How can I use LTE in China and USA with the iPhone 6?

[SMB]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to the forum.  Stumbled upon this site searching for information on whether or not an unlocked  iPhone 6 bought here in the usa will be able to use 4g lte on China mobile.

 

I live and work part of the year in China and have been using unlocked iphones there for years.

However, a restriction that China mobile (carrier) has is that it only allows domestic model phones access to its 4G or LTE speeds. 

 

Apparently China mobile uses TD-LTE or Band 41 which was never available on US models of iphones until the iphone 6.   If I understand correctly,  only the sprint model A 1586 and 1524 will have these TD-LTE bands (38-41) ?

 

This article says even the usa unlocked iphone 6 will not have the TD-LTE bands I require. 

 

http://www.bgr.in/news/apple-iphone-6-unlocked-prices-in-the-us-announced-but-you-should-look-at-hong-kong-instead/

 

It says I should buy the Hong Kong unlocked model which works out to about $40 more.   That's fine,  I don't mind to pay the extra $40 but my question which is better way to go?

 

Can I buy an Iphone 6 here from sprint ,  pay them whatever fees required and let them unlock it for me for China carriers but no other domestic carriers?  Or pay full price and buy the Hong Kong model?  Will it work on all the carriers here in the usa?

 

I live in Hawaii and I don't think Sprint has 4G or LTE service here yet.  

 

Maybe you folks here who are much smarter than me can figure out the best way for me to be able to have access to LTE speeds in China and here in Hawaii using the iPhone 6.

 

Thanks so much.

SMB

[burnout8488]

I can answer a few questions.

 

An international unlock from Sprint is easy - you should have no trouble with that.

 

Hawaii is just starting to get LTE, they've got a handful of sites recently accepted. Check out the Hawaii market thread, there are a lot of spottings within the last month. LTE just started to pick up steam and the users are getting very excited.

[WiWavelength]

It says I should buy the Hong Kong unlocked model which works out to about $40 more.   That's fine,  I don't mind to pay the extra $40 but my question which is better way to go?

 

Can I buy an Iphone 6 here from sprint ,  pay them whatever fees required and let them unlock it for me for China carriers but no other domestic carriers?  Or pay full price and buy the Hong Kong model?  Will it work on all the carriers here in the usa?

 

If you buy the unlocked model in Hong Kong, you will not be able to activate it on Sprint in the US.

 

AJ

[bitslizer]

I'm kind of in the same boat, not necessarily iphone related, but wondering if Sprint worldphone with Spark can enjoy regular GSM + TDLTE service in China where TDLTE is available, using a China Mobile sim card.  I know 3G won't work as China Mobile 3G is not regular HSPA+

 

eager to find out

 

 

As far as international unlock goes, I think you have to be either a long time customer, or out of contract, or you paid for your phone outright with no financing in order to get the the international unlock?

[king_edmund12]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to the forum.  Stumbled upon this site searching for information on whether or not an unlocked  iPhone 6 bought here in the usa will be able to use 4g lte on China mobile.

 

I live and work part of the year in China and have been using unlocked iphones there for years.

However, a restriction that China mobile (carrier) has is that it only allows domestic model phones access to its 4G or LTE speeds. 

 

Apparently China mobile uses TD-LTE or Band 41 which was never available on US models of iphones until the iphone 6.   If I understand correctly,  only the sprint model A 1586 and 1524 will have these TD-LTE bands (38-41) ?

 

This article says even the usa unlocked iphone 6 will not have the TD-LTE bands I require. 

 

http://www.bgr.in/news/apple-iphone-6-unlocked-prices-in-the-us-announced-but-you-should-look-at-hong-kong-instead/

 

It says I should buy the Hong Kong unlocked model which works out to about $40 more.   That's fine,  I don't mind to pay the extra $40 but my question which is better way to go?

 

Can I buy an Iphone 6 here from sprint ,  pay them whatever fees required and let them unlock it for me for China carriers but no other domestic carriers?  Or pay full price and buy the Hong Kong model?  Will it work on all the carriers here in the usa?

 

I live in Hawaii and I don't think Sprint has 4G or LTE service here yet.  

 

Maybe you folks here who are much smarter than me can figure out the best way for me to be able to have access to LTE speeds in China and here in Hawaii using the iPhone 6.

 

Thanks so much.

SMB

 

I don't think China's 4g LTE is even close to acceptable speeds right now. I read somewhere in a blog, in Chinese, that it was just was just a little bit faster. I can't verify the speeds because i don't have a device that can be used on China Mobile, but i can tell you that Unicom's 3G speeds are pretty speed at least in SH.

[chappo2000]

 

I live in Hawaii and I don't think Sprint has 4G or LTE service here yet.  

 

 

You could always become an S4gru Sponsor and see for yourself..... 

 

Check out the details here:

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1195-information-about-s4gru-sponsorship-levels-and-how-to-become-a-sponsor/?p=23387

[crazy_vag]

I'm kind of in the same boat, not necessarily iphone related, but wondering if Sprint worldphone with Spark can enjoy regular GSM + TDLTE service in China where TDLTE is available, using a China Mobile sim card.  I know 3G won't work as China Mobile 3G is not regular HSPA+

 

eager to find out

 

 

As far as international unlock goes, I think you have to be either a long time customer, or out of contract, or you paid for your phone outright with no financing in order to get the the international unlock?

 

My wife is getting an iPhone 6 soon and going to China in a few months.  Now that iPhone 6 has been out for a while, has anyone tried the Sprint model in China with TD-LTE Band 41?

 

Also, the iPhone 5s on VZ was unlocked, but Sprint's model was sold locked and needed to be unlocked to be used in China, is that still true for Sprint's iPhone 6?

[nahum365]

My wife is getting an iPhone 6 soon and going to China in a few months.  Now that iPhone 6 has been out for a while, has anyone tried the Sprint model in China with TD-LTE Band 41?

 

Also, the iPhone 5s on VZ was unlocked, but Sprint's model was sold locked and needed to be unlocked to be used in China, is that still true for Sprint's iPhone 6?

 

For your second question, the Sprint iPhone 6 is still sold locked to Sprint, and needs to be unlocked for international use. Domestic use in the United States on carriers other than Sprint in the US is not currently possible (and probably never will be).

[Vince]

Domestic use in the United States on carriers other than Sprint in the US is not currently possible (and probably never will be).

starting with phones released in 2015, legally, they have to be.

[Isaacc7]

If the Sprint iPhone 6 is bought at full price, is the phone automatically gsm unlocked for international use? That wou,d seem to be the ideal situation for travelers.

[Vince]

If the Sprint iPhone 6 is bought at full price, is the phone automatically gsm unlocked for international use? That wou,d seem to be the ideal situation for travelers.

No. Any Verizon iPhone and a full-price T-Mobile (gsm) iPhone are actually unlocked for domestic and international use out of the box. The Sprint variant is only internationally unlockable after meeting Sprint's unlocking guidelines. It can't be domestically unlocked by Sprint. Period. They just won't do it.

[Isaacc7]

No. Any Verizon iPhone and a full-price T-Mobile (gsm) iPhone are actually unlocked for domestic and international use out of the box. The Sprint variant is only internationally unlockable after meeting Sprint's unlocking guidelines. It can't be domestically unlocked by Sprint. Period. They just won't do it.

That's a shame since the phones that are sold unlocked in the States won't give LTE internationally. Previous models of the Sprint iPhone were GSM unlocked for international use when bought full price. I know they won't unlock for domestic use, at least not yet.

[shnxx]

So basically I cannot buy the sprint iPhone 6 and use it in China without unlocking it?

[tij664]

So basically I cannot buy the sprint iPhone 6 and use it in China without unlocking it?

You can just buy the Apple store unlocked 1524 or 1586 iPhone 6/6+. It will work with any carrier in the US including Sprint and has all the TD-LTE bands for when you're in China. 

 

But no, you can't just insert another SIM card into a phone you buy from Sprint, it has to meet the requirements for unlocking before they will unlock it for you.