How do I check if my phone is 3G? (2024)

Published: Feb. 21, 2022 at 9:14 PM EST

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - We all know the major cell phone carriers are boasting higher speeds thanks to 5G and are phasing out 3G networks this year, rending many phones useless.

So, what if you don’t know what speed your phone is operating on?

It’s pretty easy to find out, but it helps if you know where to start.

How do I know if my iPhone is 3G or 4G?

Dial *#06# on your phone to display your IMEI number.
- Go to www.imei.info, enter your IMEI number and select “check”.
- A report will be produced. Look at the LTE section. It will display all the frequencies that your phone can use.
If you see a 3G at the top left it means that you are in an area that does not have 4G support. When you are in an area with 4G (or, on Verizon, LTE) you will see that in the top-left corner instead.
Open the browser of your cell phone and attempt to access a website. Look at the indication bar, which is usually at the top of the phone’s screen, that shows you the cellular signal. If it states 3G, then you know you have a 3G phone.

iPhones

iPhone 5C or 5S and up support 4G or LTE.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are both 4G capable devices.
If the mobile internet connection is 4G rated, the handset will show this next to the signal indicator in the top left-hand corner of the display.
3G, E, or GPRS may also be displayed, but these represent a slower connection speed, dependent on location.

Androids

On Android smartphones, go to settings > Network settings > mobile network. It should give you a dropdown menu of mobile standards such as 2G, 3G or LTE (4G). If you don’t see 4G or LTE, then your smartphone doesn’t support the standard.

Scroll to and select Settings.
Select More.
Select Mobile networks.
Select Preferred network mode.
Select WCDMA/GSM (auto) to enable 3G and LTE/WCDMA/GSM (auto) to enable 4G.

Paths can differ slightly depending on your Android version and phone manufacturer, but you can usually enable Airplane mode by going to Settings > Wireless & networks > Airplane mode. Turn it on for at least a couple of seconds, then disable it. In a lot of cases, your LTE connection issues will be gone.

Older cell phones, some car navigation and emergency services, home security systems, and even some medical devices like emergency alert pendants might be useless without taking action.