OnePlus Z/Nord: US market set to get the short end of the stick again

[Redaktion]

OnePlus has confirmed the imminent launch of its upcoming mid-range phone. The phone is expected to be the OnePlus Z or OnePlus Nord, and will be a spiritual successor to the OnePlus X. Sadly, though, a US release looks to be in doubt.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/OnePlus-Z-Nord-US-market-set-to-get-the-short-end-of-the-stick-again.477266.0.html

[Anonymous]

I just realize this.

And how hilarious that they choose India, a single country, and then Europe, an entire continent.

[molexcv123]

india alone as a country have more people than the entire European continent.

[Anonym]

What you need to realize is that in the US phones must be certified by the carrier before they can use 5G -- you read it right, it's not just FCC that creates barriers. That's just too much pain, let alone for budget phones like this one where corners must be cut.

If it were to work just as a 4G phone (to bypass that carrier certification pain), then there are already more appealing choices for that market and at this price-point, in particular older phones from the brand of the forbidden fruit.

In short, OnePlus knows the market too well to waste their resources in the US.

[superguy]

You know not everyone buys carrier phones, right? I haven't bought a carrier locked phone in years. So I, for one, don't care about carrier certification, and until recently, it hasn't layered much to OP either.

Sell it unlocked on their website like they have all their other phones. They need to stop screwing the US market in model availability when they have full availability of all models elsewhere. They need to sell gimping the radios to discourage importation as well.

[superguy]

What you need to realize is that in the US phones must be certified by the carrier before they can use 5G -- you read it right, it's not just FCC that creates barriers. That's just too much pain, let alone for budget phones like this one where corners must be cut.

If a phone is sold unlocked, the carriers don't certify anything. They only certify phones if they're going to sell them. The FCC certifies all phones for use in the US.

5G, like LTE, it's a set of GSM standards that the vast majority of carriers worldwide adhere to. As long as it meets the standards and supports the appropriate frequency bands of a given carrier, the phone will work. Period.

Verizon is the only one that has to white list a phone before use, and that has nothing to do with certification. For T-Mo and AT&T, all you need is a SIM card and you're good to go.