My guess is that AT&T wanted that band exclusive to them. They probably saw a whole bunch of people buy the TMO & Verizon versions last year to use on their network. I can't imagine Apple deciding to make a whole separate phone just because when they can just as easily have all bands in 1 device. Stuff like this is why I hate them (AT&T).
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iPhone 6s LTE 30 Band and CDMA Version Megathread
- Thread starter milaround
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My guess is that AT&T wanted that band exclusive to them. They probably saw a whole bunch of people buy the TMO & Verizon versions last year to use on their network. I can't imagine Apple deciding to make a whole separate phone just because when they can just as easily have all bands in 1 device. Stuff like this is why I hate them (AT&T).
T-Mobile has 2 kinds of prepaid, one throttled (Simply Prepaid) and one not (Simple Choice). The one that's not is ~$10/month more expensive. I believe the $30/5GB plan isn't throttled.Do you know where there is information on that? Is that just prepaid MVNO's or also prepaid plans bought directly through T-Mobile? Because I was seriously considering getting the $30 prepaid T-Mobile plan if I got an iPhone and now I'm worried it might be throttled since it's prepaid, but it's also directly through T-Mobile...
Isn't AT&T the sole owner of Band 30? If so odd behavior from AT&T, it's already "exclusive" by that measure.
The band is but if there was a phone that had all bands then it would be much easier for people to buy the Verizon or TMO unlocked versions to use on AT&T's network, bypassing them to avoid their weird charges & fees. But since their phone is the only one with that band, you can't just pick up the TMO/Verizon version, you have to buy theirs.
Oh thank god. I am a heavy data user who only uses 150 minutes per month currently, so this plan sounds perfect for me. I'm sure I will have no problem staying under 100 minutes if I use LINE Out for most of my outgoing calls (it's a VoIP service built into a messaging app I already use that actually spoofs your number for outgoing calls, and you can get 100 minutes for $1).
Possibly. That's what happened last year with the Sprint version. Sprint rolled out its upgrades on TD-LTE Bands 38-41, and although that was the version sold overseas, initially AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile got a separate version. Eventually Apple released the "full unlocked" version. That might happen this year, too. The SIM-free version will likely have Band 30.
The carriers commit to Apple that they will sell a certain number of phones. So AT&T does care whether someone purchases an "AT&T" vs. a "Verizon" or "T-Mobile" iPhone 6S.
The signal quality will be more robust, especially at the cell edge, because they are deploying LTE B30 using twice as many antennas (4x2 MIMO). Plus, the iPhone supports carrier aggregation of LTE Band 12 and Band 30 (and vice versa) to support Wideband LTE speeds.
Apple has enough market power to avoid carrier exclusives at this point. The, in your words, "whole separate" iPhone from last year only had a couple more parts on the PCB. Everything else is exactly the same.
There is probably some good negotiating going on between AT&T & Apple. They need each other so this is likely one of the compromises they made. I'm not talking about last years phone, I'm talking about the 2 models for this year. A phone that includes band 30 and a phone that doesn't. 2 separate phones.
Do you know where there is information on that? Is that just prepaid MVNO's or also prepaid plans bought directly through T-Mobile? Because I was seriously considering getting the $30 prepaid T-Mobile plan if I got an iPhone and now I'm worried it might be throttled since it's prepaid, but it's also directly through T-Mobile...
T-mobile says it directly on their website.
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-monthly-plans
"Capable device required for 4G LTE speeds. 4GLTE speed is capped. Max data speed is 8Mbps"
Wait. Let me get this straight. Att is the only carrier to use 30 band? What benefit is that? I'm confused.
It's more bandwidth available, particularly in certain cities where AT&T doesn't have much space available in other bands.
I'm not convinced. The Apple Upgrade lockout of MVNO and prepaid customers suggests Apple is, or believes it is, still beholden to the carriers.
Yes, they paid hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire unused spectrum solely for their network. So the at&t phone version has no benefit to anyone using any network other than at&t, and only at&t in a few major metro areas currently.
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple expands the upgrade program eligibility when it releases the SIM-free model later in the year. Once the carriers get the initial launch wave to fulfill their sales commitments to Apple, there's no reason for them not to do so. If you read the fine print, there is an option to "upgrade" after 6 months by prepaying 6 months of payments. The main reason to do that is if you buy mid-cycle and want to upgrade early to a "carrier" model the next year.
It's the same conundrum from last year when there was a iPhone that includes TD-LTE and a phone that doesn't except that the number of carriers on each side is significantly outweighed.
I think that has to do more with the reselling gray market issue.
Where do you get this $30 rate for the prepaid plan? When I looked at the T-mobile site, it was $60/5GB for Simply Prepaid and $70/5GB for Simple Choice. Also The cheapest Simply Prepaid was $40 and that was only for 1GB.
Source:
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-monthly-plans
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/simple-choice-prepaid-plans
Ok, but I can't use the T mobile iphone 6s I ordered from Apple with that plan, can I? I remember reading about it (the whole walmart or activating T-mobile website thing). If there might be a way for someone like me (i.e. T mobile iphone 6s from Apple) to do, I'd appreciate anyone pointing out.
My understanding is you just need to buy a prepaid SIM kit from T-Mobile, and then you can activate it on the T-Mobile website. I've also heard you can activate it with the post-paid SIM that Apple will include with the phone, but you will need to call T-Mobile to get it setup. Why T-Mobile has two different types of SIMs is a mystery to me.
yes, 100%. I guess we will not know until people start picking up reserved phones. Hopefully if you are paying in full they do not care what SIM activates the phone.
So if you bring your MVNO SIM card to activate your reserved Verizon iPhone on Selectel, would that satisfy them?
I highly doubt it. If you don't care able LTE Band 30, get the T-Mobile iPhone, since that will not require activation.