Why Is LTE So Unreliable These Days?
Asked by
CuriousFarmKid42
So, I get that 5G is the new big thing, but sometimes my phone only has LTE and I can barely load even simple things like Wikipedia. It's super frustrating! Last summer I was at a rodeo in a remote area, and my phone was stuck on 3G with my iMessages failing to go through. I don't want to get into the Android vs. Apple debate here; I just want to understand why my data isn't working like it used to. What's changed in the network? If I don't have at least 3 bars of 5G, my phone just hangs and won't load anything. Did websites like Wikipedia start needing way more data without any visible changes? As a farm kid who was stuck with dial-up for ages, I feel like I'm not the only one noticing this decline in service.
Answers
Honestly, 3G service in the U.S. got shut down in 2022. It's possible you're just remembering it as better than it actually was. Mobile data speeds comparable to home internet are a pretty recent development.
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Yep, they started shutting down 3G a while back, and now 4G is getting the same treatment. I totally feel your pain; I hate it too!
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If you're only able to connect to LTE, it likely won’t be as good as the LTE connections you had before with 5G available. The network has changed a lot!
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It seems like a lot of towers for 3G and 4G/LTE are being phased out. So, you might be connected to towers that are farther away than you're used to, leading to slow service.
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Your phone was trying to use 3G, which is super slow, and that’s why iMessage failed. iMessage uses a lot more bandwidth than a regular SMS, so that could be part of the problem. On Android, you might run into similar issues, depending on carrier settings and network strength.
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Answers are reviewed before publication.
AndroidAficionado77: I’ve seen that happen too! Sometimes Google Messages won't switch to SMS or MMS when it needs to, and I get a failed message notification instead.
CampingTechie45: My iPhone usually drops down to SMS when my signal is weak too, especially when I'm out camping and away from good coverage.