As promised, Airtel has finally launched its 5G services in eight cities in India. Dubbed Airtel 5G Plus, the network is geared to provide 30x faster download speeds than LTE. Earlier, we had compiled all the crucial resources related to Airtel 5G and what 5G bands are supported in India. And in this guide, we bring you a comprehensive tutorial on how to use the Airtel 5G network in India. We will teach you how to activate Airtel 5G on your Android phone or iPhone, find out the cities where Airtel 5G services are available, list the compatible handsets, and much more. On that note, let’s go ahead and check out the steps to enable and use Airtel 5G in India.
How to Enable and Use Airtel 5G in India (2022)
In this tutorial, we include detailed instructions on how to use the Airtel 5G network in India on both iPhones and Android phones. Along with that, we have also explained what is Airtel 5G Plus, have mentioned cities and compatible phones that support the Airtel 5G network. That said, let’s dive in.
How to Activate Airtel 5G on Android Phones
First, let’s learn what settings you need to change on your Android phone to use Airtel 5G services with ease in India. Check out if the 5G service is available in your location and if you have a compatible handset in the sections below. That said, here’s how to go about it:
1. Open the Settings page and move to “Wi-Fi and Network“. After that, open the “SIM and Network” settings. Bear in mind that the menu might be labeled differently on other smartphones, depending on the Android skin you are using.
2. Next, you will find the “Preferred network type” option here. Open it and choose “5G/4G/3G/2G” or you can simply choose “5G”. This will set 5G as your preferred network type.
3. Now, wait for some time, and the Airtel 5G network should be activated on your Android phone, assuming you are currently in one of the serviceable areas and have a compatible 5G phone.
4. If the 5G network does not appear, you can also try restarting the device. Apart from that, you can force your phone to look for only the 5G network through this method. Open the dialer app on your Android phone and enter the below code. This will open the hidden Phone Information page of your smartphone
*#*#4636#*#*
5. Here, open “Phone Information” and tap on the drop-down menu below “Set preferred network type”. Choose “NR only” or “NR/ LTE” (so you can use 4G in areas where 5G services are not yet available). The “NR only” is only for testing purposes and to check whether your phone is able to latch onto the Aitel 5G network. Later, change it to “NR/ LTE” to receive voice calls, as Airtel 5G is still dependent on the LTE infrastructure for voice calls.
How to Activate and Use Airtel 5G on iPhone
Currently, Airtel 5G is not available on iPhone in India, as Apple is yet to release an update that will make the iPhone compatible with Airtel’s 5G network. After the update is rolled out, you will be able to activate Airtel 5G on iPhones by following the below steps.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and move to “Mobile Data“.
2. Next, navigate to “Mobile Data Options” and tap on “Voice and Data“.
3. Here, tap on “5G Auto” as this will enable 5G when the network is providing better speeds than 4G. Otherwise, it will switch to 4G to save battery life. In case you always want your phone to always use the 5G network, choose “5G On”.
4. Now, wait for some time or restart your iPhone. The Airtel 5G network should now be enabled on your iPhone.
What is Airtel 5G Plus?
With the 5G rollout, Airtel has started calling its service Airtel 5G Plus in India. It’s nothing but the Non-standalone 5G network that Airtel is using to offer 5G services. The telecom giant has said that it will move to SA 5G tech through software degradation in the coming years, but that is still far away.
As of now, Jio is the only telecom operator in India to offer SA 5G with VoNR (Voice over New Radio) support and is calling its service Jio True 5G.
List of Airtel 5G Supported Cities (October 2022)
Airtel has currently rolled out its 5G network in 8 cities, which include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi. Surprisingly, Kolkata is missing from the list. The company says Airtel will have its 5G network in all key metro by the end of 2022. And by March 2024, Airtel 5G will be available across the entire country.
How to Find Airtel 5G Tower Near Your Location
If you are in one of the serviceable areas, you can find the precise location of Airtel 5G towers and the area it covers. Here are the steps you need to follow to find the Airtel 5G tower near your location.
1. First, install Speedtest by Ookla (Android and iOS, Free with in-app purchases) on your smartphone. After that, open the app, grant the location permission, and move to the “Map” section.
2. Now, you can use this app to find Airtel 5G towers labeled in blue color in India. You can zoom out and move to another location and zoom in to find detailed coverage info of the tower. By the way, green indicates 4G/LTE coverage on the map. You can also swipe up and check 5G towers for other operators.
Airtel 5G: Compatible iPhones and Android Phones
As Airtel has rolled out 5G in key cities, it has compiled a list of phones that support Airtel’s 5G network. Check out below the complete list of iPhones and Android phones currently compatible with Airtel 5G. The list also includes the phones that are due to receive an update for enabling 5G.
Handset ModelAirtel 5G Ready?
Realme 8s 5GYes
Realme X7 Max 5GYes
Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5GYes
Realme X7 5GYes
Realme X7 Pro 5GYes
Realme 8 5GYes
Realme X50 ProYes
Realme GT 5GYes
Realme GT MEYes
Realme GT Neo 2Yes
Realme 9 5GYes
Realme 9 ProYes
Realme 9 Pro PlusYes
Realme Narzo 30 5GYes
Realme 9 SEYes
Realme GT2Yes
Realme GT 2 ProYes
Realme GT NEO3Yes
Realme Narzo 50 5GYes
Realme Narzo 50 ProYes
Xiaomi Mi 10Yes
Xiaomi Mi 10iYes
Xiaomi Mi 10TYes
Xiaomi Mi 10T ProYes
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra(K1)Yes
Xiaomi Mi 11X ProYes
Xiaomi Mi 11XYes
Xiaomi POCO M3 Pro 5GYes
Xiaomi POCO F3 GTYes
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite NE (K9D)Yes
Xiaomi K16A Redmi Note 11T 5GYes
Xiaomi K3S Xiaomi 11T ProYes
Xiaomi K16 Xiaomi 11i HyperChargeYes
Xiaomi Redimi Note 10TYes
Xiaomi K6S (Redimi Note 11 Pro Plus)Yes
Xiaomi POCO M4 5GYes
Xiaomi POCO M4 Pro 5GYes
Xiaomi 12 ProYes
XIAOMI 11iYes
Xiaomi Redimi 11 prime + 5G(L19)Yes
Xiaomi Poco F4 5GYes
Xiaomi Poco X4 ProYes
Xiaomi Redmi K50iYes
Oppo Reno5G ProYes
Oppo Reno 6Yes
Oppo Reno 6 ProYes
Oppo F19 Pro+Yes
Oppo A53 sYes
Oppo A74Yes
Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5GYes
Oppo F21 Pro 5GYes
Oppo Reno7Yes
Oppo Reno 8Yes
Oppo Reno 8 ProYes
Oppo K10 5GYes
Oppo F21s Pro 5GYes
Oppo Find X2Oppo yet to update software
Vivo IQOO 3 5GYes
Vivo X50 ProYes
Vivo V20 ProYes
Vivo X60 Pro+Yes
Vivo X60Yes
Vivo X60 ProYes
Vivo IQOO7Yes
Vivo IQOO7 LegendYes
Vivo V21 5GYes
Vivo IQOO Z3Yes
Vivo V21eYes
Vivo X70 ProYes
Vivo X70 Pro+Yes
Vivo IQOO Z5 5GYes
Vivo Y72 5GYes
Vivo V23 5GYes
Vivo V23 Pro 5GYes
Vivo V23e 5GYes
Vivo T1 5GYes
Vivo Y75 5GYes
Vivo IQOO 9 ProYes
Vivo IQOO 9Yes
Vivo IQOO 9 SEYes
Vivo T1 PROYes
Vivo IQOO Z6Yes
Vivo X80Yes
Vivo X80 ProYes
Vivo IQOO 9TYes
Vivo V25Yes
Vivo V25 ProYes
Vivo Y55 5GYes
Vivo Y55s 5GYes
Apple iPhone 12 miniApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 12Apple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 12 ProApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 12 Pro MaxApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 13 miniApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 13Apple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 13 ProApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 13 Pro MaxApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone SE 2022Apple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 14Apple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 14 PlusApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 14 ProApple yet to update software
Apple iPhone 14 Pro MaxApple yet to update software
OnePlus NordYes
OnePlus 9Yes
OnePlus 9 ProYes
OnePlus Nord CEYes
OnePlus Nord CE 2Yes
OnePlus 10 Pro 5GYes
OnePlus Nord CE Lite 2Yes
OnePlus 10RYes
OnePlus Nord 2TYes
OnePlus 10TYes
OnePlus 8OnePlus yet to update software
OnePlus 8TOnePlus yet to update software
OnePlus 8 ProOnePlus yet to update software
OnePlus 9RTOnePlus yet to update software
OnePlus Nord 2OnePlus yet to update software
OnePlus 9ROnePlus yet to update software
Samsung Galaxy A53 5GYes
Samsung A33 5GYes
Samsung Galaxy S21 FEYes
Samsung Galaxy S22 UltraYes
Samsung Galaxy M33Yes
Samsung Flip4Yes
Samsung Galaxy S22Yes
Samsung Galaxy S22+Yes
Samsung Fold4Yes
Samsung Galaxy Note 20ultraSamsung yet to update software
Samsung Galaxy S21Samsung yet to update software
Samsung Galaxy S21 PlusSamsung yet to update software
Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraSamsung yet to update software
Samsung Galaxy Z fold 2Samsung yet to update software
Samsung E426B (F42)Samsung yet to update software
Samsung A528B (A52s)Samsung yet to update software
Samsung M526B (M52)Samsung yet to update software
Samsung Flip3Samsung yet to update software
Samsung Fold3Samsung yet to update software
Samsung A22 5GSamsung yet to update software
Samsung S20FE 5GSamsung yet to update software
Samsung M32 5GSamsung yet to update software
Samsung F23Samsung yet to update software
Samsung A73Samsung yet to update software
Samsung M42Samsung yet to update software
Samsung M53Samsung yet to update software
Samsung M13Samsung yet to update software
Airtel 5G Recharge Plans and Tariffs
Currently, Airtel has not come up with a separate 5G plan just yet, and the company says that its customers can continue to use Airtel 5G services on existing 4G plans in India. So if you already have a 4G plan, you can use it to access Airtel’s 5G network.
During the launch, Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO of Bharti Airtel, said, “Airtel has been at the forefront of India’s telecom revolution for the last 27 years. Today marks one more step in our journey as we build out the finest network to deliver the best experience for our customers. For us, our customers are at the core of everything we do. Our solution will therefore work on any 5G handset and the existing SIM that customers have. Our obsession with customer experience is now embellished with a 5G solution that is kinder to the environment. Airtel 5G Plus is all set to redefine the way people communicate, live, work, connect and play for years to come.”
Do You Need a New Airtel 5G SIM Card?
As we have mentioned before, you don’t need a 5G SIM card to use the Airtel 5G network in India. The telecom operator clearly states that existing Airtel SIM cards are already 5G enabled, and they will work with your 5G-compatible smartphone without any issue.
Enable Airtel 5G Network on Your Smartphone Right Now
So these are the steps you need to follow to use Airtel 5G on your phone in India. As we go through the list of compatible devices, it seems like there is still some work to do before 5G becomes a common standard. Most smartphones, including iPhones, still require OTA updates to enable 5G services in India. Anyway, that is all from us. If you want to learn how to check 5G bands supported on your phone, head over to our detailed tutorial. And for a detailed explainer on mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G bands, follow our linked article. Finally, if you have any queries regarding Airtel 5G Plus, let us know in the comment section below.
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