iPhone 6s LTE 30 Band and CDMA Version Megathread

[Joe1602]

AT&T can have the band, ill take Verizon's coverage

I'll take the band. Article from 4/2015:


http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/atts-summer-lte-expansions-plans-2-3-ghz-wcs-lte-band-30-is-coming/

"AT&T is building a new express carpool lane onto the AT&T LTE network.
But most current AT&T customers are not going to be compatible, and are going to be left behind.
For now - if you don't want to be left behind - check the specifications of any new AT&T device you are considering buying to see if LTE Band 30 is supported! On AT&T, support for LTE bands 17, 2, 4, 5, and now 30 are what you should be looking for."

 

[jetlitheone]

Band 30 is nice but in my area I just don't see it being useful or worth the hassle for me. I'm not gonna cancel my order and wait another 4 weeks (mid October) to get something I won't notice personally...

It is nice for dense areas though. But I'm super happy with my speed right now

 

[jetlitheone]

I also work for AT&T and I've heard nothing at all about band 30 and I've searched it on my work computers.

 

[tangfish]

I just canceled my order for the t-mobile version and re-ordered a AT&T version (still arrives 9/25), after wasting a whole lot of time learning about all of this LTE 30 stuff. What a pain. To add insult to injury they're charging me $15 for "upgrading", even though I'm paying full price for the 6S. I'll try to get that fee credited back. I guess now the only remaining unknown is whether the phone will arrive unlocked or not. Geez, what a pain in the neck this whole process has been. I really wish they'd just sell one model with all the bands and ship it unlocked if you paid full price.

 

[The19th]

I also work for AT&T and I've heard nothing at all about band 30 and I've searched it on my work computers.

It might be described as WCS or 2300 MHz

 

[Shadowbech]

If you buy the AT&T at full price from the apple store, it will no be unlocked.

I'm pretty sure that if you buy the AT&T at full price that it will be unlocked as you are buying the device only and nothing else. But I can see how it might be different with the 6S/6S Plus since it's has it's own unique model number and the rest on others. But that doesn't mean that it is locked to AT&T if you buy it outright.

I purchased the AT&T 6Plus last year outright from Apple and it was unlocked as I received the "Congrats your iPhone has been unlocked).

 

[ZigZagLens]

I just canceled my order for the t-mobile version and re-ordered a AT&T version (still arrives 9/25), after wasting a whole lot of time learning about all of this LTE 30 stuff. What a pain. To add insult to injury they're charging me $15 for "upgrading", even though I'm paying full price for the 6S. I'll try to get that fee credited back. I guess now the only remaining unknown is whether the phone will arrive unlocked or not. Geez, what a pain in the neck this whole process has been. I really wish they'd just sell one model with all the bands and ship it unlocked if you paid full price.

I just did the same thing & totally agree with you!!

 

[atomic50]

Thanks everyone for keeping us updated with new information. I have updated the main post.

There's still some speculation that Apple will release a sim-free iP6s in the coming months, but after looking at the specs of the current phone, it seems that the iP6s already has every relevant band supported. Take for example:

iPhone 6 sim-free - Model A1586/24:

CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29)
TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41)​

iPhone 6s - Model A1633/34

LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41)
TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
​

The new iP6s supports more bands than last year's sim-free iP6. The only difference being the sim-free's support for Rev. B CDMA. With the new iP6s already qualifying as a world phone, and if all the paid-in-full phones are sold unlocked, I am inclined to think that Apple will not release a sim-free version of the iP6s, as there is no reason or benefit to do so.

What more benefit would there be in Apple releasing a "sim-free" version? What would be different?

Customer comprehension and inventory (No SIM included in box).

Also you missed Band 27 in red

 

[questionmark32]

I have a feeling Atlanta is going to get LTE Band 30 coverage early. It might already be here.

 

[2298754]

I have a feeling Atlanta is going to get LTE Band 30 coverage early. It might already be here.

Boston, LA, SF, ATL, Chicago, NYC, Miami, etc will all be getting WCS first. AT&T has a near-nationwide license to deploy WCS.

 

[einmusiker]

so this att model is going to work with a verizon LTE sim right out of the box? looks like that's the one to get then huh

 

[dyfine]

Great thread - thanks. 1 bit of info to add and 1 question.

The thing to add: I know they're unreliable but I chatted with apple support today to ask some of these same questions and this is what I was told:

• 
  "All iPhones (all carriers) are unlocked but there are no sim free unlocked devices.".

That came after:

• 
  "At this time we are offering contract free options for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, however, an unlocked SIM free version has not been released. While the iPhone upgrade plan offers an unlocked iPhone, you will be required to choose a carrier and plan in the store. It is only unlocked so that you can select your carrier at the store."

The question: if we take assume this is correct that all of the fully paid phones will be unlocked....is there any benefit to a SIM-free version that might come later or in essence....isn't buying a fully paid phone now better as you "get a free SIM"?

 

[duaneu]

Great thread - thanks. 1 bit of info to add and 1 question.

The thing to add: I know they're unreliable but I chatted with apple support today to ask some of these same questions and this is what I was told:

• 
  "All iPhones (all carriers) are unlocked but there are no sim free unlocked devices.".

That came after:

• 
  "At this time we are offering contract free options for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, however, an unlocked SIM free version has not been released. While the iPhone upgrade plan offers an unlocked iPhone, you will be required to choose a carrier and plan in the store. It is only unlocked so that you can select your carrier at the store."

The question: if we take assume this is correct that all of the fully paid phones will be unlocked....is there any benefit to a SIM-free version that might come later or in essence....isn't buying a fully paid phone now better as you "get a free SIM"?

Not sure if it's better, but there seems to be little reason to wait for an "official SIM free" version. But if last year was any indication, there will be some people who have it set in their minds that it makes all the difference in the world.

 

[atomic50]

Boston, LA, SF, ATL, Chicago, NYC, Miami, etc will all be getting WCS first. AT&T has a near-nationwide license to deploy WCS.

AT&T has all the WCS spectrum licenses nationwide. It's greenfield for deployment.

 

[terraphantm]

Not sure if it's better, but there seems to be little reason to wait for an "official SIM free" version. But if last year was any indication, there will be some people who have it set in their minds that it makes all the difference in the world.

To be fair, last year the SIM-free version was an unlocked version of the Sprint phone, which had a couple more bands. Back then it was impossible to get an unlocked sprint one.

 

[randian]

While the iPhone upgrade plan offers an unlocked iPhone, you will be required to choose a carrier and plan in the store

Again with the implication that Upgrade is only available for new lines, since it would not be necessary to "choose a plan in the store" if you were keeping your existing line and just transferring your sim to the new phone. I find this disturbing, not to mention making Upgrade a serious deal killer.

It is only unlocked so that you can select your carrier at the store

This is just as disturbing, since it appears to imply that the phone will be locked after your carrier has been selected.

 

[jetlitheone]

It might be described as WCS or 2300 MHz

I'll look into it. Obviously if its confidential info I can't share it here but yeah...

 

[bbplayer5]

I'll take the band. Article from 4/2015:


http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/atts-summer-lte-expansions-plans-2-3-ghz-wcs-lte-band-30-is-coming/

"AT&T is building a new express carpool lane onto the AT&T LTE network.
But most current AT&T customers are not going to be compatible, and are going to be left behind.
For now - if you don't want to be left behind - check the specifications of any new AT&T device you are considering buying to see if LTE Band 30 is supported! On AT&T, support for LTE bands 17, 2, 4, 5, and now 30 are what you should be looking for."

Ill take Verizon - Verizon XLTE already gets me 40+ mbps and I have perfect coverage. Band 30 wont be a big deal until next iPhone is released anyway. The network is still a build in progress.

 

[KPOM]

Exactly. The way I read that, if you buy the T-Mobile phone, you won't be able to use LTE at all on AT&T's network.

No, that's not correct. That list is just which carriers will sell each model in each country.

 

[KPOM]

Boston, LA, SF, ATL, Chicago, NYC, Miami, etc will all be getting WCS first. AT&T has a near-nationwide license to deploy WCS.

This makes sense. AT&T has only 10MHz of contiguous Band 17 spectrum in Chicago, and had to resort to carrier aggregation to get higher speeds.

 

[SRLMJ23]

Doesn't this chart show that AT&T customers will getting the A1633/4 models? I do not know much about the whole spectrum stuff and the significance of LTE Band 30 and what WCS is etc. If someone could explain it to me I would truly be grateful! Thanks in advance!

Here is the link from Apple:

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

 

[Luba]

According to one of the Relevant Reading articles in the 1st post of this thread, 163x (AT&T model) won't work on Verizon & Sprint, even though it has CDMA capability. So the capability is there, but AT&T made Apple disable it?? If I travel outside of the US will the 163x work on foreign CDMA networks?

I've asked before and the another article under Relevant Reading also had no idea why Apple has produced 3 different versions of the iPhone 6s. Apple could have just produced the 163x version and it should work on Verizon and Sprint since it has CDMA capability and it would work in China. Having LTE band 30 on the iPhone 6s wouldn't interfere with its use on the Verizon or Spring network would it?

 

[KPOM]

According to one of the Relevant Reading articles in the 1st post of this thread, 163x (AT&T model) won't work on Verizon & Sprint, even though it has CDMA capability. So the capability is there, but AT&T made Apple disable it?? If I travel outside of the US will the 163x work on foreign CDMA networks?

I've asked before and the another article under Relevant Reading also had no idea why Apple has produced 3 different versions of the iPhone 6s. Apple could have just produced the 163x version and it should work on Verizon and Sprint since it has CDMA capability and it would work in China. Having LTE band 30 on the iPhone 6s wouldn't interfere with its use on the Verizon or Spring network would it?

Apple has updated their specs and now shows that the AT&T model also supports CDMA. The AT&T iPhone 6 could run on CDMA if you inserted a Verizon SIM, and I'm sure it's the same with the 6S. The FCC has pressured the carriers to allow better interoperability and make it easier for people to take their own devices to other networks, and they all agreed starting this past February to do just that. I doubt Apple would ship a phone with a functional CDMA radio and then block it.

Apple used to have a lot more varieties of iPhone. It has come down since the 5S. There may still be some technical reason why they release a phone without Band 30 but with all the other support. Perhaps it's a cost thing in that it requires a special chip. So if only one carrier is implementing it in a given year (AT&T is the only one using Band 30 worldwide for now), it might make sense to make a special run for them, and then wait until the next year to build it into the "base" model. I'm just guessing. I agree it would be nice for the consumer if there were just one model with all the bands. I have a "Verizon" model that I have reserved for 8:00am on launch date. After I realized the Band 30 situation, I made a reservation at 10:30am for the AT&T model since that who I use. I'm planning to show up at 8:00 and ask them to give me the AT&T model and just let someone else in line have my Verizon model.

 

[KPOM]

Doesn't this chart show that AT&T customers will getting the A1633/4 models? I do not know much about the whole spectrum stuff and the significance of LTE Band 30 and what WCS is etc. If someone could explain it to me I would truly be grateful! Thanks in advance!

Band 30 is just additional radio space (surrounding the space reserved for satellite radio and just outside the "unregulated" space used for personal wi-fi networks). It works best in urban areas since it is a high frequency that doesn't travel well. However, in those areas, it will help relieve congestion on AT&T's lower frequencies that do travel further. So if your phone has it, you might get better data connections when you are in urban areas where Band 30 is active.

Think of Band 30 as a short rope and Bands 13 and 17 (AT&T's other main bands) as long ropes. The long ropes can reach people further away, but because of that, there will be a lot of people using the limited capacity. By using Band 30, AT&T can connect with users close to its cell towers, relieving congestion on the other bands.

 

[Joe1602]

Band 30 wont be a big deal until next iPhone is released anyway. The network is still a build in progress.

The network is already built. At this point all it requires is adding a radio to an existing tower, which started in many major metro areas earlier this year.