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Redmi A4 5G, one of the cheapest 5G phones in India, will not support Airtel 5G in India: Know why

November 23, 2024

Redmi A4 5G has recently been launched in India as one of the affordable offerings with the latest network connectivity. The phone marks the global debut of the Snapdragon 4S Gen 2 chipset. However, it seems there is a flaw in the phone. It is only compatible with Jio 5G in India, not Airtel 5G. Check out the full description to know the reason.

Redmi A4 5G does not support 5G NSA

Redmi A4 5G product page It is mentioned (in a small text below the chipset) that the device only supports SA (Standalone) 5G networks and 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) is not supported.

Airtel’s 5G network in India uses NSA (Non-Standalone) architecture, while Jio is based on SA architecture. This makes Redmi A4 5G incompatible with Airtel 5G.
To understand, in Standalone (SA) 5GDedicated network bands are used to deploy 5G and use new radio technologies that are specifically used for 5G.
On the other hand, Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G 4G uses the existing infrastructure of LTE, so it is a low-cost 5G network. Some frequency bands are shared by NSA 5G and 4G. It is said to be easy to deploy as they use older radio systems.
SA 5G is reportedly better than NSA 5G but there will be no difference in experience from a user perspective. Both technologies are said to be capable of providing speeds of up to 1Gbps.
For what it’s worth, Airtel also announced plans to deploy SA 5G network in India. The company is currently testing it in Bhubaneswar, Rewari, Chennai and other places.
Airtel will eventually roll out SA 5G across India but it may take some time and there is no exact timeline. So if you are planning to buy Redmi A4 5G, Jio is your best choice for the latest network.

Redmi A4 5G price in India is Rs 8,499 for the base 4GB/64GB model and Rs 9,499 for the 4GB/128GB variant. The handset will go on sale in the country from November 27 on Amazon, Mi.com and stores.