Xiaomi to Roll Out 5G SA Update Soon: Are Xiaomi Phones Ready for It?

Xiaomi was quick to jump on the 5G bandwagon with its affordable 5G-ready smartphones. If you happen to own a 5G-capable smartphone from any of Xiaomi's subsidiaries, then you already have a device that will support the 5G NSA (non-stand alone) network in India. It will enable users to experience Airtel 5G network in the country while Jio users might have to wait for a few more weeks.

Xiaomi India has confirmed that 100 percent of its 5G smartphones support 5G NSA technology out-of-the-box. All users have to do is go to network settings and select "Prefer 5G" to experience 5G technology on Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphones. Similarly, the company has confirmed to enable 5G SA (stand-alone) technology via a FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) update.

FOTA Is Already Rollout Out To Select Devices

Muralikrishnan B, President, of Xiaomi India has confirmed that the company has begun FOTA rollout to devices like Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G, Mi 11X Pro, Xiaomi 11i, Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge, and others to enable 5G SA technology. He has also confirmed that the majority of Xiaomi smartphones will receive an update to enable the technology by Diwali.

Xiaomi currently has over 20 5G-capable smartphones in India, and it has shipped over 7 million 5G devices between May 2022 and June 2022. The company will continue to support the Government of India and telecom operators to enable a smooth 5G deployment in the country.

Do Xiaomi Smartphones Have Requisite Bands to Deliver Decent 5G Speeds?

Airtel currently supports 900 MHz (n8), 1800 MHz (n3), 2100 MHz (n1), 3300 MHz (n78), 26 GHz (n258) 5G bands in India. Similarly, Jio supports 700 MHz (n28), 3300 MHz (n78), and 26 GHz (n58) 5G bands. If we look at Xiaomi smartphones, even the very first 5G smartphone -- the Xiaomi Mi 10 supports 5G bands like n28 and n78.

Speaking of entry-level 5G smartphones, the Redmi 11 Prime 5G also supports n78 and n28 5G bands. Hence, almost every Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco smartphone should be able to offer decent 5G speeds on both Airtel and Jio 5G networks in India.

The most interesting aspect of 5G deployment in India is that Chinese smartphone brands like Realme, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi are among the first to support the 5G network. Brands like Samsung, Apple, and even Google are yet to enable the 5G capabilities on their smartphones in India.

This explains how serious the Chinese smartphone makers are about the Indian market when compared to Korean and American smartphone brands. Despite having a lot of experience in 5G technology, non-Chinese smartphone brands are struggling to enable 5G-related features in the country.

Airtel Users Can Enjoy 5G On Xiaomi Smartphones

Airtel's 5G Plus network is based on 5G NSA technology, hence users with a 5G Xiaomi smartphone should be able to experience high-speed low-latency 5G network in select cities. However, in contrast to 5G SA, the 5G NSA-based 5G network will offer a lower data transfer rate as it is based on the existing 4G infrastructure.

Jio Users Will Have To Wait

While Xiaomi has rolled out a FOTA update to enable 5G SA on high-end smartphones, entry-level and mid-tier 5G smartphone users have to wait for a few more weeks to enjoy Jio 5G network on their Xiaomi smartphones. Jio's 5G network will be a lot superior compared to Airtel's 5G Plus, and even the voice calls on the Jio 5G (VoNR) will be better than Airtel's VoLTE.

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