Apple Details iPhone 5 LTE Carrier Compatibility - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
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
181 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)
181 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
181 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)
181 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
181 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
181 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

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra: Pre-Orders and Release Date

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:12 am PDT by
Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern. Labor Day is September 7 this year. The last time the holiday fell on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the last time Labor Day was on September 7 in a normal year was in ...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors