Are there different types of iPhone X (A1865)? And since this appears to be the case, will Apple update https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202909 to explain that some types of A1865 will not work on China Telecom in January 2018?

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Level 1

4 points

Are there different types of iPhone X (A1865)? And since this appears to be the case, will Apple update https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202909 to explain that some types of A1865 will not work on China Telecom in January 2018?

I live in China. I ordered a new iPhone X within 15 minutes of launch, ordering via Apple's website in Australia. I ordered an A1865 iPhone X with 256GB of RAM, having already read that it would work in China. The phone was delivered in Australia after my last visit in November, so I only received it on 8 January 2018. I inserted my China Telecom SIM (which until then had been in a friend's dual-SIM Oppo), and immediately found that I had 4G data, but that neither voice nor text messages would work. In the top right of my screen, the signal strength bars to the left of "4G" were (and still are) grey.

During the past week, nothing has changed. I have tried my SIM in other phones, and it works. I then tried my China Telecom SIM in another A1865 (64GB) purchased by another friend in Australia. His China Mobile SIM works in my A1865 (MQA92X/A), but my China Telecom SIM does not work in his A1865 (MQA82X/A).

The symptoms are the same. Under General -> About, I see Carrier: China Telecom (in Chinese characters). Under Phone, I see My Number: Unknown. Under Cellular, I see Cellular Plans: 2 Plans (correctly), and Carrier Services, with phone numbers that came via the network. If I call these or any other numbers, I simply see Call Failed. If I send a text, I get Message Send Failure some minutes later.

By chance I met an executive 10 days ago from the local head office of China Telecom. Today, after exploring on my behalf overnight, he has explained that China Telecom uses 4G for data and 2G for voice and text messages. He asked if my phone was from Hong Kong, as it appears to be well-known that the A1865 from Hong Kong does not work on China Telecom's 2G network. Apparently 4G for voice and text is coming, but it may still be 6 months away.

My conclusion: the A1865 sold in Australia is similar to the A1865 sold in Hong Kong, and somehow different from the A1865 sold in China and perhaps elsewhere. My question is: am I wrong? If I am right, then why not explain the facts on Apple's website and be very explicit about what wlll work and what will not?

I will probably wait some months with my SIM in my first friend's phone. I love Apple products, and love the apps that I've been waiting for. I still expect Apple to be precise in its marketing and online information.

iPhone X, iOS 11.2.2, A1865 MQA92X/A

Posted on Jan 15, 2018 11:50 PM

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Answer 1

LloydT Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2018 10:10 PM in response to LloydT

A follow up, for the record.

I have been helped a lot by a senior manager in China Telecom in Yixing Wuxi. It is 100% clear that the A1865 sold in Australia does not work for voice or text messages with China Telecom. It works with 4G data, but I cannot receive the text messages that I need from my bank. I will not get voice and text messages until China Telecom completes its roll-out of VoLTE in 2018.

On 18 January I was invited to become the first "customer" outside of China Telecom staff to test VoLTE. Then on 20 January I was told "I regret to tell you that we are unable to upgrade your iPhone..." (with a patch supplied by China Telecom) "...because China Telecom NOC found some serious bugs in their 4G VoLTE update files".

Months after buying an iPhone X, to use in China, and after relying on this website before deciding to proceed, I am still without a phone in China.

Furthermore, no comment from Apple.

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Answer 2

chai li

Level 1

4 points

Mar 2, 2018 2:47 AM in response to LloydT

I am faving the same problem. I had bought an iphone 8 from Malaysia few days ago, and i have been told it’s sim free phone. But when i insert the China Telekom sim card, its show the carrier but the bar stays grey. Cannot receive calls nor make a call. Apple please give us the guide and tell us what is happening?

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Answer 3

imobl

Level 7

20,334 points

Mar 4, 2018 3:20 PM in response to chai li

The iPhone you purchased in Malaysia is not compatible with

the China Telekom network - missing/wrong bands or protocols.

This is not an Apple problem - Apple always recommends that

you purchase an iPhone where you intend to use it to avoid such

problems.

FYI: this is a user to user forum for technical assistance. Apple

presence is minimal and usually restricted to enforcing forum

Terms of Use.

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Answer 4

LloydT Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 4, 2018 5:42 PM in response to chai li

In one sense I'm pleased to know that I'm not the only one. Having posted on 15 January, I have now noticed that Apple updated its website on 29 January 2018 to "explain" that China Telecom only supports CDMA models. There is no explanation or admission that until that date, the Apple advice worldwide had been wrong. Disclaimers at the bottom of the page explain that Apple takes no responsibility for third-party websites.

China Telecom suggested a workaround. They pointed me to an app which you can find in the app store by searching for "Beijing WeiTaiGe". Choose the app with the purple background over an orange bar, labelled Travel. In essence, this app allows you to redirect phone calls and text messages to and from your phone using 4G data.

As I pointed out in my first post, my China Telecom SIM lets me use 4G data, so I can use WeChat, mail and get access to the internet and real-time maps while travelling in China. The main thing I miss is incoming text messages from my bank.

My contact inside China Telecom has succeeded in getting this app to work. I tried but failed, largely because all configuration instructions are in Chinese. I have decided to wait until China Telecom releases VoLTE, hopefully in 2018. In the meantime, I won't use apps that require text messages for verification.

I share this suggestion, because it is a technical solution that may work for you.

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