If you’re in the US and have been waiting to buy the budget-friendly OnePlus X which will go on sale on November 19, hold that thought: depending on where you live, you may not be able to access LTE networks on AT&T and T-Mobile.
The Verge reports that the $250 handset can connect to AT&T’s LTE network, but it doesn’t work with the 700MHz frequency (known as LTE Band 17) that the carrier uses in most areas in the US. That means you’ll be stuck on significant slower HSPA speeds for the most part.
If you’re on T-Mobile, you’ll have better luck getting an LTE signal, but not for long. The company is switching to Band 12 which the X doesn’t support, and has already done so in some areas.
OnePlus has confirmed that the X doesn’t work with either band and has no plans to add support for them in the future, which is a bad decision to make around the end of 2015. Other devices like the $179 Moto G offer full LTE support and can be had for less than the X’s asking price.
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Between poor LTE support and the company’s annoying invite-based sales system that makes buying difficult, you’d do well to think twice before buying a OnePlus X in the US.
➤ Don’t buy the OnePlus X in the US [The Verge]
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