4 ms·

It usually doesn't matter, but there can be slight differences in frequency band support between iphones distributed in different regions. These days there are

It usually doesn't matter, but there can be slight differences in frequency band support between iphones distributed in different regions. These days there are four different combinations of frequency models out there for each version. https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone/cellular/ https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone/cellular/ e.g. On the iPhone 14/15 (pro/plus), only US models have: n258 (26 GHz) n260 (39 GHz) n261 (28 GHz) while rest of world models do not have those. Then just 6 non-US countries have 1500MHz in LTE, but all 15s support it over 5G and satellite. On 14s, 1500MHz has less support. It's getting like the bad ole days: "oh you need a quad-band phone if you're going from US to Europe or vice versa". Probably none of this matters unless you're in a fringe area. https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone/cellular/ https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone/cellular/

wkat4242 3y ago
Same with Samsung. European models don't have any mmWave support. I wish they did. I know the networks don't use it but this way they never will. Chicken & Egg...
- toast0 3y ago
  I was pretty sure mmWave was getting installed at large entertainment venues, this PR from a couple days ago says Verizon has mmWave at all NFL stadiums[1]. ATT PR from two years ago says ATT had mmWave coverage in parts of 39 cities and 20 venues [2]. I couldn't find recent T-Mobile PR on this topic, but I'm pretty sure they've got mmWave deployments too. So... networks are deployed, and handsets are deployed, but mmWave network deployment is always going to be sparse and in places with lots of handsets, they don't all need to be on mmWave, those that are free up other spectrum for other phones, so everyone gets improved service. [1] https://www.rcrwireless.com/20231019/venues/verizon-mmwave-network-is-now-in-every-nfl-stadium https://www.rcrwireless.com/20231019/venues/verizon-mmwave-n... [2] https://about.att.com/innovationblog/2021/c-band-5G.html https://about.att.com/innovationblog/2021/c-band-5G.html
  - Scoundreller 3y ago
    So how will the almost as big EU stadiums handle the load? (maybe the answer is europeans go to watch the game...) I found it interesting that Puerto Rico gets the iphones with mmWave, but USVI and Guam don't. Also noticed that nonUS/CAN phones don't support 600mhz, and that can make a difference when you have lots of obstructions (e.g. forest/concrete) if you're missing that in US/CAN. Your next available frequency will likely be be 850mhz - doesn't penetrate as well, and could have more traffic/noise on it.
    - toast0 3y ago
      That's a good question. There are other techniques to get large crowd reception, so they'll probably invest in those, if they do? Very interesting for USVI and Guam. I agree 600 mhz seems like a band you want to have... May as well after all the pain to over the air tv broadcasting it caused to get that spectrum. Unfortunately spectrum allocation seems to be in small chunks here and there with little coordination between regulators and then you end up with what we've got: any given handset can't reasonably work on all the bands, so a maker has to pick the bands based on the probable place of use (and sometimes the network, too)
    - wkat4242 3y ago
      I have a friend who worked at one of the major stadiums in the Netherlands and they had thousands of WiFi access points with directional antennas. Each one with a highly targeted beam covering only a few seats.
  - wkat4242 3y ago
    > mmWave network deployment is always going to be sparse and in places with lots of handsets, they don't all need to be on mmWave, those that are free up other spectrum for other phones, so everyone gets improved service. I understand but obviously those on mmWave are getting a really great performance as this is the one area where 5G really provides a major improvement (due to the massive available bandwidth at those frequencies). What bothers me is that as a European I pay the same for my flagship phone (sometimes even more as Samsung offers high discounts in the US in an attempt to take marketshare from Apple - here in Europe they are already #1) but I miss out on this feature. And often others as well, most of the time European Samsung phones get the far inferior Exynos chipsets whereas US phones get Snapdragon. Especially in heat and battery life these are a great improvement. And it's not just Samsung. Apple does the same, which means there is almost no incentive for providers to ever start deploying mmWave in these busy areas.

wkat4242 3y ago

Same with Samsung. European models don't have any mmWave support. I wish they did. I know the networks don't use it but this way they never will. Chicken & Egg...

toast0 3y ago
I was pretty sure mmWave was getting installed at large entertainment venues, this PR from a couple days ago says Verizon has mmWave at all NFL stadiums[1]. ATT PR from two years ago says ATT had mmWave coverage in parts of 39 cities and 20 venues [2]. I couldn't find recent T-Mobile PR on this topic, but I'm pretty sure they've got mmWave deployments too. So... networks are deployed, and handsets are deployed, but mmWave network deployment is always going to be sparse and in places with lots of handsets, they don't all need to be on mmWave, those that are free up other spectrum for other phones, so everyone gets improved service. [1] https://www.rcrwireless.com/20231019/venues/verizon-mmwave-network-is-now-in-every-nfl-stadium https://www.rcrwireless.com/20231019/venues/verizon-mmwave-n... [2] https://about.att.com/innovationblog/2021/c-band-5G.html https://about.att.com/innovationblog/2021/c-band-5G.html
- Scoundreller 3y ago
  So how will the almost as big EU stadiums handle the load? (maybe the answer is europeans go to watch the game...) I found it interesting that Puerto Rico gets the iphones with mmWave, but USVI and Guam don't. Also noticed that nonUS/CAN phones don't support 600mhz, and that can make a difference when you have lots of obstructions (e.g. forest/concrete) if you're missing that in US/CAN. Your next available frequency will likely be be 850mhz - doesn't penetrate as well, and could have more traffic/noise on it.
  - toast0 3y ago
    That's a good question. There are other techniques to get large crowd reception, so they'll probably invest in those, if they do? Very interesting for USVI and Guam. I agree 600 mhz seems like a band you want to have... May as well after all the pain to over the air tv broadcasting it caused to get that spectrum. Unfortunately spectrum allocation seems to be in small chunks here and there with little coordination between regulators and then you end up with what we've got: any given handset can't reasonably work on all the bands, so a maker has to pick the bands based on the probable place of use (and sometimes the network, too)
  - wkat4242 3y ago
    I have a friend who worked at one of the major stadiums in the Netherlands and they had thousands of WiFi access points with directional antennas. Each one with a highly targeted beam covering only a few seats.
- wkat4242 3y ago
  > mmWave network deployment is always going to be sparse and in places with lots of handsets, they don't all need to be on mmWave, those that are free up other spectrum for other phones, so everyone gets improved service. I understand but obviously those on mmWave are getting a really great performance as this is the one area where 5G really provides a major improvement (due to the massive available bandwidth at those frequencies). What bothers me is that as a European I pay the same for my flagship phone (sometimes even more as Samsung offers high discounts in the US in an attempt to take marketshare from Apple - here in Europe they are already #1) but I miss out on this feature. And often others as well, most of the time European Samsung phones get the far inferior Exynos chipsets whereas US phones get Snapdragon. Especially in heat and battery life these are a great improvement. And it's not just Samsung. Apple does the same, which means there is almost no incentive for providers to ever start deploying mmWave in these busy areas.