[Q] Hardware, roms, and 3G frequencies... - Touch Pro2, Tilt 2 Windows Mobile General

Hi - I'm looking for some good answers - I think I know the basics...
After much shopping, I bought 2 of these...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170623785892&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
(HTC Touch Pro 2 s - the wife likes for our phones to match so I can teach, set up, etc...)
I think they are called T7373 SEA's South East Asia Versions, and I flashed to 2.07.707/4.49.25.91 radio just fine to get current at WM6.5. (I like factory ROM's - the books work, etc - despite my appreciation for the effort to cook.)
Now - I'm currently ATT, and when they go to Data Plan me, I'm going to T-Mobile prepaid.
So - I get to looking at 3g frequencies - of course!
The book for the device says 900/2100 HSPA/WCDMA.
The sellers' ad says
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 or HSDPA 1700 / 2100
(It's not really clear what the 'or' means)
Now, I'm not *****ing at the seller, I want to really understand, and they knew I was US and they asked ATT or Tmobile.
Would they like have reached into one of three bins, to sell me one of three truly different hardware phones - OR - picked a phone up and flashed it (Radio or full ROM) to my provider, or did they just configure the existing system so it picked Tmobile and its freqs for instance? (When the phone boots, it asks T-Mobile or 2 other Asian-sounding systems) How else could the phones do as advertised? (9/21, 8.5/19, or 17/21)
If the frequencies are not a settings, but a ROM/Radio issue, can I load the 'other US guys' flash and have it work?
If not, does anyone know what really is changed in the hardwares (I imagine the antennas' length might vary by X%, but then here that's % of mms.)
Thanks - great answers and experience really appreciated!!

The device in the picture of the ad is a European unbranded model (RHOD100). It's 3G frequencies are on the 2100MHz band. If they sent you the one pictures, you will not get 3G with any US provider. AT&T uses 850MHz and 1900MHz for their 3G service, while T-Mobile uses 1700/2100MHz. 3G radios are hardware dependent, not software dependent. This means that you must purchase the device that contains the radio for the 3G service you wish to use. They will work on 2G networks anywhere in the world. 3G is really the only difference between carriers.
The AT&T device is the RHOD300 model, also known as the Tilt 2. The T-Mobile version is the RHOD210.
The short answer is that if they send you the exact device in the picture from the ad, you will only be able to get 3G in some parts of Asia and Europe.

The description on the eBay listing is just cut and paste from somewhere (like HTC's website), so that is why it says "or" for the 3G bands. One is for the Euro model, the other is for the Asia model. Either way, neither have the correct bands to give you 3G on AT&T or T-Mobile. And as cajun mentioned, bands are hardware dependent, and there is no way to change it.
If you want 3G on AT&T, you need to buy the AT&T branded Tilt2. But since they will be able to read the IMEI number of the phone (since its ATT branded), they will probably add a smartphone data plan very quickly. So its probably not even worth getting a Tilt2, if you don't want a smartphone data plan. If you want 3G on T-Mobile, you need to buy a T-Mobile branded TP2.
Bottom line, if the phones you bought are unbranded, then they don't have the correct hardware to get 3G on either AT&T or T-Mob.

THX
Hey guys(?) thanks, I think I understand.
So - basically the ad HAS to be a lie, at least for 3G.
So I'm still wondering... What does HTC actually change in the phones - a crystal (I doubt this in modern times), a chip, a pack, an antenna length? There is a small area in the phone that looks 'potted' we used to call it.
They are way too pretty, and way too functional 'as is' to mess with (so I'm not gonna go module or whatever shopping), and we are pretty much 'emergency only' web people (for maps, pizza places, etc) and 2G will be fast enough. The value of a keyboard for texting, the Windows interoperability, and no damn contract is good enough.
We are deciding which ROM level we want before we try ATT to see if they know the numbers... T-Mobile prepaid is the backup plan.
THX

tshephard said:
Hey guys(?) thanks, I think I understand.
So - basically the ad HAS to be a lie, at least for 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lie in that it looks like a lazy cut and paste, with either no proof-reading to catch the error, or a seller that does not fully understand what he is selling. They are a high volume seller, and also just used stock photos (not photos of the actual item), so its just a rushed auction posting. I don't think it was an intentional lie meant to mislead you. But if you want to dispute the sale, I think you have very good grounds, since the information in the auction is incorrect, and its actually impossible to tell what exact model (Euro or Asian) they are selling from the description.
AT&T most likely won't be able to correlate the IMEI with the right phone brand/model. But I've seen cases where they think its a smartphone, but the wrong one, and try to add a smartphone plan. I read a post where a guy was using a Nexus One, and their system was reading it as a Blackberry. I think he just told them it was an unlocked dumbphone, and they removed the smartphone plan.

Please Correct me if I'm wrong...
presently I'm using Sprint Touch Pro 2, and I have read on the internet that it is possible to work with AT&T or T-Mobile (which uses different technology other than Sprint's CDMA) after proper unlocking. Is it possible?
Regards.

chris8989 said:
presently I'm using Sprint Touch Pro 2, and I have read on the internet that it is possible to work with AT&T or T-Mobile (which uses different technology other than Sprint's CDMA) after proper unlocking. Is it possible?
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but you will not be able to use any other network's 3G service. The best you will get is EDGE on another network.

To follow up...
ATT stuck me on $25 Smartphone within 24 hours. (We went to $15 later, and they dropped us to a $10 cheaper talk plan.) For this particular set of phones, apparently the first 8 or so digits of the IMEI is phone type (which they clearly knew from Tilt 2's) and the rest is item serial number. Couldn't argue there...
Speeds, freqs... I don't get a clear definition of G's anywhere, but I show a H before I long on, and another H with bars as I use data. I have used cellular data at up to 1.1mbs per speed sites - I don't know if that's over E, or G, or H but it seems pretty fast to me. All that's on ATT, when I went to the T-Mobile store and tried their card, the best I got was 200kbs on about 5 tries.
Love the phones, added HTC task manager pulldown, and 1.6 VC from here - THX

tshephard said:
To follow up...
ATT stuck me on $25 Smartphone within 24 hours. (We went to $15 later, and they dropped us to a $10 cheaper talk plan.) For this particular set of phones, apparently the first 8 or so digits of the IMEI is phone type (which they clearly knew from Tilt 2's) and the rest is item serial number. Couldn't argue there...
Speeds, freqs... I don't get a clear definition of G's anywhere, but I show a H before I long on, and another H with bars as I use data. I have used cellular data at up to 1.1mbs per speed sites - I don't know if that's over E, or G, or H but it seems pretty fast to me. All that's on ATT, when I went to the T-Mobile store and tried their card, the best I got was 200kbs on about 5 tries.
Love the phones, added HTC task manager pulldown, and 1.6 VC from here - THX
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
G stands for GPRS, and it is a 2G service. It stands for General Packet Radio Service. It is the slowest data service you can get with speeds normally under 50Kbps. It is occasionally known as 2.5G service.
E stands for EDGE. It stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution. It was a revision to the 2G service implementation and features speeds from about 100Kbps to 250Kbps depending on location, service provider, and signal. It is occasionally referred to as a pre-3G technology. It fits in the ITU's definition of 3G, but few people refer to it as such. It is normally marketed as 2.9G.
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) was a revision to the voice service, and did not address much data-wise. This was the first widespread usage of the term and use of 3G. It is normally the service that your device is using when it shows the 3G icon. 3G speeds are normally 350Kbps - 500Kbps.
H stands for HSPA. It stands for High Speed Packet Access. It is one step higher than what is commonly known as 3G.It is also known as 3.5G. It features speeds closer to 1.5Mbps. HSPA is normally grouped in with 3G service when it is being discussed.
As for your test with T-Mobile, that wasn't really a fair comparison since you can't get 3G speeds on a Tilt2 on T-Mobile's network. You can only ever get EDGE service. Therefore, you were comparing AT&T's 3G service to T-Mobile's EDGE service. This is like trying to race a Mustang with a Moped. If you get the Rhod210 model, you will get the faster connection with T-Mobile. There isn't much to compare between AT&T and T-Mobile. AT&T 3G speeds are slower than T-Mobile. The services are also much cheaper on T-Mobile.

THX for reply, I generally understood all the abbreviations, but like you said - the marketing hype really seems to very from the technology.
If I saw, regularly, over 1 mbs and the H bars to the right of the H block, do ya' think I was H/HSPA over 8.5/9/19/21 freqs?

tshephard said:
THX for reply, I generally understood all the abbreviations, but like you said - the marketing hype really seems to very from the technology.
If I saw, regularly, over 1 mbs and the H bars to the right of the H block, do ya' think I was H/HSPA over 8.5/9/19/21 freqs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On AT&T it would be HSPA on the 850MHz and/or 1900MHz frequencies. T-Mobile uses 1700MHz for HSDPA and 2100MHz for HSUPA. The frequencies for 2G services are all the same for everyone. This is why you will get up to EDGE service with any GSM carrier, but never 3G service unless you buy a device that explicitly supports that carrier's 3G service.

Related

Alternatives to TP2

Let's just say I am a real fan of WM 6.5 and my brief expereince with Android left me with much to desire. The TP2 is nice, but very large. I am stuck with T-mobile as they are the only ones that give me good signal at my house.
Does anyone know any good touch screen WM phones that can still utilize T-Mobile's 3G signal when unlocked?
Android would be awesome if it's native software would sync all of exchange and hotmail. If that was the case, I would go back. The K-9 software blows, and that is the only thing to come close to syncing hotmail. The Touchdown software for purchase works great with full exchange sync, but again, you must purchase it. Oh, and the camera sucks on the MT3G. Barely ever focuses.
The TP2 is great except the size. I don't really even need the slide-out keyboard. I actually prefer the touch keyboard.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Touch Diamond 2 (AKA AT&T Pure) is basically a TP2 minus the hardware keyboard. Maybe it's what you're looking for?
That would be great. But the way I understand it is that AT&T uses a different frequency for their 3G data than T-Mobile. And if the phone was already branded AT&T, it is set for that frequency. So even if you unlock it, it will not use 3G data from T-Mobile.
If I am wrong, please someone tell me, because it would be great to get that Touch Diamond 2.
After some quick searching on the interwebs, it looks like the Touch 2/Mega maybe what I am after or the HD2 (not released yet). Anyone know if the Touch 2 will work with T-Mobile 3G?
Unfortunately there is no real option other than the TP2 (or other 3G phones offered by T-Mobile) to get 3G service on the T-Mobile USA network.
It has to do with the frequencies that T-Mobile USA is using along with the type of 3G that they are implementing. A little web research indicates that T-Mobile is using the 1700/2100 frequencies with the 1700 used for uploading and the 2100 used for downloading.
You need both bands present to even think a phone will work on the T-Mobile 3G network, otherwise the best you can hope for is EDGE speeds.
jgriesel said:
......T-Mobile is using the 1700/2100 frequencies with the 1700 used for uploading and the 2100 used for downloading......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I highly doubt that. T-Mobile only use 1700mhz. There are at least 4 phones listed on phonescoop that use Tmo's 3G and with only 1700mhz band, all samsung: SHG-T659, T749, T469 and T559. If Tmo uses 1700 for uploading and 2100 for downloading then those 4 phones listed above can only send MMS and not able to get on the internet? I highly doubt that.
Edit: You can try EMobile phones from Japan. They use 1700mhz band for their 3G.
http://emobile.jp/products/

Should I go for Verizon touch pro 2 or something else??

Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
duke911 said:
Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just left AT&T due to extremely poor customer service. AT&T is the only carrier that offers rollover minutes, but their 3G coverage is spotty, and when switching from 3G to Edge or vise versa, you will experience a lot of dropped calls. If you want to use your phone as a modem with AT&T you have to get a tethering plan which will run you $60/month. Verizon has a much larger 3G coverage area, and you don't have to worry about the network being burdened by iPhone users. Sprint has rolled out 4G coverage in some areas with plans to expand. Sprint has cheaper calling plans, but their subsidized phone prices are higher. All in all, do your research, and check online for reviews of coverage, network speed, and customer service.
1. reception obviously varies by location. VZW probably has the best claim to the best nationwide coverage--their business model has very much focused on network building, and up until very recently, their phone selection sucked because they didn't invest as much in securing great smartphones. Alternatively, ATT has focused investment heavily on having great phones, and haven't focused investment as much on building any of their networks.
That said, ATT has great phone reception in a lots of metropolitan areas. There might even be some areas where they have better coverage. And while their 3G data coverage isn't nearly as broad, where it exists, it has been tested as being the fastest (especially when you're not using an iPhone).
2. No, all wireless carriers have a cap of some kind. Further most will charge an extra $30ish a month on top of the $30ish a month for smartphone data for tethering (using your phone as a modem), and they'll still have a data cap.
3. I don't know VZW's plans.
ive been with ATT for YEARS and their costumer service can kiss my ass because i never use it. why? because they offer best reception where im at. why would i want to find out how good t-mobiles costumer service is? i just want a reliable network. all carriers have crappy prices and conditions here. just find the one that works for you and dont listen to what anyone else says. why would you care if verizon has 3g in montana and att doesnt if you live in LA?? its irrelevant. find the least crappy one for you and stick with it.
Do some research on the difference between CDMA and GSM networks. One may work better than another in certain situations.
T-Mobile has cheap rate plans and free tethering.
Sprint has a WiMax network rolling out, although all of the carriers are working on LTE or some other standard of 4G- Not really a concern at this point, since few phones support it.
Verizon has the best customer satisfaction ratings, but their phones are often locked down with software.
AT&T has a history of dropping calls, but has the fastest recorded data speeds.
No matter whom you may chose, you will end up disappointed over some facet or another. You will need to get DSL or some other form of land-based internet, unless you can keep yourself constrained to the 5GB data caps that ALL of the carriers have.
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
duke911 said:
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's kind of misleading. The Verizon Touch Pro2 is actually a CDMA/GSM hybrid device, which works on Verizon's CDMA network or any GSM network. In theory, you should be able to use it on any GSM network in any country as long as you have a valid SIM card.
you cant trust advertising. it makes it appear that all options are shiney. verizon claims all of its wireless technologies as 3g no matter what they are, whether they have speeds slower than atts 2g or worse. the verizon touch pro will not actually work in the us or canada on gsm. you also need to pay for vodofone service separately to get international coverage. you can flash a radio that will let you use atts network but youll loose the cdma network verizon uses. sprints 4g network is not as promising as i hoped. its slower than atts 3g network and to use it you have to buy a $10 1-day pass that will let you use 4g in about 10 or so cities. its also not on any phones. in terms of data or unlimited plans, i would probably have to recommend t-mobile. even though i think they have the ugliest version of the touch pro 2. verizon does limit there unlimited plans to 4gb a month i think. and yes att is the only one with roll over. i never use my minutes so i up to about 10000 minutes rolled over. i will never be charged overage as long as i live.
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
So I signed up with Verizon, which did not even sell phones within a hundred miles of where I would be using it. That was in March of 2007. I went to Alaska for 16 months where it roamed constantly. Not a peep from Verizon about not being on their network. When going to a remote village for more than a month where no cell phone would work, I would just call them and they would suspend my phone for the time I was there. No bill at all and no charge for turning it off. So I have to say the customer support from Verizon is the best there is and ATT is the absolute worst.
texascbx said:
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that.
I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)?
I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Cheers
duke911 said:
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that. I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)? I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased my VZW off contract. Unsubsidized is probably about $500.
Different carriers have different rules for their prepaid services. With GSM carriers, TMo and ATT, it's easy to pop a prepaid sim into any phone. With CDMA (Sprint and VZW), I'm not sure. Best bet is to call and ask.
well i had sprint for ever...I switched to tmobile.. to get that tp2 free through wmdeals.com even though coverage sucks at my house im happy.. I have wifi for data when im home.. when i leave my home i have edge service everwhere.. til i start getting close to mesquite ( texas ) it goes to 3g.. but edge works great with opera mini.. and for updating certain things.. but so far tmobile rocks..
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
anyway... I like really the verizon version of the Touch Pro 2..
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
I never used CDMA before, and after reading some info, I think GSM is better for me, at least for now...
duke911 said:
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You never know with reps. I seem to recall that VZW's prepaid might have some unlimited data intended for dumbphones, which of course they wouldn't want you to use with a smartphone.
There are MVNOs, like Page Plus, that use VZW's network, but have prepaid plans where they probably wouldn't be concerned about smartphone usage (pay per kb instead of unlimited).
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get it unlocked here and use it on ATT or TMo (minus 3g, 2g data still works), and as to whether you can cancel after the fact without penalty, it depends on exactly what you signed up for at VZW.
texascbx said:
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fortunz said:
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
The Jack of Clubs said:
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's not entirely true. AT&T devices can use T-Mobile's network, just not HSPA (3G), and vice versa. Before I got my 8925, my main phone was an old T-Mobile Blackberry 7200 which I unlocked to use on AT&T. It could make phone calls and browse at EDGE speeds just fine. The 3G bands are f*cked up internationally since they often differ by country and carrier, but the EDGE and basic GSM bands are pretty much compatible with any GSM phone (since most GSM phones are Tri-band or Quad-band capable).
In addition, it's perfectly possible to use another network in the same country. If a company like AT&T doesn't have infrastructure in a remote area and wants to add service there, they'll often strike a deal with a local carrier who does. It's usually a seamless transition for the user, and it doesn't generally cost the user a cent. Rather, AT&T is the one paying the local cellular operator for allowing the AT&T customers use the local carrier's network as opposed to the alternative of having no coverage in that area. AT&T got mad at texascbx because he was costing AT&T money by roaming on these local carriers, which AT&T had to pay.
Lastly, I know people who live near the borders and they always are careful to see which operator they are using. One of them lives near the Mexican border, and has to make sure he's on AT&T's network before he makes a call. If he doesn't check, he might be roaming on the TelMex network and will get billed outrageous fees for a simple call, even though he's in the US.
I was at the mall today, and I talked to a T-Mobile guy, and he said I can get the T-mobile version of touch pro 2 for full retail, and I can use it with their prepaid plan without any porblems.
Then I spoke with a Verizon representative, and he said that I can't do that on their network, however I can buy the device with out a contract and without any plan...
So my Final question (and I guess fortunz answered before,but I still feel like asking coz I don't want to through 500$ away)... If I get the Verizon Touch Pro 2, and get it unlocked here
http://rhodiumw.htc-unlocks.com/
or here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=578642
will I be able to use it with any carrier?? prepaid or plan??
I don't really mind about the data, as I'll be using WiFi mainly
Thanks a lot

Moving from T-Mobile US to AT&T

Recently moved to a T-Mobile dead zone forcing me to switch providers. As I would like to keep my Defy, I have decided to unlock it and move to AT&T.
Sometime today or tomorrow I will be making the transistion and would like to ask those who have gone before me for some advice...
Preferred ROM for making the switch? (For Example: I'm not sure I completely understand the Bands involved...for a UK ROM, I had to install a patch to get T-Mobile to work, but I don't know how/if it would affect AT&T)
AT&T Software? I can pretty much rip out T-Mobile the software, just not sure about how to get any AT&T specific software I might want/need.
De-branding? Retaining the T-Mobile branded market will just irritate me.
Anything else I should know or prepare for?
Thanks -
Presume you are in the US.
Where I live it's a dead zone as well (for both T-Mo & AT&T) but I use the wifi calling built into the Defy (my wife uses the similar UMA on her Blackberry). The calls are so perfect we could get rid of land lines. AT&T does NOT have wifi calling.
As far as I know there is no ROM that will allow you to run the Defy on AT&T 3G, but I could be wrong. T-Mo is 1700, AT&T 1900 -- both have 2100 for Europe etc. Again, if that's changed someone here will tell you.
I believe roaming -- including data roaming -- domestically is free. That's what I was told by a T-Mo rep, and you may want to double check. But if it is, and you cannot get your phone to work on AT&T's 3G, you may want to stay with T-Mo. Or get a different phone and move to AT&T.
AT&T uses 850 and 1900 and are moving to only 850 which this (US) phone has so it should work in most areas, but I would consider the wifi calling first too as AT&T is much more expensive than Tmo, has data caps and overages unlike Tmo.
Do what you have to do, just be aware of the pitfalls of AT&T.
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, Alltel was the major roaming provider in the area for T-Mobile, but since Alltel was bought out/merged with Verizon, there is really no roaming in this area any longer.
Wifi is what I am using now, but is extremely limiting, as I am restricted to about 15-20 yards of my living room. There is little to no public WIFI in the area (country living...) and no outside data access though pretty much defeats the purpose of having a smart phone (no Google Maps, remote email, local movie show times, business look-ups, comparison shopping, etc.).
While going with an AT&T phone is an option, I really like the water resistance of the Defy. Since I do a lot of outdoor activities (e.g. hiking) and drive a doorless/topless CJ7 most of year, water resistance is a godsend.
AT&T, while not ideal, is currently my best option.
Does anyone know for sure that an unlocked Defy will work on the 3G 850 freak for AT&T? I recall that some protocols also need to be on a phone for it to register on a specific network.
Looks like this guy got it working on androidforums. Sorry, no links for me yet.
androidforums.com/t/217819-t-mo-motorola-defy-working-t-3g-850-band-only.html

LG d855 Euro model of G3, since not using LTE will it have unlimited data?

I have a d855 model and I read it can't use LTE. Mine displays H instead of LTE but streams hd video as fast as my LTE phone or at least I notice no difference. When I did speed test when tether to laptop I got 4mbps which is still high speed but I think LTE is way faster.
My question is if no 4g/LTE which is limited at 2.5gb per month then am I unlimited high speed ? Just slower high speed.
Nope, 2.5gb with LTE, HSDPA, 3G, EDGE or GPRS and after that your speed will be limited to 64kbit/s (or slower) till end of month.
The phone does in fact have LTE. And whatever stipulations are concerning your data plan are specific to the plan you have on your wireless carrier.
Japultra said:
The phone does in fact have LTE. And whatever stipulations are concerning your data plan are specific to the plan you have on your wireless carrier.
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I'm not so much concerned with LTE being available in other parts of the world based on the frequencies of the d855. I need LTE here in the USA and so far I've found the question asked a ton of times and all of the answers are that it does not have LTE. It does not have 1700 or 1900 capabilities which is what T-mobile needs. I even read posts where ATT people can't seem to get it to work with their LTE. I tested it last night and got 3g speeds for tethering 4.19mbps, then put sim in my chinese Huawei and got 28.35mbps so for sure it's on 3g and not LTE. It works great on 3g and is fairly fast but the fact that a USA seller who is selling in the USA would specifically state 4g LTE phone and not mention anywhere in the ebay ad that LTE won't work in the country he is trying to sell it is irritating. If he was a seller in another country then it would be another story. Even his rating was great and no complaints about the d855 but most people might not care that they aren't getting LTE.
jeffrimerman said:
I'm not so much concerned with LTE being available in other parts of the world based on the frequencies of the d855. I need LTE here in the USA and so far I've found the question asked a ton of times and all of the answers are that it does not have LTE. It does not have 1700 or 1900 capabilities which is what T-mobile needs. I even read posts where ATT people can't seem to get it to work with their LTE. I tested it last night and got 3g speeds for tethering 4.19mbps, then put sim in my chinese Huawei and got 28.35mbps so for sure it's on 3g and not LTE. It works great on 3g and is fairly fast but the fact that a USA seller who is selling in the USA would specifically state 4g LTE phone and not mention anywhere in the ebay ad that LTE won't work in the country he is trying to sell it is irritating. If he was a seller in another country then it would be another story. Even his rating was great and no complaints about the d855 but most people might not care that they aren't getting LTE.
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Gotcha. You never mentioned in your original post where you live so I had no idea.
Japultra said:
Gotcha. You never mentioned in your original post where you live so I had no idea.
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sorry, I noticed your info said London so figured you might not have. They said they'll refund so should be fine. I just want to make sure they don't hit me with a restockng fee. I currently use the Huawei Ascend Mate 2. 6.1" screen and 4000mah battery is hard to walk away from. It's the camera on it that isn't so awesome.

Thinkin' about leavin' VZW for T-Mobile...

I currently enjoy my Verizon M7 with an old "grandfathered" Verizon unlimited data plan... I really have no complaints about the service level, phone calls are clear and don't drop, LTE data speeds are great... Nonetheless, I dislike Verizon's increasingly-successful efforts to lock-down their devices to an unbreakable degree, I dislike the fact that Verizon STILL hasn't released Lollipop for their M7, AND I feel I'm paying way too much money every month for my line and 3 other lines for my wife and kids (they DON'T have unlimited data - I pay for 2GB per month for each).
So, T-Mobile's month-to-month plans, their offers to buy out Verizon contracts, and the fact that their LTE coverage is reportedly faster than VZW's in 20 USA major metros is tempting...
Questions:
Does modern GSM on T-Mo devices still buzz through every nearby speaker?
How solid are telephone conversations on T-Mobile? Are you happy with their USA network? I'm working around the greater SF bay area with business travel to major metro areas - few road trips...
Are T-Mo's "unlimited" data plans truly unlimited, or do they throttle down speeds after a certain threshold?
Dare I keep using my m7wlv (verizon's HTC One variant) on T-Mo's network? Presumably I can just swap out the SIM, but I suspect limited band selection, etc. Likewise with my girls' iPhone 5ses...
Thanks!
If you get coverage in your area with T-Mobile, then the choice is yours. Nobody will blame you for the cost and device support issues... Not having T-Mobile ever (because their coverage is horrible in my area) I can't vouch for the call quality being any better than AT&T, which was terrible on gsm.
If you travel outside of major metropolitan areas, your 4g will probably have a bad time. Just judging from the few friends that have T-Mobile service asking to borrow my phone to call or look something up...
T mobile lied to my wife about their coverage before she got the device and then tried to say she didn't send the device back when she decided to switch back to Verizon. Plus they have probably the worst customer service ever. It took nearly five days worth of phones calls just to get them to refund the $600 they charged her for the device she sent back. After this experience I wouldn't suggest anyone use t mobile but some people like it I guess.
Still haven't tried them - can our m7wlv work properly?
Thanks @disconnecktie. I hear you, although I expect there are many similar stories from former Verizon customers...
But yeah - I walked into the local T-Mobile store yesterday and it felt a bit slimy in terms of the say-anything sales force looking to have me sign up for a phone. I left without so much as a SIM.
I'll still probably try them to out, but I thought I should look into whether or not my m7wlv can be made to take full advantage of T-Mobile's network; or if the only fair test would be on a proper t-mo phone...
I've heard that our phone won't pickup the LTE bands used by T-Mobile by default, but I've also heard that with the MSL code one can enable all LTE bands for use. Has anyone messed with this and gotten their Verizon M7 to experience those kick-butt LTE speeds on T-Mobile I've been reading about? I'm also impressed by T-Mobile's deal with Google for Project Fi...
As far as I know the Verizon phones get locked out of the other frequencies at a hardware level which means no amount of software modifications will change anything.
I'm pretty sure it's set at the baseband firmware level, likely above my pay grade to edit...
bmeek said:
I'm pretty sure it's set at the baseband firmware level, likely above my pay grade to edit...
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Most likely because of the model number difference, it is hardware dependant. You RUU a dev/att edition m7 (same model number) to a tmo edition, and you still will not get aws hspa. I am going to attempt doing some edits and see if it will work as a friend of mine gave me his tmo sim to test this over this weekend. I have read it is hardware locked and nothing software side will enable those frequencies. If I do get it to work or not work, I will let you know. The other variants of the m7 will not save NV edits upon reboot. Hopefully the vzw one will.
Edit: Tried QPST and QXDM... Odd thing is our NV shows all bands unlocked. Well, I did the same edits another user did for his Vzw M8 and still rebooted with only Edge. Checked NV and some bands were now disabled, so it did change the NV values. Sadly I would assume our hardware will not support GSM bands at the NV level. I could try to flash a T-mobile radio, but I would think it is different hardware, so hopefully I don't have a heard brick on my hands after that. I will update when I get some more testing done.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using XDA Free mobile app
Flashed the 7.x T-Mobile radio. Phone would boot and wouldn't get signal and reboot after about a minute. Still had the NV edits in place. So it must be hardware related on why we cannot get US carrier (ATT/TMo) HSPA and LTE.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using XDA Free mobile app
Uzephi said:
Flashed the 7.x T-Mobile radio. Phone would boot and wouldn't get signal and reboot after about a minute. Still had the NV edits in place. So it must be hardware related on why we cannot get US carrier (ATT/TMo) HSPA and LTE.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using XDA Free mobile app
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Oki thank you for trying
Ran into something interesting today. So after my radio Flash, the edge in my area has been wonky and odd. I did an ruu to hopefully fix any damage to the partition the radio Flash did. Reinstalled nusenseven. I use the traffic monitor. Most of the time it caps out at 35 kbps as it is edge. Some rare times I will see it wig out and pump 500k to 1.5mb for about 3-5 seconds. I do not know if it is software glitching or if the phone is on a refarmed edge band and only doing edge because of software limitation.
I live in a big city where there is refarmed towers all over the place.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using XDA Free mobile app

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