Verizon iPhone 5 vs. AT&T iPhone 5 (hardware comparison question)

[SDM44]

None of my lines are eligible for a free upgrade until next summer, even with no new phone purchases in almost 2 years with AT&T (mystery to me, but whatever). With the $250 early upgrade fee tacked onto the price of the phone, it makes the cost of a new iPhone pretty expensive... cost me about $780 OTD for my wife's 64gb 4S last summer with an early upgrade. This time, I'm considering just spending a little bit more for a no-contract iPhone from either AT&T or Verizon, so I'll have some more options available to me.


I currently have AT&T service and will continue with them, so I would just cut my micro SIM down to a nano SIM size or just have AT&T swap it out for me. However, I'm curious about the hardware differences (if any) between the Verizon iPhone 5 and the AT&T iPhone 5.....

- Are both iPhone 5's exactly the same in hardware specs? (I plan to run a SIM card)

- Do both come unlocked if you buy them without contract?

- If I get a Verizon iPhone and use AT&T service, can I use both data & phone at the same time?

- Will a Verizon iPhone 5 still get AT&T's LTE speed from their network?


Just seeing if a Verizon iPhone 5 is a viable option for me, or if I'm better off getting a no-contract iPhone from AT&T to use my SIM card in that.

[mandrsn1]

- Are both iPhone 5's exactly the same in hardware specs? (I plan to run a SIM card)

No. The LTE bands are different depending on phone model

- If I get a Verizon iPhone and use AT&T service, can I use both data & phone at the same time?

Yes. But you won't get LTE service.

- Will a Verizon iPhone 5 still get AT&T's LTE speed from their network?

Nope.