Earlier this week, Samsung rolled out a new software update to various devices across the European region, bringing some changes related to compatibility with 4G networks. The update was released for the Galaxy S24, S23, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and the Galaxy A54 initially, and it is now making its way to the Galaxy S22 series as well.
Unlike most updates, this one has a very specific changelog: it mentions that “support for regional 4G TDD frequency band type has been updated.” For devices bought in Germany, installing the update will remove support for TDD 4G networks in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, and Czech Republic.
However, in Europe, most carriers use FDD 4G networks, as TDD networks tend to have poorer performance owing to a more limited frequency spectrum, so folks who bought their Galaxy S22, S22+, or S22 Ultra in Germany aren't likely to run into any actual trouble when connecting to 4G mobile networks in any of the countries mentioned above.
It's worth mentioning that this update appears to be exclusive to the European continent and may not be made available anywhere else. The next update for Galaxy S22 owners outside Europe will likely be the one that brings One UI 6.1, which is scheduled to start rolling out sometime next month.
Users with eligible devices should receive a notification for the new update (which sports the build number S90*BXXU8DXD6), but those who don't wish to wait can manually download the update by tapping the Download and install option in their phone's Settings » Software update menu.
