Apple Details iPhone 5 LTE Carrier Compatibility - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Details iPhone 5 LTE Carrier Compatibility

by

In order to help customers understand which iPhone 5 models will support LTE in which countries and on which carriers, Apple has posted a new guide outlining the three different model variants and their compatibility.

The North America-focused GSM model is compatible with LTE service on AT&T in the United States and Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada. The CDMA model is compatible with LTE on Sprint and Verizon in the United States, as well as KDDI in Japan.

iphone 5 lte compatibility
For the international-focused GSM model, LTE is supported on ten different networks in Germany, the UK, Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

This information is for the first round of launches taking place on September 21, and Apple will presumably be updating this page with additional entries for later markets that are also rolling out LTE on frequencies compatible with these devices.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

chrmjenkins Avatar
178 months ago
Do your research and stop spreading false information.

What he said is a subset of the information you presented, meaning it is logically correct by extension. At no point did he say those were the only networks/standards it would roam on. Get off your high horse.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
178 months ago
Aaaaanyhoww..... here is another confirmation of what I already said

And what he already said, since everything in your post agreed with what he said. Still can't figure out what the "no" was about with all your info confirming what he said.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
178 months ago
Aaaaanyhoww..... here is another confirmation of what I already said: http://gigaom.com/apple/4g-fragmentation-forces-apple-to-build-3-separate-iphones/

And a confirmation you're not actually reading my comments. No one said you were wrong, ever.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
178 months ago
I'm currently living in Germany, using Vodafone. I'll probably be moving back to the states in a year or so, and will probably go with T-Mobile's unlimited 4G plan. So which unlocked GSM version should I get??? Or do I buy the unlocked CDMA version? Thanks in advance. I suppose sprint's unlimited pan is an option too...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
John.B Avatar
178 months ago
Just to note that if you want global LTE coverage (sans Canada), get a Verizon LTE unlocked phone. You are covered wherever you are WITH LTE not only HSPA.

AT&T's unlocked version will get you covered globally on HSPA, and potentially on T-Mobile's LTE once they launch since it's also band 4, as well as MetroPCS Band 4. Also Canadian LTE carriers use the same LTE bands so that's covered.

And that Global version, I honestly have no idea why anyone in the US would buy knowing that Verizon iPhone give you all those bands and more.

But Verizon's LTE fallback is to slow-as-**** EVDO.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
178 months ago
No.
1. All phones roam on GSM/HSPA

2. AT&T only roams on Canadian LTE. HSPA it'll roam globally.

3. Verizon roams in Europe, Asia, Australia on LTE (no Canada) and globally on GSM/HSPA/CDMA.

4. All phones use SIM cards. Required for LTE.

What he said isn't incorrect. You just provided a more detailed version (adding locales other than Japan where Verizon version roams on LTE).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

MacBook Pro Low Angle Wide Lens

Apple to Launch 'MacBook Ultra' With These Six New Features

Friday April 24, 2026 10:32 am PDT by
While the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro were just updated with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips last month, bigger changes are reportedly around the corner. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the higher-end MacBook Pro models will be receiving a major redesign by early 2027, and he said that Apple might use "MacBook Ultra" branding for them. If so, the MacBook Ultra would likely be a...
Apple TV Thumb 3

Here's What's Coming in the 2026 Apple TV

Thursday April 23, 2026 12:08 pm PDT by
There are a lot of folks waiting for a new version of the Apple TV because the set-top box hasn't been updated since 2022. There is an update coming this year, but people will need to wait a bit longer because Apple is holding the next Apple TV until the new version of Siri comes out this fall. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing in 2026. The next...
Mostly Screen iPhone Purple Feature 2027

20th Anniversary iPhone to Feature Custom 'Micro-Curved' OLED Panel

Friday April 24, 2026 3:34 am PDT by
For its 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is tapping Samsung to produce a custom micro-curved OLED display that is brighter and thinner than existing panels, according to new supply chain information out of China. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the 20th-anniversary iPhone that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device. ...