4g on iPhone 5 handset

[Mel74xxx]

Hi I recently upgraded from iPhone 5 to 6, my partner also has a Vodafone 4g contract but his mob is damaged so he is using my iPhone 5 handset now! Will his 4g still work on this? Surely the sim is 4g ready and the phone should work???

[jeffkinn]

The iPhone 5 is not 4G compatible and will never get a Vodafone 4G signal I'm afraid.

[evanowen]

Is that correct? Mine received EE 4G and other operators have purchased that frequency.

[YorkshireRiffer]

Jeffkinn is correct... as are you.

The iPhone 5 will work on 4G for the 1800Mhz frequency (which EE, Three & now BT use), as the handset hardware has the required antenna to connect to this frequency.

If you have an iPhone 5 but are on Vodafone or O2 (who bid for and use the 800Mhz / 2600Mhz frequencies) then it won't work on 4G as it doesn't have the required antenna hardware.

As of the release of the 5S / 5C, all UK operators 4G frequencies were supported.

This Apple support link shows what handsets support what networks:

http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/

[Phil · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone, 

Just a quick for anyone reading this post.  4G is now available from Vodafone on the iPhone 5 :smileyvery-happy:

Thanks, 

Phil

[clockworkmoggy]

That's great New Phil, I've tried calling the Vodafone support team for help activating 4g on my iPhone5 but despite 3 different calls I'm still not running 4g. In fact the last call I made the rep told me that it was only a slim chance that It would ever work. I have a new sim. 4g is turned on in settings. 

Could you detail the process to activate 4g please. 

[drey_p]

The key thing here is that you need to be an area where there is 4G coverage.  Are you in such an area?

[clockworkmoggy]

Yes, my girlfriend gets strong 4g signal all over our house. She uses an android handset but is on the same tariff as I am also with Vodafone.

I have a new sim, I've followed all the information given to me by the vodafone support team and made sure that 4g is activated on my handset. 

[Retired-LouiseE]

Hello @clockworkmoggy

Can you try inserting your girlfriends Vodafone SIM into your phone to see if you get the same 4G signal as her?

Louise

[clockworkmoggy]

Unfortuatly not, the Sims are different sizes. I can use my sisters Sim to get 4G but that is on EE so doesn't really prove anything.