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djrod

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
1,012
33
Madrid - Spain
I've just read the iPad uses 700 MHz and 2100 MHz bands but in Europe we are going to deploy LTE using 800 MHz and 2600 MHz.

Is this true?
 

pmau

macrumors 68000
Nov 9, 2010
1,569
854
Yes, T-Mobile told me via their twitter support account.
Wrong frequency, you can only use 3G.
EDIT: I'm in germany, btw.
 

Killerbob

macrumors 68000
Jan 25, 2008
1,847
612
Correct! The idiots at Apple "forgot" Europe.

In Germany and Denmark for instance the albeit limited 4G network uses 1800 and 2600 MHz, and according to the teleproviders here they are for sure not changing. According to Apple, the iPad uses 2100 MHz only, i.e. no 4G i Europe:(

Bo
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
Well this would be a double face palm if its true.

Then the Ipad could have its own super unique feature that use useless for most, like when thunderbolt launched and nothing used it. In this case outside of the US, it will not run on LTE as its not compatible or most countries do not support it. Owwww Apple the days of when it just worked..... shucks!
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
From the iPad tech specs on Apple's German website
http://www.apple.com/de/ipad/specs/

4G LTE wird von AT&T und Verizon Mobilfunknetzen in den USA unterstützt und von Bell, Rogers und Telus Mobilfunknetzen in Kanada.

My high-school German is super rusty, but does that not translate to something close to:

4G LTE is supported on AT&T and Verizon's mobile network in the USA and on Bell, Rogers and Telus mobile network in Canada.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Looks like Germany does too.

Looks like 4G LTE only works with Verizon, AT&T, Bell, Rogers and Telus, regardless of which country you buy your iPad in.
 

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NutsNGum

macrumors 68030
Jul 30, 2010
2,856
367
Glasgow, Scotland
US AT&T version and UK version have exact same specs.

As do all the European ones, they are GSM standard.

The issue is that 4G frequencies used by different countries are different and the radio will not work with the providers over here. Only the 3G, HSDPA variants will work properly.

For Apple to refer to their European iPad as 4G capable is malarky.

I still bought one though, because I'm a colossal fanboy.
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
From all us Europeans to Apple

181148-triple_facepalm_super.jpg


Though kudos to the masters of marketing.... you have done it again, Awesome keynote, just a slight tiny issue you forgot to mention when you gave the WORLD a 4G Ipad...
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
For Apple to refer to their European iPad as 4G capable is malarky.
The malarky is quickly spreading.

AT&T customers that upgraded their iPhone 4s to iOS 5.1 now get a 4G icon (instead of 3G) when they're in a HSDPA+ area. So now the iPhone 4s is 4G. :eek:
 

Lindberg

macrumors regular
Jun 21, 2010
126
4
Denmark, Aarhus
I don't get how Apple can neglect a marked that is around the same size as their home marked. They should not be allowed to market their new iPad as 4G/LTE compatible in Europe.

I hope Samsung gets an 4G tablet on the marked and punishes Apple for their arrogance....
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
They should not be allowed to market their new iPad as 4G/LTE compatible in Europe.
Do European carriers market their HSDPA+ networks as 4G?

In the US, T-Mobile has been doing that for a long time now, and looks like AT&T is following suit.

Check out T-Mobile US's home page. They have zero LTE coverage in the US, yet they claim to be the US's largest 4G network.
 

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djrod

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
1,012
33
Madrid - Spain
Do European carriers market their HSDPA+ networks as 4G?

In the US, T-Mobile has been doing that for a long time now, and looks like AT&T is following suit.

Check out T-Mobile US's home page. They have zero LTE coverage in the US, yet they claim to be the US's largest 4G network.

HSDPA+ is called 3.5G here
 

MarlboroLite

macrumors 6502a
Oct 29, 2007
581
5
the 13 colonies
I think the issue here is simple, while you see certain pockets of LTE rollout in Germany and Scandinavia--reports I have read say that the even there the footprints are tiny. Everywhere else in Europe is not even close to even beginning to roll it out. I've read that some countries will begin the process by 2013-2014. Places like France have not even allocated the spectrum yet. For all intents and purposes there is no LTE in Europe, regardless of the frequency, and there won't be any significant LTE footprint until possibly 2 or 3 years from now! For once the US isn't actually behind the curve! :rolleyes:

As of right now the LTE chips are still kind of young--and with the mess that is the frequency ranges that will be adopted worldwide, there probably aren't any multiple-band chips on the market like with 3G. Plus they have to pack in the backwards 3G compatibility on top. I'm sure that the next iPad will include a multi-band LTE chip that will be even more efficient and will get all the major frequencies. Now of course, I understand not everybody wants to upgrade every year and if you buy this iPad hoping to eventually use 4G in your country in a year or two it's not gonna happen so that's a bummer. But ultimately what I think is going on is that Qualcomm doesn't yet have an LTE chip that covers many bands, so Apple chose the chip that will actually be put to use where there's a decent amount of coverage (N. America).

That still doesn't excuse the US once again using frequencies not only different from other major world standards, but among the US carriers themselves forcing lock-downs. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose....
 

Killerbob

macrumors 68000
Jan 25, 2008
1,847
612
I think the "marketing" is the issue;

Had they presented it as "LTE capable in North America, and 3G in the rest of the world" it would have gone down better. But they didn't. They bragged on and on about a Global unit, and showed amongst its tricks that it was LTE capable.

Bo
 

Stetrain

macrumors 68040
Feb 6, 2009
3,550
20
From all us Europeans to Apple
Though kudos to the masters of marketing.... you have done it again, Awesome keynote, just a slight tiny issue you forgot to mention when you gave the WORLD a 4G Ipad...

I guess you didn't watch the keynote then? It was made quite clear that the LTE support was for major carriers in the US and Canada, and the world support consisted of HSPA, EV-DO, HSPA+, and dual-carrier HSPA.

They already have to make two models to cover LTE support in the US, I'm guessing they didn't really like the idea of building multiple additional models to support other LTE standards.

Next year there will probably be a combo chip that combines multiple LTE bands into a single chip, which will solve that problem.
 

djrod

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
1,012
33
Madrid - Spain
I think the "marketing" is the issue;

Had they presented it as "LTE capable in North America, and 3G in the rest of the world" it would have gone down better. But they didn't. They bragged on and on about a Global unit, and showed amongst its tricks that it was LTE capable.

Bo

What I don't like is that it can be misleading, we don't have Siri or 4G in Spain and Apple does not advertise Siri here but they advertise the 4G capabilities that we are not going to be able to use, neither now or never. And the same goes to my fellow Europeans
 

Manilae

macrumors newbie
Nov 19, 2010
17
0
Me personally dont need LTE here in Germany on my new iPad just because we realy dont have an LTE Network here. Its just in the development and will first available in die biggest cities. But it would have been good for Apple if they had supported it in the hole world..
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
What I don't like is that it can be misleading, we don't have Siri or 4G in Spain and Apple does not advertise Siri here but they advertise the 4G capabilities that we are not going to be able to use, neither now or never. And the same goes to my fellow Europeans
Yeah, that's weird. If you visit the Apple iPad page, and click on Features, there's a section header (in all languages) to says 4G.

In the US, the details of that section go on to specifically point out 4G LTE, as well as all of the other 3G technologies that it supports.

For the European countries, the details of that section doesn't seem to mention 4G or LTE. But it does specifically list all of the 3G technologies that it supports.
 

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