Google is aiming to get Band 12 LTE running in the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X by the time they ship
Despite spec sheets for the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P listing Band 12 LTE radios, T-Mobile came out to clarify that it technically isn’t enabled in the device. The reasoning behind this is that T-Mobile wants OEMs to get phones with Band 12 radios certified for VoLTE use.
Long story short, this is mostly necessary because there are some areas where T-Mobile has no other coverage aside from Band 12, so trying to place emergency calls in those areas (calls in Band 12-only areas require VoLTE) with an uncertified phone that has Band 12 LTE would fail as T-Mobile’s network can’t easily swap you over to roaming mode, for whatever reason.
So, Google and T-Mobile have to work together to get the thing certified. How long will it take? Hopefully not long enough that no one can have Band 12 goodness, as Google has said they hope to get it done by the time the phones ship. That’s good news, and even if they can’t make that deadline it at least confirms they’re hard at work on making sure this gets cleared up for anyone this affects.
[via Reddit]