T-Mobile starts rolling out transformative 5G update for internet customers

T-Mobile is the only carrier in the US to offer standalone 5G (5G SA) nationwide. While modern phones on the carrier's network support this tech, until today, its Home Internet relied on a non-standalone (NSA) 5G network. That is starting to change with a new update.

NSA 5G networks rely on LTE networks to handle some tasks such as authentication. The NSA architecture was an intermediate step towards the deployment of 5G SA and allowed carriers to quickly switch on 5G while using LTE as a fallback when needed. 5G SA, on the other hand, is pure 5G that doesn't require existing LTE networks and can support advanced solutions such as network slicing.

T-Mobile gateways, which convert 5G signal into Wi-Fi to provide connectivity in homes, relied on 5G NSA until now. That's beginning to change now, as noted by The Mobile Report. 5G SA was enabled on the company's G4AR gateway with the latest update.

After installing the latest update, which is identifiable by version number 1.00.13, G4AR users will be able to use 5G for both download and upload. Previously, the device used LTE for upload. The update started rolling out over the weekend apparently.

5G SA is also crucial for unlocking Carrier Aggregation, which allows companies to combine different channels to deliver higher speed and better performance. T-Mobile recently conducted 6-Carrier Aggregation test that combined low-band and mid-band spectrum on its 5G SA network to achieve peak speeds of 6.3 Gbps.

And while the company's current gateways may not be able to support such blazing-fast speeds, 5G SA will still allow for an appreciable bump.

The T Life app will reportedly also receive an update to let users know when their gateway is connected to 5G SA.

5G SA also incorporates capabilities that bolster security, such as network slicing where services are provided on virtualized logical networks.

Some T-Mobile Home Internet owners used to rely on unofficial methods to force a 5G SA connection but the recent update will eliminate the need for that. Also, previously, Home Internet was not available in areas with no LTE signal, so the update may expand the availability of the coveted service.