If you read the article, you will know that it has not always been this way.
The 6S and the 6S plus, no matter which carrier you purchase them from, would
work on CDMA or GSM. Since most of the rest of the world is on GSM, it may not
be a big deal. But if you buy one of the T-Mobile or AT&T phones and, a year
from now, you decide you would like to move to Verizon, you will be out of
luck. That is not true if you have a 6S or 6S plus.
Mary
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 8, 2016, at 8:43 PM, Sarah Alawami <marrie12@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I believe it always has ben this way. So for me this is not shockign news at
all.
Blessings and happy Thursday
On Sep 8, 2016, at 6:30 PM, Mary Otten <motten53@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
iPhone 7 Models From AT&T and T-Mobile Do Not Support CDMA Networks
MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors / Joe Rossignol
Choosing which iPhone model to purchase this year should be more carefully
considered, as both AT&T and T-Mobile models of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7
Plus do not support CDMA networks such as Verizon and Sprint in the United
States. Apple confirmed the matter in fine print in the iPhone 7 tech specs
and on its LTE page.
A customer that purchases an iPhone 7 from Apple's website and selects AT&T
as their carrier, for example, would be unable to later use the smartphone
on Verizon, Sprint, or any other CDMA network, even if the device is
unlocked. By comparison, all iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models worked on
both GSM and CDMA networks.
A customer that purchases an iPhone 7 from Apple's website and selects
Verizon as their carrier, on the other hand, would also be able to use the
smartphone on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or any other GSM or CDMA network.
It was previously reported that Apple would switch to Intel modems for
select iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models, including AT&T models, and Intel
modems do not support the CDMA standard in the United States. That is likely
the reason why AT&T and T-Mobile models are limited to GSM networks.
Only Verizon and Sprint models support both GSM and CDMA networks
The same report said Qualcomm would supply modems for the remaining iPhone 7
and iPhone 7 Plus units, including Verizon and Chinese models, and this
appears to be the case. Qualcomm modems support both the GSM and CDMA
standard, which explains why the iPhone 7 from Verizon and Sprint will work
on all carriers.
Qualcomm, which holds patents for WCDMA and CDMA2000 standards, is the main
CDMA modem supplier in the United States. The company developed the first
CDMA-based cellular base station in 1990, and since then it has licensed its
technology to companies like Apple in return for royalty payments.
Until this year, Qualcomm was Apple's exclusive supplier of modems for LTE
and Wi-Fi connectivity, which explains why the iPhone 6s and previous
generations supported both GSM and CDMA networks regardless of carrier. But
with Intel entering the mix, choosing which iPhone to purchase is now more
meaningful.
All iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models supported both GSM and CDMA networks
The lack of CDMA support in iPhones with Intel modems may be short lived,
fortunately, as Intel acquired CDMA assets from VIA Telecom in 2015. It is
believed that this acquisition could pave the way for Intel to release its
first LTE modem with both GSM and CDMA support as early as 2017 or 2018.
Ultimately, the most obvious choice should be to purchase a Verizon or
Sprint model, even if you are an AT&T or T-Mobile customer, especially when
considering resale value. However, some customers may have difficulty
purchasing from another carrier, depending on their current status with
their existing carrier.
Apple should also release an unlocked SIM-free model in the U.S., likely
based on the Verizon/Sprint model, in a few weeks based on past launches.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tags: Intel, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Qualcomm
Discuss this article in our forums
Original Article:
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/08/att-and-tmobile-iphone-7-models-lack-cdma/
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