You might have noticed that sometimes, when you look at your iPhone, you will see the letters “LTE” in the top right-hand corner of the home screen. This has to do with your cellular data, also sometimes called your mobile data.
We will talk about what it means when you get that LTE notification. It’s nothing that should alarm you, but as an iPhone owner, it’s helpful to know what it means when it appears.
What Does the Word LTE Stand For?
The LTE symbol stands for long-term evolution. You might also see it referred to sometimes as 4G LTE, voice over LTE, or LTE advanced pro. It is essentially a standard that governs wireless data transmission.
What Does the Voice Over LTE Network Do?
If you have it, then you can download videos, websites, music, etc., much faster than you could if you had 3G on your cell phone. 3G was the previous technological standard that existed and was widely used before 4G LTE came along. Both are networks through which you can access the internet.
These days, 5G has appeared, which is considered to be the next evolution of mobile networks. Though you can still call LTE advanced if you look at it as compared to 3G, 4G LTE seems primitive when you compare it to the speed of 5G.
5G is Coming
5G has carrier aggregation, which is a new and superior kind of software functionality. It also provides voice services, and specifically HD voice. This is part of a group of advanced technologies that deliver multimedia and voice communications over the internet.
The switch from 4G LTE to 5G is to be expected. Every time a new generation of network connections becomes available to the world, you get faster download speeds that make the previous generation look slow in comparison when you’re using your iPhone.
How Much Better of a Cellular Network is LTE vs. 3G?
All of this might sound a little confusing, but there’s a more practical, easy-to-understand way of looking at it. The simple fact is that the voice and data speeds you get through 4G LTE are far superior to 3G, the previous technology that cellular networks used.
If you have an iPhone, for example, and you utilize LTE via a cellular network for your data, the data download speed you’d get comes to you at many 100th megabits per second. With 3G, that same data would come at multiple 10th megabits per second.
Another way of saying this is that LTE gives users a speed that’s 5-10 times faster than the previous technology.
What Does It Mean if You See 4G LTE on Your Mobile Device’s Screen?
If you see 4G LTE on your mobile device’s screen in the right-hand corner, that means you have connected to one of the LTE networks in your area. You may notice that you get pretty good cell phone functionality when you do that.
You Get Excellent Signal Clarity
When you make voice calls on LTE networks, the signal should come in clearly, and you should also be able to enjoy your smartphone’s various other features.
Connecting to an LTE network will occur automatically if that’s the best of the cellular data options in your area. However, you might also be able to connect to 5G now, the generation of network connectivity that is being built all around the country.
Must You Do Anything to Enable LTE?
Usually, you do not have to take any specific action to enable LTE on your iPhone. If you’re out somewhere, which is to say you do not Wi-Fi available, then your phone will automatically look for cellular data options in the form of what networks are available that it can connect to.
Your phone will turn LTE on if that’s what is readily available. If 5G is available, then that’s what it will use instead.
Some Older Phones Can’t Use LTE
However, keep in mind that there are certain older devices, such as older generations of the iPhone, that might not be able to accommodate 5G. They will still use 4G LTE instead, even if you’re in an area that’s 5G-compatible. You will need to get a newer cell phone if you hope to connect to 5G in these areas.
How Do You Switch Between 4G and Wi-Fi?
When we’re talking about concepts like cellular data for your iPhone, it’s important to understand that most people have phone plans that only give them a limited amount of it. You can pay more for plans that give you more data, or even more for plans that give you unlimited data. Usually, unlimited data plans can cost you anywhere from $70-90 per month, give or take.
You don’t have to expend any of your precious cellular data if you connect to Wi-Fi on your iPhone instead. If you’re using your iPhone at home, and you’re paying for Wi-Fi, then you can connect to it by going to your Settings app, then tapping Wi-Fi, which should be at or near the top of your list of choices, regardless of what model of iPhone you have.
Select the Network that You Want to Use
At this point, you can select the network that you want to use. You will probably see several options, especially if you’re in a neighborhood surrounded by other households or businesses that also have Wi-Fi.
Usually, they will all be password protected. Your network should be as well. You can use the password and log into your network, which you will have named. You might name the network something having to do with your family’s name, or your company’s name if you own a business.
Going from Your Wi-Fi Network to Cellular Data and Back
You can also go back and forth between your Wi-Fi network, or the network belonging to another household or business, and your cellular data as many times as you like. You can do it a dozen times during the course of a day, if you want.
All you have to do is go back to your Settings app and disconnect from the Wi-Fi network of your choice to enable data use again. If you want to get back on a Wi-Fi network, you can do that just as easily. The process is almost instantaneous. It’s always to your benefit to avoid using your data, unless you have an unlimited plan.
Will the LTE Network Eventually Be Phased Out?
At one point, if you made voice calls on 4G LTE, you might have felt like the clarity was as good as wireless technology was ever going to get. You might have considered LTE advanced at that time, but now, LTE speeds seem woefully slow as compared to 5G.
iPhone settings, not to mention those for Android models and other devices, are always going to connect to the best network when it becomes available, provided the device has the capability of doing that. Because of this, you don’t really need to worry about a moment when you’ll want to voluntarily disable LTE to go to 5G or another more advanced network.
The Natural Transition from 4G LTE to 5G Networks
Companies like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, etc., will do that for you for the most part. Your service provider is inclined to connect you with the best cellular network just as soon as it becomes available, without you needing to do a thing.
Providers who saw years ago that LTE advanced beyond 3G will do the same thing when 4G LTE has officially been overtaken by 5G. A tipping point will arrive in the coming years where that will almost certainly happen. LTE speeds will be seen as insufficient, and the widespread availability of 5G will foster in a new era.
The Last Word Regarding LTE Technology for Your iPhone
What should you take from all this? The main thing worth knowing about LTE is that it supplies your phone better data connections and lower latency over cellular networks. The voice and data that you get through your carrier are inherently superior if you use LTE on your iPhone.
You get faster internet speeds when you’re out in the world with LTE, regardless of which carrier you use. The voice and data connectivity on your iPhone are delivered with speeds and superior accuracy that let you enjoy your device to the fullest.
Hopefully, this article helped you learn the basics about the LTE technology that appears on your iPhone. You now know what LTE stands for when you see it on your screen. You also know how this technology is helping you enjoy the various services that networks such as Verizon, Sprint, etc., have to offer.
