The Apple iPhone 5 will not work in the networks of high-speed broadband to mobile devices for much of Europe, which could confuse consumers.
The problem lies in the range of spectrum-the airwaves used to transmit signals to mobile-used in Europe.
The iPhone 5 does not support 4G services at frequencies of 800MHz and 2.6 GHz used in much of Western Europe, including Spain, Italy and France. Instead, operates at a frequency of 1.8 GHz, that most operators in Europe still assigned to voice calls.
Produce three models of Apple iPhone: one optimized for the network and the spectrum bands of U.S. carrier AT & T, one for the U.S. rules for Sprint and Verizon, and one for the rest of the world, including two European operators.
Initially, only Deutsche Telekom in Germany and Everything Everywhere in the UK will deliver maximum speed Internet access for users of the iPhone 5 in their markets, because they are the operators that possess the required frequencies.
Apple may introduce other models later that are compatible with the needs of most European operators, analysts say, but for now some European operators may not offer the service.
Vodafone and Telefónica 02 disadvantage emerging in Britain and Germany, two of the markets largest mobile devices in Europe, because the iPhone will not work on their 4G networks.
"The European telecommunications executives had the strong desire of the iPhone off the throttle to encourage demand for 4G in their markets," said Thomas Wehmeier, an analyst at Informa.
"That aspiration vanished because Apple gave priority to U.S. standards and defrauded Asia and Europe," Wehmeier said.
The construction of 4G networks in Europe is lagging behind compared to the U.S. and Asia, while European operators spend 15,250 million in the next three years to upgrade its infrastructure to 4G speeds, according Rethink Technology Research.
The region is only a few hundred thousand subscribers to 4G services, most of which use adapters for laptops or home routers because of the limited availability of compatible smartphones.
That is beginning to change as Samsung, Nokia and HTC smartphones produced 4G speeds compatible with operating under European standards.
The lack of an iPhone compatibl e, however, will surely disappoint some operators who expected to benefit from the positive image of Apple's newest device.
Remains to be seen how much impact the lack of speed in Europe 4G iPhone sales. Apple does not break down regional earnings, but the market research group Canalys says that 22% of iPhones sold in the second quarter were in Europe.
