What do the coverage symbols on my phone mean?

A quick reference guide to network coverage symbols

From time to time you may see Onside's offline functionality kicking in, meaning your phone doesn't have enough signal for the Onside app to communicate with our server.

All the network coverage symbols

A lot has changed since data usage became commonplace on our phones, and it can be a bit hard to keep up with what it all means and what you should expect from your phone.

In descending order, from oldest and slowest to newest and fastest, we've put together this quick guide to the symbols. The icons with the white arrows indicate data is transmitting. 

2G (GSM) was really the first step in having data on mobile devices. It's the slowest signal you can have and was phased out by all networks in NZ except One, which expects to do so before 2026.

G (GPRS) sometimes known as "2.5G" is a "best-effort service", with speed and latency dependant on the number of other users sharing the service while you are.

E (Edge) is faster than G network speeds, but you'll still struggle to browse most websites, use applications (including Onside) or watch YouTube videos.

3G (UMTS) was the first network that was fast enough to support mobile internet browsing as we know it today, fast enough for streaming music and some videos. It's probably the most well-known of all the mobile internet networks

H (HSPA) can comfortably handle YouTube videos, Spotify streaming, web browsing, and other app usage. It is not good enough, however, to support movie downloads.

H+ (HSPA+), as the name implies, is a improved version of HSPA. With its speed increase, movie downloads are much faster.

4G (LTE) Should be as fast as your wifi connection at home if you have fibre internet. Good quality video streaming shouldn't buffer and nothing you do in your day to day smartphone use should be affected.

4G+ (LTE) removes 95% of any speed-related limitations a mobile user could have. You should be able to comfortably stream a high definition movie or hotspot data without a noticeable drop in speed.

5G, the latest and greatest. You would have no doubt heard about this new standard recently. Providers around the world have started providing 5G networks, but most come at a premium for now. This is the fastest mobile connection currently available. Potentially up to 10x faster than 4G+.

What can Onside do offline?

The Onside app can still operate offline, but there are some limitations. Click here to find out more.

If you have any questions or need any help, you can reach us on 0800 ONSIDE (NZ), 1800 112334 (AU), or email Support@onside.co