World Phone / Band access - Verizon LG G4

(I had posted this in the Lounge, but didn't see much in the way of responses. I thought I might post in here to see if any of the much more knowledgeable people than I would throw out some thoughts / ideas / input. I apologize in advance if this bugs anybody.)
Our G4 is a world phone, unlocked, as I understand it, to access CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, and LTE bands. Here's my question: if I'm travelling in an area underserved by LTE and CDMA, will the phone switch over to a GSM band automatically? Or is it a manual thing?
I've seen where on my G3, the phone would ask to go to Global mode, and I assumed that was the "switch over", but when I checked which GSM bands it was going to / trying to use, there was nothing there. I'm just curious if whether any of this would help to get even more coverage when I'm out in the country, away from City towers. I'm guessing it couldn't automatically switch over to, say, an AT&T GSM tower....? Any thoughts on how this works, or ways to make it work better?

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Let me get this straight - So TP2 is not a true "world phone"?

I'm a little green when it comes to 3G stuff, but please correct me if I am wrong...
Yes, you can put foreign SIM cards in US TP2's but not get 3G coverage in Europe. On the other hand from what I have read, European TP2's (even the unbranded ones) will not work with 3G is the US.
And if I am wrong... can someone please point me to a TP2 that will work on 3G networks in most of the world?
Or does one have to have two TP2's to enjoy 3G.. one for the US, and one for Europe, etc.?
quid246 said:
I'm a little green when it comes to 3G stuff, but please correct me if I am wrong...
Yes, you can put foreign SIM cards in US TP2's but not get 3G coverage in Europe. On the other hand from what I have read, European TP2's (even the unbranded ones) will not work with 3G is the US.
And if I am wrong... can someone please point me to a TP2 that will work on 3G networks in most of the world?
Or does one have to have two TP2's to enjoy 3G.. one for the US, and one for Europe, etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where have you heard that a NA TP2 won't work with 3G in EU?
The only limitation I'm aware of is a NA TP2 won't work w/ NA GSM 3G.
Oh SoS said:
Where have you heard that a NA TP2 won't work with 3G in EU?
The only limitation I'm aware of is a NA TP2 won't work w/ NA GSM 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until someone hacks it
I can't remember where I read it. But someone said if you wanted 3G in Europe, better to get a Euro unbranded model.
So perhaps this is under the assumption that it isn't hacked... not sure.
Slightly, off-topic Q but rather than start a new thread.... once a HardSPL is out for both the CDMA and GSM TP2's... will they effectively be "equal" devoces?
I really would like to pick-up a TP2 in the next few days... I like the VZ unit, but it's CDMA and since I travel quite a bit, really prefer and need more of a GSM phone, but don't like the TMO as no 3.5mm jack.
quid246 said:
I can't remember where I read it. But someone said if you wanted 3G in Europe, better to get a Euro unbranded model.
So perhaps this is under the assumption that it isn't hacked... not sure.
Slightly, off-topic Q but rather than start a new thread.... once a HardSPL is out for both the CDMA and GSM TP2's... will they effectively be "equal" devoces?
I really would like to pick-up a TP2 in the next few days... I like the VZ unit, but it's CDMA and since I travel quite a bit, really prefer and need more of a GSM phone, but don't like the TMO as no 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Verizon unit already has international GSM bands unlocked, AND international (2100MHz 3G). If you've been a Verizon customer for 60 days or more you can call them up and get an unlock code for free and use any SIM card in your phone so you can get a cheap prepaid SIM and not pay the high Verizon roaming costs. There's also a small (I'd say around 25%) chance that the NA 3G bands will be found/unlocked, but at this point who really knows if they are there or not.
Actually the Telus CDMA TP2 supports the European 3G bands but not the American ones becuase technically you will be using it in North America on CDMA and outside America on GSM. So its the other way around
It seems that if you have the Sprint TP2 that it won't register at all on US GSM networks, but comes unlocked by default.
On Verizon (which I have) a simple phone call to support they'll give you the unlock code and you're good to go. I use an Orange (UK) Sim in mine just fine in the US and others in other forums have reported that using US SIM's from TMobile/AT&T work fine also in the US.
--chris
TP2 = best 'World' phone I've ever owned.
quid246 said:
I'm a little green when it comes to 3G stuff, but please correct me if I am wrong...
Yes, you can put foreign SIM cards in US TP2's but not get 3G coverage in Europe. On the other hand from what I have read, European TP2's (even the unbranded ones) will not work with 3G is the US.
And if I am wrong... can someone please point me to a TP2 that will work on 3G networks in most of the world?
Or does one have to have two TP2's to enjoy 3G.. one for the US, and one for Europe, etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an unbranded HTC factory TP2, and it works in 3G mode anywhere I take it that has the 3G network... and I travel all over the US/Caribbean and back to EU/UK. Have not found one spot it hasn't worked (inlcduing some of the very obscure Carib countries), and I like the fact that it automatically picks up HS when within range without having to change any settings.
Just have to make sure that your provider gives you a 3G SIM (most of them are these days) and that you have the 3G service enabled on your account in the respective country.
Many people say they can't pick it up yet don't have it on their account, or think that their EU provider will automatically provide it as part of the roaming service... which is not a good assumption to make.
TyTanIc said:
I have an unbranded HTC factory TP2, and it works in 3G mode anywhere I take it that has the 3G network... and I travel all over the US/Caribbean and back to EU/UK. Have not found one spot it hasn't worked (inlcduing some of the very obscure Carib countries), and I like the fact that it automatically picks up HS when within range without having to change any settings.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3G in North America? I doubt that. The phone does not support North American 3G bands. Are you sure it was 3G in North America??
Man, this is all confusing... I swear somebody has to come up with an HTML table of what phones work with what and where and stickify it.
Can people just put this to bed already!!!
The Sprint (North America) TP2 is suppossed to be used on CDMA in the US and GSM worldwide, hence the GSM radio is unlocked for outside America GSM use. This is how it comes default. If that is so hard to grasp, then there is no hope for some, sadly.
As for the title, the TP2 is a world phone, it works in the US (and North Ameria) on CDMA and elsewhere unlocked on GSM. That to me is the true definition of a World phone from a U.S CDMA perspective (and especially moreso as this is the CDMA version).
To put it in perspective, a Sprint customer (in this case, moi) gets the best of CDMA in the U.S and when traveling to visit his sister in High Wycombe in the U.K (like i'll be doing this Autumm) gets to pop in a PAYG U.K sim in the same phone and use it while over there. This phone doesn't get any "worldlier" to me than this scenario!!
Is the O.P attempting to specifically define a dual mode CDMA/GSM-unlocked World phone as not world phone because it's locked by default from doing GSM in it's primary market which happens to be CDMA (and in this case Sprint)?
This is not rocket science folks, it really isn't.
LordLugard said:
Is the O.P attempting to specifically define a dual mode CDMA/GSM-unlocked World phone as not world phone because it's locked by default from doing GSM in it's primary market which happens to be CDMA (and in this case Sprint)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Point taken. It's just that with that same Sprint phone (correct me if I am wrong), you can't travel to Canada pop in a Rogers SIM card and get Rogers 3G.
Wouldn't the phone want to swing towards it's CDMA cousin, Telus or Bell?
mmmhhh86 said:
3G in North America? I doubt that. The phone does not support North American 3G bands. Are you sure it was 3G in North America??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T 3G runs on 850/1900 GSM, the TP2 supports both of those bands, how would it not work with 3G on AT&T in the US?
T-Mobile runs 3G on 1700/2100 GSM bands, both of which aren't included on the TP2, as far as my research has lead me to believe.
Basically while it may be a quad band GSM phone, it is only a dual band 3G device. It comes in two flavours - UMTS 900+2100 or UMTS 1900+850
The 900/2100 version is far more common than 850/1900
.mak said:
AT&T 3G runs on 850/1900 GSM, the TP2 supports both of those bands, how would it not work with 3G on AT&T in the US?
T-Mobile runs 3G on 1700/2100 GSM bands, both of which aren't included on the TP2, as far as my research has lead me to believe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It supports those bands for HSDPA CDMA not GSM 3G
Network 3G EVDO Rev A (800/1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz), GSM/ EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
This is the Telus version btw
quid246 said:
Point taken. It's just that with that same Sprint phone (correct me if I am wrong), you can't travel to Canada pop in a Rogers SIM card and get Rogers 3G.
Wouldn't the phone want to swing towards it's CDMA cousin, Telus or Bell?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"it Depends"
The US CDMA phone operates in 3 modes.
1 CDMA Only
2 GSM Only
3 'Global' (whatever it can find).
If you have it in Global it will generally take the CDMA local carrier over anything else. However, not always. I've had mine switch to GSM for a bit then go back to CDMA. But mine is Verizon and unlocked so it works everywhere in the US and I also have a UK sim card in it. So I'm a little 'different'.
But, in any case, you can tell the phone which mode to use if you want. All upto you.
--chris
(verizon TP2)
here we go again... (tp2 3g na)
"I have an unbranded HTC factory TP2, and it works in 3G mode anywhere I take it that has the 3G network... and I travel all over the US/Caribbean and back to EU/UK. Have not found one spot it hasn't worked (inlcduing some of the very obscure Carib countries), and I like the fact that it automatically picks up HS when within range without having to change any settings."
So, maybe he's wrong. But either way...
You wanna know why this keeps coming up again and again?
(not because we're all dumb and thick headed, which we may very well be)
But,
Because we just have trouble imagining them hardware "band amplifier" hobbling the hardware when it's so much easier to do it somewhere in firmware.
We all know that the less you fiddle with the hardware for multi-region functionality the less you have to fiddle with the production line and fiddling with the production line is the Last Thing a manufacturer wants to do.
Someone even once said that there wasn't room in the Rhodium platform for quad band data support. But now we're expecting the tilt 2 to do just that.
So, all protestations aside, those of us who paid ~700 us clams for this beauty, and who like the kbd layout.
And who have like me (as quite the Early Adopter), forked out for an sx56, sx66, 8135, x7510((quad band data)
Just feel a leetle wee bit of a sense, dare I say it, of Entitlement for the TP2 to be enabled into a fully world wide phone.
So we keep hunting, and digging, and dreaming, and .... posting.....
well here is my two cents i have the original unlocked euro version of the tp2 and all i get in the us it edge. it is really impossible to get 3g in the US (2100) because this version of the phone literally does not have the attena for it. and so that you can see all the different types of tp2s and the technical and physical differences between them here is a link: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacom...&id3=1792&id4=1829&id5=1766&id6=1989&id7=1751
drae1980 said:
well here is my two cents i have the original unlocked euro version of the tp2 and all i get in the us it edge. it is really impossible to get 3g in the US (2100) because this version of the phone literally does not have the attena for it. and so that you can see all the different types of tp2s and the technical and physical differences between them here is a link: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacom...&id3=1792&id4=1829&id5=1766&id6=1989&id7=1751
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3g in the USA must be on the 1700 band then, as thats the only gsm band that the euro version doesn't support.
Euro version
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS900, UMTS2100
TMOUS version
GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS1700, UMTS2100
Anyone know of a good site to order a prepaid SIM card? I plan on using my VZW TP2 in Spain and France. I was also wondering if I should or could disable data and use my TP2 with Garmin XT so I don't get nailed for data usage. Your thoughts would be appreciated...
Mugs

[Q] Android GSM Radio

I am on Wind, a new Canadian 3G AWS only network that defaults to (roams) Rogers GSM when the signal is weak. I have noticed that the sensitivity on WM 6.5 seems to be much more better than on Android in that I can select Wind inside my home in Windows but the Phone will not find Wind as an available network on Android. I have not selected "2G networks only". I would have assumed that the Android build uses the same radio software.
It uses the same radio firmware if that's what you mean. Hardly the same at the software level...
Either way with Android you get a choice - GSM or CDMA. You can't flip between (to my knowledge...) while in the OS as you have to change that value in the startup.txt to get either GSM or CDMA service.
I think there may be a way to adjust startup values on the fly, but it's certainly not straightforward as I recall. I'll see what I can drum up, but that is your problem I believe.
Thanks, some more background: Both networks are GSM, one (Wind) 3G on 1700 and 2100 and the other standard north American 2G GSM (850 and 1900). As far as I know the roaming agreement does not allow my phone to use the 3G part of the Rogers network. The phone is originally t-mobile GSM - otherwise it would not work on Wind.
I really do not think that CDMA comes in to the equation.
manfredv said:
Thanks, some more background: Both networks are GSM, one (Wind) 3G on 1700 and 2100 and the other standard north American 2G GSM (850 and 1900). As far as I know the roaming agreement does not allow my phone to use the 3G part of the Rogers network. The phone is originally t-mobile GSM - otherwise it would not work on Wind.
I really do not think that CDMA comes in to the equation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, I misread your post. I apologize... not sure what you would need at this point but I'm not sure anyone else is doing what you're trying to do... Hopefully someone who is chimes in
Android GSM Radio
@arrrghhh
I probably did not state it clearly.
I have a t-mobile (US) Touch Pro 2 that is unlocked. When I use it in WM 6.5 at home I get to select the Wind network as an option. When I use the phone in Android mode I do not get to see the Wind network at all but only the Rogers network that Wind roams on as the Rogers network is much larger than the Wind network. Is the problem with less sensitive GSM radio software or are there some selections such as "data enabled" or "2G network only" that I have not made correctly?
I don't believe so, and I've heard GSM reports what service it is getting from the tower ID - so perhaps the towers you're connecting to are still Rogers even tho Wind probably leases tower space from them...
Unfortunately I don't have this ability, and I'm not sure anyone else uses GSM in this manner - I'll poke around and see if I find anything that is useful.

[Q] SGH-I747M in Australia?

I don't know if this is the right forum to ask this question, but I didn't know where else.
In the fall, I'm taking a trip to Australia for about 3 weeks, and I was thinking about picking up a pre-paid sim while I'm there to use for mostly data, but some calling and texting with locals. Right now, i have a Bell SGH-I747M phone that I believe I have network unlocked (I need to go back to stock to double-check, but lets assume its unlocked for now). Will this phone work in Australia? I'll mostly be in Melbourne area, so I would imagine there's good coverage there. Are there certain carriers that it will work for? I've been doing some googling, and can't quite find which carrier my phone is compatible with. It is LTE capable, but I'm not sure how LTE works with other carriers.
Any suggestions?
It should work on Telstra & Vodafone since they use the 850/2100Mhz spectrum for UMTS. Unfortunately it doesn't look like you'll get LTE since the two providers who offer LTE use the 1800Mhz spectrum. Google "Mobile Operators Australia" and you'll find a wikipedia page with the info you'll need.
k.wolf said:
It should work on Telstra & Vodafone since they use the 850/2100Mhz spectrum for UMTS. Unfortunately it doesn't look like you'll get LTE since the two providers who offer LTE use the 1800Mhz spectrum. Google "Mobile Operators Australia" and you'll find a wikipedia page with the info you'll need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, the mobile operator wiki page is exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

[Q] Verizon Note 3 on TMO

Hey guys, trying to get a Verizon Note 3 to work on TMO. I have a TMO rom installed in a safe strap, got it all running for the most part, but can't get data to work right. I used the TMO apn posted on TMO's website. When I switch from GSM only to LTE/WCDMA/GSM or WCDMA/GSM, I get no voice data or text. If I look at system status, on the mobile network state, it says Connecting, then Disconnected. And it just sits there and toggles back and forth. Any ideas? If I stay on GSM only, I have data, voice and text, but it's all on EDGE. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
I used this apn. http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-8373
1 of two things
1) Verizon model doesn't support GSM fully
2) doesn't support 1700mhz freq which T-Mo uses, it does support 1900 apparenrtly but you might not have that in your area.
JFizDaWiz said:
1 of two things
1) Verizon model doesn't support GSM fully
2) doesn't support 1700mhz freq which T-Mo uses, it does support 1900 apparenrtly but you might not have that in your area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I switch to the Verizon stock rom, I can get HSPA+.
I was under the assumption (maybe incorrectly) that the phones for the most part were all the same. Could I try flashing TMO modems to see if it unlocks the 1700mhz band? I live right by New York city so I would imagine that I would have the better frequencies here.
robreefer said:
If I switch to the Verizon stock rom, I can get HSPA+.
I was under the assumption (maybe incorrectly) that the phones for the most part were all the same. Could I try flashing TMO modems to see if it unlocks the 1700mhz band? I live right by New York city so I would imagine that I would have the better frequencies here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is NOT about unlocking frequencies. The phone itself is NOT sporting those frequencies. i.e. Hardware is not there.
ftarules said:
It is NOT about unlocking frequencies. The phone itself is NOT sporting those frequencies. i.e. Hardware is not there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I miss understood then. Thank you for the reply!
let's not forget to mention that one is CDMA (Verizon) and the other is GSM (T-mobile)... or unless I missed it and it was somehow implied?

[Q] HELP! International [D855] LTE Issue!

Okay, I'm kinda freaking out. I bought the international factory unlocked LG G3 thinking it was the best way to go, more universal, higher specs, save money. I used Net10 with AT&T's towers for my last phone (which was 3G only), so I bought a new certified 4G LTE SIM, popped it in and activated... I was in love with this new phone until I realized something: I was paying for LTE, but I was only getting HSPA(+) speeds even though the coverage map for all the major carriers cover my area without a doubt. So I started digging a bit and found that although this phone supports LTE, the bands it supports do not coincide with the bands of AT&T, T-Mobile, or really any carrier in the US for that matter.
From Phone Arena: {LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 - D855} < supported | Wikipedia of all the LTE carriers :
So needless to say, I am frustrated. Nearly $600 on an amazing phone with the downfall of corporate B.S. So here I am, crawling on my knees to the most renowned Android forum in the galaxy for a solution (probably involving some hackage). I have tired accessing the typical Mobile Networks page in Settings, all that shows up is "GSM/WCDMA", "GSM ONLY", and "WCDMA ONLY". I have also accessed the hidden menu by typing "3845#*855#. This doesn't do squat. It gives the option to change the band, and returns "SUCCESS", but it doesn't seem to take hold of any change. My phone is rooted, and I believe the bootloader is unlocked. Help me out here guys; you are my only hope. It appears what needs to happen is I need to enable band 4 (1700MHz) on this thing without it blowing up. If anyone has the American firmware, that may be a good place to start.
Thanks in advance
Ditto
iTrey3 said:
Okay, I'm kinda freaking out. I bought the international factory unlocked LG G3 thinking it was the best way to go, more universal, higher specs, save money. I used Net10 with AT&T's towers for my last phone (which was 3G only), so I bought a new certified 4G LTE SIM, popped it in and activated... I was in love with this new phone until I realized something: I was paying for LTE, but I was only getting HSPA(+) speeds even though the coverage map for all the major carriers cover my area without a doubt. So I started digging a bit and found that although this phone supports LTE, the bands it supports do not coincide with the bands of AT&T, T-Mobile, or really any carrier in the US for that matter.
From Phone Arena: {LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 - D855} < supported | Wikipedia of all the LTE carriers :
So needless to say, I am frustrated. Nearly $600 on an amazing phone with the downfall of corporate B.S. So here I am, crawling on my knees to the most renowned Android forum in the galaxy for a solution (probably involving some hackage). I have tired accessing the typical Mobile Networks page in Settings, all that shows up is "GSM/WCDMA", "GSM ONLY", and "WCDMA ONLY". I have also accessed the hidden menu by typing "3845#*855#. This doesn't do squat. It gives the option to change the band, and returns "SUCCESS", but it doesn't seem to take hold of any change. My phone is rooted, and I believe the bootloader is unlocked. Help me out here guys; you are my only hope. It appears what needs to happen is I need to enable band 4 (1700MHz) on this thing without it blowing up. If anyone has the American firmware, that may be a good place to start.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did the same thing. Oops. Assumptions, man.
Anyway, I know this is an old thread, but solutions are still appreciated. At the moment, I'm looking at this little gem, but would like to avoid it if I can. http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/general/how-to-add-rf-lte-frequency-bands-to-t2886059

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