Tim
B&H Photo is now listing the LG G5 on its website, available for purchase starting April 1. However, this isn’t an ordinary carrier-specific variant. Instead, this unlocked model, according to the product listing, features LTE bands that would make it compatible with all of the top US carriers, including Verizon.
Usually, consumers only see this much carrier compatibility from Nexus or similar devices, so seeing LG embrace this type of functionality, which is known to be extremely beneficial for buyers, is a great thing.
As listed on B&H, this G5 features LTE bands 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20, and 25. To work on Verizon, you need 2, 4, and 13. For AT&T, you need 2, 4, 12, and 17. With that said, this G5 appears to have them all, meaning that buyers, in theory, should easily be able to jump from carrier to carrier, just as long as they already have active SIM cards with whichever carrier they prefer. As for CDMA (CDMA2000) bands, everything needed for US carriers is listed.
On Verizon, buyers will need to hope that LG sought certification from Big Red to allow for easy activation. If not, you may come across an issue that usually only affects Nexus buyers. But don’t worry, there’s always work-arounds. If you only intend to use the G5 on one specific carrier, such as Verizon, we suggest purchasing the device directly from Verizon.
Pricing of this unlocked model is not yet available, but once it is, we will update you.
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