PSA: Verizon's OnePlus 8 5G Amazon cases fit and dual SIM support
Today’s buyers on the unlocked OnePlus 8 have even more incentives to get it in the manufacturer’s online store, and then bring it over to Verizon, because the unlocked version is a full Benjamin cheaper than the Big Red’s model.
Those $100 in savings come with strings attached, though, and by strings we mean you are likely to miss some, ahem, text messages and the like as the phone won’t be registered as “C DMA-less” device on the billing’s side at Verizon.
Regular OnePlus 8 5G cases won’t fit Verizon’s model
This not only raises the cost of components that go into a 5G mmWave phone, but requires more testing and certification, increasing the price even further. For that reason, the unlocked OnePlus 8 wouldn’t support Verizon or AT&T’s 5G connectivity even if you manage to register it on their networks, as the Verizon-exclusive model has mmWave modem built in.
That same extra chip had to be affixed somewhere, and from the FCC schematics it seems that on Verizon’s OnePlus 8 5G UW model, that place is right around the volume rocker.
Dual SIM functionality not supported on the OnePlus 8 5G
Something similar may be happening to the OnePlus 8-series in the US, too. Given that Verizon’s OnePlus 8 5G UW model supports mmWave bands, it is hard to fathom how a second SIM card would offer the same functionality.
Heck, Qualcomm’s X55 modem that comes with Snapdragon 865 even has to be retooled with additional filters and antennas, just to support Verizon’s Ultra Wideband network, let alone provide two simultaneous high-speed connections.
That’s probably coming with the next X65 edition at a later date, but in the meantime bear in mind that even the unlocked OnePlus 8 versions in the US are crippled when it comes to dual SIM functionality, at least for now, but there’s hope for the future according to the OnePlus specification pages:
*Single 5G SIM support only. Upgrade for 4G/5G and 4G/4G Dual SIM support will be implemented via OTA update. Please confirm 5G network availability with your carrier.