Verizon

Report: the iPhone 5 may be headed to China Mobile

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 8, 2016

Outside of North America, China may be Apple's largest market. Although the iPhone 5 is set to be introduced by China Unicom and China Telecom during the first three months that the new smartphone is available, the biggest audience is still China Mobile's 700 million subscribers.

Now Apple watchers believe new technology quietly added to the iPhone 5 could improve the chances the iconic handset could soon be sold by the world's largest mobile carrier.

According to The Wall Street Journal, TD-SCDMA is supported in a Qualcomm chip found in the iPhone 5 when the phone was torn down by the folks at iFixit. The transmission technology is China Mobile's version of 3G and a clue that Apple wants the carrier as its third partner in the Asian giant. It's intriguing then that Apple doesn't mention TD-SCDMA in its technical specifications of the iPhone 5.

Verizon iPhone 5 to stay unlocked due to FCC agreements

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Last week, we discovered that the Verizon version of the iPhone 5 comes with an unlocked SIM slot. Our very own Jeff confirmed the theory by using his VZW handset to connect to AT&T's GSM network.

While this was obviously great news, we were worried that things wouldn't stay this way because carriers don't generally like unlocked phones. But according to a new report, Verizon may not have a choice...

The Verizon iPhone 5 is GSM unlocked, tested with AT&T

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2012

I can confirm that the Verizon iPhone 5 is indeed GSM unlocked. Even though I bought an iPhone 5 from Verizon under contract, I was able to cut down my AT&T Micro SIM, and use it in my Verizon iPhone 5 to pick up an AT&T signal. By doing so, I was able to hop onto AT&T's HPSA+ network, or "4G" as they so ridiculously name it.

AT&T's so-called 4G speeds are nothing like true LTE speeds, but they are a bit better than typical 3G speeds. But the big news here isn't about speed. The big news here is that we have confirmed that you can use a Verizon iPhone 5 on AT&T or T-Mobile, freely, even if you're a brand new customer under contract.

iPhone 5 LTE Speedtest

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2012

Is LTE really all it's cracked up to be on the iPhone 5? Take a look at our speed test, as we test Verizon's LTE, and compare it to Verizon's own 3G offering. I think the results speak for themselves, don't you?

iPhone 5 to cost carriers $10B in subsidies

Ed Sutherland ∙ September 14, 2012

If there was a frenemy to carrier profits, it could be Apple's iPhone. While iPhone users were rejoicing over the iPhone 5, U.S. wireless providers could pay $10 billion in subsidies to sell the new smartphone, according to one analyst. Indeed, AT&T and Verizon were downgraded just days after the new iPhone was announced.

The iPhone's success is a double-edged sword for US carriers. Although a new Apple phone can draw new subscribers like a magnet, the Cupertino, Calif. company is aware of its power, costing carriers $425 per handset in subsidies. Couple that high cost with the early sale of the device and carrier margins for the last half of 2012 will be slimmer than the iPhone 5, writes Stifel Nicolaus analyst Christopher King. King told investors AT&T and Verizon could be over-valued and downgraded both companies to 'hold.'

How to pre-order an off contract iPhone 5 from Verizon or AT&T

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 14, 2012

For those wishing to avoid signing up for a lengthy two year contract, Verizon or AT&T's website will let you easily order an off-contract iPhone 5 that you can configure with a month to month plan.

Signing up for a carrier's month to month plan will provide you with an unsubsidized phone for $649, $749, and $849, for the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions of the iPhone 5 respectively. Here's how to do it...

iPhone 5 won’t support concurrent voice and data on Verizon or Sprint

Cody Lee ∙ September 13, 2012

Remember back when Verizon first launched the iPhone 4? AT&T, whose network was struggling at the time, launched a campaign highlighting the fact that AT&T users could talk and browse the web at the same time, and Verizon users couldn't.

Over time, the problem faded into the background. And since Verizon's LTE network — which is now in nearly 400 markets — supports simultaneous voice and data, we didn't think it'd be a problem with the iPhone 5. But apparently, we were wrong...

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint won’t support the iPhone 5 HD voice at launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 13, 2012

Of all the three major carriers in the United States, none is able to support the iPhone 5 high-definition voice technology at launch. Specifically, carriers AT&T and Verizon don't yet support wideband audio and Sprint's HD Voice technology is only compatible with CDMA x1 technology whereas the iPhone 5 taps WCDMA networks for the feature. There is, of course, hope that major U.S. telcos will catch up and update their backend for the iPhone 5 wideband audio...

Verizon says yes to FaceTime, but no to unlimited data

Cody Lee ∙ September 13, 2012

AT&T kickstarted some controversy last month when it announced that customers would have to switch to one of its Shared data plans to utilize iOS 6's new FaceTime over Cellular feature.

But it looks like if this is a deal-breaker for you, you can head over to Verizon. The carrier has just confirmed that FaceTime over Cellular will work with any of its available data plans...

Everything you need to know about today’s iPhone 5 event

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The iPhone 5 is finally here.

After Apple in 2011 unveiled the iPhone 4S -- when everyone and his mother expected the iPhone 5 -- the wizards of Cupertino introduced a smartphone for everyone. Want something smaller? Check. How about a big screen? Got you covered. Need power? No problem. Although this was the first post-Steve Jobs iPhone rollout, there was enough technology and geekitude on display today that even the Man in Black would have had a tough time fitting in just one more thing.

Most of the rumors about the iPhone were confirmed. The iPhone 5 sports a 4-inch (1136 x 640) display enclosed in an aluminum and glass shell. That larger display is becoming defacto on smartphones. Not to be outdone designwise by Android, Apple pushed suppliers to use an in-cell manufacturing technique that embeds the technology used in an edge-to-edge touchscreen, eliminating the need for a separate layer.

Question of the Week: will you switch from AT&T to Verizon for LTE coverage?

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 6, 2012

As Ed brought out in his post just a few minutes ago, AT&T is scrambling to get its LTE network deployed in more cities with the iPhone 5's debut on the horizon.

At this point, Verizon has many more markets covered with LTE than their fiercest competitor in the United States, and with the upcoming release of the first LTE enabled iPhone, it could have a significant impact on customer loyalty and sales.

With that in mind, would you consider switching from AT&T to Verizon, if AT&T doesn't have an LTE network available in your market come iPhone 5 launch day? Sound off, in this week's Question of the Week...

AT&T expands 4G LTE network ahead of new iPhone launch

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

With just days before Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone, AT&T Thursday announced its 4G LTE network is expanding into nine new US markets. The carrier also said it expects to add 43 more markets for the high-speed network by the end of 2012.

Although Apple's not talking ahead of the Sept. 12 media event, observers expect the Cupertino, Calif. company to introduce a new iPhone that supports the faster LTE networks. The new iPhone would join the latest iPad as two iOS devices compatible with LTE.