India’s major telecom providers, including Reliance Jio and Airtel, have announced tariff hikes in their mobile recharge offerings. This means that all mobile recharge plans will become costlier from July 3. While this announcement is inconvenient for users, given the high inflation, telcos have also announced a ban on offering 5G data. Both Jio and Airtel have said that they will now only offer 5G data on prepaid plans that offer 2GB or more data per day.

This means that plans with 1.5GB or less data per day will no longer provide access to 5G internet data, leaving many users questioning the relevance of 4G plans. Over the past few years, 5G has become a buzzword, and telecom companies have heavily promoted their 5G expansion. But now, as millions of users are experiencing, reverting back to 4G may seem a bit outdated and even more expensive.

However, despite the buzz about 5G and its impressive speeds, access and performance issues persist in the real world, making 4G plans a viable option for several reasons. Here are some reasons why recharging with a 4G plan will be relevant in the current 5G era.

4G is providing data stability

One of the main advantages of 4G over 5G is stability. Since the rollout of 5G, many users have reported that their networks have become slower and more unreliable. Also, 5G is still not available in many areas, so constantly switching between 4G and 5G networks has led to increased call drops and interruptions in browsing and downloads. On the other hand, 4G networks have a more extensive infrastructure and currently offer more stable and consistent connections, which is important for users who rely on uninterrupted service.

4G network coverage is better

5G technology is better than 4G because it offers higher speed and lower latency capabilities. However, 5G also faces challenges with regard to coverage over long distances, due to the nature of the higher frequency bands it uses. The higher frequency bands used in 5G, such as millimeter waves, can be easily obstructed by obstacles such as buildings and trees. To overcome this challenge, telecom providers require a dense network of small cell towers. This infrastructure becomes challenging, especially in rural and remote areas, which increases the digital divide. For the same reasons, 5G is more common in metro cities. Unlike 5G, 4G, with its lower frequency bands, offers better coverage and is less affected by physical obstacles, and is currently available in more areas across the country.

4G is enough for daily data usage

For many users, 4G speeds have proven to be sufficient for daily activities such as browsing, streaming and using social media. Although 5G has improved video start times and reduced latency for mobile gaming, many customers do not need that much speed. For general data usage, 4G still works better and compared to 5G, 4G data does not run out as fast. In a report by Ookla, it was highlighted that despite the fast deployment and increasing availability of 5G, customer satisfaction is declining, indicating that the perceived benefits of 5G do not always align with the user experience. You can read more about the report here: 5G availability and speeds better in India but customers still not happy, study reveals

we are in a transition period

We are currently in the transition from 4G to 5G and telecom companies are still working on improving their 5G infrastructure. So a full transition to 5G is still a long way off. Until 5G networks become more stable and widespread, 4G plans will remain a viable option for many users.

Overall, you won’t lose much if you opt for a 4G plan. In fact, you’ll save money and get enough data for the whole day. Additionally, if you use Wi-Fi at home and work, it makes more sense to get a 4G data pack for emergency use rather than spending more on a 5G data plan that you might not use as much.