such, because one of the SIM Slots would still support 5G. So what you need to do is switch yor SIM card from one slot to another and then check out the results.
STEP 6: Verify 5G Towers nearby [Optional]
While it is an optional check, but we would still recommend you check that there exists a 5G network near your location. Here’s how it could be done:
- Download and install the Ookla Speed Test app from Play Store.
- Then launch it and give it the Location Permission.
- Now go to its map tab and it will start scanning for the 5G tower.
- All the locations marked in blue on the map signify the presence of 5G signals.
- You could further zoom in to get the exact precise location as well.
Fix 5G Missing from Preferred Network Type
If your device has passed the above 5G test with flying colors, then let’s now show you the steps to fix this issue of missing 5G from the Preferred Network Type section. Follow along.
- Bring up the dialer on your phone and input the below code:
*#*#4636#*#*
- Then go to Phone Information and scroll to “Set preferred network type”.
- Now tap on it and select “NR only” or “NR/ LTE” [recommended].
- Finally, go to Preferred Network Type and you can now select the 5G network.
These were the steps to fix the issue of missing 5G from the Preferred Network Type. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
UPDATE 1 [March 2023]: 5G Officially rolled out by Google
Google has now rolled out the 5G support for the “officially sold” Pixel devices in India. So head over to Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs. Preferred Network Type > You should now see the 5G recommended option, select it.
UPDATE 2: Preferred Network Options Missing for Verizon after June 2023 Update
Many Pixel users who are on the Verizon carrier have voiced their concern that the Preferred Network Type as well as the option to choose between 5G and 4G is missing from their device. The issue first came to light after installing the latest June 2023 update. As a result of this, they are unable to enable or disable 5G on their devices.
At the time of writing, the issue is only bugging the unlocked Verizon Pixel phones and not the MVNOs that are dependent on Verizon. Moreover, the Verizon Locked devices are also free from this issue as they are yet to receive this update.
Fix Preferred Network Options Missing for Pixel Verizon
So this begs the all-important question- is there a fix? Well, not installing the June update would be an obvious escape route, but since you are currently reading this blog, chances are you would have already installed that update. So as of now your two best courses of action are to try out the Dialer Code fix listed above.
However, if they don’t work out, then you could consider downgrading your device to the earlier May update. However, do note that the latter requires an unlocked bootloader and it’s generally not recommended to be on on older update due to security concerns. However, if you. are ready to forego these caveats for the sake of 4G, then do refer to our guide on How to Downgrade Pixel Devices via Android Flash Tool.