Now that 5G smartphones like the iPhone 12 line are in the hands of customers, questions like “Will I get 5G coverage?” and “Do I need a new 5G SIM card?” are on everyones’ minds.
5G SIM Cards
T-Mobile has been sending texts to customers to remind them to get a new SIM card. The carrier mentions that your current SIM card is 5G compatible but it’s not capable of accessing T-Mobile’s “Standalone 5G.”
Verizon’s FAQ page says if your SIM card is activated as 5G and inserted into a 4G LTE device, it can’t connect to its 5G Ultra Wideband network. If a card is activated as 4G LTE and inserted into a 5G device, it can access the 5G Ultra Wideband network but may not connect to the “future enhanced 5G network.”
Meanwhile, Verizon’s prepaid carrier Visible says customers will not need a new SIM card to use 5G service or a special phone plan.
AT&T’s website doesn’t mention 5G SIM cards at all, only telling customers they will need a 5G plan to use 5G service.
The bottom line is that right now you probably won’t need a new SIM card. Once standalone 5G has been achieved some time in the future, you may need one if you’re still using your current SIM card at that time.