[Q] Verizon Nexus run on GSM network? - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

I'm getting ready to deploy, and I was curious if you can convert the Verizon Nexus to run on GSM/international networks. If yes, how?

sorry
there is no way my friend. i just got back from deployment. I was in the same boat as you. sell that g nex my friend, and get the gsm one. i found one by going on ebay, searching for guys selling one close to me and off to buy it locally so you're not waiting on shipping. or put on craigslists for a trade for the gsm version, u never know.

Yep, what he said was right - you can't convert it over. The Verizon one has a CDMA antenna and all the other networks require the GSM antenna (why couldn't they have both!! probably for this reason..). And even if the other networks used CDMA, they have to specifically accept your phone into their network (some kind of CDMA authentication thing, whereas GSM accepts everything it can talk to).

So flashing a GSM baseband to the CMDA phone will not work?

NO! Do not flash a GSM baseband on your nexus. The VZW nexus doesn't have any of the GSM radios or frequencies and wont work.

Unfortunately the GN only comes with either GSM or CMDA/LTE. It may be worth looking into getting a global phone that supports both CDMA and GSM.
Masoa said:
So flashing a GSM baseband to the CMDA phone will not work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As already stated, definitely never do this.

Related

[Q] Verizon G-Nex on AT&T?

Will the G-Nex from Verizon be able to fully utilize AT&T's network if it is rooted and a new radio and rom flashed to it? i.e. is it capable of jumping the CDMA/GSM divide with software updates?
Thanks,
Akh
No. It only has a CDMA radio, not GSM. Software can't change that.
I thought I had read somewhere that Samsung was dramatically changing the radio design in the GS2 and G-Nex, so I was hoping it might be possible.
Thanks
Nope, not at all possible.
one point twenty one jiggawatts!!!!!
I'm curious about this too. Because the Sim card/4G is GSM, if we were to go into phone settings and set it to "GSM ONLY" would it work?
This is more an issue of curiosity than anything.
I understand that the CDMA radio won't work on a GSM network.
Just curious is all.
No it definitely will not work in any way whatsoever unfortunately.
Yes LTE is a form of GSM but the GSM radio in to only works with Verizon LTE, nothing else
cokm4n said:
i'm curious about this too. Because the sim card/4g is gsm, if we were to go into phone settings and set it to "gsm only" would it work?
This is more an issue of curiosity than anything.
I understand that the cdma radio won't work on a gsm network.
Just curious is all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. It won't work.
It has even been shown that Verizon and AT&T are using different bands for 4G.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
I didn't even think to look at the freq bands.
Thanks everyone for enduring my curious nature.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus, straight from Google!

Galaxy Nexus GSM vs. CDMA

What's the differences between the two, if any?
I've been contemplating whether or not I should get the GSM version or CDMA. Are there any major differences between the two?
Sent from the future.
If you're on sprint, you kind of need to change to Verizon if you want the CDMA version. CDMA also has LTE aka true 4G, so speed will probably be better. VZW also has further reaching 3G coverage than AT&T, generally. On top of this, in my experience VZW's customer service is great, but everyone's mileage varies there.
The GSM version is not "official" for the US - you will have to pay full retail price on one ($600-ish) and sign up with tmobile or att to use it. No carrier subsidy.
Without further information about you, it's hard to say anything more.
I think the op was asking about the hardware spec. CDMA version has bigger battery and twice the storage space.
Does this mean that the Verizon version will not work on at&t? Or have slower speeds?
thanks. I wasn't referring to carrier information, though. I meant as far as hardware and software.
Did android 4.1 come with the Verizon version as promised?
Sent from the future.
SocialReject said:
thanks. I wasn't referring to carrier information, though. I meant as far as hardware and software.
Did android 4.1 come with the Verizon version as promised?
Sent from the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon comes with 4.0.1 with a small update leading it to 4.0.2
ootz0rz said:
Does this mean that the Verizon version will not work on at&t? Or have slower speeds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, verizon version will not work on ATT.
In the US is very simple. Two types of radios: CDMA and GSM.
Verizon and Sprint use CDMA.
ATT and TMO use GSM.
The smaller carriers generally use either CDMA or GSM and piggy back off the larger carrier towers.
Hopefully android devices which have hardware and software capable of using both radios will arrive and it'll become less of an issue, but as of now, the galaxy nexus is either GSM or CDMA, but not both.
Hope that helps!
How about in the UK? Is there only one of these versions? And how do I find what version I have?
UK is gsm
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
ZPrimed said:
If you're on sprint, you kind of need to change to Verizon if you want the CDMA version. CDMA also has LTE aka true 4G, so speed will probably be better. VZW also has further reaching 3G coverage than AT&T, generally. On top of this, in my experience VZW's customer service is great, but everyone's mileage varies there.
The GSM version is not "official" for the US - you will have to pay full retail price on one ($600-ish) and sign up with tmobile or att to use it. No carrier subsidy.
Without further information about you, it's hard to say anything more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE IS NOT true 4G.
There is no True 4G in the US.
Google the definition of 4G.
Hi everybody, I have a verizon Galaxy Nexus I understand it's a CDMA, is there any hardware differences between this and a GSM one? or is only software? will this device work on a GSM network if I flash a GSM Rom on it?
thanks for your help!
jhonyDroid said:
Hi everybody, I have a verizon Galaxy Nexus I understand it's a CDMA, is there any hardware differences between this and a GSM one? or is only software? will this device work on a GSM network if I flash a GSM Rom on it?
thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't even think about flashing a GSM rom on it.
mudferret said:
Don't even think about flashing a GSM rom on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for your answer!
I thought it was some kind of adventurer try to mix roms but can you tell me what would happen by doing this? and, is there any way to get this CDMA phone work on a GSM network?
best regards!
jhonyDroid said:
Hi everybody, I have a verizon Galaxy Nexus I understand it's a CDMA, is there any hardware differences between this and a GSM one? or is only software? will this device work on a GSM network if I flash a GSM Rom on it?
thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your CDMA version has a CDMA radio, a LTE radio, and antennas tuned to the correct LTE and CDMA frequencies used by Verizon.
The GSM version has a GSM radio with antenna turned to all common GSM frequencies.
The radios and antenna hardware are completely different in these versions and so by this fact the firmware (the software or flash able 'radio') is 100% different. Flashing the wrong one can cause all kinds of issues from not working until reflashing the correct ones yo bricking your radio (depending on how the firmware is flashed, size differences, etc.)
CDMA and GSM and LTE are all very different. LTE is based off GSM which is why you have a SIM card in LTE (though CDMA can have SIM cards if that is how the company set it up, which also is why without the SIM card you can't use your CDMA parts either).
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
jhonyDroid said:
I thought it was some kind of adventurer try to mix roms but can you tell me what would happen by doing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will destroy your phone. It won't work ever again.
is there any way to get this CDMA phone work on a GSM network?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. It's a hardware issue that can't be fixed with software.
---------- Post added at 10:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 AM ----------
siberslug said:
LTE IS NOT true 4G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure it is. Just like EDGE is "officially" 3G whenever carriers think it's in their marketing interest to say so. No one owns the term "3G" or "4G" so there's no such thing as "true" or "official". It is certainly marked performance advance over HSPA+, with real world LTE uplink speeds higher than HSPA downlink. It's at least as big of a jump from EDGE to UMTS (200kbps to 600kbps) was.
If you're referring to LTE Advanced, expect that technology to be labelled 5G when it hits the carriers. Why? Why the hell not? It's just a stupid marketing gimmick. Most consumers don't even know what the hell it means, with something like 70% of the population thinking that the iPhone 4/4S has 4G. Mo G's mo money.
Just to go along with what you are saying, the ITU changed it so that the current "4G" techs such as LTE, WIMAX, and HSPA+ are considered 4G.

[Q] unlock verizon SCH-i515 for sprint????

Hey guys I have a question, is it possible to unlock the verizon GN SCH-i515 to work for sprint while sprint doesn't even offer it yet??? I really like the phone and want it.
lobej said:
Hey guys I have a question, is it possible to unlock the verizon GN SCH-i515 to work for sprint while sprint doesn't even offer it yet??? I really like the phone and want it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Not easily at least...
Moved to Q&A
any known link that i can use to at least try?
Nope. This has been discussed numerous times over the last 2 months the phone has been out. It just isn't possible especially with Sprint, as they are not very open to activating non-Sprint devices on their network. The ESN won't be in their database.
You have a slightly higher chance of getting it onto a Verizon MVNO, but even then that's kinda low.
i have the same question but i am from mexico and here exist a carrier with cdma network, i try a lot of times unlock my i515 but is the same answer... is not possible yet, my friend has an HTC EVO 3D CDMA and has the same network spesifications that my nexus and he can use normally in the same cdma carrier, i know the nexus has LTE/CDMA network, also i know in mexico doesnot exist yet LTE, my question is: can i unlock some day my nexus to use in CDMA?
hd5145 said:
i have the same question but i am from mexico and here exist a carrier with cdma network, i try a lot of times unlock my i515 but is the same answer... is not possible yet, my friend has an HTC EVO 3D CDMA and has the same network spesifications that my nexus and he can use normally in the same cdma carrier, i know the nexus has LTE/CDMA network, also i know in mexico doesnot exist yet LTE, my question is: can i unlock some day my nexus to use in CDMA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Still no, and always no. I highly doubt you'll ever see a reliable method of unlocking this (or any) CDMA device for use on other networks. Its extremely hit or miss when it comes to CDMA devices.
You aren't going to be able to unlock an LTE/CDMA phone for VZW to work on another carrier, and if someone did manage to do so, it is only going to work on the CDMA network and nothing else. If you wanted to flash it to another network, you would need to find a way to unlink the LTE and CDMA radios. People have been looking into this since the DROID Charge came out (almost a year) and still have not found any way of getting it onto another network.
martonikaj said:
No. Still no, and always no. I highly doubt you'll ever see a reliable method of unlocking this (or any) CDMA device for use on other networks. Its extremely hit or miss when it comes to CDMA devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CDMA Devices aren't that bad to flash to other carriers .. You do however need the SPC and/or 16 digit password to do so.. Some newer phones are locked down pretty tight .. Most older CDMA can be manually programmed and prl updated to preferred carrier

Unlock Verizon Nexus for T-Mobile?

So I'm thinking of buying a Verizon Galaxy Nexus.
I know it has a sim tray so i'm wondering if it can be unlocked for T-Mobile.
Any help would be appreciated.
djphooka said:
So I'm thinking of buying a Verizon Galaxy Nexus.
I know it has a sim tray so i'm wondering if it can be unlocked for T-Mobile.
Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why wouldn't you buy the GSM version?
It wont work. Different technologies.
jhernand1102 said:
Why wouldn't you buy the GSM version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because that would make sense.
Yea, It's just that the guy told me it has a sim tray so i figured i would post here to find out.
Anyone know where I can get the GSM version?
I don't want to pay $500 but ...
Thanks all
Try Negri Electronics
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
djphooka said:
Yea, It's just that the guy told me it has a sim tray so i figured i would post here to find out.
Anyone know where I can get the GSM version?
I don't want to pay $500 but ...
Thanks all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sim tray maybe but the vzw one is cdma and the GSM one is...well..GSM.
Different technologies! Not compatible.
I have the Verizon phone and yes it does have a SIM card but it uses different radios. Verizon uses CDMA/LTE and T-Mobile uses GSM so you can put whatever SIM card you want in there but since it uses different radios it won't physically be able to talk to T-Mobile (or any GSM carrier's towers)
btw, what happen if you travel away USA in a country without CDMA?.
At least, the CDMA iPhone have a simcard tray but it's locked until your operator wants.
jairmoreno said:
btw, what happen if you travel away USA in a country without CDMA?.
At least, the CDMA iPhone have a simcard tray but it's locked until your operator wants.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Starting with Verizon's 4G LTE phones they all require SIM cards. They were also used in 3G global phones (my old blackberry and droid pro had them) but the CDMA Galaxy Nexus isn't global so you'd just SOL.
well.
nope. it won't work cause it's not CDMA...
djphooka said:
So I'm thinking of buying a Verizon Galaxy Nexus.
I know it has a sim tray so i'm wondering if it can be unlocked for T-Mobile.
Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@[email protected] can't believe people are asking this question. The phone has been out for over 3 months now.
Besides, the SIM card slot is specifically for LTE... as in, the SIM card is an LTE SIM card. LTE, not HSPA+.
I can only think, because the AT&T (HSPA+) model would be more prolific among sellers, that you'll have a better time finding a better price than a Verizon (LTE) one.
jairmoreno said:
btw, what happen if you travel away USA in a country without CDMA?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you have no service. Grab a cheap GSM phone and pre-paid SIM.
Try the yellow or the sky blue Galaxy Nexus. Those ones will work on both Verizon and T-Mobile.
Thats odd cause I have done it before
nodstuff said:
Sim tray maybe but the vzw one is cdma and the GSM one is...well..GSM.
Different technologies! Not compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back when verizon did both GSM and CDMA I had a verizon phone that I got to work on tmobile. I think it might have been a windows phone, honestly it was a while ago. I had to pay for a network unlock code and patch a radio or something....anyway, just wanted to say that it is in fact possible. My phone did brick in about two months, but that might have been from getting it wet...anyway...Good luck!
derigoagin said:
Back when verizon did both GSM and CDMA I had a verizon phone that I got to work on tmobile. I think it might have been a windows phone, honestly it was a while ago. I had to pay for a network unlock code and patch a radio or something....anyway, just wanted to say that it is in fact possible. My phone did brick in about two months, but that might have been from getting it wet...anyway...Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Total non sequitur. The phone in question must have been an old "world phone". The Verizon Galaxy Nexus never had any GSM radio whatsoever.
Also you bumped a 2 year old thread.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
weirddan455 said:
Starting with Verizon's 4G LTE phones they all require SIM cards. They were also used in 3G global phones (my old blackberry and droid pro had them) but the CDMA Galaxy Nexus isn't global so you'd just SOL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the CDMA GNex you would need either a CDMA or neutral carrier/MVNO (such as StraightTalk, Tracfone, etc.). I have a CDMA ex-VZW GNex (now running Unlegacy-Android 7.1) that I am taking to Tracfone (replacing a Tracfone feature phone) because Tracfone uses a mix of carrier towers (depending on location, either T-Mobile or VZW). My current feature phone uses T-Mobile towers - because I am bringing a CDMA phone under BYOP, I have to ask the carrier (Tracfone, in this case) to create a custom SIM Kit for the brought phone, and thus have to communicate the IMEI and MEID of the incoming phone (this information is in the phone under Settings). Yes - this also applies to lifeline feature phones supplied by Tracfone/Safelink (if Safelink supplied the phone, Tracfone is your MVNO). If you want a GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus, you would want the maguro (the Galaxy Nexus in AT&T Mobility or T-Mobile guise); because GSM is more popular overseas, they tend to get exported compared to CDMA or W-CDMA (Verizon or Sprint, respectively).

[Q] ATT Version Usable with T-Mobile?

I am going to switch to T-Mobile in 2 months so was wondering if it will work with T-Mobile's HSPA + Network.
AFAIK It won't, but the frequenceies are listed on both carrier's sites so you can have a look at that.
No.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...nt-4g-hspa-phone-will-not-be-covered-by-both/
Couldn't we just flash the t-mobile radio like with the t-mobile sgs2 and the skyrocket from at&t?
It should be possible. Check out the specs of the two: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4804&idPhone2=4803
This is EXACTLY the same as Tmobile S2 and ATT S2 LTE: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4129&idPhone2=4303
Some awesome dev needs to do some radio hacking to make the two phones interchangeable as they did for the S2/S2 LTE.
pvc_ said:
No.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...nt-4g-hspa-phone-will-not-be-covered-by-both/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that article is over a year old. there are many devices that work on both carriers via 4g. looking at the frequencies on att version it should work with a radio flash.
There's hope then
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57460125-94/t-mobiles-pricier-samsung-galaxy-s3-will-not-get-lte/
same hardware in all US S3's so theoretically even a sprint or verizon one can be flashed if its just going to be software limitations
tspx23 said:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57460125-94/t-mobiles-pricier-samsung-galaxy-s3-will-not-get-lte/
same hardware in all US S3's so theoretically even a sprint or verizon one can be flashed if its just going to be software limitations
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The CDMA and TDMA versions are different and not compatible. A sprint or Verizon model will not work on GSM networks due to the different protocols used. AFAIK no phone is universally portable amongst US carriers.
Verizon/Sprint/US Cellular phones are 100% different in terms of radio hardware and software.
It is possible the T-Mobile/AT&T ones will likely work together, but why? Also something to consider is the AT&T Note on T-Mobile gets HORRIBLE battery life.
malaeum said:
The CDMA and TDMA versions are different and not compatible. A sprint or Verizon model will not work on GSM networks due to the different protocols used. AFAIK no phone is universally portable amongst US carriers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure about this? Verizon model will have a sim card and has GSM support. Verizon will probably block T-Mobile and ATT with all of their GSM/devices.
tspx23 said:
You sure about this? Verizon model will have a sim card and has GSM support. Verizon will probably block T-Mobile and ATT with all of their GSM/devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SIM card is for LTE. The only way to get 3G on a CDMA device would be through CDMA.
joshnichols189 said:
The SIM card is for LTE. The only way to get 3G on a CDMA device would be through CDMA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly true... After a "hack" to my VZW Moto Bionic and dropping in an ATT sim from a demo Galaxy Note, we got working H+ on the Bionic.
Even after hack, the Bionic doesn't appear to support T-Mobile's 1700mhz so I get EDGE only when I use the T-Mo SIM out of my Galaxy S2.
But I wont have a Verizon Galaxy S3 to play with to see how that works.
KidJoe said:
Not exactly true... After a "hack" to my VZW Moto Bionic and dropping in an ATT sim from a demo Galaxy Note, we got working H+ on the Bionic.
Even after hack, the Bionic doesn't appear to support T-Mobile's 1700mhz so I get EDGE only when I use the T-Mo SIM out of my Galaxy S2.
But I wont have a Verizon Galaxy S3 to play with to see how that works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting, have not heard of that one but I will take your word for it. Either way, most phones do not have AWS bands for T-Mobile unless they are T-Mobile phones.
Assuming the Verizon version has GSM 3G radios in it (what they call a "Global" phone) I don't see why even it could be flashed if someone could get the radio hacked.
For example, my current phone, the Droid 2 Global, normally runs on Verizon's CMDA bands. Being a global phone, it has GSM radios in it which can be activated if you get an unlock code from Verizon (not difficult).
Here's the catch- the baseband locks the phone so that it does not work on AT&T and T-Mobile's frequency bands! However, some clever hackers at TeamBlackHat were able to hack the baseband to allow it to work on US carriers as well.
tl;dr if the CDMA versions have GSM radios it should be feasible to make them work on AT&T and T-Mobile.
ExodusC said:
Assuming the Verizon version has GSM 3G radios in it (what they call a "Global" phone) I don't see why even it could be flashed if someone could get the radio hacked.
For example, my current phone, the Droid 2 Global, normally runs on Verizon's CMDA bands. Being a global phone, it has GSM radios in it which can be activated if you get an unlock code from Verizon (not difficult).
Here's the catch- the baseband locks the phone so that it does not work on AT&T and T-Mobile's frequency bands! However, some clever hackers at TeamBlackHat were able to hack the baseband to allow it to work on US carriers as well.
tl;dr if the CDMA versions have GSM radios it should be feasible to make them work on AT&T and T-Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically, all world phones can literally be made into world phones? Nice!
SaHiLzZ said:
It should be possible. Check out the specs of the two: gsmarena /compare.php3?idPhone1=4804&idPhone2=4803
This is EXACTLY the same as Tmobile S2 and ATT S2 LTE: gsmarena /compare.php3?idPhone1=4129&idPhone2=4303
Some awesome dev needs to do some radio hacking to make the two phones interchangeable as they did for the S2/S2 LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You raise a really good point.
joshnichols189 said:
Verizon/Sprint/US Cellular phones are 100% different in terms of radio hardware and software.
It is possible the T-Mobile/AT&T ones will likely work together, but why? Also something to consider is the AT&T Note on T-Mobile gets HORRIBLE battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the S2 and S2 LTE (skyrocket) succumb to bad battery life like the note does when their networks are interchanged?

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