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Apple in Talks with Korea's SK Telecom for iPhone Supporting Faster LTE-Advanced Networks

Monday July 1, 2013 7:21 am PDT by Eric Slivka
lte_advanced_logoThe Korea Times reports (via Engadget) that Apple and South Korean carrier SK Telecom are in talks regarding a future iPhone that would support faster LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) data networks. Just last week, the carrier announced the launch of the world's first publicly accessible LTE-A network.
“SK Telecom is approaching Apple to put our LTE-A technology on the upcoming iPhone 5S. We are in the middle of negotiations,” said an SK Telecom executive, requesting anonymity. [...]

Because Korea has recently seen a huge demand for devices supporting high-speed networks, Apple intends to use Korea as the litmus test to gauge the marketability of LTE-A technology before making inroads into China, according to industry sources.
LTE-A supports a theoretical maximum download speed of 150 Mbps, twice as fast as the LTE standard used on the iPhone 5, although real-world speeds are in general significantly slower than theoretical maximums.

The report suggests that Apple could release an LTE-A iPhone "in the coming months" on the iPhone 5S, but it seems fairly unlikely that Apple would be prepared to support the standard so soon after beginning negotiations with SK Telecom, even if the company has already been working on the technology.

Tag: koreatimes.co.kr
[ 48 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Avatar
vmachiel
80 months ago
I don't care about peak speeds. Just give me 15, maybe 20 Mbit/s EVERYWHERE, and I'll be very happy. :)
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
Dwalls90
80 months ago
Rather see this bandwidth for higher data plan sizes than stupidly fast rates.

I don't need my LTE to be faster than my home WiFi, if I only get 2GB a month ...
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
ValSalva
80 months ago
Wow, 150 Mbps. That should burn through a data plan nice and fast :D
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
Gasu E.
80 months ago

All this speed is speed for the sake of more speed.
No money is being spent by any of the carriers to make
their VOICE system more reliable. Like twenty years ago
we still get dropped calls...no service etc.
The cell phone manufactures have forgotten we use this device to actually
talk to someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A bold statement indeed.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
viperGTS
80 months ago

Wow, 150 Mbps. That should burn through a data plan nice and fast :D


Yeah, if you're irresponsible. :rolleyes:
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
tasset
80 months ago
The only hardware upgrade the 5S can have that will make me get it is not a faster LTE chip, but 'The One' LTE chip to rule them all. I want to buy one iPhone and hop between any US carrier and hopefully international that I please. Supposedly there is a Qualcomm chip that brings this close to reality and in my opinion when we see multiple colors of iPhones then this chip is inside. I doubt Apple will spread its supply chain across three variations (color, capacity, and carrier).
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
gnasher729
80 months ago

Unlimited data plan ;)


150 Mbps burns through an unlimited data plan fast :mad:
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
nick_elt
80 months ago

LTE-A would be awesome for the next iPhone but as we saw it took forever for LTE to be implemented on the iPhone. LTE-A networks aren't even going to be ready in time for a 5S release, so I think its safe to say apple probably won't bring LTE-A with the 5S.


Might be South Korean specific, a big finger to Samsung from Apple
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
palmharbor
80 months ago
Forgotten

All this speed is speed for the sake of more speed.
No money is being spent by any of the carriers to make
their VOICE system more reliable. Like twenty years ago
we still get dropped calls...no service etc.
The cell phone manufactures have forgotten we use this device to actually
talk to someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
mrial
80 months ago

All this speed is speed for the sake of more speed.
No money is being spent by any of the carriers to make
their VOICE system more reliable. Like twenty years ago
we still get dropped calls...no service etc.
The cell phone manufactures have forgotten we use this device to actually
talk to someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


seriously ... cells call coverage and quality has gotten much better over the years. Soon HD voice will be rolled out (already on some hacked phones).

Get yourself a good flip phone and be done with it.
Rating: 1 Votes

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