5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks, which cellular phone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019. If you want to read more about our considerations, read our blog post on 5G.

In this article you can find information about our phones released during and after 2019 and what 5G network support they carry.

Fairphone 4

Fairphone 4 5G is optimised for European cellular networks and supports Standard 5G technology (also called Sub-6GHz or Everyday 5G). It can use an increased number of bands to transfer data to the network. This should improve speed and latency when compared to 4G/LTE.
For more details on Fairphone 4 5G network capabilities, you can check the our article on network coverage.

Both the eSIM and the nano-SIM slot are 5G enabled. However, only one SIM card at a time will be active on the 5G network. If you want to take advantage of 5G, make sure your SIM card and mobile subscription plan support 5G.

Why add 5G? Is LTE not enough?

The 5G technology still growing and getting implemented around the world, but we want you to use the phone long-term. So it is important that your device is compatible with this technology and ready for the latest network developments.

What about mmWave support?

Fairphone 4 does not support mmWave technology. Unfortunately, we will be unable to support it with a future update. The main reason for this choice is that, at the moment of launch (2021), the scarce availability of mmWave technology across Europe didn't justify the higher costs.

Fairphone 3(+)

Fairphone 3(+) does not support 5G. Unfortunately, we are unable to add support to 5G in Fairphone 3(+) with a future software update or hardware component upgrade. In short, the reason is that many components in the core module need to support 5G for it to be implemented. That's not the case for all parts of the Fairphone 3(+) - for example the antennas are not 5G capable.

If after reading the article you need more help, contact our Customer Support.