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[Q] Do we know the extent of the AT&T-friendly UMTS hardware in the T-Mobile Vibrant?
So as a lot of you know, the T-Mobile U.S. version of the Samsung Vibrant turned out to have hardware support for AT&T's 3G. But from reading user comments, it sounds like the T-Mobile Vibrant only has UMTS 1900, and not UMTS 850 as well. Obviously this isn't a problem if you've only got 1900 in your area, but I'm pretty sure we do have UMTS on 850 in my city.
I'm wondering if anyone with the T-Mobile Vibrant has tried using the extra 3G band(s?) and can confirm which are present. Is it 1900 and 850, or just 1900? Further, does anyone know how can I check to see which frequency AT&T provides 3G on in my city (short of relying on the clueless CSRs at my local retail store)? I've got a buddy with a Nexus One on AT&T, is there a quick way for him to see what frequency the UMTS tower he's connected to is using?
In the interest of completeness, I'll cover the questions that I'm sure will get asked so that folks don't **** up the thread with them.
Why not just get an AT&T Captivate?
Handful of reasons. I prefer the Vibrant's aesthetic, but more importantly because AT&T doesn't have T-Mobile Vibrant IMEIs on file. This means you can add and drop data at your own discretion instead of being required to use it, and it also means that their system will treat it as a dumbphone. Definitely a perk.
Why not just get a Galaxy S Vibrant from Bell in Canada? It definitely has 850 and 1900.
This is what I'll end up doing if the T-Mobile one doesn't work out, but it's a pretty big pain in the ass to get Canadian phones shipped down here whereas the T-Mobile version is readily available. Also, no warranty!
Thanks guys.
From what Ive read, the Vibrant works on 850/1700/1900/2100. --See edits below--
~T.J.
EDIT: See this post: http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...too.-Works-on-ATT-3g.?p=13923098#post13923098
Picture
http://www.howardforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=67212&d=1280324484
EDIT AGAIN: Here was another list of frequencies, and a picture of the side of the box which lists them from a review site.
Band (frequency): 850 MHz;900 MHz;1800 MHz;1900 MHz;UMTS: Band I (2100);UMTS: Band IV (AWS);UMTS: Band IV (1700/2100)
Picture
http://rounduprussy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/IMG_7228.jpg
It doesn't work on WCDMA 850. Doesn't support it. Try selecting it only and put a AT&T sim in and see if you get 3G. Yea you won't, then try selecting 1900 only and what happens? Yea exactly.
Well, I dont have one in front of me to experiment with my AT&T and T-Mobile SIMs, Im just going off the side of the box and whats listed in the menu (both say 850). I currently have a Captivate and a Fascinate, but Im looking into getting the Vibrant instead for a number of reasons so I was just poking around. Sorry if I was passing on bad info.
~T.J.
EDIT: I thought I read of some people getting it to work on 850, but that could be wrong. Im looking again... Could it be there just isn't 850 coverage where you tried it and instead was 1900 coverage? These are OLD maps though...
http://www.cellularmaps.com/att_850_1900.shtml
Because the T-Mobile 3G network in the U.S. is listening for 3G data in the 1700MHz and 2100MHz bands, it’s the only U.S. network with which the Nexus One phone can communicate. AT&T’s 3G network listens for phones transmitting 3G traffic in the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands, which the Nexus One cannot do. All it can do is send 2G traffic in those bands, so it does, making a slower data experience for those using the Nexus One in Ma Bell’s mobile network.
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Just because the it's listed in software doesn't mean it can work. The Fascinate is a CDMA phone and your gonna tell me because you see the bands listed in software that it will work on a gsm network? Really? Either way I'm not trying to get you down. Just saying if that were possible, it would have been mention already. To conclude though, it all comes down to hardware support, the software is just mirrored on all galaxy s phones. The Vibrant only does 1700/1900/2100 for 3G. The 850 band would have benefit you better for in building support, but it's not supported.
ram130 said:
Just because the it's listed in software doesn't mean it can work. The Fascinate is a CDMA phone and your gonna tell me because you see the bands listed in software that it will work on a gsm network? Really? Either way I'm not trying to get you down. Just saying if that were possible, it would have been mention already. To conclude though, it all comes down to hardware support, the software is just mirrored on all galaxy s phones. The Vibrant only does 1700/1900/2100 for 3G. The 850 band would have benefit you better for in building support, but it's not supported.
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That picture is from the screen of a Vibrant. Notice the T-Mobile branding at the ear speaker? But, I do understand about the listing in the software not necessarily having the hardware. Also, I edited my post above.
~T.J.
Dug this all up from the FCC fairly easily just to see for myself.
External photos:
http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/External.pdf
Internal photos:
http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/Internal.pdf
FCC ID label location:
http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/Label.pdf
Heres the test report from the FCC (showing 850 Mhz GSM):
http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/Measurement Report.pdf
Heres the rest results for the Specific Absorption Rate (showing 850 Mhz GSM around page 25):
http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/SAR Compliance.pdf
My conclusion? Id say its capable because it has all the hardware (since they were able to test it), but depends on the network around you. That, or they literally software blocked it for some reason.
~T.J.
EDIT: Ok, had to DL the PDF files and I temporarily uploaded them on my web site server for now. Dont know how long I will leave them there however.
850 gsm != 850 umts
D'oh! Talk about needing to sleep! As I said I'm just here to learn too as I want to pick up a vibrant, but apparently I need to sleep before thinking and posting. Sorry about that!
~T. J.
Thanks for all the responses, guys, I really appreciate the thorough feedback.
Sounds like 850 is a bust, which is really disheartening. There's loads of T-Mobile Vibrants on eBay in the $340-380 ballpark, but it's going to cost closer to $500 to get a Bell Vibrant down here.
yeah the phone supports 850GSM but not 850WCDMA/UMTS/3G
k
ty
lqaddict said:
850 gsm != 850 umts
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They are two different type of bands as outlined here: http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/Measurement Report.pdf
ram130 said:
They are two different type of bands as outlined here: http://www.nwallwheeldrive.com/misc/Measurement Report.pdf
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"!=" == "not equal"
lqaddict said:
"!=" == "not equal"
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oh! teaches me to multitask while in class
This may be stupid, but I can't find the answer in this forum.
I am drooling over the Titan, but am with T-mobile US and can't switch anytime soon.
If I buy a Titan 3rd party, can I use it for voice and data on T-mobile? Will I get full speed data?
Thanks.
You will get voice and data, but only 2G speeds. That goes for both the international version and att version.
Any info on some kind of quad band version that will work on both AT&T and T-Mobile?
pistol44 said:
Any info on some kind of quad band version that will work on both AT&T and T-Mobile?
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Titan is quad band according the htc.com
HSPA+/WCDMA 850/1900/2100MHz and Quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge 850/900/1800/1900MHz
Shouldn't this work then? ATT's specs also say 850/1900/2100 MHz for HSPA/UMTS. T-mobile's HSPA/UMTS is on 1700/2100 MHz (according to Wikipedia). For the 2100 band, it should work, right? I am unsure as I am a simpleton and just comparing numbers and assuming that is all that has to match.
I would guess this would require an unlock.
T-Mobile uses both 1700 and 2100 bands for their 3G/HSPA+.
This is why it will not work.
I know because it pains me to not be able to get this device on T-Mobile.
wade_link said:
Shouldn't this work then? ATT's specs also say 850/1900/2100 MHz for HSPA/UMTS. T-mobile's HSPA/UMTS is on 1700/2100 MHz (according to Wikipedia). For the 2100 band, it should work, right? I am unsure as I am a simpleton and just comparing numbers and assuming that is all that has to match.
I would guess this would require an unlock.
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Click to collapse
I tried, don't even think about it.
Go with AT&T GoPhone if you have Titan (Simfree), i am enjoying Unlimited All, (Call + Text + Web 4G ) with only $50 a month . Titan can get HSDPA+ (i think) on AT&T.
Im using the titan, unlocked on t-mobile and it does run on edge. honestly its not tooo terrible but edge sucks. and i cant get picture messages. idk i just might keep my hd7, sell this phone and wait for something better on t-mobile that i can actually use hahah but i love the giant screeen
Does this mean the Titan would get 3G or better on T-Mo US now?
http://www.phonearena.com/news/T-Mobiles-consolation-package-3-billion-7-year-3G-roaming-deal-128-AWS-markets_id24956
AT&T and T-Mobile UMTS Roaming Agreement
AT&T and T-Mobile agreed to roam on each other's UMTS bands for the next 7 years following the formal withdraw of AT&T's merger offer. As to when that becomes effective I do not know; I've yet to get an answer from either AT&T or T-Mobile on the subject and that's assuming they'll tell you; it takes an act of God to get through to AT&T's equivalent of T-Mobile's Tier 1,2 and 3 tech support. We have both AT&T and T-Mobile; and in the here and now, neither are compatible on each other's high speed bands; I have the Titan with AT&T and the Rhodium with T-Mobile; my Rhodium unlocked for use on AT&T and despite 3G in Columbus, GA and Auburn-Opelika, AL; I can only use Edge on AT&T. On my Titan it's either "E" or "4G", no 3G. What I have noticed is the Titan favors 4G and seeks those towers which is great if you're in the city, but rural; forget it. It's all Edge out here. It will hit the T-Mobile tower which is 4 bars in our Opelika location but immediately go to either no service or a 1 bar sometimes on 4G and others on Edge. We all know that "4G" isn't 4G and of course "Unlimited" isn't unlimited and politicians and marketing gurus think we're all stupid.
Hello,
I am considering buying an unlocked Lumia 800, for both use on AT&T's network in the States and then abroad in the Middle East during the later half of the Summer. I have never bought an unlocked device before, so I just wanted to ask about the differences between the UK and US phones -- I believe electrical outlets are different between the two areas thus the need for an adapter -- and if I'll have any troubles popping out my SIM card with my current phone and switching between the two. Abroad, I've planned on getting a local plan in the city I'm visiting, so I don't expect any trouble there.
Regarding the Lumia 800, does anyone have an idea about the pricing and how it fluctuates? Full retail at sites like Expansys are about 700 USD, while others in Asia and Europe are hovering around 500-600 USD. Obviously, I've got around 6 months to wait, so I'm anticipating it coming down to a more palatable 400 USD.
Thanks for any advice.
Most sites that will export to US will include a power charger adaptor. I got a universal plug converter with my order. So, you won't need to worry about that.
Expansys is expensive. You can currently order the black from Amazon for 509.99. I ordered my Cyan from handtec.co.uk for 353GBP + 15 for shipping (about $584 USD). Depending on where you order the phone, you'll need to fill out paperwork for the FCC to approve the import. If you order from Amazon, this should already have been done, as the phone was already imported. Since I ordered directly from UK, I got a call from FedEx to fill out the forms while the plane was still in the air. Was the fastest shipping I'd ever seen. 36hrs from ordering from UK to receiving here in Seattle.
Be aware, also, that current versions of the Lumia 800 do not support the AT&T 850Mhz for 3G. For me, this is noticeable in my apartment, but nowhere else. If you wait a month or so, the US variant (RM-819) supporing WCDMA V (850MHz) will become available unlocked direct from Microsoft.
its 500 on amazon and comes with an adapter. newegg is $550 and works on 850 i ordered there and it came with the adapter.
falconeight said:
its 500 on amazon and comes with an adapter. newegg is $550 and works on 850 i ordered there and it came with the adapter.
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Click to collapse
Can you confirm that Newegg sells the variant that works on WCDMA 850? This isn't the same as GSM 850. They show the Lumia 800 as a deactivated item. And, when it was active, it show the same incorrect WCDMA bands as most other retailers out there.
Thanks for the quick responses. I didn't know about the incompatible 3G bands or the US version's upcoming release, so I'll wait and see if I can get a decent deal there. Also, newegg was shown as unavailable when I last checked.
I did just see the Lumia 900 was announced, with a release date pegged for March. My upgrade is sometime around May-July, so that may be for consideration. Only problem will be AT&T's policy on exclusive phones and mid-contract for unlocking phones. Hopefully, the homebrew scene gets more active as more users get onto the platform -- I'm thinking of a parallel with the iPhone jailbreak/unlocking bits from the iPhone Dev Team.
I'd wait until early February for them to be sold unlocked in Microsoft retail stores and online.
Should (hopefully) be cheaper than what it costs to import one currently. It's hard to wait though and I'm dying to get one. lol
darkintragedy said:
I'd wait until early February for them to be sold unlocked in Microsoft retail stores and online.
Should (hopefully) be cheaper than what it costs to import one currently. It's hard to wait though and I'm dying to get one. lol
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Click to collapse
Not so sure about that. It'll still be slightly exclusive for a bit. I also think that it's going to be bundled with a few other things.
I'm looking forward to the availability of the c-1031 sleeves that come with the phones. I'd like a spare cyan, and then one of each color, for the fun of it.
anseio said:
Can you confirm that Newegg sells the variant that works on WCDMA 850? This isn't the same as GSM 850. They show the Lumia 800 as a deactivated item. And, when it was active, it show the same incorrect WCDMA bands as most other retailers out there.
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Click to collapse
Yep it does and I own it. It has it in the listing and if its wrong return it. I am in Colorado Spring and have the same coverage as my wife's iPhone 4s.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875205257
falconeight said:
Yep it does and I own it. It has it in the listing and if its wrong return it. I am in Colorado Spring and have the same coverage as my wife's iPhone 4s.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875205257
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Click to collapse
This is going to sound rude, but I don't believe it. It's already been admitted by many UK retailers that they posted the specs that Nokia has on their website, which are incorrect.
There are two versions of the Lumia 800. The EU Variant (RM-801), which is quad GSM and tri WCDMA 900/1900/2100; and a US variant (RM-819), which is also quad GSM, but tri WCDMA 850/900/1900. The US variant has not been released yet, neither has its firmware. There are quite a few people waiting on that firmware to see if it may open up 850 on the RM-801. That depends on if the devices are tri-band due to hardware limitations or firmware limitations.
This can be confirmed by referencing the outermost packaging that your Lumia came in. The one with the bar codes on it. What is the FCC ID line? I'll attach a photo of mine.
Given that AT&T uses a lot of the 1900 WCDMA bandwidth, you probably won't notice a difference between it and a 4s. Here's how I can tell the difference. I own a Nokia 6700 classic (tri WCDMA 900/1900/2100). I owned it before AT&T put out the HSPA upgrades and I got amazing reception in my apartment. After HSPA rolled out, my signal got really shotty and kept dropping out and down to 2G. I then got a Telstra HTC HD2 (850MHz). It functions perfectly in my apartment and does not drop down to 2G. I can tether at HSPA w/o needing to have my phone right up against the window in order to keep 3G signal.
Now that I have the Lumia 800 (RM-801), I cannot keep good 3G in my apartment, but 2G is fine. This means that the 850 band is the one that bends enough to get inside. The 1900 glances by.
I'm willing to bet that Newegg may have done what most other sellers did and just pasted the specs w/o verifying. After all, why would they need to, right? Nokia should have put out the correct information to start with.
anseio said:
This is going to sound rude, but I don't believe it. It's already been admitted by many UK retailers that they posted the specs that Nokia has on their website, which are incorrect.
There are two versions of the Lumia 800. The EU Variant (RM-801), which is quad GSM and tri WCDMA 900/1900/2100; and a US variant (RM-819), which is also quad GSM, but tri WCDMA 850/900/1900. The US variant has not been released yet, neither has its firmware. There are quite a few people waiting on that firmware to see if it may open up 850 on the RM-801. That depends on if the devices are tri-band due to hardware limitations or firmware limitations.
This can be confirmed by referencing the outermost packaging that your Lumia came in. The one with the bar codes on it. What is the FCC ID line? I'll attach a photo of mine.
Given that AT&T uses a lot of the 1900 WCDMA bandwidth, you probably won't notice a difference between it and a 4s. Here's how I can tell the difference. I own a Nokia 6700 classic (tri WCDMA 900/1900/2100). I owned it before AT&T put out the HSPA upgrades and I got amazing reception in my apartment. After HSPA rolled out, my signal got really shotty and kept dropping out and down to 2G. I then got a Telstra HTC HD2 (850MHz). It functions perfectly in my apartment and does not drop down to 2G. I can tether at HSPA w/o needing to have my phone right up against the window in order to keep 3G signal.
Now that I have the Lumia 800 (RM-801), I cannot keep good 3G in my apartment, but 2G is fine. This means that the 850 band is the one that bends enough to get inside. The 1900 glances by.
I'm willing to bet that Newegg may have done what most other sellers did and just pasted the specs w/o verifying. After all, why would they need to, right? Nokia should have put out the correct information to start with.
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Click to collapse
My box looks nothing like that and doesn't have any of those markings. That is a Nokia lumia 800 box for a carrier. I also have had phones that don't support 850 and I don't get 3g/4g on them. I do on this phone
falconeight said:
My box looks nothing like that and doesn't have any of those markings. That is a Nokia lumia 800 box for a carrier. I also have had phones that don't support 850 and I don't get 3g/4g on them. I do on this phone
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Our stickers may look different, because I have the Cyan version.
According to Nokia customer care, and many other articles online, your device does not have 850MHz. The product code is RM-801.
http://forums.wpcentral.com/lumia-800/184412.htm
http://discussions.nokiausa.com/t5/...ne/Lumia-800-UMTS-850Mhz-support/td-p/1236631 (look at the 2nd to last post).
I have the black from Amazon's intial selling - so spent low $600s but haven't looked back.
The box DID include a USA outlet adaptor.
If you're on ATT, you still have a good shot of getting 3G if you're in a major area.
I'm T-Mobile, so only getting EDGE - but still lovvin it!
anseio said:
Our stickers may look different, because I have the Cyan version.
According to Nokia customer care, and many other articles online, your device does not have 850MHz. The product code is RM-801.
http://forums.wpcentral.com/lumia-800/184412.htm
http://discussions.nokiausa.com/t5/...ne/Lumia-800-UMTS-850Mhz-support/td-p/1236631 (look at the 2nd to last post).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no US variant right now
falconeight said:
There is no US variant right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you actually READ anything about this phone?
Of course there's a US variant. It's getting released possibly next month.
Why the product codes are mentioned is so that people can confirm that sellers are indeed selling the right bands as they quote. There is no quad band WCDMA Lumia 800 until you can prove otherwise. There is no information on your device that contradicts anything that I've already quoted.
anseio said:
Have you actually READ anything about this phone?
Of course there's a US variant. It's getting released possibly next month.
Why the product codes are mentioned is so that people can confirm that sellers are indeed selling the right bands as they quote. There is no quad band WCDMA Lumia 800 until you can prove otherwise. There is no information on your device that contradicts anything that I've already quoted.
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Click to collapse
Come on those links you posted are before it was announced. I have the 850 variant because that is the band in my area. You don't because you have the UK model that was released unlocked for the UK. Until you can provide information other than hearsay that there is no 850 then your just spreading rumor.
---------- Post added at 09:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 PM ----------
I called Nokia after getting the number off of twitter and there are variants that have the 850 wcdma that are unlocked. I gave them my imei number and my phone is from Norway which has the 850 band. You can check the country specific website and they list the correct bands.
http://www.nokia.com/no-no/produkter/telefon/lumia800/spesifikasjoner/
falconeight said:
Come on those links you posted are before it was announced. I have the 850 variant because that is the band in my area. You don't because you have the UK model that was released unlocked for the UK. Until you can provide information other than hearsay that there is no 850 then your just spreading rumor.
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I'm curious to know how you seem to be the only person around xda who has 850Mhz on his Lumia 800.
anseio said:
I'm curious to know how you seem to be the only person around xda who has 850Mhz on his Lumia 800.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why am I the only one? How do you know?
GSM 850mhz like mine I bet. I get 3G at 3-4mbit/1 speed on AT&T. What speed are you getting falcon?
falconeight said:
Why am I the only one? How do you know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because no one else here has posted an image or anything definitive that their Lumia 800 has 850MHz on it. Only product literature from the selling website.
falconeight said:
That is a Nokia lumia 800 box for a carrier.
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Click to collapse
Not true.
My Lumia is unlocked and unbranded. It was shipped directly from Nokia in Helsinki and I have that box too.
So on eBay this one vendor is saying that his Lumia 800 he's selling is the international version, and it has the 850/1900 HSPA bands ALONG with the 900/2100 bands.....is there such a thing? I've only heard of the two versions- the European version with the 900/2100 bands and the NA version with 850/1900.
I don't want to buy something and have it not work with my 3G service with Telus, so confirmation would for sure help.
Thanks!
##3282#
try dialing this.. then hit the ... and click settings
u can play with the 2G and 3G
Over8ted said:
So on eBay this one vendor is saying that his Lumia 800 he's selling is the international version, and it has the 850/1900 HSPA bands ALONG with the 900/2100 bands.....is there such a thing? I've only heard of the two versions- the European version with the 900/2100 bands and the NA version with 850/1900.
I don't want to buy something and have it not work with my 3G service with Telus, so confirmation would for sure help.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding is there are 2 versions (if we exclude China), the RM-801 and the RM-819. They support the 4 GSM voice bands (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) but differ with the data bands:
* RM-801 with WCDMA HSPA 900/1900/2100 MHz
* RM-819 with WCDMA HSPA 850/1900/2100 MHz
So I believe the eBay vendor is wrong and might be mixing up the voice and data bands.
But don't quote me on this, although I checked Nokia's web site and the full product sheets.
Yeah, I'll have to ask him. He says it isn't compatible with his T-Mo 3G service in the US either.
Would it still operate on Telus' network with just a single 1900 data band? From what I know Telus doesn't run an EDGE network as they had adopted from CDMA to HSPA not that long ago. I guess I'd still get voice services but that kind of defeats the purpose of my data plan.
I guess this leads me to another thing.....how can the vendor find out which rm version it is?
The fellow just posted a picture of the tag, says 801 on the box so that must be it.
Hi all,
I see a few threads about folks trying to make lumia 920 work on Tmobile USA and I see some talk about quadband vs pentaband, which I am unable to follow. I am planning to buy an unlocked lumia 920 from expansys. I see they are selling unlocked lumia 920 for 450$ and for 550$. I am not sure what the difference is. Can the experts here take a look at the below links and let me know what the difference between the 2 models are and which one would work on Tmobile USA 3g and 4g bandwidths?
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-white-238632/
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-236632/
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-yellow-238634/ (my preferred color!)
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-rogers-branded-black-unlocked-241692/
If someone could point me to some website (other than ebay) to buy an unlocked lumia 920 (yellow/red) which could be made to work with Tmobile USA, that would be really helpful!
zeeshmk said:
Hi all,
I see a few threads about folks trying to make lumia 920 work on Tmobile USA and I see some talk about quadband vs pentaband, which I am unable to follow. I am planning to buy an unlocked lumia 920 from expansys. I see they are selling unlocked lumia 920 for 450$ and for 550$. I am not sure what the difference is. Can the experts here take a look at the below links and let me know what the difference between the 2 models are and which one would work on Tmobile USA 3g and 4g bandwidths?
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-white-238632/
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-236632/
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-yellow-238634/ (my preferred color!)
www .expansys-usa.com/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-rogers-branded-black-unlocked-241692/
If someone could point me to some website (other than ebay) to buy an unlocked lumia 920 (yellow/red) which could be made to work with Tmobile USA, that would be really helpful!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Well, I am not an expert but here's my two cents:
Quadband vs Pentaband refers to the bands the phone can work on. If you go to the technical specs on the pages you posted, you'll see this:
Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100...which means that the phone has 4 (hence 'quad') bands in both GSM and HSDPA. In the case of a pentaband HSDPA, it also includes a fifth (and for you very important) band -1700 MHz.
Your last (and most expensive) option should work for sure, since it is a pentaband Rogers-branded model, even though the technical specifications do not mention the 1700 MHz frequency which is one of the two T-Mobile uses (the other one being 2100). But other vendors, including the one I've purchased my 2 Rogers-branded 920s from, do not list this frequency either, since they just take the info from one source and never bother to correct it when wrong.
The other (cheaper) options are most likely the ATT version, which does not have the 1700 MHz band, but technically can be flashed to Rogers and unlock this band (there's lots of info on this forum on how to do it). There's always a risk to brick the phone (render it unusable), but it's minimal. I guess it depends on your risk-management level, whether you feel comfortable enough to save $220 and carry all the process of flashing the phone, or shell out the full amount and have it working out of the box.
There's also the possibility that the cheaper ones do work on your area without flashing, depending on whether T-Mobile has already deployed the 1900 MHz band:
From: http://explore.t-mobile.com/phone-sim-card#faq
Will non-T-Mobile phones without the AWS 1700/2100 band not work on T-Mobile's 3G / 4G network?
A: T-Mobile provides 4G data services nationwide on the AWS 1700/2100 bands, and is in the process of adding service on the PCS 1900 band. Today, phones with both AWS 1700/2100 bands (not just one or the other) work nationwide on T-Mobile’s 4G network. PCS 1900 band phones (sold by AT&T and others) work on the T-Mobile 4G network in cities where 1900 service has been added. Check with your local T-Mobile store or call customer service to learn about the network status in your area.
You could also buy it from another place, more reasonably priced. This is where I bought my first one in December, and my second one a couple of weeks ago when I lost my first one Mind you, I did not buy either online, but actually went to their retail store to get them. Some people tend to think that they have a bad reputation, but my experience has been quite satisfactory (I bought the first one locked for $500, and they sold me the second one unlocked for the same price, virtually unlocking it for free). I do not know if they ship to the US, and if so, how much it costs but you could try contacting them... The downside is that they only have black. Here's the links:
$499: http://canadagsm.ca/NOKIA/Nokia-Lumia-920-Unlocked-Penta-band-lte/
$550: http://canadagsm.ca/NOKIA/Nokia-Lumia-920-LTE-Windows-8-Rogers/
You could buy the locked one and order an unlock code for about $15 on sites like cellunlocker.net
Attached is a pic of the box to show you that it does have the 1700 MHz frequency...
HTH
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Thanks Abelitin for the detailed response. Appreciate your help!
I did go through some threads in this forum and it appears that flashing an Rogers version onto an unlocked ATT 920 involves so many steps that I got confused. Also I think there was one more thread about Nokia locking out the "navifirm" software that people use to get the different carrier versions.
In any case, after searching quite a bit, the cheapest I have found was in Negrielectronics and they are selling the Rogers version for 450 - 530$ range. Even ATT unlocked versions seem to fall in the same price range. So I might as well get the Rogers version.
zeeshmk said:
Thanks Abelitin for the detailed response. Appreciate your help!
I did go through some threads in this forum and it appears that flashing an Rogers version onto an unlocked ATT 920 involves so many steps that I got confused. Also I think there was one more thread about Nokia locking out the "navifirm" software that people use to get the different carrier versions.
In any case, after searching quite a bit, the cheapest I have found was in Negrielectronics and they are selling the Rogers version for 450 - 530$ range. Even ATT unlocked versions seem to fall in the same price range. So I might as well get the Rogers version.
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Glad to help...
The cheapest variants on that website do no specify if they are Rogers, but the tech specs do mention they have the 1700 MHz band, so you should be ok.
Nokia did close access through Navifirm, but apparently it is still possible to flash using Nokia Care Suite, as per the post below...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=40988591&postcount=8
It is a simple but risky process, so if negrielectronics is selling an unlocked pentaband version for $450, that is the best option, imho.
Good luck in your quest. It's a great phone... You won't regret having purchased it! (Incidentally, my carrier also works on the 1700-2100 MHz frequencies. I was waiting for last September's iphone release, hoping it would add the 1700 band, but it didn't, so I then decided to get another Nokia (had had a 5230 for 1 1/2 years) and went for the Lumia 920. The very same day I lost it, Apple came out with a new version of the iphone 5 that does support the 1700 (therefore, it also works on T-Mobile), but now there is no way I go the iphone road, so I got another L920!)
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