When using your Samsung Galaxy phone, you may notice various symbols on the top portion of the screen. This might include the shield icon, which relates to battery degradation and protection, and the triangle symbol that pertains to Data Saver mode. Another symbol you might see relating to network connectivity is the H+ symbol. This symbol indicates that you are connected to the HSPA+ network.
You are probably most familiar with the 5G, 4G, and 3G networks, so this symbol might be puzzling. What is HSPA+, why are you connected to it, and is this better or worse for your signal and reliability? There's also, it should be noted, the standard H symbol without the plus sign, which signifies something different. You probably won't see this symbol too often, and it may be completely gone within the next few years. But for now, let's dive in to help you understand what it is and why you're seeing it.
HSPA stands for High-Speed Packet Access, and it refers to a network technology that provides data speeds up to 21 Mbps. HSPA+ is an evolved network technology that offers twice the data speeds of HSPA. The actual speeds you will likely experience when connected to these mobile networks is anywhere from 3.5 up to 14 Mbps. Some rural areas, depending on where you are, may experience even slower speeds down to 1.5 Mbps.
This is compared to LTE (Long-Term Evolution) speeds that are from 12 to 40 Mbps and LTE Advanced, which is from 25 up to a blazing fast 220 Mbps.
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