Do 4G phones work on a 5G network?

If you’re among the 86 percent of the population who are concerned that the recent rollouts of 5G networks will make your 4G cellphone obsolete, there’s no need to worry. 4G phones still work on a 5G network, they just won’t get that coveted 5G speed.

HighSpeedInternet.com recently released its list of the most common tech myths that Americans believe in 2020. Among them was the concern that 5G will replace 4G and we will all have to upgrade our phones. The truth is that 5G is not an entirely new network — it’s just added on top of the 4G network. So your 4G phone will keep working just fine and you’ll only have to upgrade if you want 5G’s blazing speed.

The other top tech myths: 25 percent of Americans reportedly believe that 5G towers can make people sick (they don’t), 17 percent think that 5GE is the same as 5G (it’s not, it’s just a prelude to 5G), and 33 percent believe that low-Earth orbit satellites like Starlink’s will block the view of the night sky from the ground. But stargazers needn’t fear — companies like Starlink are taking measures to ensure that their satellites can’t be seen by the naked eye, including covering them with non-reflective materials or sunshades.