Buying a used iPhone 11 Pro Max is a great way to save money on a modern iPhone with nearly all the bells and whistles. Getting an unlocked iPhone 11 Pro Max helps ensure that your phone will work on your carrier, but there’s more to it than that. With so many carriers around the world — all using different types of network technology — you’ll still want to identify the specific model number in order to make sure it’s fully compatible with your network.
When it comes to the factory unlocked iPhone 11 Pro Max, you’ll find there are two specific models you’ll want to identify: A2161 and A2218. There’s also the A2220 model, which is the iPhone 11 Pro Max for China and Hong Kong (this is easily identified by its dual SIM card tray vs eSIM + single SIM card on other models). Keep reading to learn more.
This post is part of our Unlocked iPhone Compatibility Guide, which covers everything you need to know when buying an unlocked iPhone. If you want to learn more about the iPhone 11 Pro Max specifically, check out the iPhone 11 Pro Max Buyer’s Guide.
iPhone 11 Pro Max A2161 Carrier Compatibility
The iPhone 11 Pro Max A2161 is the North American GSM + CDMA model and is fully compatible with all US carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile as well as smaller carriers (MVNOs) that operate on these networks.
This is actually the same model you’ll find through all major US carriers, as well as the “SIM-free” factory-unlocked you can buy directly from the Apple Store. If you live anywhere in North America, the iPhone 11 Pro Max A2161 is the model you should buy.
iPhone 11 Pro Max model A2161 uses a variety of network bands that includes FDD‑LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 66, 71, as well as TD‑LTE Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48.
iPhone 11 Pro Max A2218 Carrier Compatibility
The iPhone 11 Pro Max A2218 is known as the “international model,” and it is the most popular model sold outside the US. Although it’s intended for European and Asian markets, it can also be used in the US as well since the A2218 still supports many of the common LTE bands carriers use here in the states.
The A2218 supports legacy GSM networks on carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile, but it does not support Verizon’s legacy 3G CDMA networks. However, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker considering Verizon is well into the process of retiring their CDMA network in favor of nationwide 4G LTE.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max A2218 is the model you’ll find sold in most countries around the world (Europe, the UK, Australia) and in Asian regions (Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, etc).
iPhone 11 Pro Max model A2218 uses a variety of network bands that includes FDD-LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, as well as TD‑LTE Bands 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48.
| iPhone 11 Pro Max A2161 | iPhone 11 Pro Max A2218 |
|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T |
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Verizon | Cricket Wireless |
| US Cellular | Mint Mobile |
| Cricket Wireless | International |
| Etc. | Etc. |
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