iPhone 5 to Support 4G Network Not LTE

Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected to be unveiled in September and the rumor mill has been busy speculating whether the next iPhone will support 4G network or LTE. According to a new blog post published on Barron’s, Hudson Square Research analyst Todd Rethemeier believes that AT&T will benefit much more than Verizon when the next gen iPhone goes on sale.

Rethemeier also noted that contrary to recent rumors there will be no iPhone 4S and Apple will most likely release iPhone 5 later this year.

The next version of the iPhone — he suggests it’s going to be an iPhone 5, rather than recent discussion of an interim model, an “iPhone 4S” — will have 4G wireless only for the AT&T version, not for the one shipped to Verizon.

It’s important to note that next gen iPhone will support HSPA+ which is being marketed as 4G network by the carriers. AT&T’s network will allow customers to access faster download speeds (5-10 Mbps) while Verizon’s CDMA network (less than 1 Mbps) will not be able to match its competitors offering.

the AT&T iPhone 6 would be able to roam onto the HSPA+ network when an LTE network is not available, giving AT&T an advantage in suburban and rural areas for several more years,

Now, the big debate is really about Apple introducing LTE network compatible iPhone and the analyst notes that iPhone 6 will most likely support the next generation network. During the quarterly financial results conference call Tim Cook very clearly mentioned that the company wasn’t ready to compromise the design of its smartphone just yet by using the first generation of LTE chip-sets.

During D9 in an interview with Walt Mossberg AT&T’s Mobility President and CEO Ralph de la Vega said that the company witnessed an unprecedented increase in data consumption with the advent of iPhone and that the company is working hard towards improving its services and offering better user experience. He also said that the company is committed to bring LTE network to 97% of the customers in the country.

So, as networks prepare for LTE and the chip-sets evolve over the next year we could finally see much faster download speeds supported by carriers in iPhone 6.

[via 9to5 Mac]

6 Comments on “iPhone 5 to Support 4G Network Not LTE”

  1. Funnyguy2010

    wrong.wrong.wrong.wrong.wrong.smh totally not true.why would apple shoot themselves in their own foot?

  2. IPONURF0n3;)

    5 reasons why this won’t happen
    1.Att is adopting lte this summer
    2.They are looking for a way to make ‘one’ iphone
    3.52 countries have adopted LTE (kinda ties in with the last one)
    4.They just grabbed people to switch to VZW with the verizon iphone 4. That’d make consumers unhappy spelling low sales.
    5 .Im on verizon and want one 😉

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