iPhone 5 wont work on 4G on Vodafone or O2

Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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Got or want an iPhone 5 on Vodafone or O2 and expect it to work on 4G? Best thing to do is forget it! Apple who were no doubt well aware of what bands would be available in the UK thoughtfully only decided to include 1800MHz LTE Band 3 which will only work on Three or EE. Vodafone and O2 purchased 800MHz and Vodafone 800MHz and 2.6GHz. Even then Three have 800MHz and EE have 800MHz plus 2.6GHz so coverage will be curtailed!

Apple didnt think it was developed enough to bother including them. Nice!

Let the buyer beware :eek:

[url] http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19586067[/url]

[url] http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/[/url]
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Comments

  • Aye UpAye Up Posts: 7,053
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    What is your point? Apple has never advertised it as being 4G compatible with the aforementioned networks, there is no story here. Plus for those who have the iPhone 5 Vodafone have a 4G promise in that when they launch 4G customers will be able to trade in their phones for a compatible version.

    I believe all that is needed is a simple change of the inventory I am lead ot believe Apple distributes3 SKU's of the iPhone 5. one of them is slated to work with 800mhz spectrum.
  • legends wear 7legends wear 7 Posts: 2,102
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    There will be an 800mhz iphone either at or soon after launch.

    and if you are a Vodafone customer you have the 4G promise to change phones upto dec13 i think the terms were.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Well if they dont do a UK edition it will damage sales and Apple traditionally dont launch varients of thier handsets. CDMA versions being the exception:

    [url] http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3939[/url]

    Given the 5S will be out in 7months or so I reckon they will wait it out.
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    Well if they dont do a UK edition it will damage sales and Apple traditionally dont launch varients of thier handsets. CDMA versions being the exception:

    [url] http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3939[/url]

    Given the 5S will be out in 7months or so I reckon they will wait it out.

    CMDA is a completely different in air technology to GSM, requiring a completely separate chip.It's like VHS vs Betamax, and by the way CDMA is the betamax (the one which never took off as well, but which was actually in some ways technically better). You can't use voice and data at the same time on CDMA technology, it has single channel time division with everybody on the same communications channel and works completely differently in protocol and in air communication. GSM on the other hand issues separate tiny channels for each active user.

    LTE chips that Apple will be buying are the same chips every other handset maker buys and will support these additional frequencies on chip. It doesn't require a different variant.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Thine Wonk wrote: »
    CMDA is a completely different in air technology to GSM, requireing a completely separate chip.

    LTE chips that Apple will be buying are the same qualcomm or whatever chips everyone else buys and will support these additional frequencies. It doesn' require a different variant.

    If that is the case it will still have a diffrent SKU and there is only one GSM SKU listed in my above link.

    Perhaps some forum members have some inside knowledge of Apples up and comming releases as there has been no official announcment on this ;)
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    If that is the case it will still have a diffrent SKU and there is only one GSM SKU listed in my above link.

    Perhaps some forum members have some inside knowledge of Apples up and comming releases as there has been no official announcment on this ;)

    It may support both on the same chip, all I'm saying is you can't compare CDMA and GSM or LTE @1800 Mhz and LTE @800 mhz.

    It'll be easy for newer generations of iPhone to buy chips that support a range of frequencies. 800Mhz is going to be used elsewhere in the world and the UK is a huge market. They will either support it on the same chip or have a variant for it soon. The variant being nowhere near as complicated as the CDMA / GSM difference which is soooo different.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Thine Wonk wrote: »
    It may support both on the same chip, all I'm saying is you can't compare CDMA and GSM or LTE @1800 Mhz and LTE @800 mhz.

    It'll be easy for newer generations of iPhone to guy chips that support a range of frequencies. 800Mhz is going to be used elsewhere in the world and the UK is a huge market. They will either support it on the same chip or have a variant for it soon. The variant being nowhere near as complicated as the CDMA / GSM difference which is soooo different.

    The CDMA link is merely as an illustration of the variets they offer A1428 being the most common one. I guess Apple decided to cut corners and further increase profit margins on the iPhone 5 with lack of support for UK LTE bands.
  • calico_piecalico_pie Posts: 10,060
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    Got or want an iPhone 5 on Vodafone or O2 and expect it to work on 4G? Best thing to do is forget it! Apple who were no doubt well aware of what bands would be available in the UK thoughtfully only decided to include 1800MHz LTE Band 3 which will only work on Three or EE. Vodafone and O2 purchased 800MHz and Vodafone 800MHz and 2.6GHz. Even then Three have 800MHz and EE have 800MHz plus 2.6GHz so coverage will be curtailed!

    Apple didnt think it was developed enough to bother including them. Nice!

    Let the buyer beware :eek:

    [url] http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19586067[/url]

    [url] http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/[/url]

    And I suppose Apple is the only company to release phones before 4G was available in the UK, that didn't support all 4G bands.

    Never mind the fact that when the iPhone 5 was in development the UK had been dragging its heels with 4G, and its only very recently they got they're act together and the whole thing sped up dramatically.

    But hey! Let's make this all about Apple.
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    The CDMA link is merely as an illustration of the variets they offer A1428 being the most common one. I guess Apple decided to cut corners and further increase profit margins on the iPhone 5 with lack of support for UK LTE bands.

    You used CDMA as an example of how Apple don't often make variants. I was pointing out that CDMA is a totally different technology to GSM, where as all the difference is with LTE is the frequencies.

    It'll either be many bands of the same technology supported on the same chip in future models or different models for different regions, however Apple will support the UK LTE market as the UK mobile market is so huge.

    I wouldn't guarantee it'll be on the 5S though, you might have to wait till the 6.
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    1800 MHz is the most common LTE freq in Europe & Asia. 800 isn't (the USA use 850). This is why it is not compatible. Apple always only use the most efficient chips. The Nokia 920 uses a chip that kills the battery.. As does the S3 LTE.

    There are new modem chips out from Broadcom and Qualcomm now that are more efficient, allow VOLTE, LTE Advanced and are smaller. You'll be wanting that instead of any of the old tech in your Nokia, S3 or iPhone 5 anyways!!

    Don't know why ANYONE would be upgrading right now when there are several new LTE phones coming out in the next 6 months including the big names like S4, iPhone, HTC etc.. And how the networks have not released the details of what they are doing.

    Hold off <full stop>
  • legends wear 7legends wear 7 Posts: 2,102
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    1800 MHz is the most common LTE freq in Europe & Asia. 800 isn't (the USA use 850). This is why it is not compatible. Apple always only use the most efficient chips. The Nokia 920 uses a chip that kills the battery.. As does the S3 LTE.

    There are new modem chips out from Broadcom and Qualcomm now that are more efficient, allow VOLTE, LTE Advanced and are smaller. You'll be wanting that instead of any of the old tech in your Nokia, S3 or iPhone 5 anyways!!

    Don't know why ANYONE would be upgrading right now when there are several new LTE phones coming out in the next 6 months including the big names like S4, iPhone, HTC etc.. And how the networks have not released the details of what they are doing.

    Hold off <full stop>

    battery on my 920 is awesome, im getting 2 days from a charge which is the best I've had since feature phone days.
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Have you tried it or the 820 (more comparable) on LTE, the guys in my office keep complaining about how bad the battery is on LTE. When they are running on nearly nothing I still have about 50%, (20% for the 920) left, unlike most of them I'm not just using mine strictly for work (cough DS forums), They say it does last a long time if they limit it to 3G as the highest connection speed, pretty pointless though!!
    Don't get me started about the S3 LTE... Nobody in the office has one of these anymore (including me)
  • legends wear 7legends wear 7 Posts: 2,102
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    Have you tried it or the 820 (more comparable) on LTE, the guys in my office keep complaining about how bad the battery is on LTE. When they are running on nearly nothing I still have about 50%, (20% for the 920) left, unlike most of them I'm not just using mine strictly for work (cough DS forums), They say it does last a long time if they limit it to 3G as the highest connection speed, pretty pointless though!!
    Don't get me started about the S3 LTE... Nobody in the office has one of these anymore (including me)

    no only on 3G right now but 4G is supposed to be better for battery life i thought
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    For the OP http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/02/qualcomms-global-lte-chip-could-help-end-iphone-fragmentation/

    So there may be different versions of handsets for different regions for the iPhone 5S S4, but after that it's likely it'll all be on one chip.
  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    It is a bit of a mess at the moment. There are apparently three variants of iPhone 5 with different LTE specs. Naturally the CDMA/GSM versions have always been separate models.
    • GSM Model A4128 - Supports LTE bands 4 and 17
    • CDMA Model A4129 - Supports LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25
    • GSM Model A4129 - Support LTE Bands 1, 3, 5

    http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

    When more choice/competition is available with LTE in various countries, no doubt the phone manufacturers will produce models to cater for it. Or better still, make world phone versions.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Thine Wonk wrote: »
    For the OP http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/02/qualcomms-global-lte-chip-could-help-end-iphone-fragmentation/

    So there may be different versions of handsets for different regions for the iPhone 5S S4, but after that it's likely it'll all be on one chip.

    Thanks for the Qualcomm article.

    The new Qualcomm chipset wont be available till the second half of 2013. So from June onwards. Plus these things are quite often late. I honestly dont see it being incorporated into a revised iPhone 5 it will more likely be in the 5S.

    Samsung on the other hand appear to be doing their own thing.
  • reclusive46reclusive46 Posts: 584
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    The CDMA link is merely as an illustration of the variets they offer A1428 being the most common one. I guess Apple decided to cut corners and further increase profit margins on the iPhone 5 with lack of support for UK LTE bands.

    This is not true at all. They didn't decide to even make the iPhone compatible with any UK LTE networks it just happened that most of the Asian networks use the 1800 band so it just worked with EE's network.
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Exactly. Also Apple has never been the first to incorporate new features, frequencies or the like just to have it first. They sit on it till it works like they want it (lets not mention the iMaps lol) then they release it. Ives has already said he will not compromise on battery life to have something new.

    LTE is in theory better on battery (and it will be one day) but the 3G modem chips are so mature and efficient they are still better right now. Every chip revision is leap forward, I think this latest one is meant to be 15% more power efficient!

    Qualcomm and Apple have a very close relationship (like Apple/Intel) so they would be likely to get first dibs. June/July is about when the iPhone starts to ramp production (going by previous years) so it's in the right ball park. However these new Broadcom chips are available around about now..
  • SkyPlatinumSkyPlatinum Posts: 871
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    Got or want an iPhone 5 on Vodafone or O2 and expect it to work on 4G? Best thing to do is forget it! Apple who were no doubt well aware of what bands would be available in the UK thoughtfully only decided to include 1800MHz LTE Band 3 which will only work on Three or EE. Vodafone and O2 purchased 800MHz and Vodafone 800MHz and 2.6GHz. Even then Three have 800MHz and EE have 800MHz plus 2.6GHz so coverage will be curtailed!



    Apple didnt think it was developed enough to bother including them. Nice!

    Let the buyer beware :eek:

    [url] http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19586067[/url]

    [url] http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/[/url]

    This is really old news, that's everyone is aware of
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    ^ yeah we all know he's on an Apple bash lol
  • StigglesStiggles Posts: 9,618
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    calico_pie wrote: »
    And I suppose Apple is the only company to release phones before 4G was available in the UK, that didn't support all 4G bands.

    Never mind the fact that when the iPhone 5 was in development the UK had been dragging its heels with 4G, and its only very recently they got they're act together and the whole thing sped up dramatically.

    But hey! Let's make this all about Apple.

    Oh christ, here we go again.....

    They will have known what frequencies the UK would have had up for grabs and be using. Why not include all just in case? Wont be anything to do with making a new iphone and forcing people to upgrade like the missing MMS bollocks they did before?
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Incase.. Would have compromised on battery. Until you've used the Three big names (iPhone 5, 820/920 & S3LTE) on an LTE network for an amount of time. You really can't comment... They made the right choice.

    What about about all the other phones that launched at the same time which don't have full LTE frequency use....


    On a side note Samsung had to release a new model as the S3 original wasn't even DC HSPA or LTE compatible. Didn't hear anyone complaining about buying a non DC compatible version. It's an Apple bash.
  • StigglesStiggles Posts: 9,618
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    1800 MHz is the most common LTE freq in Europe & Asia. 800 isn't (the USA use 850). This is why it is not compatible. Apple always only use the most efficient chips. The Nokia 920 uses a chip that kills the battery.. As does the S3 LTE.

    There are new modem chips out from Broadcom and Qualcomm now that are more efficient, allow VOLTE, LTE Advanced and are smaller. You'll be wanting that instead of any of the old tech in your Nokia, S3 or iPhone 5 anyways!!

    Don't know why ANYONE would be upgrading right now when there are several new LTE phones coming out in the next 6 months including the big names like S4, iPhone, HTC etc.. And how the networks have not released the details of what they are doing.

    Hold off <full stop>

    What a load of utter apple biased nonsense.
  • StigglesStiggles Posts: 9,618
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    This is really old news, that's everyone is aware of

    I wasn't and i doubt everyone is either.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    Apple didn't want to use 3G with the original iPhone as they were "worried about the battery life on 3G" or more likely worried that people wouldn't upgrade the next year to the 3G model :D

    Heaven knows you buy the top model and pay £500 and it isnt cutting edge :confused: :eek:

    That's Apple for you :p
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