iPhone 6 and need for new AT&T SIM?

[Paco II]

There seems to be a few threads, but I've yet to see any real answer as to why At&t is saying a new sim is needed. It's not about Apple Pay, as that works fine with 'old' SIM. Does anyone know the real story on this? If I overlooked a thread with the correct info, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Ghostbuster386]

It's for Voice over LTE (volte). You have to have a new sim to access it when it becomes available.

 

[Paco II]

Thanks!

 

[Paco II]

Resurrecting this thread for another question: with the new SIM I noticed something interesting. Whenever I make a call the data indicator will switch from LTE to 4G. When I end the call it switches back to LTE. Whats that about? If I use data while on a call will I not get LTE speeds?

 

[lordofthereef]

Resurrecting this thread for another question: with the new SIM I noticed something interesting. Whenever I make a call the data indicator will switch from LTE to 4G. When I end the call it switches back to LTE. Whats that about? If I use data while on a call will I not get LTE speeds?

You are coincidentally noticing this now (and not before). It has been this way since the iPhone got LTE way back with the iPhone 5. Once VoLTE is live in your area it will stay on LTE while on a call.

 

[Paco II]

Actually it's not coincidence. Wife and I were running our existing sims before switching to new sim. At&t did my sim upgrade first and I noticed it right away. Wife's did not do that. New sim and then it did. So definitely related to new sim.

 

[lordofthereef]

Actually it's not coincidence. Wife and I were running our existing sims before switching to new sim. At&t did my sim upgrade first and I noticed it right away. Wife's did not do that. New sim and then it did. So definitely related to new sim.

It's not though. You always drop to 4G when you are on a call, and always have.

 

[Paco II]

That I believe. But visually seeing the indicator change must be related to the new sim.

 

[lordofthereef]

That I believe. But visually seeing the indicator change must be related to the new sim.

I have always seen it, as have others. Not saying you haven't/have (though maybe you didn't notice?), but I couldn't begin to explain why. I have seen 4G while on calls since 2012. Not only do I get the 4G indicator, but data speeds tank. Hoping VoLTE is better.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1456652/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1456691/
http://metro.cs.ucla.edu/papers/mobicom99-tu.pdf

 

[Paco II]

It almost certainly is SIM related. I've been using the same for a long time.

 

[lordofthereef]

As I pointed out, this has been occuring since 2012 on iPhones, and likely before that on other LTE devices. Presumably your sim isn't older than that, unless you cut it. But honestly, not here to argue. just wanted to help. If you are convinced it's your sim changing what you see on your screen, so be it.

 

[Paco II]

Appreciate it. Definitely did not take your comments as argument. All useful information.

 

[pdxmatts]

I got that text message stating I needed to get a new sim for my i6. When I was talking to retention on another matter, I asked why I got that message? He said it was to use Apple Pay. Not sure what the real reason is anymore.

 

[pdxmatts]

That I believe. But visually seeing the indicator change must be related to the new sim.

I just tested this on my i6 that has my old i5 sim in it and does indeed show 4G and then back to LTE after the call. It also is doing the same on my daughters i5, so it is not the new sim. Lordofthereef is correct.

 

[deeddawg]

AT&T is seemingly even more full of misinformation and bullmanure than usual this go around.

SIM is utterly and totally unrelated to ApplePay as far as I know; I can't think of anything that has a dependency on the SIM.

AT&T does have VoLTE deployed in some markets; see http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/services/hd-voice.html
I'm in Atlanta and on my 5S the phone dropped from LTE to 4G when in a call, however my 6 does not drop the LTE display. Ookla speedtest appears to confirm this behavior; no substantive data speed difference in vs out of a call on my 6, drastic speed reduction on the 5S when in a call and it's dropped to 4G.

FWIW, I'm just using the SIM that I received with my 5S in September 2013.