5G packages are expensive, and you can't afford to change to a 5G phone? In fact, you can connect to 5G without a 5G package

In October 2019, I wrote an article saying that it was not worth buying 5G phones at the moment. The reason was that 5G network coverage was limited, 5G phones were immature, etc. However, times have changed. After more than a year of development, both 5G base station coverage and 5G phones have become more and more complete and mature.

If someone asks now, should I buy a 4G or 5G phone? I think I will say without hesitation: It's 2021, you must buy a 5G phone. As for the reason, it's very simple. It's more cost-effective to change to a 5G phone - buy better services at the same price, isn't it? The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently officially issued a document - as long as our mobile phone is a 5G mobile phone, we can use the 5G network without a 5G package. Doesn't this express a similar meaning?

Whether we buy 5G mobile phones depends on three factors: the price of 5G mobile phones, the coverage of 5G networks, and the price of 5G packages. Most of the new mobile phones support 5G standards, and their prices are clear when compared online. Redmi and Realme already have many 5G models below 1,500 yuan (previously recommended in a special article), and Realme even has a 5G mobile phone that costs less than 1,000 yuan, which is so cost-effective that it is even better than 4G models. This is due to rounds of "fighting" among major manufacturers, and the price can be said to be very civilian.

As for coverage, the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on January 26 show that my country has built the world's largest 5G network. By the end of 2020, more than 718,000 5G base stations had been put into operation, achieving full 5G network coverage in all cities at the prefecture level and above. In 2020 alone, my country built more than 600,000 new 5G base stations, and the development speed can be said to be quite amazing. Coverage has also greatly increased, and cities at the prefecture level and above can enjoy 5G networks.

The cost of 5G packages is still a bit out of reach. Previously, the three major operators mostly priced at 128 yuan/month or more. However, there are also promotions, and users can apply for 5G packages at a 30% discount. But after applying, it is still generally more expensive than 4G packages. After all, the initial investment in 5G construction is huge, and it has to be shared.

However, the expensive 5G packages will no longer be a big problem that prevents us from switching to 5G phones. The original text published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s WeChat official account said: If you are currently using a 4G package, as long as your 5G phone is set up correctly (using data), you can also access the 5G network within the 5G network coverage area. If you use a 5G package, you can enjoy faster 5G network services.

This means that even if you are still using a 4G package, you can still use the 5G network, and the traffic consumed can be deducted from the user's existing 4G package. Therefore, there is no need to worry about whether to change to a 4G or 5G phone. If you change to a 5G phone now, you will not suffer a loss now, and it will not be outdated in the future! What do you think you will choose?

But it should also be noted that the speed of connecting to the 5G network with a 4G package is definitely not as good as that of connecting to the 5G network with a 5G package. The reason is simple. After all, "you get what you pay for". If you spend less money, the treatment you enjoy will always be worse. Otherwise, how can the operator explain to those who have spent money on 5G packages?