Fears exist in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that the LTE network compatibility features of the iPhone 5 may not work on all 4G frequencies in that nation. But South African mobile operator MTN has told ITWeb Africa that the device is likely to work on its forthcoming 4G network.

The tech world in the UAE is particularly worried about the three LTE frequency bands being marketed by Apple for the new iPhone 5, indicating that not all versions work in the UAE.

According to Ashish Panjabi, chief operating officer of UAE retailer Jacky’s Electronics, the 4G capabilities of the new iPhone 5 may not work in certain parts of the UAE, as the country’s LTE frequencies vary.

Moreover, he adds that other countries that have 4G also experience LTE frequency variations.

“If you plan on travelling a lot, check if the countries you travel to are on the same frequency, as the LTE network infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia for example are different,” he wrote in a blog post.

Apple has produced three different models of the new device to make each compatible with three different LTE bands. That is, there are two separate GSM models A1428 and A1429 respectively and one CDMA model A1429.

GSM model A1428 supports LTE Bands AWS and 700b MHz. GSM model A1429 supports LTE Bands 2,100 MHz, 1,800 MHz and 850 MHz, and CDMA model A1429 supports LTE Bands 2100 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 850 MHz, 700c MHz and 1,900 MHz.

Technology website Wired.com has also raised concerns of the full functionality of the new iPhone 5.

"With the LTE-enabled iPhone 5 consumers have fewer choices when switching carriers, and that LTE access could be limited when travelling abroad,” the website stated.

However, senior officials from telecoms operator MTN SA told ITWeb Africa that its forthcoming 4G LTE network could support the functionality of one of the iPhone 5 models.

MTN plans to roll out its LTE network in South Africa in the next three months, after other African countries such as Angola, Mauritius, Namibia and Tanzania launched 4G networks.

“At the moment the network that we’re rolling out is on the 1,800 MHz, and it does look like it will support the iPhone 5 based on the initial information that we’ve seen,” said Kanagaratnam Lambotharan, chief technical officer of MTN SA.

He added, “There is a huge amount of difference in the bands on which LTE is rolled out and I’m still waiting for confirmation, but it does look like they do support one of the iPhone 5 models.”

Lambotharan said MTN SA would have its 4G network run on the 1,800 MHz frequency band.

He also said that the roll out of their 4G network would be more focused on making the network available for use on mobile broadband dongles.

“Initially our plan is to use LTE for data usage on dongles as apposed to smartphones, but over time we will obviously be able to support smartphones as well,” he explained.