So, U Mobile’s LTE network was finally launched for consumers yesterday and all eligible customers are already able to utilize the network immediately after the launch event. In fact, we ourselves did a quick speed test in two locations that are covered by the network just hours after it went live.
The U Mobile LTE network is generally accessible to smart devices and broadband dongle that support the 2600MHz LTE spectrum that the telco used. However, not for Apple iPhones and iPads though.
For older iPhones and iPads, this is most probably due to the fact that they don’t come with the support for the spectrum. However, even the newer iPhone 5S, iPhone 5c, iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display that do have the support are not able to utilize U Mobile’s LTE network as well.
It turns out that the reason behind this restriction is because U Mobile do not have any agreement with Apple to support their devices, as revealed by a number of tweets to their customers on Twitter. For, there is still no official indication on whether that will change anytime soon. So, you might need to look somewhere else for the time being if you want LTE connectivity for your Apple devices.
[Source: U Mobile @ Twitter – 1 | 2 | 3]
But if you look at the LTE carrier support for iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S and iPad Mini with Retina Display, all these devices support 2600MHz band which U Mobile is using.
Ref – http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
Ref – http://www.apple.com/ipad/LTE/
Only iPad Air (and previous gen iPad, iPad Mini and iPhone 5) doesn’t support 2600MHz band.
Please confirm.
John VishGaN: I’ve pointed all of those in the article.
What is the meaning of this? So did U-Mobile made any sort of agreement with Samsung, HTC, Sony, Nokia, Motorola then? What about those China phones that support LTE?
It looks to me like they deliberately blocked Apple devices. Is it because Apple did not let you sell iPhones on your network?
Oh well, I’ll be sure to avoid having U-Mobile every now and then. Thank you U-Mobile.
Then 4G For All is misleading. How can we make a complaint?
@Chapree, yes but what has the band got to do with agreement with Apple? If 2600MHz is supported by the phone, then LTE can be used, right? iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and iPad Mini with Retina Display supports band 2600MHz (ref given above).
U Mobile’s claim doesn’t seem to be right….please correct me if I am missing something up there.
Simple – you need to have some agreement with Apple – for Apple to push the setting to your phone (Go to Setting -> About -> Carrier Version). Since Umobile do not have agreement with Apple, this will never get activated .. 🙁
If its carrier setting, I believe there is a software that can push custom carrier setting in the form of certs/profile, something called Iphone config utility if not mistaken. Maybe that will work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Maxis, Celcom and digi have the same band and freq. I didn’t hear any special agreement with apple to allow usage of their devices. This information from u-mobile looks half baked.
You really are ignorant….Maxis, DIGI, Celcom are all selling Apple products with contract…means they have business agreement with Apple. You really don’t know the way Apple runs a business….they are like techno-Nazi…it’s their way or the highway.
If Apple says one button is good enough, you don’t question!!!! (well, until they breaks and creates a virtual button…which is good enough, so don’t question!)
As per what Sean pointed out above.
Apple need an agreement with them then only they will provide LTE for customer with Apple devices?
I remember reading somewhere that Apple phones are a bit strange- they will only connect to a LTE network after a software update. It’s as if they won’t let the 4G provider push the settings to the phone but insist on pushing the settings to the phones themselves.
Found it:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57566214-37/apple-releases-ios-6.1-with-additional-lte-support/
“Chief among the new features is 4G LTE support for more carriers”
Maybe that’s why- the radio part of an iDevice is just shoddily coded or only coded to confirm to US standards (where the phones are certainly simlocked) and not international standards which states that the provider can push settings to the phone as needed.
I totally understand why. I myself wouldn’t even want to have anything to do with Apple iDevices.
BRAVO! Good decision by U-Mobile for not approving LTE on all Apple phones / tablets. Hope they learn their lesson and don’t be too arrogant and hypocrite again in the future. 2 thumbs up to U-Mobile, have been your loyal customer for 1 year now, so far so good, keep it up!
Apple being arrogant. Bravo U-Mobile for making the right moves. Let’s show them not everyone will bow to corporate pressures.
rather than providing 4G LTE, why don’t improving the 3G/HSPA coverage instead. its hard just to get constant 3G coverage especially countryside.
Just like a “minister” was quoted “if don’t want to use ….., dont use …..”. Uh btw, I kind of support Umobile to stand up against Apple. But people do have a choice, you have other telco that you can go with if you need to, OR get LTE Mifi 🙂
Although I’m working with other major telco company, gotta admit that I still keep my Umobile account for the sake of very cheap rate when SMS to my Umobile’s friend and their 3g speed is very fast. I use a Lumia 920, with HSPA+ it can go up to 11Mbps d/link and the coverage is quite good too in my case. Btw, Kudos for not bowing to Apple’s demand 🙂
felt good after getting rid of 5S for Note 3. good job U-Mobile !!! dont give face to Apple, haha!
Just want to share with puzzled people on this issue.
Myth 1:
If Apple uses 2600MHz LTE & my phone hardware supported it, then I’d be able to use LTE.
Wrong. Your phone is controlled by software called Operating System (i.e iOS fr Apple). Apple is very strict in managing authorized vendors/telco, unlike Android. They could disable something that’s already working & that’s why many people jail-break iPhones.
Myth 2:
I don find this problem with Samsung Galaxy, Sony Xperia etc. So it must be Umobile’s fault in preventing iPhone using this LTE band without mentioning it.
Telco like AT&T, Verizon … Maxis/Digi etc. can customized the OS (iOS, Android etc.) to enforce their policy like band selection, contractual lock … interface changes. So far, Apple is the one that enforces only selected/authorized telco able to use LTE. They’ve their commercial reasons behind whether you agree or not.
One thing that the public puzzled over this issue is they don know much on smartphone & the industry news but just taking granted by simple comparison of 1 brand over another. This yield serious consequence from buying wrong service/phone to unattended complaints.
Remember that customer services of any vendor won bother to tell you why is it so & the story behind. It’s your responsibility to know enough before engaging any product.
Agreed with Peter.
This is not totally Umobile to be blamed.
There is pros and cons on why Apple put the control in place, beside the fee (cough cough), they want to ensure the security in place.
So instead barking the wrong tree, dont make the judgement without getting details. Why not change to Android 🙂 if you cannot accept this.
apple fanboys can SUCK it..boo freakin hoo!
but this lte version still can use normal umobile 3g network right? like im using umobile 3g on my iphone 3gs..