Deutsche Telekom Announcement Fuels Renewed Talk of Possible LTE-Advanced Support for iPhone 5S

lte_advanced_logoLeading German carrier Deutsche Telekom today announced (via Macerkopf) the launch of its new LTE-Advanced or LTE+ network offering data speeds of up to a theoretical maximum 150 Mbps, with the network going live immediately in over 100 towns and cities in the country.

In the press release, Deutsche Telekom notes that Samsung is launching a new version of the Galaxy S4 with support for LTE-Advanced, and word that other LTE-Advanced devices are coming "at the end of September" is renewing speculation that the iPhone 5S might be one of those devices.

Samsung will be offering an upgrade of its Galaxy S4 with LTE+. Comparable devices from other vendors will follow at the end of September. Deutsche Telekom's latest data products, including Speedstick LTE III, Speedbox LTE II and Speedbox LTE mini, will also support LTE+ in September, following a software update.

Two months ago, a report surfaced claiming that Apple was in talks with Korea's SK Telecom about supporting LTE-Advanced on the iPhone 5S. At the time, we noted that it seemed unlikely Apple would be willing and able to add support to the iPhone 5S given the rarity of LTE-Advanced networks and that the company was only in the negotiation stages roughly two months before the device's debut.

With another leading carrier in a major market for Apple now launching LTE-Advanced, it seems that momentum is starting to build behind the technology and handset manufacturers are clearly lining up to support the standard. Apple has, however, traditionally been somewhat conservative in adopting new cellular technologies before they have widespread adoption, and so it remains to be seen whether Apple has plans to bring the latest LTE-Advanced support to the iPhone 5S later this month.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 AIR Loud Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Start at $1,099 With 256GB Storage, 1TB for $1,499

Thursday September 4, 2025 2:54 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air will have a $1,099 starting price providing 256GB of base storage and will max out at $1,499 with a 1TB option, according to the latest TrendForce report. Apple will offer three price/storage tiers for the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model, which replaces last year's iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup. Here's how TrendForce sees them breaking down: 256GB — $1099...

Top Rated Comments

jonnyb Avatar
157 months ago
Doubt we won't see this until iPhone 6 at least.

You doubt we won't? Or doubt we will?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macs4nw Avatar
157 months ago
I'm guessing, no LTE-Advanced this year, but I'll happily eat my words, if I'm wrong.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madsci954 Avatar
157 months ago
Doubt we won't see this until iPhone 6 at least.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicky G Avatar
157 months ago
LTE Advanced is the first TRUE 4G cellular technology. This is exciting! In the next few years our mobile data connections may be faster than our wired connections! Can't wait for AT&T to roll this out, as well as the other US carriers.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AustinIllini Avatar
157 months ago
How many people need that kind of speed? You pretty much have to have an unlimited data plan so that you can watch shows all the time.

This argument is tired and drawn out. If the capability is there, we should be able to do it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
157 months ago
Given that the plans are for a fixed amount of data, faster speeds can only make it easier for consumers to easily go over their data limits and pay exorbitant prices. We need to get back to the unlimited plans....
This guy gets it. I think it's stupid (or maybe just very naive) to get excited about much faster data burn rates in an environment in which hard caps exist... unless the added speed provides some special need for some users. All the bulk of us are celebrating here is how much faster we can re-up on monthly data tolls because we were able to get one of the tier limits faster than ever.

Progress is very good. But this progress is about pulling more money out of our pockets rather than actually giving most of us some noticeably tangible benefit. Complete (business) genius to make the whole country swallow the pill of hard tier limits so small that streaming one HD movie could burn all of tier 1 AND then have us frothing at speeding up how fast we can consume data to get those limits.

Another version of focusing on "next big things" with big dependencies on burning data to help cell phone service providers make even more money: you know, like iRadio, Facetime, Maps, iCloud, etc. Give us data-hungry apps on tier-capped feeds at faster-than-ever data (burn) rates and AT&T, Verizon, etc are very happy. :rolleyes:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)