(Google Image Results for IPhone 5)
My personality is that I'm a planner. I have also traveled internationally many times over the years. I try to plan out all aspects of my travels.
One of the things I wanted to know in advance of my trip to Russia was would my IPhone 5 work there.
I read online about AT&T working in Russia and found their international calling plans.
I learned about GSM coverage in Russia and from what I could tell my phone should work with that network.
I was at a mall a few weeks before leaving and stopped into the Apple Store and asked. I was told that I needed band 12. This confused me as I thought GSM would work. I had seen Band 12 as a band that some carriers in Russia use.
Being confused I called the AT&T call center in the way home and got more bad answers. Basically I was told that I could not use my phone in Russia as I didn't have Band 12 on my IPhone.
Not accepting this answer I got home and downloaded the specs for IPhone 5.
I did not have Band 12 and this was right but Band 12 was only for LTE. I could an independent website and it specifically stated that my phone will work in Rusdia on the GSM network. I just wouldn't have LTE.
I was ok not having LTE as the international plan I then purchased for $60.00 was for reduced price on phone calls and unlimited text. It came with 300mb of data and this is not mich.
So, my IPhone worked in Russia to receive and make phone calls and texted fine too. I turned roming data off so not to use my data up and only turned it on to quickly browse on the web to look up something when not on WIFI.
I will write separate blog post about WIFI and data security.
If you have an older GSM phone or smart phone with GSM Carrier like AT&T the phone will work in most countries. My experience was that both the Apple Store and AT&T 611 do not always give the correct answers.
If you have purchased an international data plan or purchased a SIM card for the country you are visiting and want high speed connections in Russia it is Bsnd 12 and my IPhone 5 doesn't have it. The IPhone 5S has that band and IPhone 6 has many more bands in addition to Band 12 and looks like it would work with LTE in most countries.
Brent
macaloney@hotmail.com
