Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Verizon vs ATT iPhone 6s/6s+ LTE Bands Differences

M

Mikebuzzsaw

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 1, 2007
409
4
Los Angeles, CA
I'm currently with ATT and was planning on purchasing a Verizon iPhone 6s+ because it's 100% unlocked out of the box and can be used with ATT service. I've done this with 5 of my family's iPhone 5 and iPhone 6. Reason being is Verizon iPhone usually have better resale value and who knows, we might jump on the Verizon bandwagon in the future.


After further research on the iPhone 6S supported cellular bands, it seems like Apple added LTE 30 to the ATT version of phone.


ATT GSM
  • 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)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

VERIZON/SPRINT
  • LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
http://www.imore.com/iphone-6s-sprint-and-verizon-will-be-different-model


AT&T has been working on LTE Band 30 for a long while now..... and it will allow AT&T to substantially increase speeds and add capacity to places where the current AT&T LTE network is becoming overloaded.

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


Is the missing LTE 30 Band a big deal??



 
Band 30 is for ATT's next gen network that isn't built yet. You'll be fine with the VZ phone on ATT.
 
atomic50 said:
The AT&T model should support CDMA (FCC documents confirms) if it's like the 6 before too.
Click to expand...

Not true.

However, in practice, that did not amount to much since not many non-Verizon devices were made with radios that supported Verizon's band class in the 700 MHz band and other Verizon spectrum bands.

Phone must have CDMA band to support Verizon and all ATT iPhones do not have CDMA bands.
 
Mikebuzzsaw said:
Not true.

However, in practice, that did not amount to much since not many non-Verizon devices were made with radios that supported Verizon's band class in the 700 MHz band and other Verizon spectrum bands.

Phone must have CDMA band to support Verizon and all ATT iPhones do not have CDMA bands.
Click to expand...

It should work for all 6/S/Plus. My AT&T 6 plus has CDMA radios and can be activated on Verizon even though Apple says otherwise.
 
atomic50 said:
It should work for all 6/S/Plus. My AT&T 6 plus has CDMA radios and can be activated on Verizon even though Apple says otherwise.
Click to expand...

Except the ATT 6s and 6s Plus aren't being made with the CDMA radio. They had the CDMA radio in the 6 and don't in the 6s.
 
flur said:
Except the ATT 6s and 6s Plus aren't being made with the CDMA radio. They had the CDMA radio in the 6 and don't in the 6s.
Click to expand...

No... The whole point he was trying to make with his link, was that the AT&T 6 was listed as not having CDMA, when it in fact did.

Model A1549 (GSM)* (AT&T)
Model A1522 (GSM)*

UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29)​

Model A1549 (CDMA)* (Verizon)
Model A1522 (CDMA)*
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)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29)
​
[source]

As you can see, the AT&T iPhone 6 was officially listed as not having CDMA capability. However, it actually did. So now, we're in the same situation; We're seeing the iPhone 6s listed as not having CDMA capability, and because of FCC documents showing model A1633 as having CDMA capabilities combined with the historical precedence of the iPhone 6 as just mentioned, there is reason to think that the AT&T A1633 iPhone 6s may actually be made with a CDMA radio.
 
This is something I'm completely unaware of.

So you are telling me, my ATT iPhone 6 (unlocked by ATT) which I own right now, supports CDMA? I can bring it to Verizon and they can activate it with no issues?
 
Mikebuzzsaw said:
This is something I'm completely unaware of.

So you are telling me, my ATT iPhone 6 (unlocked by ATT) which I own right now, supports CDMA? I can bring it to Verizon and they can activate it with no issues?
Click to expand...

According to general consensus, yes. Even though Apple lists the models to be either GSM or CDMA only, your originally AT&T iPhone 6 will work on either network. There are quite of number of threads in the forums about this this topic. Here's one from January for example.
 
Apple now lists models A1633/A1634 as supporting CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), indicating that the only difference between A1633/A1634 and A1688/A1687 to be LTE band 30.
Screen Shot 2015-09-12 at 4.47.43 PM.png
 
When I reserved my iPhone this morning it kind of surprised me that it said CDMA on it. These are being advertised as unlocked switch carrier when ever iPhone when it does not seem to be that way. the CMDA iPhone clearly covers CDMA and 1 more GSM band than the other. But the CDMA iPhone does not have LTE band 30. What does it all mean?!?
 
codeman7 said:
Apple now lists models A1633/A1634 as supporting CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), indicating that the only difference between A1633/A1634 and A1688/A1687 to be LTE band 30.View attachment 581052
Click to expand...

Nice find. I was debating whether to get the AT&T or T-Mobile version and settled for AT&T. I guess that as the right choice. Hopefully the AT&T model is whitelisted on Verizon's network.
 
Mikebuzzsaw said:
Not true.

However, in practice, that did not amount to much since not many non-Verizon devices were made with radios that supported Verizon's band class in the 700 MHz band and other Verizon spectrum bands.

Phone must have CDMA band to support Verizon and all ATT iPhones do not have CDMA bands.
Click to expand...
The AT&T 6s / Plus phones definitely support CDMA. See here. http://www.apple.com/iphone-6s/specs/
 
Mikebuzzsaw said:
This is something I'm completely unaware of.

So you are telling me, my ATT iPhone 6 (unlocked by ATT) which I own right now, supports CDMA? I can bring it to Verizon and they can activate it with no issues?
Click to expand...
Yes. I had a "T-Mobile" iPhone 6 and it works fine, even on CDMA, if you put a Verizon SIM in it.
 
PLin said:
Nice find. I was debating whether to get the AT&T or T-Mobile version and settled for AT&T. I guess that as the right choice. Hopefully the AT&T model is whitelisted on Verizon's network.
Click to expand...
I believe Verizon is relaxing their policies on whitelisted devices because of the voluntary carrier agreement on unlocking that took effect this February.
 
Mikebuzzsaw said:
I'm currently with ATT and was planning on purchasing a Verizon iPhone 6s+ because it's 100% unlocked out of the box and can be used with ATT service. I've done this with 5 of my family's iPhone 5 and iPhone 6. Reason being is Verizon iPhone usually have better resale value and who knows, we might jump on the Verizon bandwagon in the future.


After further research on the iPhone 6S supported cellular bands, it seems like Apple added LTE 30 to the ATT version of phone.

ATT GSM 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)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

VERIZON/SPRINT A1688/87
  • LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
  • TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41)
  • TD-SCDMA 1900 (F), 2000 (A)
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
http://www.imore.com/iphone-6s-sprint-and-verizon-will-be-different-model





Is the missing LTE 30 Band a big deal??
Click to expand...

The only difference is AT&T's WCS LTE band 30 ... Apple has updated their specs to show that the CDMA bands are indeed on the ATT "GSM" model 6s:A1633 6s+:A1634. http://www.apple.com/iphone-6s/specs/
 
oregondean said:
The only difference is AT&T's WCS LTE band 30 ... Apple has updated their specs to show that the CDMA bands are indeed on the ATT "GSM" model 6s:A1633 6s+:A1634. http://www.apple.com/iphone-6s/specs/
Click to expand...
Not only that, I confirmed yesterday with a Verizon SIM card that the AT&T model works with Verizon. I even disabled LTE just to confirm it would place a call on CDMA and access 3G CDMA data. It works. That said, good luck getting Verizon to whitelist a T-Mobile or AT&T iPhone 6.
 
KPOM said:
I believe Verizon is relaxing their policies on whitelisted devices because of the voluntary carrier agreement on unlocking that took effect this February.
Click to expand...
If they are, the store where my parents tried to activate a T-Mobile iPhone 6S didn't get the memo. This was after 2 Sprint stores told them to take a hike. They were finally able to exchange the iPhone 6S for a Verizon version at the mall, though the Verizon store still had an issue getting them set up with a bring your own device. :mad:

It's so much easier with legacy GSM carriers like AT&T. On the plus side, at least all Verizon phones are unlocked.

I know I'm replying to myself, but my earlier post was before the hassle my parents had today. :)
 
verizon wants your business so they decided all iPhone 6, 6+ and nexus 6 phones are verizon iPhones, they whitelisted every single one. the only thing stopping you is if you handset is locked

gazelle, next worth, walmart, is it worth more, etc didn't get this memo and are treating unlocked phones not as good as verizon iPhones and i am really mad about it. they reduce your low payment by another 125 if you tell them its an unlocked phone versus a verizon one


i think phone companies like sprint and verizon agree to only activate phones that were sold to them during the first 90 days , and i think once January comes around, we will be okay

we might have to wait 90 days for a sim free one --- or we might have to wait 90 days for them to activate ours. its a coin toss. good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back