AT&T Installing 4G LTE Network Equipment in Apple Retail Stores?

lte logoFollowing up on the interest generated by yesterday's disclosure that wireless carriers are using a special build of iOS containing unique property list files referring to LTE compatibility, Engadget now reports that AT&T has recently installed LTE network equipment in at least one Apple retail store.

Now we've received the image you see above, which shows some 4G LTE equipment that was recently installed in a major Apple store -- by AT&T, according to our source. Making things somewhat more interesting is the equipment itself, one piece of which supports only the 700MHz and AWS bands -- both of which AT&T plans to use for its LTE network if the T-Mobile acquisition goes through.

Rumors have indicated that the iPhone 5 will be supporting the HSPA+ 4G standard, with Apple reportedly holding off on supporting the more advanced LTE 4G standard for the time being until adoption spreads and chips meeting Apple's size and performance standards become available early next year.

But with Apple providing its carrier partners with special iOS builds referencing LTE and carriers like AT&T apparently installing LTE equipment on-site at Apple stores, it seems natural to speculate that Apple is indeed testing LTE-enabled iPhones, perhaps in real-world settings. The developments also provide hope for those seeking an LTE iPhone later this year, but the majority of reports continue to indicate that Apple will be holding off until 2012 to make the technology available to the public.

Update: Engadget's source has requested that the image be removed, and we have complied with the request.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

Apple Blames In-Store MagSafe Chargers for iPhone 17 Pro Display Model Scratches

Wednesday September 24, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
The marks on the iPhone 17 Pro models that people have noticed at Apple retail stores are caused by the chargers that Apple uses, Apple confirmed today. Apple told 9to5Mac that worn MagSafe charging stands in stores are causing marks on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says that the marks are not scratches, and are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone. The...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

Tuesday September 23, 2025 1:06 pm PDT by
Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today. Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads. Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available ...
iPhone 17 Pro USB C Port

iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Monday September 22, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 36W with the following Apple chargers:40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max 61W USB-C Power Adapter 67W USB-C Power Adapter 70W USB-C Power Adapter 96W USB-C Power Adapter 140W USB-C Power AdapterFor...

Top Rated Comments

DMVillain Avatar
184 months ago
Looks more like a bomb to me...

But seriously, I laugh at what this could be (but hopefully isn't): You demo the new AT&T iPhone in the Apple Store and you have fast, strong LTE signal. You go home, and you are on 3G.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sclawis300 Avatar
184 months ago
I presented you with a challenge that you fail to address. Why can't you address it? I guess you are too busy trying to prove your point without any backing data.

Works for christians :p

and atheists
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benjs Avatar
184 months ago
Works for christians :p

Oh no. Bringing religion into an already volatile discussion is never a good idea.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicolas4ever Avatar
184 months ago
it seems like the new iPhone will have 4G :D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ski1ski1 Avatar
184 months ago
Good for you. Now show me one instance of Verizon actually throttling someone. THanks.

Oh, so are you saying Verizon placed these new statements on their website as a big joke ? They don't really plan to throttle the top 5% of data users ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goMac Avatar
184 months ago
What does this even mean? LTE is a cell phone service; is there a cell tower on top of the building? If yes, then I assume that AT&T is rolling out LTE to this particular tower and it has nothing to do with Apple. If no, then what kind of "LTE" equipment is this since and what does that have to do with iPhones?
Huh? Cell towers put out miles of service. Apple Stores always have much smaller in house equipment to just cover the store itself. That appears to be what this is, just for 4G.

The local Apple Store is in the basement of the mall, so outside you get really bad 3G reception, but as soon as you go in you get perfect 3G, due to these mini nodes they install. Wouldn't look so good if you were selling iPhones in your store and they were only getting 1 or 2 bars.

This is especially suspicious given that if this is a 4G node, it would only cover the store itself, and the only reason they install these in the store is to boost iPhone reception...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)