5G is the big talking point for a lot of smartphones right now, and luckily for Pixel fans, it's one of the many features present on the Google Pixel 5a. It seems like 5G is the only thing carriers and phone manufacturers have been talking about for the past couple of years. It's now included with almost every phone plan, networks are regularly updated to support the new wireless standard, and it's quickly becoming a default feature on every new smartphone released.

As for Google's part in the 5G race, it's a relative newcomer to the party. The first 5G Pixels didn't launch until 2020 — with those being the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5. Both phones were solid recommendations for different reasons, and with prices of $499 and $699, respectively, Google managed to deliver them at a reasonable cost.

Related: Google Pixel 5a Review

For its 2021 handsets, Google's 5G journey continues. It's already confirmed that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will have 5G, but what about the budget-minded Pixel 5a? Indeed it will! 5G support is present on the Pixel 5a, as is LTE. So long as someone lives in an area with 5G and their carrier supports it, 5G will work on the Pixel 5a without a hitch.

What You Need To Know About 5G On The Pixel 5a

Google Pixel 5a with 5G indicator

As the story often goes with 5G, there's a bit more to it than just that. While the Pixel 5a is a 5G smartphone, it only supports sub-6 5G. On the technical side of things, that includes TDD bands up to up to 1CC x 100MHz 4x4 MIMO DL & 1CC x 100MHz UL and FDD bands up to 1CC x 20MHz 4x4 MIMO DL & 1CC x 20MHz UL. That basically translates to the Pixel 5a working with the lower-end of 5G service. Sub-6 5G delivers faster speeds than LTE with similarly great range, but it's not capable of pulling in the up to 5Gbs speeds that mmWave 5G is capable of.

Not having mmWave 5G is a bummer, but it'll likely have minimal impact on the vast majority of people in real-world use. mmWave 5G is still extremely limited throughout much of the United States — with it mostly reserved for major cities and large stadiums. This is something that's changing every day, but sub-6 5G is much more readily available across the country.

Here's what this all means for anyone who ends up buying the Pixel 5a. 'Normal' 5G coverage is available through AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. What isn't supported, however, are the higher-end tiers of their 5G offerings. This includes 5G+ at AT&T, along with 5G UW at Verizon. More expensive handsets can harness that added power, but in the case of the Pixel 5a, it's sub-6 5G and nothing more.

Next: Where To Buy The Pixel 5a & How Much Does It Cost?

Source: Google