Will my Unlocked & SIM-free iPhone 7 work with China providers?
I recently bought a brand new Unlocked & SIM-free iPhone 7 from an Apple Store in Chicago - As I am currently living in China, a friend of mine picked it up for me and she has yet to return back to China. I do not know the model #, and she can’t check the model without having to open the box.
I would like to know if I will be able to use this phone with China networks (China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom)?
According to Apple’s model information (see below), model A1660 is considered the “global phone” as it can be used with both GSM and CDMA networks.
If I am reading it right, only the A1660 models are SIM-free - and since I bought the SIM-free version, then the model can only be the A1660, correct?
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The iPhone 7 A1660 is considered the global phone as it is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. This model is available in the United States, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and China. In the US, you can get the A1660 on Sprint and Verizon, when you buy the SIM-free version, or when you buy the locked AT&T phone at BestBuy.
The iPhone A1778 has a very similar cellular connectivity as the A1660, except that there is no support for TD-SCDMA and CDMA EV-DO Rev. A bands. Therefore, the phone won’t work properly on CDMA networks like Sprint or Verizon although you still can make phone calls via Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE). In the US, you can purchase the version at T-Mobile and AT&T. This can also be found in many European and Asian countries like the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Spain, Singapore, and Australia.
The iPhone 7 A1779 is released for the Japanese market. The most important difference is not cellular bands but the addition of FeliCa Type-F NFC contactless technology which will allow users to use Apple Pay in Japan. You can easily get the phone via carriers like AU, Docomo, and Softbank. Notably, the A1779 covers some more LTE bands like band 11 used by AU by KDDI, and Softbank, and band 21 used by Docomo.
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iPhone 7
