Develop Bugs

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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fortunz said:
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
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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.
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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

[Q] 4G, Prepaid?

So I had a Droid 3 on Verizon on a prepaid line ($95 for 450 talk, unlimited text, and unlimited data) but that was 3G.
With the gNexi coming out, I was wondering if I would even be able to use it's 4g capabilities on my prepaid line? I'm obviously going to buy it at full-retail price but will the 4G even work or will I be stuck on 3G all the time?
I can't do contracts...
Should I wait for T-Mobile to get it and use their 4G prepaid instead?

I'm unsure if VZW has a LTE prepay service. That's something you have to look into separately. My guess is they don't. Unless they explicitly say that your prepay covers LTE I would expect to only get 3G.
As far as switching to a different carrier no one can tell you which is better. Its all about where you will use the phone and its your call.

I just did an online chat with a VZW rep, here it is:
Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Kiara'
Kiara: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
You: I was wondering if 4G phones like the Droid Bionic are eligible for the Prepaid Smartphone plans???
Kiara: I do apologize for the inconvenience, although the Bionic is not able to be pre paid
You: Are their any 4G phones available for the Prepaid plans?
You: And/or can you tell me if there are any plans to offer any???
Kiara: I do apologize although at this time there are not
You: Ok, thank you for your help
So, looks like you can't, at this time, use a 4G phone on their prepaid plans.
I currently have a Nexus S on T-mobile's $30 month prepaid plan (100 mins, unl. text, unl. data*throttled after 5GB), and I love it but I don't use my phone much for calls... I plan on getting the Galaxy Nexus and using it on this plan once it's available.

Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.

ruthlesset said:
Look on the bright side... t-mo plans are cheaper than Verizon. So you'll save money if you switch. But then again tmo reception around your area would play a big role too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it

Dmw017 said:
Yeah it looks like I'll have to wait for the galaxy nexus to drop on TMobile
WoW this sucksss.... It probably won't even come out until late December...
Maybe I should just import? No idea how it works but I want my nexus asap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have T-mo service in the area then its sooo much better. Just wait, don't import. You'll probably have to buy it unlocked (probably best buy, just like Nexus S) but you'll be better off for it. You don't want to sign a 2year for a Nexus on VZW and get blocked tethering and crap on it.
---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------
Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.

martonikaj said:
its all up in the air. As I said above ^, they might not "get it" officially at all. Might have to buy unlocked from Google/Best Buy.
But the winner is that the T-mo plans can be as low as 1/2 the price of VZW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it

Dmw017 said:
Actually they have a $30 Prepaid plan with 100talk/unlimited text/ and unlimited data (5gb of 4G) -- available only on new line activation.
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Click to collapse
yea their prepay options are pretty epic. 100min is a bit low for most though. I was just referring to their postpay options that are pretty cheap too. I've looked into moving from my EM+ no-contract plan to a prepay lately actually.
Btw can you clarify the "unlocked from google/best buy" part? Would I still have to use a sim card if Tmobile wont officially sell it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you want my opinion I think they'll end up just selling it exactly like they did with the Nexus S. They sold it online, and they offered it via Best Buy unlocked. You'd buy the phone, then buy your service and get a SIM card from AT&T or T-mobile (or Simple Mobile, or whatever) separately and plug it in. The GN is pentaband HSPA+ and will work with pretty much any SIM in the world.

Dmw017 said:
Yeah I looked into it and Tmobile is way better than Verizon. I live in NYC so reception shouldnt be a problem at all. Now I'm just trying to figure out if I should import the 16GB model or wait for the 32GB US model :/ bleh ... I wonder when Tmobile will be getting it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.

Chirality said:
Speaking from personal experience, the problem with T-Mobile in NYC is that as soon as you are a few feet below ground level, you lose signal. When you can get 5 bars, it's great, T-Mobile probably has the least congested network of anyone, and you enjoy superb 3/4G speeds. But you will be frustrated by how spotty the coverage is. Go 20 miles North to Westchester or 20 miles east to LI and you'll often find yourself exiting buildings to get a signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.

Dmw017 said:
Lol that's alright I don't leave the city anyways. What I am wondering is what happens when you deplete your limited use of the 4g data (I'll get 5gb). Someone told me that you get bumped down to EDGE(2G) speeds, but I thought you only go down to 3G.
Sent from the parietal lobe of your cerebral cortex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I (and many others) explained in the other thread about T-mobile:
- You get 5GB of data, that's 4g/3g/2g.
- Once you use all 5GB in a month, you get throttled.
- Throttled speeds are in the range of what EDGE is, even though your phone still says "3G" up in the status bar.
- Once your billing period ends, you get a new 5GB batch of data.
There's no discerning between 4G and 3G by T-mobile. HSPA+ is just a fast version of T-mobile's 3G network. Its not separate.

Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!

robertlawson225 said:
Just curious has any one looked into metroPCS they say they allow any cdma phone on their network and they have lte. There speeds may not be the greatest and not the best coverage but the price is spot on and unlimited!
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Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.

martonikaj said:
Don't think it'll work. You'd have to unlock it somehow, and even then I think theres going to be inconsistencies with the LTE frequencies they use, etc.
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I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems

robertlawson225 said:
I thought that all nexus devices where unlocked developer phones. also i just talked to metroPCS and they did say hardware wise any cdma ohone will work and so will the LTE but, there might be a problem with software incompatibilities. but if that is true i would think our fellow xda members would figure out how to fix any software problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.

martonikaj said:
It won't be unlocked from the factory because 1) its CDMA/LTE with VZW specific bands, and 2) its being made to order for Verizon to subsidize it (which means they will SURELY dictate that its locked).
The Nexus devices have historically been sold full price without a carrier subsidy (and therefore are unlocked) because google wants them to be used anywhere in the world with any SIM card. This is different because there are carriers involved from the start (and the device is CDMA).
Also, I'm pretty sure the LTE won't be interoperable between the two carriers. Verizon will have their own proprietary network stack for use with their LTE service, and it uses slightly different frequencies from other carriers for LTE, specifically so that their devices won't be interoperable with other networks. They want you to buy a VZW phone and stay on VZW (dirty play, but that's how they roll).
Hope that clarifies things a little bit. Now no one knows for sure how much of the issues can be fixed with new firmware flashes, so I guess we'll see when it comes out. For example I know a lot of people use Sprint and Verizon phones with different custom firmware to run on networks like Virgin, Boost, and Cricket in order to cut down the monthly bill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well lets just hope some one out there can figure out how to make a phone like this run on a reasonabale priced carrier well other than t-mobile

AT&T LTE data plan interchangeable with iPhone?

I have preordered the lumia 900 and currently using an iPhone 4s. I want to use both iPhone and Lumia 900, but the rep says to use Lumia 900 I need a LTE data plan. This is ok with me but he says I can't switch sims with iPhone whenever I want because the LTE plan doesn't work with iPhone. This is really stupid in my opinion, why can't they just have one stupid data plan which works across devices and I can easily switch SIM's. I do understand having different plans for LTE devices, but it should be backward compatible with HSPA devices. Meaning if I have a LTE data plan, I should be able to take the sim and put it in any device and have the data working (including iPhone). So now whenever I switch sims between iPhone and Lumia 900 I need to manually change my data plan every time to get data working.
I'm just hoping that when I get my lumia I can just put the iPhone sim and get data working on the Lumia 900. I don't care if I don't get LTE since we don't have AT&T LTE coverage in Seattle anyway.
Anyone else in similar situation and what do you think? I keep changing phones between iPhone, Android and WP7, so keeping just one device is not an option

It should work, but you need an LTE plan in order to get LTE on the Lumia. If you put the sim in the iPhone you will only get 3G/faux G speeds. I haven't tried it with the iPhone, but I swap the sum from my LTE Galaxy Note with my GSM Galaxy Nexus and it works fine. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with iPhone too.

aimfire72 said:
It should work, but you need an LTE plan in order to get LTE on the Lumia. If you put the sim in the iPhone you will only get 3G/faux G speeds. I haven't tried it with the iPhone, but I swap the sum from my LTE Galaxy Note with my GSM Galaxy Nexus and it works fine. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with iPhone too.
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Yeah I know it works with other phones but iPhone requires to have an iPhone data plan. Nothing special about this plan but just iPhones have separate data plan. So if you have an iPhone data plan you can just take the sim and put on any device and it works(except LTE phones). But if you have the regular 3G data plan or LTE plan and put that sim in iPhones it doesn't work. AT&T treats iPhone devices differently in terms of data plans.

Att will charge you a prorated charge every time you switch from one to the other. Its annoying.

falconeight said:
Att will charge you a prorated charge every time you switch from one to the other. Its annoying.
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True that ... Lot of inconvenience. May be the European Lumia 900 should be a better option for me. No LTE and don't have to worry about switching data plans.

Yeah it is stupid how they have a seperate plan for iPhones, should just keep it simple and have one that will work with any phone. Maybe once LTE iPhone comes out, they'll do just that.

aimfire72 said:
Yeah it is stupid how they have a seperate plan for iPhones, should just keep it simple and have one that will work with any phone. Maybe once LTE iPhone comes out, they'll do just that.
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They do it with 3g and let phone as well. It sucks and pisses me off because the cost of the plans are the same. If I go from a iPhone data plan that cost $25 to a let plan that costs $25 why in hell do I have to pay prorated which ends up being a double charge? Its stupid

My apology for being a bit off topic to the original post but I've been searching to see if/when LTE will be availabe in Seattle on AT&T. I've check Google but I can't seem to find information to their rollout plan. Perhaps the fact that there doesn't appear to be readily available plan indicates that it may be a while for Seattle. Might anyone have some insight or read something somewhere?
Thanks and again my apology for being off topic. I saw this thread with LTE and Seattle so thought I ask here.
Best regards.

kimck99 said:
My apology for being a bit off topic to the original post but I've been searching to see if/when LTE will be availabe in Seattle on AT&T. I've check Google but I can't seem to find information to their rollout plan. Perhaps the fact that there doesn't appear to be readily available plan indicates that it may be a while for Seattle. Might anyone have some insight or read something somewhere?
Thanks and again my apology for being off topic. I saw this thread with LTE and Seattle so thought I ask here.
Best regards.
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Click to collapse
Yes it is not going to happen any time soon .. Earliest will be till end of summer and this is what AT&T rep told.
My guess is AT&T will try to roll out LTE in all major cities before the next iPhone releases. They wouldn't want to be at a disadvantage to Verizon when iPhone 5 launches with LTE.

So if I put my iPhone sim into a Lumia 900 will it work?
I realize that it would be logging into the 3g network and not LTE.
I just want to be able to swap between phones and do not care about data speed.
Kenal0

kirdroid said:
Yes it is not going to happen any time soon .. Earliest will be till end of summer and this is what AT&T rep told.
My guess is AT&T will try to roll out LTE in all major cities before the next iPhone releases. They wouldn't want to be at a disadvantage to Verizon when iPhone 5 launches with LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well shoot. I guess I'll enjoy LTE on my NEXT Nokia WP8 phone.
Thanks.

Yes it will work, you won't get LTE cuz iPhone doesn't support it but 3G will works fine, I used my vivid and iPhone on the LTE plan, no problem

romeo0119 said:
Yes it will work, you won't get LTE cuz iPhone doesn't support it but 3G will works fine, I used my vivid and iPhone on the LTE plan, no problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that's great to hear then the AT&T rep was wrong?
So you had an LTE plan and you put that sim in an iPhone and able to get data on the iPhone? If this is the case then I'm s happy

Yea I originally have the 4s when I picked up the vivid I called and have it switch over to the LTE plan, after I sold the vivid I took the sim card out and put it back in my iPhone and the Internet still works, no LTE on the iPhone of course, only 3g

Was wondering if switching to LTE plan will screw up grandfathered unlimited?

cx1 said:
Was wondering if switching to LTE plan will screw up grandfathered unlimited?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if the ATT mgr I spoke to was correct, it shouldn't. He said my grandfathered iPhone unlimited data plan should carry over. It better otherwise I'll be one unhappy customer.

cx1 said:
Was wondering if switching to LTE plan will screw up grandfathered unlimited?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it will carry over. That was the first thing I asked when I preordered the Lumia 900.

OK, I have a galaxy note, on the LTE plan... I ordered a sim cutter off eBay, should get here today or Thurs. After I get it and cut the sim, I'll try it out on my iPhone 4S and see what happens... will report back, lol.
I really don't think it will be a problem, switching the sim back and forth between phones... I say this because I used to use my iPhone as my main phone, and with a sim adapter, would switch between several different phones (Androids, HP Pre 3, HTC Titan, etc.) and never had any issues with automatic plan changes or billing, etc. Every phone worked fine with voice & data. Now I'm going to attempt the opposite using an LTE sim/plan in a non-LTE phone (iPhone and soon the 900). I assume it won't be an issue, but guess I'll find out, lol.
AT&T people will say that you *have* to be on an iPhone specific plan, but I don't think that's true - I think that's just what they are told by their bosses. As long as you already have a data plan, you *should* be good.
Side note: Had to exchange my galaxy note for screen issues and the AT&T reps will insist that they have to put the old sim in themselves and "activate" it in the system. I like to unbox stuff myself, don't want sales reps fiddling around with my new toys, lol. So last time, I told the rep I was in a hurry and would set it up myself later. Rep said "Are you serious??" and I laughed and said "yeah"! She looked relieved that she didn't have to do it, lol. Sure enough, got home, popped in my sim, and all was good - no need to have it "activated" by a rep if the sim card itself is already active.

Yea you should be able to switch devices. Just stay on the LTE data plan and you can move back to your iPhone at any time.

Sim cutter arrived today. Cut my LTE sim and it's working fine in my iPhone. Still slow hspa speeds of course, but all is good. Think it will be just fine in the 900.

[Q] Help Galaxy Note 2 on Tmobile USA

Okay, so I have my Galaxy Note 2 and here is the problem. I'm ONLY getting edge data. Now according to Wikipedia TMo's HSPA/HSAP+ runs on the 1900MHz band (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart) which the phone is suppose to support. I assume I got the international version, though I got it from Newegg.com and it came with a US Charger and everything.
Can anyone help with this, is there a way to fix it, via any rooting means, etc? I'm ungoddly disappointed as I use my phone a LOT...i can't even use maps because I'm getting like 20K/s on Edge and that's just disgusting.

Unfortunately for you my friend the phone needs to support the 1700/2100 aws band. The international version that you have does not support it.
The best you can hope for is for tmobile to get there 1900 spectrum refarmed in your area to hspa+.
If I were you I would try sending the phone back and just get the Tmobile version when it's released tomorrow.
The only other option would be to sign up with at&T. You will get hspa speeds with them. Or buy the straight talk at&t SIM.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

busab said:
Unfortunately for you my friend the phone needs to support the 1700/2100 aws band. The international version that you have does not support it.
The best you can hope for is for tmobile to get there 1900 spectrum refarmed in your area to hspa+.
If I were you I would try sending the phone back and just get the Tmobile version when it's released tomorrow.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well.......damn...I can't afford to buy the phone straight out, I bought this one from Newegg using my bill me later credit card. So I didn't have to pay anything down either....this actually blows.
Is the wiki completely wrong? It says the 1700/2100 band is for LTE starting 2013. But the 1900MHz band began service in 2011. So are some areas of the US on 1900 and others on 1700/2100 still? Is there some where you can find out what band your area is on if that's the case?
Thanks for the update, btw.

Kaanha said:
Well.......damn...I can't afford to buy the phone straight out, I bought this one from Newegg using my bill me later credit card. So I didn't have to pay anything down either....this actually blows.
Is the wiki completely wrong? It says the 1700/2100 band is for LTE starting 2013. But the 1900MHz band began service in 2011. So are some areas of the US on 1900 and others on 1700/2100 still? Is there some where you can find out what band your area is on if that's the case?
Thanks for the update, btw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are only like 3 cities where the 1900 band will get HSPA+ on T-mobile.

Right tmobile is currently updating the 1900 band to hspa+. It is live in some areas like Las Vegas and parts of new york, while it is still in testing in many other areas across the country.
If you are not getting hspa+ speeds in your area I think it's safe to say it's not available in your area just yet.
This website shows areas where hspa+ has been spotted. But not officially live so they may not be available 100% of the time.
http://www.airportal.de/
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

Well this makes me kind of sick to my stomach. I'll have to decide what I want to do. They are planning on rolling out LTE in 2013...so...maybe HSPA+ will be moved to 1900MHz soon. Because I'm really loving this phone and don't really want to give it back and not be able to afford the official TMo version.
Choices Choices....
I'll have to see what Tmobile will let me do as well. Guess this is the price you pay for trying to keep up >.>

T-mobile claims the 1900 mhz refarming would be completed by the end of 2012. Check airportal.de (sorry noobs can't post outside links) to see if you are near any refarmed areas then test just to see if the hspa+ radio is working on your Note 2. I get 7-11mbps DL and 2-3 mbps UL on my Note 1 when there is hspa+ coverage.
I'm waiting to for the T-mo version to launch which is what I'll probably get. I believe it will have a faster hspa+ radio at 42mbps compared to the the international version's 21mbps. And possibly future proofed with LTE.

Baratheonist said:
T-mobile claims the 1900 mhz refarming would be completed by the end of 2012. Check airportal.de (sorry noobs can't post outside links) to see if you are near any refarmed areas then test just to see if the hspa+ radio is working on your Note 2. I get 7-11mbps DL and 2-3 mbps UL on my Note 1 when there is hspa+ coverage.
I'm waiting to for the T-mo version to launch which is what I'll probably get. I believe it will have a faster hspa+ radio at 42mbps compared to the the international version's 21mbps. And possibly future proofed with LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Baratheonist - Are you referring to the version that's launching tomorrow? I can't get H+ to work consistently on my Note 1 (int'l unlocked) so I am looking at the T-Mo version as well.

doubledragon said:
Baratheonist - Are you referring to the version that's launching tomorrow? I can't get H+ to work consistently on my Note 1 (int'l unlocked) so I am looking at the T-Mo version as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For my international GNote 1 , I get Edge speeds in my place. Doesn't matter because I use the home wifi. The nearest H+ coverage is a mile away, which I drove to, just to test H+ and it worked and was consistent. It was in a mall with a T-mobile store in it. So I guess that factors in.
Even if the GN2 launches tomorrow, I will wait and see how it turns out with other users. No reason for Tmo not to support GN2 on its 42mbps H+..
Some claim 20-27mbps DL speeds on units that support 42mbpsH+. With that speed - it's even faster than my home wifi, I don't need to look for LTE now although future proofing is very much welcome.

Baratheonist said:
For my international GNote 1 , I get Edge speeds in my place. Doesn't matter because I use the home wifi. The nearest H+ coverage is a mile away, which I drove to, just to test H+ and it worked and was consistent. It was in a mall with a T-mobile store in it. So I guess that factors in.
Even if the GN2 launches tomorrow, I will wait and see how it turns out with other users. No reason for Tmo not to support GN2 on its 42mbps H+..
Some claim 20-27mbps DL speeds on units that support 42mbpsH+. With that speed - it's even faster than my home wifi, I don't need to look for LTE now although future proofing is very much welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. The Tmo store next to my office confirmed it's in stock for tomorrow. Based on those speeds I would have no hesitation switching over from VZ since I'm off contract. I'm going to attempt to stick to my plan of waiting for Nexus 4 announcement.

Dont feel bad, im stuck with GT7000 5month from now which only got 2g onTmo but good news are Tmo keep update their 1900 spectrum like the other said.All we do now is patient ..

I did contact TMo today to find out about the GNote 2 being released tomorrow. The lady told me, at my local store, the projected price point is $699, which means I'd have to put down 299 to finance it for the 24 months >.> Not exactly looking forward to that. Then I will have to call another location to request the RMA for this international unlocked one.
I've used the Note 2 today on wi-fi all day and I have to say, I truly love this phone...hence the reason I'm willing to drop the cash on it at my local store. Though this is my first Phablet, I didn't get the Note 1, simply because I wanted to see where they went with it....I see and I'm impressed, now.

Sell your N7100. You should get at least $650 and go buy the T-Mobile version.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Not gloating or nothing but i seen the note on even wirefly.com on the 23rd and still wouldnt buy it. After all the problems i have with tmobile customer service alone, i couldnt even imagine trying to get any help i wouldnt already know from their less than even sad customer service for a phone not bought directly from them. But lucky me knew that note 2 was going to be released online an hr after midnight pacific time in the u.s, and as of today i the happiest phone owner around,lol. the reason for my response, i stopped buying cell phones from anywhere but the company whom i will have service with due to the fact it's purposely not mentioned about compatibility so you have trouble returning it, cause they give you their old, " well it was in our 1000 page agreement you need a damn lawyer to go over. I also have a phone like yours but from verizon, a droid incredible 2 with many different bands, that i use once and a while for something different on my t-mo account, but once i step out the city, i cant even open something as simple as googles homepage cause i lose the 3g signal and drop to like -2g,lol. But the closer i get to the Illinois/Wisconsin border the 3g signal damn near runs on 4g speeds, and i even swear one time while driving the h symbol popped up but changed back to 3 really quick. But when im in Milwaukee, Wisconsin i get great 3g signal. Screw 2013 and waiting, just have whatever fun you can with it now via wifi seeing there will be no world after it ends on Dec 21st, 2012, lol. Edit: had to add it kind of sucked the phone was supposed to be 299.99 on tmobile which was supposed to be the highest selling price with the others projected to sell it for 199.00. But they sure as hell where happy to use us wanting this phone against us and charging 443.00 after tax just for the phone. And thats at the lowest price they possibly had on a 2yr contract.

Ive heard with root there's a mod or setting change to access Hspa+.
Anyone heard anything.
To OP...I still have my Sprint MiFi at $35/mo w/unlimited data,then
spend $30 on TMobiles prepaid plan. Doing that for now.
Consistant 5-6 Mps

Baratheonist said:
For my international GNote 1 , I get Edge speeds in my place. Doesn't matter because I use the home wifi. The nearest H+ coverage is a mile away, which I drove to, just to test H+ and it worked and was consistent. It was in a mall with a T-mobile store in it. So I guess that factors in.
Even if the GN2 launches tomorrow, I will wait and see how it turns out with other users. No reason for Tmo not to support GN2 on its 42mbps H+..
Some claim 20-27mbps DL speeds on units that support 42mbpsH+. With that speed - it's even faster than my home wifi, I don't need to look for LTE now although future proofing is very much welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are only getting those speeds as its fairly empty at the moment
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

I'm having the same issue
Anybody wanna buy a intl note :/

[Q] on AT&T, which carrier N4 should I get?

Well after the fiasco with owning an AT&T Note 3 and rooting, bootloader, etc. I'd like to not make the same mistake with the Note 4.
Which carrier Note 4 should I get for unmolested use on AT&T? Will the Verizon version have a sim card and LTE? Or is the Tmobile version better and does it have all the bands? I'm hoping either of them will have unlocked bootloader and also be unlocked from the carrier, and of course be rooted.

T-Mobile would be the one if you are going to get it from a carrier, however your best bet might be to get the factory unlocked version see link below.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00N2...200_QL40&qid=1410728312&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
****UPDATE**** 09/15/2014
It has been brought to my attention by another forum member that the international version of The Note 4 may not work properly with 4G Data. Please confirm before buying.

cinnaC2C said:
T-Mobile would be the one if you are going to get it from a carrier, however your best bet might be to get the factory unlocked version see link below.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00N2...200_QL40&qid=1410728312&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sigh....that's getting pretty pricey for a phone. I've been planning on getting at TMO. Not sure what I'll end up doing, but not sure I'll be putting out 900 for a phone.

T-Mo is the only one you want to get for an AT&T plan.
Stay away from SPR, VZW and all International phones.
See my sig.

If you got 4 carrier where you live, I would choose T-mobile. Cause its SIM and thats the world and their prices are awsome! Why pay more?

chong67 said:
If you got 4 carrier where you live, I would choose T-mobile. Cause its SIM and thats the world and their prices are awsome! Why pay more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T and Verizon also use SIM cards... He may want to pay more because T-Mobile has crap rural coverage.

cinnaC2C said:
T-Mobile would be the one if you are going to get it from a carrier, however your best bet might be to get the factory unlocked version see link below.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00N2...200_QL40&qid=1410728312&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that the international version will support T's LTE frequencies? You will be limited to 3G on this version.

geoff5093 said:
AT&T and Verizon also use SIM cards... He may want to pay more because T-Mobile has crap rural coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true on TMO coverage--that's why I "had' to move to ATT
Will wait and see if the TMO one runs well on ATT, in case I want to continue to flash roms--

chong67 said:
If you got 4 carrier where you live, I would choose T-mobile. Cause its SIM and thats the world and their prices are awsome! Why pay more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
geoff5093 said:
AT&T and Verizon also use SIM cards... He may want to pay more because T-Mobile has crap rural coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not seeing where Tmobile is really much cheaper. Comparing my plan, they are $10 cheaper total, for 2 lines. With the amount of reception I'd lose with them it's in no way worth $10/month. All this promotion that they do, when they just need to put all their money into their network.

rugmankc said:
Very true on TMO coverage--that's why I "had' to move to ATT
Will wait and see if the TMO one runs well on ATT, in case I want to continue to flash roms--
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not that T-Mobile's coverage is bad, its the fact that their signal goes about half as far as AT&T's if that. They also need more towers in an area to ensure good coverage. AT&T's 700/850 frequencies can travel a lot further than 1700/2100 and penetrate buildings much better.

BlockEight88 said:
It's not that T-Mobile's coverage is bad, its the fact that their signal goes about half as far as AT&T's if that. They also need more towers in an area to ensure good coverage. AT&T's 700/850 frequencies can travel a lot further than 1700/2100 and penetrate buildings much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was hoping they improved from 18 months ago. Sounds like they haven't. I was half mile off I75 in a decent size town and couldn't make a business phone call. That was it for me. That was before tmo lte in my area, so maybe it is better. But, I have good lte and at least some some signal were ever I go. Not bashing anyone, it is what it is--