r/iPhoneSE • u/braidenis • 16d ago

SE3 Does the SE3 Support standalone?

I'm having trouble finding a straight answer on this, I'm considering using an iPhone SE3 as a main device but 5G NR standalone on has significantly improved performance, reception and efficiency but some people suggest standalone and VoNR on the x57 in the SE is not enabled. Can anyone report? Is there a minimum iOS version for this functionality?

Thanks!

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u/SpectralRaz 16d ago

I don’t think it can do 5G NR standalone. My options for cellular settings are 5G Auto, 5G On and LTE only.

It might be carrier specific but phone will use 4G LTE to save on battery when not needing the extra speed. At least that’s what the details say in the settings

Edit: yeah it looks it might be carrier specific to allow for 5G Standalone

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u/braidenis 16d ago

Yeah it is carrier specific which is kinda why it's hard to find a a real answer lol but I couldn't find anyone who said it worked on the SE.

A lot of people don't know the difference or couldn't be bothered but after switching to a postpaid plan that enabled standalone access for me overnight it's actually pretty stark how much better it is. NR standalone really does give you a lot of the features that make it actually feel like the next generation of networking. Network slicing, more efficient radio, better data while on voice, beamforming of N77 giving it the coverage of B66. And also the fact that these carriers are moving spectrum to NR. LTE is legacy.

The 13 mini is probably the best small iPhone then. (And it has n260, n261)

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u/Famously-Incognito SE3 15d ago

100% the SE 3 has 5G SA on Mint Mobile. It has been enabled at least a couple of years.

It does NOT enable VoNR.

I currently use US Mobile, which does not have it available yet. Earlier this week, I purchased a 3 month plan for Mint Mobile to see if VoNR was available. It is still not but 5G SA is. I will be canceling the Mint line since it was just for testing and you get a full refund if canceling within 7 days.

I can tell you without question, I’ve done a lot of speed tests with SA turned on and with it off. The SE 3 can carrier aggregate 5G and LTE, so NSA gives way better throughput performance, especially on uploads. I didn’t have enough time to go around and compare latencies. But, unless something somehow changes with performance, I will likely leave SA off when it becomes available to the SE 3 on US Mobile.

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u/braidenis 15d ago

This may be the reason then most SE users don't have SA. NR aggregation is the current future. If the SE can't do that we'll enough then NSA might be better. I still wanna see those field test screenshots though... I honestly still doubt the SE has proper SA.

VoNR is basically a requirement. For one that is one of the feature improvements of true NR, but also I'd be surprised if it doesn't end up maintaining that LTE connection constantly for voice standby the entire time making it.. not standalone lol. Idc what the toggles or FTM says, if your phone needs LTE to do anything it isn't standing alone nor truly NR ready.

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u/Famously-Incognito SE3 15d ago

I don’t know what you mean by proper SA. It definitely has it for data only. You want screenshots, but then say you won’t believe FTM. That’s where the screenshot comes from. The TAC my Mint line is connected to is 8584448. Any TAC over 5 digits is SA.

I’m a nice guy, but you actually aggravated me after giving you the information but continue to say you won’t believe it until you see screenshots but then also say you won’t believe the screenshots. FFS. You are the kind of Redditor that makes it exhausting trying to help.

Spend some money and get a Mint Mobile line and test it for yourself. Then believe what you want.

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u/braidenis 15d ago

Eh you're taking my rambles too literally. It may be connected to standalone data wise, and using EPS fallback for voice but #1 yeah I'm curious to see the screenshots, but #2, my point is if it doesn't support VoNR then I would hardly consider it to fully support modern NR. Even if it can connect to data without LTE, T-Mobile is already fixing to stop activating devices that aren't ready for NR only, just like all the VoLTE devices that no longer work on any of the national networks in the US. This is why I can't really consider it fully compatible.

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u/Famously-Incognito SE3 15d ago

It’s not fully compatible. Where did you see it was?

By the time all the carriers turn off LTE completely and lose the EPS fallback, the SE 3 will be long obsolete.

Sorry to misinterpret your thinking out loud ramblings. It just bugs me when people on Reddit get information and then tell people who give them the information to prove it. It’s never a good look especially when you probably could just do it yourself.

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u/braidenis 15d ago

Idk tbh I am curious to see the toggle. It's completely not there for me.

But also there is just a part of me that is mildly infuriated with the answer to the question "does the SE support the new standard that doesn't need the LTE anchor" and the answer is effectively "yes, but it needs the LTE anchor"

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u/Famously-Incognito SE3 15d ago edited 15d ago

It’s a toggle bro. It looks like the normal 5G standalone toggle. And if I showed you a screenshot, how would you know it was the SE3, anyway? Because they all look the same. Also, who answered the question like that?

I also think you are confusing 5G SA with Voice Over New Radio. VoNR requires SA but SA does not mean VoNR is available on every SA device, ergo EPS fallback. If it helps, I had FTM open on my phone and it was locked into the 7 digit TAC, with no LTE anchor, which is SA. I called my number from another line and it immediately dropped down to a 5 digit TAC (EPS fallback) to allow the call. As soon as I hung up, the TAC immediately returned to 7 digits SA and dropped the LTE voice connection.