shoogeveen
Level 1 (8 points)
iPhone

Q: Iphone SE [A1662] Outside of USA

Hey all!

 

I was wondering if I would be able to use an Iphone SE model A1662 outside of the US on LTE bands. The A1723 is the officially supported version in my country however the A1662 supports the same LTE bands needed for my carrier. I read elsewhere that some users are not getting connection to their LTE networds due to a software restriction apple laid on the location and simcard used. In other words if you use a sim card from a non US carrier in a different country it doesn't connect to LTE/4g, on a model A1662.

 

Can anybody confirm if this is true? I've tried calling the local (official) apple helpdesk but they told me they "couldn't"  answer my question, which I thought a bit suspicious.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Seb

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Sep 9, 2016 1:51 AM

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shoogeveen

Q: Iphone SE [A1662] Outside of USA

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  • by Ingo2711,

    Ingo2711 Ingo2711 Sep 9, 2016 2:56 AM in response to shoogeveen
    Level 7 (25,542 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 2:56 AM in response to shoogeveen

    Generally speaking, iPhones models are made for the regions/country in which they are sold, in order to support all features that are supported by the built in hardware components. If you use this device temporarily abroad you might find, that not all features work as expected, especially if it comes to LTE or other network settings.

    Same for apps that are not included in the firmware for this country, if one of the features is forbidden by law. FaceTime, for example, will not be installed and can't be installed afterwards on devices bought in the Middle East.

  • by shoogeveen,

    shoogeveen shoogeveen Sep 9, 2016 3:16 AM in response to Ingo2711
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 3:16 AM in response to Ingo2711

    Thanks for your reply Ingo!

     

    I understand that some features are not available in certain countries. But as I'm currently residing in the Netherlands that shouldn't be a problem. And hardware wise it's not a problem either, as I checked if my carrier uses compatible LTE bands, which they do. It's basically a question if Apple is known to make foreign phones unusable on local LTE networks despite of hardware compatibility.

  • by Ingo2711,

    Ingo2711 Ingo2711 Sep 9, 2016 4:02 AM in response to shoogeveen
    Level 7 (25,542 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 4:02 AM in response to shoogeveen

    Apple does not make the iPhones "unusable". Certain models for certain countries have different hardware built in. And the hardware can not be changed if you are planing to use the phone in a different country. This is also the case for the LTE chip, it only supports the LTE bands that it has been designed for.

     

    As for the software features, each phone can on have the firmware installed, that it has been designed and built for. And the built is checked when you are connecting to Apple servers to download a new firmware. This can't be changed.

  • by shoogeveen,

    shoogeveen shoogeveen Sep 9, 2016 4:33 AM in response to Ingo2711
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 4:33 AM in response to Ingo2711

    Thanks!

     

    I'm not trying to bash Apple or anything here, I'm just looking for the truth of the matter . All your arguments are valid though it doesn't bring me closer to the answer yet, basically does it work or not.

     

    But you would have to agree that if it turns out to be as I stated in my OP, one could at best think it's a bit "strange" for hardware to support functions but firmware restricting it?

     

    In the meantime I'm obviously looking for A1723 models, problem is there aren't as many going around in the States.

  • by Ingo2711,

    Ingo2711 Ingo2711 Sep 9, 2016 5:08 AM in response to shoogeveen
    Level 7 (25,542 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 5:08 AM in response to shoogeveen

    Users from India, for example, reported problems using the LTE network in India when the bought the phone in the USA and brought it back to their country. This is clearly a case where the hardware intended for the use in the US, keeps them from using the local LTE network, because this bandwidth is not supported by the built in LTE chip.

    But this does not mean that you have to buy an iPhone from India, if you are only visiting that country for a short time.

     

    Or, for example, the camera clicking sound can't be muted in some countries as well, if you buy a phone in those places. It is forbidden by the law, and if you want to sell iPhones in those regions, the only way to comply with the law is restricting it via firmware. But if you have a phone from Europe, you can use it in Japan and muting the sound for the camera will work, even with a local carrier SIM.

  • by shoogeveen,

    shoogeveen shoogeveen Sep 9, 2016 5:26 AM in response to Ingo2711
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 5:26 AM in response to Ingo2711

    The point about India is an interesting one, however it depends on whether or not the chip supports the LTE band. Which can turn out to be one of two scenarios:

    1) The chip doesnt support your LTE band ( let's say band 7), therefore no LTE connection obviously.

    2) The chip does support your LTE band (let's say band 18), but still no connection, therefore the hardware is inhibited by the firmware (i.e. Apple) to function to it's full extent for whatever reason.

     

    Scenario 2 is what I'm talking about. I really do appreciate your help and thoughts but I think we're going around in circles at the moment. I'm not really looking for a discussion on Apple's ethics here, just an answer from someone who knows from experience if it works or not

     

    Thanks!

  • by Ingo2711,

    Ingo2711 Ingo2711 Sep 9, 2016 5:54 AM in response to shoogeveen
    Level 7 (25,542 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2016 5:54 AM in response to shoogeveen

    Logically speaking, the LTE chip only supports the band it has been designed for. Otherwise the LTE from India would work on phones from the US, and only building one LTE chip for all phones worldwide would be cheaper for Apple, and more user friendly as well.

    I guess if you check the Internet for that question, you will get similar answers.