If you’re still struggling to decide which carrier to use for your iPhone 5, you may have had some of the decision made for you. Following statements by Verizon that hinted simultaneous voice and data still wouldn’t be an option despite the inclusion of LTE, which theoretically frees up CDMA for calls, we’ve confirmed with Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison that this is indeed the case. It’s “not yet possible” to do side-by-side CDMA voice and LTE data on a “single-radio” design like the iPhone 5, she says. That’s technically true, although it may be a case of Apple wanting to keep hardware differences to a minimum between CDMA and GSM users. AnandTech founder Anand Lal Shimpi tells the New York Times that Verizon phones like the Galaxy S III, which don’t have this limit, follow a different approach: where Apple uses a second antenna to improve overall reception for a single connection, Samsung and other phone makers use theirs to keep both data and voice flowing in harmony. While it’s a tradeoff with its own benefits, the choice means that iPhone 5 units for Verizon, Sprint, and every other CDMA carrier still won’t let you check your e-mail in mid-call without WiFi. If that’s an issue, you’ll have to turn to AT&T (or T-Mobile with an unlocked phone) to get your fix.
If you’re feenin’ for some action on an unlocked iPhone 5, Apple has announced the prices for them: It’ll be $649 for 16GB, $749 for 32GB and $849 for 64GB. That’s the same unlocked price as the unlocked iPhone 4S when it released last year. More »
In news that’s a serious bummer but not all that surprising, Verizon’s iPhone 5 will not be able to talk and surf the web on LTE at the same time. Like the iPhone 4S and most Verizon phones before it, the iPhone 5 will not support simultaneous voice and data. More »
Last we heard Sprint was prepping to launch its LTE network in 100 cities in the “coming months.” Well, a tipster just sent along a some info that seems to indicate that Chicago and Boston will be online before September is out. According to the leaked memo, towers in the areas surrounding those cities should start lighting up soon, with both metropolitan centers set to become “discoverable” on September 21st. Now, that doesn’t mean LTE will officially launch in those cities on that Friday, merely that 4G capable devices may start picking up the signals. From that day forward Sprint will be in pre-launch mode in Boston and Chicago, as they build out infrastructure to support the shift to a new wireless platform.
Samsung’s got a new Galaxy in town, and it’s the Victory 4G LTE on Sprint. Available on the Now Network this upcoming Sunday, the device packs Android 4.0 (ICS), a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 Lite SoC, 1GB RAM, Google Wallet and a 5 megapixel camera paired up with a 1.3MP front-facing cam. Additionally, the phone takes advantage of a 2,100mAh battery, Bluetooth 4.0, 4GB internal storage and a microSD slot. It also throws in a few features seen on the Galaxy S III, such as S Beam and AllShare Play. Lastly, the Victory weighs 4.9 ounces and is a ghastly 12.7mm thick. The price? $100, after a $50 mail-in rebate. We don’t see this thing selling like pancakes at that pricing tier, so what is it a victory over, anyway? Check the press release below the break for more info.
We’re sure it’s just coincidence, but on the same day a certain new LTE phone was revealed, Rogers announced the expansion of its 4G network in Canada. By October 1st, the carrier will have switched on its high-speed network in Kingston, Edmonton, Quebec City, Oakville, Burlington, London, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Barrie. That’s not quite the end of it either, as the plan is to feed 60 percent of the country’s inhabitants the same 4G nourishment by the end of the year, and even more in 2013. With so many newLTE-capabledevices soon finding their way into the hands of data-hungry Canadians, all that remains is the important decision of choosing your latest pocket-filler.
In contrast to the Sony Xperia T, HTC’s latest device just hit the FCC without offering many details — but fortunately we have a pretty good idea of what it is anyway. Identified as the PM63100, we’ve seen this particular model show up on benchmark results as the HTC One X+, a rumored revision of the current flagship. As you may recall, the benchmark claims that the One X+ features a Tegra 3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. Happily, the FCC-approved phone also throws in LTE connectivity (sporting AT&T-friendly bands 4 and 17 in addition to 2 and 5), fulfilling NVIDIA’s self-made prophecy that we would see Tegra 3 devices with the next-gen tech by the end of 2012. Sadly, the federal docs don’t show us much more than what you see above, but it’s an indication that we may not have to wait too much longer to learn more.
Patchy coverage; fragmented frequencies; tight-lipped and cautious carriers: the iPhone 5‘s LTE may be one of the headline features, but it’s also causing the most confusion. As predicted, Apple threw in support for LTE networks across the globe in the new smartphone, though it was forced to use three different versions to do so. Even those three may not be enough to satisfy everyone, however: there are some significant holes for high-profile carriers.
Beyond the usual color and storage capacity options, there will be three different types of iPhone 5. Each will cater to different carriers in different geographies: Model A1428 (GSM) with the AWS and 700b LTE bands (4 and 17) for AT&T in the US, and Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada (including Virgin, Fido, and Kudo, their respective sub-brands).
Model A1429 (CDMA) supports the most LTE bands, with 2100, 1800, 850, 700c, and 1900 (bands 1, 3, 5, 13, and 25), though ironically Apple is positioning it for the fewest carriers: only Verizon and Sprint in the US, and KDDI in Japan. Finally, Model A1429 (GSM) handles most places outside of North America, with LTE service for Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, the UK’s EE, Australia’s Optus, Virgin, and Telstra, Japan’s Softbank, Korea’s SK Telecom and KT, Hong Kong’s SmarTone, and Singapore’s M1 and SingTel.
That leaves plenty of carriers either with 3G-only support or planning LTE networks with no band support in any of the three iPhone 5 models. As Engadget highlights, UK carriers Vodafone and O2 may well be readying their own LTE push, but they’ll be using 800MHz (band 20) and 2.6GHz (band 7) for their 4G and thus won’t actually work with the iPhone 5.
To counter that, some carriers are offering a get-out-clause of sorts partway through the typical two-year agreement. O2′s new “4G Handset Promise” will mean iPhone 5 buyers will be able to upgrade to a device compatible with the carrier’s LTE network, it told The Inquirer, mid-contract when that network launches. Vodafone, meanwhile, is simply pushing its 3G network with the new nano SIMs needed for the iPhone 5, as is Three.
Even those with LTE on their carrier of choice may find they’re unable to use 4G while they’re in another country. With no direct LTE roaming between the North American GSM iPhone 5 and the European/Asia GSM model, those hoping to hop between continents with seamless high-speed data will be disappointed.
Somewhat comically, given CDMA’s history of being limited in terms of roaming, the CDMA iPhone 5 may be the best bet for international roaming, as it supports the same three bands of the Euro GSM version. Verizon told ArsTechnica that it would be “surveying which markets line up best with the frequencies available in our version of the iPhone 5″ when global roaming is enabled “in the future.” However, the three models don’t only vary by LTE bands; the UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA bands they each support are different too.
It’s worth noting that this 4G headache is nowhere near a problem limited to the iPhone 5, though it’s likely to be Apple’s handset that draws the greatest attention to the fragmented condition of LTE roll-out. Existing Android LTE phones, on sale for some time now, are also limited to 4G in specific markets, so even those with so-called “global roaming” support max out at 3G when abroad.
Despite hopes for a seven-band LTE radio based on Qualcomm technology, it seems size and other limitations have forced Apple’s hand when it comes to catering to the most territories with the least number of versions. For now, it’s worth doing some research if you’re hoping to use your new iPhone 5 with LTE in more than one country.
A few days ago we said it did not make sense to expect an iPhone 5 with a global LTE chip. After all with carriers around the world that support LTE sporting different radio bands and frequencies, it would not be possible to accomplish that with a single model – at least for the time being. That being said, it looks like Apple will be releasing three different versions of the iPhone 5 that will play nice with different LTE networks around the world. There will be a model specific for AT&T and Canadian carriers Bell and Rogers, a CDMA model for Sprint, Verizon and KDDI Japan, and a GSM LTE model for European markets, Asia and Softbank Japan. The list of support carriers can be found at Apple Insider’s website, so if you were planning on getting your hands on the iPhone 5 and were wondering if it would support the LTE network by your carrier, head on over to the source link below for the details!
Brits ready to stake their preorder claim this Friday might have a harder time deciding between the myriad of networks offering the device. While all of the major UK carriers will be ready to offer you the iPhone 5, that LTE radio will only be working on the newly-christened EE from the start, with Three likely to use that purchased spectrum (after getting the okay from Ofcom) to similar effect in the near-future. Unfortunately for Vodafone and O2, the forthcoming Ofcom spectrum auction is gearing up to sell off the 800MHz (Band 20) and 2.6GHz (Band 7) frequencies — neither of which are found on Apple’s multiple iPhone 5 models, and the latter being a bigger problem in Europe and Asia, where LTE networks already make use of the 2.6GHz frequency. However, Apple have followed up an initial phone launch with additional network-specific models before — so there’s a slim chance we could see another model at a later date. All the UK carriers are keeping their contract prices a tightly-guarded secret at the moment, but we’ll update as soon as we hear more. Meanwhile, those on that little European isle can expect to pay £529 for the entry-level iPhone 5 from the source when pre-orders start this Friday.
Update: Pocket-lint‘s been told that those looking to grab the EE iteration will need to initially register with either Orange or T-Mobile, with your service bizarrely migrating across on a later, as-yet unconfirmed, date. This is because its new 4G network won’t be ready when the iPhone 5 first hits shops on September 21st. Before that, you’ll have to make do with HSPA+ speeds.
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A few days ago we said it 
