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Major Differences in the iPhone 6 carrier versions?

squeakr

squeakr

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Apr 22, 2010
1,603
1
Hello all,

Is there a major difference between the carrier devices that would make one model more desirable than the other?

I mean come on it is 2014 and with all the bands available in the newer chips, at best we should have one CDMA and one GSM model if not one model that covers all carriers (I know it is asking lots but with chips supporting multiple bands and the antenna duplexers, I would think we should be close to this).

Is there a major difference to make one model the better option, as I am currently on AT$T and would like to get a new phone, but don't want to be locked to one carrier. I would like to be able to take it to another carrier easily if I move and get better support on one. I am mainly interested in the TMobile/AT$T compatibility issues (but I mention the others as I have heard some buying Verizon versions for AT$T). Does the AT$T or Tmobile cover all the bands for the other as well, and does the Verizon cover for the GSM side of things (TMobile bands, only AT$T bands, or limited on both).

Anyone having any useful insight and information on this question?
 
Yes, Verizon models are best because they work on Verizon,AT&T and T-mobile. However only sprint devices will work on sprint and nothing else.
 
I believe the T-Mobile version is also the only one with the highly advertised 20 LTE bands. The other three American carrier versions only have 16 (still a lot, of course).
 
iPhonemaster5S said:
Yes, Verizon models are best because they work on Verizon,AT&T and T-mobile. However only sprint devices will work on sprint and nothing else.
Click to expand...

Does work mean they can run on the system, or that they get all the bands? My AT$T iPhone 5 "works" on Tmobile, but doesn't get the full LT bands as it was released prior to TMobile's extra band models were released, so I would not get the full benefit of all the bands. Is this the case anymore, would the Verizon one have access to all the bands, as I would like that idea best as, I could move between AT$T and Verizon if needed (and have Tmobile in the mix) without needing to rebut a phone. This is my main intention.

And if getting the Verizon version is there anything special needed t do in that case to get it working on AT$T (carrier flash programming for the carrier software, etc)?
 
myscrnnm said:
I believe the T-Mobile version is also the only one with the highly advertised 20 LTE bands. The other three American carrier versions only have 16 (still a lot, of course).
Click to expand...
Nope. Ironically, the Sprint model is the one with 20 LTE bands. Other US versions (ATT/TMo/VZW) only have 16 LTE bands. By the way, I do believe the A1586/A1522 models are already universal. It's just Verizon and Sprint's "closed" networks that prevent users from using the same iPhone on all 4 carriers. Mind, Verizon's network isn't really closed. If you already have a working SIM, an unlocked AT&T or T-Mobile iPhone 6/6+ works on Verizon including CDMA. The only problem is Verizon won't allow activation of non-whitelisted devices on their network. Sprint locks the SIM card to the phone and the phone to their network so there's no recourse there.

----------
squeakr said:
And if getting the Verizon version is there anything special needed t do in that case to get it working on AT$T (carrier flash programming for the carrier software, etc)?
Click to expand...
Insert SIM card and go. :p At worst, just reset network settings. :rolleyes:
 
Verizon devices are factory unlocked and work fine LTE and everything on ATT or T-mobile. In fact I use att and my iPad Air is verizon! Hence the change in the last few years of verizon devices now fetching and higher aftermarket price.
 
myscrnnm said:
I believe the T-Mobile version is also the only one with the highly advertised 20 LTE bands. The other three American carrier versions only have 16 (still a lot, of course).
Click to expand...

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

The Sprint version (model 1586) has the 20 LTE bands. The other U.S. versions- T-Mobile, VZW, AT&T (1549 and 1522) have 16 LTE bands. You can use an unlocked T-Mobile 6 with AT&T and Verizon, and vice versa. The only issue is if you want to use Verizon on a non Verizon 6/6+, you can't start NEW service with them with an unlocked phone. You need to have an active Verizon SIM to put in your unlocked phone. There is a thread about this in this forum.
 
I can tell you that the hardware for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, as well as some regionals, are IDENTICAL -- as in the phone is the exact same, and the Activation Policy is the determining factor. I run an Apple Service center the part number for these carriers is the same, and only differentiated by the policy on the original phone, which the replacement devices inherit through the repair process... My T-Mo iP6+ works on VZ as well! The Sprint Model has TD-LTE bands, which aren't found in the other devices, as well as a Sprint-restricted Activation Policy.

Hope this helps!
 
Which one else would someone need to buy unlocked to get ALL 4 verz,spr,att,tmb carriers to work on or what? Sounds like sprint is way to go if unlocked? Or t-mobile... I am looking at it to use it on straight talk.
 
Last edited:
Lost Boy said:
Which one else would someone need to buy unlocked to get ALL 4 verz,spr,att,tmb carriers to work on or what? Sounds like sprint is way to go if unlocked? Or t-mobile... I am looking at it to use it on straight talk.
Click to expand...
The unlocked version that Apple sells seems to be the one to go with.
 
Which ones is it as for as model and all would that be the sprint version with the 20 bands or the 16 band versoin?
 
Lost Boy said:
Which ones is it as for as model and all would that be the sprint version with the 20 bands or the 16 band versoin?
Click to expand...

The best model is the A1586. Which is the same version Sprint sales. Sprint phones are now unlockable as well. There's just criteria that has to be met.
 
Will is work 100% on all other carriers sprint tmb verz att? Just be unlocked and set the apn appropretly?
 
Lost Boy said:
Will is work 100% on all other carriers sprint tmb verz att? Just be unlocked and set the apn appropretly?
Click to expand...

Just pop in the SIM of the carrier you want to use and that's it (given that it's unlocked already).
 
OK I was curious cause someone said sprint will not work on Verizon and so fourth and so on
 
Bottom line if it is an unlocked sprint iphone 6 plus or even 6 ect it will work all bands on verizon, att, and t-mobile correct?
 
Lost Boy said:
Bottom line if it is an unlocked sprint iphone 6 plus or even 6 ect it will work all bands on verizon, att, and t-mobile correct?
Click to expand...
The hardware will be compatible and support all the necessary bands. Whether or not it can actually be activated as brand new on Verizon (without using an already activated SIM), for example, is a slightly different question.
 
Was thinking using it on straight talk but sprint and verizon and t-mobile work well but att here does Not. But earlier in this thread someone said a sprint version would NOT work on verizon.
 
Lost Boy said:
Was thinking using it on straight talk but sprint and verizon and t-mobile work well but att here does Not. But earlier in this thread someone said a sprint version would NOT work on verizon.
Click to expand...
It's likely that even an unlocked Sprint version won't work on Verizon (aside from perhaps using an already activated SIM). An unlocked SIM-free version of the phone (which is technically the same as as the unlocked Sprint version) should work on Verizon.
 
How so explain I am lost


Unlocked MGAH2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Gray Sprint Factory


www.techwalls.com/differences-between-iphone-6-6-plus-models/

----------

www.techwalls.com/differences-between-iphone-6-6-plus-models/
 
3. A1524: The model is available via Sprint in the US and it is sold locked to the CDMA carrier. However, you can buy the unlocked iPhone 6 Plus in some countries in Asia and Europe like Singapore, Hong Kong, or Japan. It has a wide range of spectrum frequencies and technically it is compatible with any GSM or CDMA operator. However, the problem is that you won’t be able to buy the version easily in the US. If you want to buy the factory unlocked iPhone 6 Plus A1524 in the US, you can look for it on Amazon but absolutely it will be priced higher than the T-Mobile contract-free version found at Apple Store. Following are its radio frequencies: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29) and TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41). You will be able to use LTE in Europe and Asia including countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, France, Germany, Singapore, Australia and the UK. Listed below are some part numbers:

United States:

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold (CDMA) Sprint MGCX2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold (CDMA) Sprint MGD42LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold (CDMA) Sprint MGD12LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Gray (CDMA) Sprint MGCV2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Gray (CDMA) Sprint MGD22LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Gray (CDMA) Sprint MGCY2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver (CDMA) Sprint MGCW2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver (CDMA) Sprint MGD32LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver (CDMA) Sprint MGD02LL/A

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAA2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAK2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAF2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Gray Sprint Factory Unlocked MGA82LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Gray Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAH2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Gray Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAC2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver Sprint Factory Unlocked MGA92LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAJ2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver Sprint Factory Unlocked MGAE2LL/A


VS


3. A1586: This version is sold locked on some CDMA carriers in the US like C Spire, Sprint and US Cellular. This is the most versatile version but you won’t be able to unlock it easily in the US. Therefore, you have more chances to buy the factory unlocked A1586 in Asia or Europe. The unlocked version is also available on Amazon through some retailers but it can be a little more expensive. The model works on CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A). Compatible 4G LTE bands are FDD-LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29) and TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41 which are corresponding to frequencies 2600 Mhz, 1900 Mhz, 2300 Mhz and 2500 Mhz). Along with the iPhone 6 Plus A1524, this model supports both TD-SCDMA bands of China Mobile and band 39 for TD-LTE. The bands 38 and 40 are also available, so you absolutely can use LTE in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The LTE will work on China Mobile Hong Kong, CSL, Hutchison, SmarTone in Hong Kong, Deutsche Telekom, O2, Vodafone in Germany, Optus (Virgin), Telstra, Vodafone in Australia, and 3, EE, O2 (Giffgaff), Vodafone in the UK. Below are part numbers of this model:

----------

iPhone 6 Plus

At the moment, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has 3 model numbers, which are A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA) and A1524. Basically, the A1522 (GSM) bands are the same as iPhone A1549 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA)’s bands are the same as A1549 (CDMA), A1593 is the same as A1589 and A1524 is corresponding to the A1586. Details are shown below.

1. A1522 (GSM): This is the popular iPhone 6 Plus version that can work properly on most GSM carriers over the world, including United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Its compatible bands are GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29).

Read also: iPhone 6 Plus A1522 (T-Mobile) Review

Here are some known part numbers of the model:

United States:

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold (GSM) T-Mobile MGC12LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold (GSM) T-Mobile MGC72LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold (GSM) T-Mobile MGC42LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile MGAX2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile MGC52LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus128GB Space Gray (GSM) T-Mobile MGC22LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver (GSM) T-Mobile MGC02LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver (GSM) T-Mobile MGC62LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver (GSM) T-Mobile MGC32LL/A

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold (GSM) AT&T MGAN2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold (GSM) AT&T MGAW2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold (GSM) AT&T MGAR2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Gray (GSM) AT&T MGAL2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Gray (GSM) AT&T MGAU2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Gray (GSM) AT&T MGAP2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver (GSM) AT&T MGAM2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver (GSM) AT&T MGAV2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver (GSM) AT&T MGAQ2LL/A

Canada

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold Unlocked MG9P2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold Unlocked MG9W2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold Unlocked MG9T2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Grey Unlocked MG9M2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Grey Unlocked MG9U2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Grey Unlocked MG9Q2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver Unlocked MG9N2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver Unlocked MG9V2CL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver Unlocked MG9R2CL/A

2. A1522 (CDMA): This is the world phone version of the iPhone 6 Plus, it is the one you get when you buy it through Verizon. As all Verizon iPhones are factory unlocked, it can work on most CDMA and GSM networks in the world. To know if it is compatible with carriers in your country, check out its radio frequencies: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) and LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29). Some known part numbers are listed below:

United States:

iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Gold (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCM2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Gold (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCU2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Gold (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCQ2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Space Gray (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCK2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Space Gray (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCR2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Space Gray (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCN2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 16GB Silver (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCL2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 64GB Silver (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCT2LL/A
iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Silver (CDMA) Verizon Wireless MGCP2LL/A
 
A1586 is the iPhone 6 version that is for Sprint and that is sold as unlocked SIM-free version.

A1524 is the iPhone 6 Plus version that is for Sprint and that is sold as unlocked SIM-free version.

https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
 
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