What Is 5.5G Network? Is It Any Better Than 5G?

Reliance Jio, one of India’s biggest telecom operators, recently rolled out the 5.5G network with the launch of the OnePlus 13 series phones. Notably, the OnePlus 13 series, including the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R, are the first phones to support 5.5G service in the country. The 5.5G network isn’t new and has been deployed across China, which is also leading the pack and is also available in Europe, the Middle East, and some other regions. While we have heard about 5G services, the term 5.5G may be new to a lot of people.

5.5G is officially known as 5G Advanced, or 5GA, and is essentially a marketing term for a new set of standards. In this guide, we will share everything you should know about 5.5G. We will also touch upon whether 5.5G is any better than a 5G network and what difference it makes to the end user. Without any further ado, let us jump right into it.

What is a 5.5G network?

Before we dwell upon what a 5.5G network is, let us get a quick refresher about a 5G network. Fifth-generation mobile networks, popularly known as 5G, introduce faster internet speeds and lower latency and also allow the ability to connect multiple devices without lag. With the introduction of 5G, innovations like autonomous driving, UHD video streaming, etc., became normal things in ideal conditions.

5.5G, on the other hand, also referred to as 5G Advanced, is an existing upgrade over the 5G network. It is a middle point between 5G and 6G, similar to how 4.5G (4G LTE) was introduced before 5G. The 5.5G, as mentioned in the intro, is officially referred to as 5G Advanced, and compatible devices will show a 5GA icon on the notifications bar. It employs advanced Component Carrier Aggregation (3CC) and is built on 3GPP Release 18 Standard, which offers download speeds of up to 10 Gbps (gigabytes per second) and upload speeds of 1 Gbps, compared to the 1 Gbps download speed offered by 5G. This would result in better online gaming and improved 4K streaming.

5.5G addresses the low latency and congestion issue by opening new bands of frequencies that the operators can use to bring more bandwidth to the hotspot. Thanks to the integration of “non-terrestrial networks,” 5.5G will offer more stable performance in low network coverage areas by using satellites to expand coverage and connectivity. The transition from 5G to 5.5G is automatic and doesn’t require manual configuration.

Key features of 5.5G network over 5G

1. Upgraded speeds: While 5G can offer 1 Gbps download speed, 5.5G aims to push this boundary and can offer up to 10 Gbps download speed. This means that downloading a full-length movie can be done in a matter of seconds. Even 8K videos can be streamed without buffering.
2. Reduced latency: Latency is determined by the time taken by the data to travel from your device to a server and come back. 5.5G reduces this lag even further, making cloud gaming, live streaming, etc., much smoother and better.
3. More device connection: With improved speeds, 5.5G also enables connecting more devices without compromising on internet speed. This could be a great benefit for homes, cities, organizations, etc.
4. Better coverage: Thanks to the integration of “non-terrestrial networks,” 5.5G ensures better connectivity in rural and dense areas where consistent connectivity has always been a problem.
5. Energy efficiency: 5.5G is reportedly based on “0 Bit 0 Watt” technology that allows the network to shut down during low traffic periods. The benefit of this is low power consumption.

5G vs 5.5G Comparison Table

Smartphones that support 5.5G network

Not many smartphones are equipped to support the 5.5G network. But there are a few in the market that support this new network standard:

• OnePlus 13
• OnePlus 13R
• OPPO Find X7
• OPPO Find X7 Ultra
• HONOR Magic 6 series
• VIVO X Fold 3
• VIVO X100 series
• iQOO 12

Do note that the VIVO X Fold 3, X100 series, and iQOO 12 did not come with support for 5.5G out of the box, but the support was added later via an OTA update. Newer models may also get access to 5.5G support through software updates.

Also, the OnePlus 13 and 13R are some of the only global models that come with 5.5G support. The OPPO Find X7 and X7 Ultra and the HONOR Magic 6 series support 5.5G in China only.

How to know if my phone is connected to a 5.5G network?

Network carriers are still trying to deploy and make a 5.5G network available in as many regions as possible. If you have any one of the compatible smartphones, then you don’t need to do anything, as your smartphone will connect to the 5.5G network automatically. It will be confirmed by a 5GA icon above the network icon on your phone’s notification bar.

However, do note that even though you have a 5.5G-compatible phone, you may not get 5.5G connectivity because the network may not be deployed in your area. The good part is that 5.5G is not a distant concept, and companies are planning to adopt it aggressively not only in India but across the US and other parts of the world. Industry leaders like Ericsson, Huawei, and Qualcomm are already working on the technology, and we could start seeing 5.5G adoption in the coming months of 2025.

Future outlook of 5.5G

Even though 5.5G is slowly gaining momentum, there are a great deal of challenges for its widespread adoption. Upgrading to 5.5G requires significant equipment upgrades. Issues like spectrum availability, energy efficiency, and security are the prominent ones that network carriers may have to deal with. A skilled workforce is also required to upgrade the technology from 5G to 5.5G. Whatever the case may be, it will be dealt with and will prepare the people for the eventual arrival of 6G.

However, there is a long way to go before 5.5G becomes popular, as there are still many areas across the globe where even a proper 5G network isn’t available. Network carriers should first try to connect every part and region with cellular connectivity before going heavy with new network standards.

FAQs about 5.5G network