Apple’s iPhone 12 may have an unexpected 5G issue for those that use two SIM cards at once, as the latest iPhone models step down to a 4G LTE signal when dual SIM mode is active. This issue has apparently been confirmed as real, although there is the possibility that a solution could come through in the future.
Dual SIM mode is a feature that is available for iPhone models made in 2018 and later. It allows the owner to subscribe to two different cellular plans or one cellular and one data plan. This allows the use of a single iPhone with two phone numbers, which is helpful to separate work calls from personal calls. When using Dual SIM mode, calling and texting can be channeled through either line. Apple makes managing two lines easy by setting a default line, but also providing plenty of options to customize which number is used per contact.
Dual SIM is quite convenient and used by many, so the news that 5G will be canceled when using this feature is a blow to those customers that have already ordered an iPhone 12 and anticipate 5G on one or both lines. The news came as a leak posted by Reddit user ctthrow1 in response to a question about Dual SIM. Apparently, there is a document that was shared to a private repository of information for Apple sellers, called Apples Sales Web resources. While the public cannot access the website, a screenshot was shared with the pertinent section highlighted. In short, it states that 5G will fall back to 4G LTE when using Dual SIM mode on the iPhone 12.
iPhone 12 5G Workaround & Future Solution
While this is not an ideal solution, a quick fix for the issue is to disable one line, which will allow the other to use 5G. Of course, this will only work if the active SIM card and plan support 5G. It’s worth noting that a new SIM card may be needed for 5G even if staying with the same carrier. On the other hand, some carriers support eSIM so a physical card is not needed. In that case, simply activating with 5G will work. Either way, both a physical SIM card and eSIM have the same issue with 5G falling back to 4G LTE when using Dual SIM mode.
The ultimate solution will rely on a fix coming from Apple. While Apple has not shared a public response at this time, the source of the original information said that an update was coming this year to enable 5G when using a Dual SIM mode. Since the year’s end is fast approaching, that should mean the wait won’t be long. With the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro being the only models currently available to pre-order, there is a chance the problem will be resolved before the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max are in customer hands.
Source: ctthrow1/Reddit