China Unicom - a China based telecom operator has confirmed that the forthcoming Apple iPhone 5 , and possibly the iPhone 4S too, is going to be HSPA+ enabled.

HSPA+ enabled means users of the device will be equipped with much faster browsing and download speeds than the iPhone 4.

[ed: You can read our extensive coverage of the iPhone 5 from the very beginning here. Follow Us Live From 18:00 UK time (10am local time) for the iPhone 5 event here.]

According to a report by technology site MacRumor, "Japanese IT news site PC Watch tells that, research vice president of China Unicom, Huan Wenliang said the iPhone 5 will support W-CDMA based high-speed data transfer standard HSPA Evolution 'HSPA+' (21Mbps) at keynote speech in Macworld Asia 2011."

HSPA+, also known as 4G, even though its not really 4G in its true sense, is going to be a positive approach adopted by the iPhone maker. Many industry experts believe that an updated antenna on the iPhone 5 (and may be on the iPhone 4 S too) is one of the phone's new features.

The iPhone maker has yet to confirm these reports, however. Meanwhile, many Apple fans in the US have been disappointed after reports surfaced about the iPhone 5 not being LTE enabled.