The latest update on the newly released iPad is a swarm of disappointed Apple buyers in the Middle East, who have bought the device eagerly only to stumble upon the bitter reality that its 4G connectivity is incompatible with 4G networks in the region.
Customers remain confused and agitated but what adds fuel to the fire is the fact that Apple has refused to grant the customers a refund because the device is not officially for sale yet in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The problem is caused by the fact that 4G technology, unlike 2G and 3G, does not work on a standardized frequency band. 4G is an example of a split technology, similar to HD-DVD and Blu-ray. In the US and Canada, both Verizon and AT&T offer 4G on the 700 MHz band.
However, the networks require different hardware, meaning that Apple had to develop a separate device for each network. The company decided not to develop a third device for Sprint, which runs Wi-Max, leaving Sprint customers in the lurch.
Outside of North America, however, the device will not work, even on compatible 700 and 2100 MHz bands. There is no band in the UK on which the device can use 4G LTE, despite the fact that the iPad is labeled as Wi-Fi + 4G. In fact, recently an Australian court has ordered Apple to pay refunds to customers who thought they would be able to use their iPad on the 4G network.
