I have an unlocked "T-mobile" iPhone 6, model A1549. Next month I'm visiting Japan and the Philippines, and I'm trying to figure out if I'll be able to get away with pre-paid SIM cards or if I'm going to have to lug around rented Wi-Fi hotspots.
According to Apple, it won't work in either places.
https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
But according to this list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks#Asia
It seems that at least some bands are supported, like au does bands 1 and 18, Docomo does 1 and 19, and Softbank does 1 as well. In the Phillipines things look a little better with all three of Smart's bands (5,3,1) showing up as supported.
If that's the case then I'm confused why Apple only lists the A1586 as being compatible with the Philippines. Can anyone with more experience chime in?
Best Answer
Even if LTE doesn't work where you are traveling, the iPhone 6 model A1549 will work on the following 2G/3G/4G network frequencies.
Your phone is unlocked, so any carrier's SIM card will work and you can connect to WiFi to download the latest carrier settings that will properly configure the radio for all deployed cell towers and frequencies that the handset can communicate with.
So, your question basically boils down to picking a price point and picking a specific carrier with coverage where you actually will be traveling. The good news is you can get a cheap SIM or two and then pick the one that works best to reload data and minutes once you know more about the conditions on the ground when you arrive.
My experience is the specifications are very conservative and you end up getting better/faster/more LTE coverage than is advertised as every carrier that can support iPhones gets more revenue from travelers even if the handsets in that country are sold primarily the device that speaks all the frequencies of the A1549 as well as it's own. I would love to be in on the marketing and engineering talks that led up to choosing models, but can only guess being on the outside of Apple.