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Hi there,
Any suggestions on using Wind or Telus for HTC Amaze? I know that Wind/Mobilicity uses AWS (1700/2100) band, and that apparently doesn't penetrate buildings very well. And Telus uses the GMS, but don't like reputation. I would like to unlock the phone afterwards as I will be moving east during the year and if I am not satisfied with the provider well I would like to change.
Any tips on which company's phone would be easier to unlock and with which unlocking company you might recommend?
Thanks!
Wind unlocks after 3 months service. Telus doesn't. I think the choice is easy enough
Sent from my Full Android on Crespo using xda premium
1700/2100 Wind is using isn't all that different from any other carrier that much. Telus does not use GSM (in North America/Brazil GSM is 850 and 1900 mhz) Telus uses CDMA 800/1900 mhz. The lower the frequency the better penetration through the walls, but it goes into reverse as far as ability to carry data - the lower the frequency the less data it can carry. I've yet to grasp LTE and 700 mhz, seems so contradictory = high speed but voice only, who cares? Someone please fill us in...
Also, Telus uses the 850 band for HSPA. Therefore the HTC Amaze from both Telus and Wind could work on either network if unlocked.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk
Bronyr said:
1700/2100 Wind is using isn't all that different from any other carrier that much. Telus does not use GSM (in North America/Brazil GSM is 850 and 1900 mhz) Telus uses CDMA 800/1900 mhz. The lower the frequency the better penetration through the walls, but it goes into reverse as far as ability to carry data - the lower the frequency the less data it can carry. I've yet to grasp LTE and 700 mhz, seems so contradictory = high speed but voice only, who cares? Someone please fill us in...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your information is quite wrong.
Telus had a GSM network since 2010, operating on 850/1900.
1700/2100 is a weird frequency for 3G service due it only "recently" getting use as a 3G band through t-mobile.
700MHz is a band that LTE can be used on. So are 1700 and 2100 (Rogers, Bell LTE).
tl;dr: buy a Wind Amaze. Try them for 3 months on some plan. It'll be cheaper than buying a Telus one and getting service for those 3 months, then paying to unlock.
I have to chime in here and say, every person ive talked to that is on wind sounds like crap, most of them complain about spotty service, i know the pub in the area i live in, which is a popular area you get 0 service inside or out, deal breaker for me. I like to sound clear and get service everywhere, and ill pay for it.
Go with wind. A lot easier to get out of in the 14 day grace period. Also a lot easier to get out of in general. Their networks are fine. Sorry to the above poster, but their networks are just fine. Sound quality is probably phone dependant.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using XDA App
rbaruch said:
Go with wind. A lot easier to get out of in the 14 day grace period. Also a lot easier to get out of in general. Their networks are fine. Sorry to the above poster, but their networks are just fine. Sound quality is probably phone dependant.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, I have zero issues with my service.
Wind rocks!! $40/mo for unlimited everything.. sound q is perfect..
I Only get dropped by calls To a robers or dingaling or smellus.. reception is perfect. When they call me back from home phone.. yes it Is a conspiracy against wind by the majors... No contract, no cancellation fees etc...
They are in bc and the Flatlands too.. I think
Others are haters.. dont doubt it!...
I am not an employee in any way!!
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using xda premium
No experience with Wind on the Amaze, but did have someone test it on their Telus connection and the speeds were very nice.
Works GREAT on the WIND network.
You can buy an Amaze from Telus without a plan, at least I did back in Nov. just had to drop an additional $100 on the total cost. I just unlocked it to use on Rogers network followed by Bell.
Decided to switch carriers, got the New contract and now the extra phone (Nexus). Good luck shopping the Amaze is a great phone!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Trevorhimself said:
You can buy an Amaze from Telus without a plan, at least I did back in Nov. just had to drop an additional $100 on the total cost. I just unlocked it to use on Rogers network followed by Bell.
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Click to collapse
An Amaze from wind costs 50 bucks less outright. Factor in taxes and stuff, and that's still your first month of service compared to buying a Telus one.
You also have to consider Wind is great when your in major centers but if your driving anywhere out of town, good bye service. Im in Canada dont know how big wind is in the states. Im not trying to hate on Wind, but in Calgary the service is pretty spotty, and were a pretty major city
edyts said:
You also have to consider Wind is great when your in major centers but if your driving anywhere out of town, good bye service. Im in Canada dont know how big wind is in the states. Im not trying to hate on Wind, but in Calgary the service is pretty spotty, and were a pretty major city
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Click to collapse
Wind's roaming in the States is pretty inexpensive - $.25 for a minute. Most of Rogers users pay more just for being 100 kms from their home zone.
By the way Amaze is pentaband 3G phone - it will work with most operators in the world.
edyts said:
You also have to consider Wind is great when your in major centers but if your driving anywhere out of town, good bye service. Im in Canada dont know how big wind is in the states. Im not trying to hate on Wind, but in Calgary the service is pretty spotty, and were a pretty major city
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Going to just point out that you already posted saying you don't really have any first hand experience. It's already been mentioned that wind is best for people that don't leave the city.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using xda premium
Vadimus_ca said:
By the way Amaze is pentaband 3G phone - it will work with most operators in the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apologies for the double post here - its a quadband hspa device, I believe 850/1700/1900/2100.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using xda premium
Vadimus_ca said:
Wind's roaming in the States is pretty inexpensive - $.25 for a minute. Most of Rogers users pay more just for being 100 kms from their home zone.
By the way Amaze is pentaband 3G phone - it will work with most operators in the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Telus and Bell are the best network choices in Canada if you travel often since they have shared network agreements. The only time I've ever roamed on the network was in northern Ontario which is still better than the 10 hours worth of no service driving on the Rogers network.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
How easy/hard to unlock a Mobilicity cellphone ? and much does it costs ?
xda_23 said:
How easy/hard to unlock a Mobilicity cellphone ? and much does it costs ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very easy, cost depends on source...$15-$25.
Check out www.htcimeiunlock.com or www.mobileincanada.com
I've used both sites, mobileincanada for my Amaze $22 I believe was the total (Telus).
Cheers,
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
My family will be taking a trip to Costa Rica this coming February. You can buy a prepaid SIM card from Kölbi (ICE) at the airport. I've done a little research and it appears that an unlocked phone should work for both voice and 3G data so long as the phone supports Costa Rica's bands, 1800 on GSM and 850 on UMTS.
I've come across an inexpensive Android phones, the Pantech Crossover, that seem to fit the bill. Do you guys think that this phone will work? Other than requesting 3G data and setting the APN, is there anything else I need to do to get 3G data to work?
Thanks!
gm2racer said:
My family will be taking a trip to Costa Rica this coming February. You can buy a prepaid SIM card from Kölbi (ICE) at the airport. I've done a little research and it appears that an unlocked phone should work for both voice and 3G data so long as the phone supports Costa Rica's bands, 1800 on GSM and 850 on UMTS.
I've come across an inexpensive Android phones, the Pantech Crossover, that seem to fit the bill. Do you guys think that this phone will work? Other than requesting 3G data and setting the APN, is there anything else I need to do to get 3G data to work?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it should work but make sure that the phone is SIM unlocked first before you leave on your trip. Then once you get the SIM card put it in the phone and activate it, making sure to request 3g data and setting the APN properly. If you do these things you should be all set.
shimp208 said:
Yes it should work but make sure that the phone is SIM unlocked first before you leave on your trip. Then once you get the SIM card put it in the phone and activate it, making sure to request 3g data and setting the APN properly. If you do these things you should be all set.
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Click to collapse
shimp208, thanks for the response. Anybody know how well Google Maps (especially Navigation) works in Costa Rica? Can it create routable directions based on address or POI?
Thanks!
gm2racer said:
shimp208, thanks for the response. Anybody know how well Google Maps (especially Navigation) works in Costa Rica? Can it create routable directions based on address or POI?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google maps should work just fine, unfortunately Costa Rica isn't know for having blazing fast mobile data speeds so finding the map routes might take a while to load. That being said yes it can create directions based on address or others points of interest. Overall, it should work fine you just might have to be a little patient with waiting for map directions.
I should have asked this earlier. Are there any other inexpensive Android phones that might fit the bill? I'm looking to spend as little money as possible.
gm2racer said:
I should have asked this earlier. Are there any other inexpensive Android phones that might fit the bill? I'm looking to spend as little money as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The LG Thrive P506 Black 3G Unlocked Cell Phone should fit the bill for you. Its only $105 and has the required wireless bands, is unlocked, and should be more then enough for a cheap phone to be used for getting some gps directions, making a couple calls, or looking up some points of interest.
shimp208 said:
The LG Thrive P506 Black 3G Unlocked Cell Phone should fit the bill for you. Its only $105 and has the required wireless bands, is unlocked, and should be more then enough for a cheap phone to be used for getting some gps directions, making a couple calls, or looking up some points of interest.
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Click to collapse
shimp208, thanks for the suggestion. Since I've got some time before the trip, I'm weighing my options. Currently I'm considering the following:
A used AT&T phone (assuming that I can unlock it) off eBay - under $100
A new unlocked Pantech Crossover - under $70
A new unlocked LG Thrive from NewEgg - $105
A Zopo ZP500 cheap Chinese Android phone, but appears to work on AT&T's frequencies - $170
The reason why I'm sticking the ZP500 into the mix is that it's specs are better than the low end Android phones that I'm also considering. Does anybody have any experience with this phone? Does it do 3G on AT&T's 850Mhz band?
Thanks!
BTW, I posted a question on the TripAdvisor forum for Costa Rica regarding buying a prepaid sim card when I get in country and somebody suggested that I acquire the sim card through costaricacellularconnection before I go and activate the sim/phone when I get in country. Has anybody used this service?
gm2racer said:
shimp208, thanks for the suggestion. Since I've got some time before the trip, I'm weighing my options. Currently I'm considering the following:
A used AT&T phone (assuming that I can unlock it) off eBay - under $100
A new unlocked Pantech Crossover - under $70
A new unlocked LG Thrive from NewEgg - $105
A Zopo ZP500 cheap Chinese Android phone, but appears to work on AT&T's frequencies - $170
The reason why I'm sticking the ZP500 into the mix is that it's specs are better than the low end Android phones that I'm also considering. Does anybody have any experience with this phone? Does it do 3G on AT&T's 850Mhz band?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I haven't used it personally it seems to have good reviews with people being really happy with the performance you get for the price. And to answer your question about 3G on the 850Mhz band yes that should work.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
shimp208, I wound up getting a used LG Phoenix (the postpaid version of the Thrive) off ebay. Should be arriving tomorrow.
gm2racer said:
shimp208, I wound up getting a uses LG Phoenix (the postpaid version of the Thrive) off ebay. Should be arriving tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just looked at this phone seems like a good choice enjoy your trip
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
Unfortunately the Phoenix arrived and had a busted microSD slot as it would not recognize any of my cards. So I wound up getting a new Pantech Burst. Worked out in my favor as the Burst seems to be (at least on paper) a significantly more powerful device (1.5Ghz dual core Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM, & 16GB flash).
gm2racer said:
Unfortunately the Phoenix arrived and had a busted microSD slot as it would not recognize any of my cards. So I wound up getting a new Pantech Burst. Worked out in my favor as the Burst seems to be (at least on paper) a significantly more powerful device (1.5Ghz dual core Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM, & 16GB flash).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that is a much more powerful device compared to the Phoenix dual 1.2 Ghz (From what I read) vs 800 mhz and 1 GB vs 512 RAM, plus bigger and better screen is the better choice.
Ordered a ZOPO ZP500+
gm2racer said:
A Zopo ZP500 cheap Chinese Android phone, but appears to work on AT&T's frequencies - $170
The reason why I'm sticking the ZP500 into the mix is that it's specs are better than the low end Android phones that I'm also considering. Does anybody have any experience with this phone? Does it do 3G on AT&T's 850Mhz band?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered a ZOPO ZP500+. I've read it is identical to the ZP500 with the exception that the single core MTK6575 CPU was swapped out with the pin-for-pin-compatible dual core MTK6577. In addition to the dual SIM functionality, I like the fact it is dual core and a quad band where both 2G and 3G should work in Asia, Europe, and North America.
It purports to have 850MHz 3G, and I have read of an Australian user using this phone's 3G with 850MHz and also a Canadian with 3G at 850MHz. It reads to be reasonably popular amongst Russian users. Can't say I know the specifics of AT&T's 850 MHz implementation so I can't comment.
I anticipate delivery of the phone in a week's time, when I am keen to get a good look at it then.
oldcpu said:
I ordered a ZOPO ZP500+. I've read it is identical to the ZP500 with the exception that the single core MTK6575 CPU was swapped out with the pin-for-pin-compatible dual core MTK6577. In addition to the dual SIM functionality, I like the fact it is dual core and a quad band where both 2G and 3G should work in Asia, Europe, and North America.
It purports to have 850MHz 3G, and I have read of an Australian user using this phone's 3G with 850MHz and also a Canadian with 3G at 850MHz. It reads to be reasonably popular amongst Russian users. Can't say I know the specifics of AT&T's 850 MHz implementation so I can't comment.
I anticipate delivery of the phone in a week's time, when I am keen to get a good look at it then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What specifically are you trying to figure out about AT&T's 850 MHz implementation? Here is a map of where AT&T has 850 MHz 3G coverage in the U.S, if you follow the link and scroll up there should also be a map of AT&T's 1900 MHz spectrum coverage.
3G 850MHz coverage in North America
shimp208 said:
What specifically are you trying to figure out about AT&T's 850 MHz implementation? Here is a map of where AT&T has 850 MHz 3G coverage in the U.S, if you follow the link and scroll up there should also be a map of AT&T's 1900 MHz spectrum coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are great maps of AT&T's 850MHz (and 1900 MHz coverage).
I'm not looking for AT&T coverage myself, but rather interested in coverage in Canada (specifically Saskatchewan and also Ontario). I only mentioned AT&T in this thread because of this post in the thread:
gm2racer said:
The reason why I'm sticking the ZP500 into the mix is that it's specs are better than the low end Android phones that I'm also considering. Does anybody have any experience with this phone? Does it do 3G on AT&T's 850Mhz band?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, AT&T is not of interest to me.
Reference my interest in Saskatchewan's and Ontario's coverage, the best I have been able to find so far is this site: http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/index.php
oldcpu said:
Those are great maps of AT&T's 850MHz (and 1900 MHz coverage).
I'm not looking for AT&T coverage myself, but rather interested in coverage in Canada (specifically Saskatchewan and also Ontario). I only mentioned AT&T in this thread because of this post in the thread:
Again, AT&T is not of interest to me.
Reference my interest in Saskatchewan's and Ontario's coverage, the best I have been able to find so far is this site: http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/index.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your looking to get coverage in those Canadian areas I would use the website you looked at to find out which carriers have 3G 850 MHz coverage in the areas you want. Then once you know what carriers have coverage in the areas you want, I'd go out and buy a prepaid SIM from among the the carrier that offers the coverage your looking for and then go with whatever carrier has the best value for the money in terms of data usage, etc. and use that.
oldcpu said:
I ordered a ZOPO ZP500+. I've read it is identical to the ZP500 with the exception that the single core MTK6575 CPU was swapped out with the pin-for-pin-compatible dual core MTK6577. In addition to the dual SIM functionality, I like the fact it is dual core and a quad band where both 2G and 3G should work in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let us know how the Zopo works out. I'm interested in knowing how well these Chinese MTK6575/6577 phones work. Had I not gotten a great deal on a new Burst on eBay I would have really been considering one of these. An interesting development (at least in the GSM space) is that the Nexus 4 is within $100 US of most of the currently available Chinese dual core phones. That will put a real price squeeze on the next gen quad core phones...
gm2racer said:
Let us know how the Zopo works out. I'm interested in knowing how well these Chinese MTK6575/6577 phones work. Had I not gotten a great deal on a new Burst on eBay I would have really been considering one of these. An interesting development (at least in the GSM space) is that the Nexus 4 is within $100 US of most of the currently available Chinese dual core phones. That will put a real price squeeze on the next gen quad core phones...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure will, to me unless your really on a tight budget it seems like a no brainer to invest the extra $100 or so for not only significantly more powerful hardware but also a lot better community support due to the very open nature of nexus devices.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
Maybe it's just my games talking, but the Xperia Play is pretty cheap unlocked now.
I recently posted this in another thread, however I am desperate to buy a handset so I will post ot here too.
I am now again looking at buying the Droid DNA due to being screwed around by previous seller on eBay! I wanted to ask this: Everywhere seems to state that the Droid DNA is network unlocked. Is this true? If it is then why are people sometimes stating on eBay that only GSM will work and no DATA outside of the US! (I live in Australia and this is obviously important to me)
I am seriously getting so confused because of mixed seller listings. Some people say it is factory unlocked and some people say it is locked to Verizon. What is the deal? Also if the phone has a bad ESN or they fail to make a payment later on down the track and it does become bad, does this mean it will stop working in Australia or is it solely based around US and Verizon in general?
About the seller on eBay, I have now been refunded my money for my recent transaction. The seller did not mention that the device didn't come with it's box, instructions, charger etc. He also has no intention of mentioning it because he has relisted it without even indicating it. He is just trying to get an international buyer to deal with it is my guess. It was just a handset and a case. Very misleading, I am lucky that I confirmed with him just before he was selling it. It was one of those buy it nows that need to be paid upfront.
Thanks guys!
It is factory unlocked. You can pop a SIM in and it'll work, assuming your carrier uses one of the band's the DNA supports. Mms is apparently an issue for some though.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda app-developers app
Bad ESN won't affect you 1 bit on GSM network in Australia.
There are always some noobs who sell products on eBay without knowing what their product can actually do. Like those who mention it being Verizon locked. Cdma and LTE is Verizon only. HSDPA is unlocked.
From my Note 2, right in your face....
Thank god! Now I can just buy whichever one is the best price, rather than it telling me it is Unlocked and such. I am so damn happy now. I was worried that DATA wouldn't work! I am best to find one with a bad ESN and from someone who thinks it is Network locked then
PS Does it matter if the phone has never been activated from their side?
uppon2 said:
PS Does it matter if the phone has never been activated from their side?
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Click to collapse
Hi, Can someone answer this query. I am looking to buy from one of the auctions on ebay US which says the phone is "verizon locked" and has been activated on verizon. I will be using this in India. So I need to be confirmed that all Droid DNAs are factory unlocked.
buBleZ said:
Hi, Can someone answer this query. I am looking to buy from one of the auctions on ebay US which says the phone is "verizon locked" and has been activated on verizon. I will be using this in India. So I need to be confirmed that all Droid DNAs are factory unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Droid DNA are carrier unlocked. As long as your network is supported then you are good to go.
2G Network CDMA 800 / 1900
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 700
uppon2 said:
All Droid DNA are carrier unlocked. As long as your network is supported then you are good to go.
2G Network CDMA 800 / 1900
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 700
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but based on responses above it looks like outside Verizon, 4G and CDMA bands are network locked and won't work. Is it correct understanding? Or if my carrier just supports those frequencies it will work?
In other words is it fully factory unlocked for all bands?
buBleZ said:
Thanks, but based on responses above it looks like outside Verizon, 4G and CDMA bands are network locked and won't work. Is it correct understanding? Or if my carrier just supports those frequencies it will work?
In other words is it fully factory unlocked for all bands?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might have to pm funky and ask him. If your 4G is the same frequency as what is listed then I don't see how they could block it outside of the US
I just found out that even with a blacklisted ESN the phone will still work with any activated SIM. lTE phones uses the IMEI and VZW can't block those. there is another thread in this sub forum that talks more about this
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
I have this US friend who could buy this phone for me in the US, then export. I want to root it, install custom ROMs and all. It cost $100+ unlocked, but many report how happy they are with their $20 purchase from Cricket wireless. Some are not happy, though. The Cricket site says the phone cost $20 with activation. It would be easier if my friend wouldn't have to activate it (though I'm not sure what does that exactly means to Cricket), just pay the $20 and export the phone. Or even a little more than $20 to some other vendor, but certainly less than $20. I just want a nice, cheap toy, which can also make phone calls on overseas networks, install ROMs, etc. If you have another, better recommendation than the Moto E, I'm open to other suggestions as well. Though it seems the Moto E is the default choice for many. Or, maybe Amazon's $50-60 Blu phone is a better choice?
magicphone said:
I have this US friend who could buy this phone for me in the US, then export. I want to root it, install custom ROMs and all. It cost $100+ unlocked, but many report how happy they are with their $20 purchase from Cricket wireless. Some are not happy, though. The Cricket site says the phone cost $20 with activation. It would be easier if my friend wouldn't have to activate it (though I'm not sure what does that exactly means to Cricket), just pay the $20 and export the phone. Or even a little more than $20 to some other vendor, but certainly less than $20. I just want a nice, cheap toy, which can also make phone calls on overseas networks, install ROMs, etc. If you have another, better recommendation than the Moto E, I'm open to other suggestions as well. Though it seems the Moto E is the default choice for many. Or, maybe Amazon's $50-60 Blu phone is a better choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Cricket model cannot be bootloader unlocked for root / custom ROMs. It's also SIM locked to Cricket, you'll have to buy an unlock code online.
Additionally, the US models only have the 3G and LTE bands used in the US. If you're outside of North America, you'll most likely be stuck on 2G.
The Blu R1 HD does have LTE Band 7 and HSPA Band 1, so it's better suited for abroad, but not better than getting a phone that was designed for use in your country.
Thanks, helpful reply! but I can still use the $20 Cricket Moto E as a toy, to install apps, like an iPod Touch, right? For 10th the price.
xtermmin said:
The Blu R1 HD does have LTE Band 7 and HSPA Band 1, so it's better suited for abroad, but not better than getting a phone that was designed for use in your country.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Besides, I thought we live in a world where most modern phones work in most regions in the world, if not all. And what about people who ever step out (I'm not sure step out is the correct expression) of their home countries to travel?
magicphone said:
Thanks, helpful reply! but I can still use the $20 Cricket Moto E as a toy, to install apps, like an iPod Touch, right? For 10th the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, you can use it as a WiFi-only device to play around with fine (be sure to remove any pre-installed SIM card during setup). As long as none of your apps require root, you're good.
magicphone said:
Besides, I thought we live in a world where most modern phones work in most regions in the world, if not all. And what about people who ever step out (I'm not sure step out is the correct expression) of their home countries to travel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the US, the Moto E is sold as a budget, prepaid device. Prepaid operators here don't have any sort of international roaming options (outside of Mexico/Canada roaming on a few providers, but US/CA/MX pretty much use the same bands), so having international capabilities wasn't a high priority for them.
Modern mid-range and high-tier devices do tend to have at least the 2G, 3G, and sometimes LTE bands for world use, but it really depends on the manufacturer and even the region. For example, while most US mid-to-high-tier devices have the bands needed for use internationally, the same cannot be said for international models. Phones sold internationally (Europe, Asia, etc) almost always lack the low-band LTE bands used by US carriers, and totally lack CDMA compatibility (used by 3 of the 5 big cellular networks in the US).
Intl. 2G, EDGE would suffice for me, that usually is 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz.
magicphone said:
Intl. 2G, EDGE would suffice for me, that usually is 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All Moto E LTE models have quadband EDGE, so you'll be able to use the Cricket model on EDGE, but you'll need to get it SIM unlocked via a 3rd party unlocking service.
xtermmin said:
All Moto E LTE models have quadband EDGE, so you'll be able to use the Cricket model on EDGE, but you'll need to get it SIM unlocked via a 3rd party unlocking service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't he be better off with a sprint/boost xt1526? It was my impression that they were good to go on international GSM, Just no joy on domestic. Then at least he'd have bootloader unlock /root.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
dandrumheller said:
Wouldn't he be better off with a sprint/boost xt1526? It was my impression that they were good to go on international GSM, Just no joy on domestic. Then at least he'd have bootloader unlock /root.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that would work too, but I don't know if stores are selling the Boost model for $20.
xtermmin said:
Yeah, that would work too, but I don't know if stores are selling the Boost model for $20.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They sell them for $30 on boost. You don't even need to activate it for that price.
Sent from my Moto E using XDA Labs
So I'm going to buy the s9 in about a month after a couple paychecks so I have a lot to think about. First off, I would LOVE to be able to unlock the bootloader. I know qualcomm bootloaders are super locked down these days for some reason even though android is supposed to be an open platform but I'm considering getting the international version. The only problem is I'm on verizon . Do these phones work with CDMA yet? I'm 99% sure they don't but if anyone has given it a try let me know. If I switch to t-mobile can I use it in America? Or do you guys think the bootloader unlock isn't worth it and maybe JUST MAYBE someone will find an exploit? Let me know your thoughts guys, I'm really just trying to consider my options here. Maybe it's time to say "screw you" to verizon, or maybe I should just give up on root and buy a tablet or something to play with. Let me know what y'all think!
Exynos version will not work on your Verizon network. Buy the us unlocked version. But remember verizon wifi calling will not work
I would switch carrier if I were you and go with T-mobile if you they have acceptable coverage in your area. If you really value root and want good adblocker,best sound mod,ability to backup all your apps properly,custom battery icons,bypass stupid manufacturer restrictions and enjoy your device the fullest, go with Exynos.
If Samsung pay, VoLTE and WiFi calling matters a lot to you, go with Snapdragon. But I would still switch to Tmobile in that case.
I had just posted something about the perks of why I went with the SD variant (T-Mobile) S9+ ...here's the link.
Exynos does have their advantages with better Dev support etc, however it is still unclear if the Exynos variant will suffer from carrier aggregation on the US network.
This was a known issue on the Exynos Note 8 having trouble with the LTE, where it could cling onto one strong signal, however it wasn't able to handle the protocol of being able to connect to several signals at the same time.
Check out this post where I went into explaining it a little more...
I am waiting for a confirmation to see if the Exynos S9+ will work 100% on T-Mobile...
Oh and I'd definitely switch to T-Mobile as well. I have one Verizon line left, but the rest is now on TM so I can tell you that in places where I barely had bars with TM, I now have full LTE... TM has the newest infrastructure and they are expanding like crazy... the coverage and speed nowadays are are excellent. You can check out the carrier coverage map here.
Hope that helps...
A very good argument in SD variant's favor! I have S8+ Exynos currently and I do not get over 20Mbps on Tmobile in limited areas I have tested so far(I should say I do not have great coverage where I live, but it is not terrible by any means). I hope S9+ Exynos will not have this issue but I feel it may suffer in same way.
As long as I have WiFi calling and VoLTE, it doesn't bother me too much that the LTE speeds are "capped" for lack of better term on the Exynos version. I considered getting Chinese G9650 with unlockable SD bootloader but looking at the g9550, it doesnt have much support here on XDA and there is not even Oreo out for it still!! The dual SIM is helpful when I travel internationally, so really hoping Exynos gets VoLTE, WiFi calling and good LTE speeds on T-mobile!
I am interesting in buying an Exynos S9+ for use on Verizon. I dont see band 13 listed as supported. Isn't B13 one of the more popular ones for Verizon?
LTE Bands: FDD: B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B4(AWS), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B17(700), B20(800), B28(700), B32(1500), B66(AWS- 3) | TDD: B38(2600), B39(1900), B40(2300), B41(2500)
iunlock said:
I had just posted something about the perks of why I went with the SD variant (T-Mobile) S9+ ...here's the link.
Exynos does have their advantages with better Dev support etc, however it is still unclear if the Exynos variant will suffer from carrier aggregation on the US network.
This was a known issue on the Exynos Note 8 having trouble with the LTE, where it could cling onto one strong signal, however it wasn't able to handle the protocol of being able to connect to several signals at the same time.
Check out this post where I went into explaining it a little more...
I am waiting for a confirmation to see if the Exynos S9+ will work 100% on T-Mobile...
Oh and I'd definitely switch to T-Mobile as well. I have one Verizon line left, but the rest is now on TM so I can tell you that in places where I barely had bars with TM, I now have full LTE... TM has the newest infrastructure and they are expanding like crazy... the coverage and speed nowadays are are excellent. You can check out the carrier coverage map here.
Hope that helps...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the detailed reply and sources! That helps me a lot. I'll probably switch to T-Mobile sometime for sure. I think I'll just go with the US unlocked since Samsung will probably get root anyways, and I played with the s9 a bit and like the ROM enough. The bands we use in US are a bit different and people have reported a lot of problems, so since I spend 95% of my time doing normal stuff on my phone I'll not ruin that 95% for the sake of the 5% of the time I'm tinkering.
Also on the T-Mobile coverage you're right! Seems like they've really been expanding their coverage. A couple years ago me and my brother rode from NC to MS and he had a Galaxy tab on T-Mobile LTE and it was blistering fast the whole ride there. Pretty stout if I do say so myself!
I like you would prefer the unlocked international version for the unlocked bootloader and potential to mod. I don't even have the CDMA network restriction as I'm on AT&T. Even still I went with the US unlocked. I got it super cheap with student discount. I think I paid 700 for a brand new phone, epic these days considering so many are costing over 1000. Anyway back to the point, I got the US snap variant and I have no issues at all. This thing is absolutely awesome, I don't have one single complaint about it and with Nova launcher is feels even nicer imo. US unlocked is a good choice even if you didn't have to get it for the CDMA compatibly
Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
There are pros and cons to owning both variants...
Do your due diligence and consider your own use cases for your phone.
Do you use Samsung Pay?
Do you care about having a warranty?
Do you like to run custom ROMs?
Do you want fast LTE speeds?
Based on these answers and many more, you can determine which model is best for you!
Good luck!
Nathamio said:
So I'm going to buy the s9 in about a month after a couple paychecks so I have a lot to think about. First off, I would LOVE to be able to unlock the bootloader. I know qualcomm bootloaders are super locked down these days for some reason even though android is supposed to be an open platform but I'm considering getting the international version. The only problem is I'm on verizon . Do these phones work with CDMA yet? I'm 99% sure they don't but if anyone has given it a try let me know. If I switch to t-mobile can I use it in America? Or do you guys think the bootloader unlock isn't worth it and maybe JUST MAYBE someone will find an exploit? Let me know your thoughts guys, I'm really just trying to consider my options here. Maybe it's time to say "screw you" to verizon, or maybe I should just give up on root and buy a tablet or something to play with. Let me know what y'all think!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SM-G9650 Hong Kong variant has the Snapdragon 945 Chipset with an unlocked bootloader. It looks to be compatible with Verizon 4G LTE Bands 2, 4 and 13. I know Samsung Pay works in the US but not sure yet if it will support voLTE or WiFi Calling, that would also depend on your carrier. Here's the band compatibility for that particular model.
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE 2100 (B1), 1900 (B2), 1800 (B3), 1700/2100 (B4), 850 (B5), 2600 (B7), 900 (B8), 700 (B12), 700 (B13), 700 (B17), 800 (B18), 800 (B19), 800 (B20), 1900 (B25), 850 (B26), 700 (B28), 1700/2100 (B66) TD-LTE 2000 (B34), TD-LTE 2600 (B38), TD-LTE1900 (B39), TD-LTE2300 (B40), TD-LTE2500 (B41)
HNIC215 said:
There are pros and cons to owning both variants...
Do your due diligence and consider your own use cases for your phone.
Do you use Samsung Pay?
Do you care about having a warranty?
Do you like to run custom ROMs?
Do you want fast LTE speeds?
Based on these answers and many more, you can determine which model is best for you!
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depending on where you buy from, you can get warranty support for Exynos.
I can confirm that Band 71(the newest band that Tmobile is flooding the USA with) works great on the US unlocked version. If you are even thinking about going with T-Mobile, get the Snapdragon. Although I can't personally confirm this, I've heard that Band 71 will not work with the Exynos phone. If someone could confirm this, that would be great.
sireniankyle said:
Depending on where you buy from, you can get warranty support for Exynos.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True...
If I'm not mistaken though, you would still have to ship it overseas for repairs.
Is there a US Store that offers domestic warranty coverage for international Samsung phones?
No domestic stores in US offer warranty on Exynos versions. And I am 99.99% sure Exynos does not have band 71 for T-mobile (600MHz).
Band 12,2, and 4 should be sufficient for most people I think until 600MHz is widely available.
FYI clove.uk just updated their S9+ buying options, you can now get the dual SIM Exynos model for an additional ~$20, but I think it comes with an EU plug so you'll probably have to buy another adapter.
HNIC215 said:
True...
If I'm not mistaken though, you would still have to ship it overseas for repairs.
Is there a US Store that offers domestic warranty coverage for international Samsung phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you would most likely have to ship to them. IDK if there are any domestic options.
Pay
varcor said:
The SM-G9650 Hong Kong variant has the Snapdragon 945 Chipset with an unlocked bootloader. It looks to be compatible with Verizon 4G LTE Bands 2, 4 and 13. I know Samsung Pay works in the US but not sure yet if it will support voLTE or WiFi Calling, that would also depend on your carrier. Here's the band compatibility for that particular model.
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE 2100 (B1), 1900 (B2), 1800 (B3), 1700/2100 (B4), 850 (B5), 2600 (B7), 900 (B8), 700 (B12), 700 (B13), 700 (B17), 800 (B18), 800 (B19), 800 (B20), 1900 (B25), 850 (B26), 700 (B28), 1700/2100 (B66) TD-LTE 2000 (B34), TD-LTE 2600 (B38), TD-LTE1900 (B39), TD-LTE2300 (B40), TD-LTE2500 (B41)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have this model, sm-g9650, and can confirm it works on both verizon and tmobile dual sim, though it is a bit tricky to get it to initially connect to both at the same time and verizon NEEDS to be in slot 1 for both to connect (idk). but how are you getting samsung pay to work? when i had verizon in slot 1 it wouldnt even open the app, i put tmobile in slot 1 and was able to setup the app but when i go to add a card, it just continuously loads after i enter card number.
Have you confirmed your bank accepts payments through Samsung Pay? Before my bank accepted Samsung Pay I had the same setup problem your experiencing. Also make sure you have the most recent Samsung Pay update - 66 Mb.
varcor said:
Have you confirmed your bank accepts payments through Samsung Pay? Before my bank accepted Samsung Pay I had the same setup problem your experiencing. Also make sure you have the most recent Samsung Pay update - 66 Mb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i made sure to redownload it to be sure, and im positive my bank does, i had all the same cards on samsung pay on my g965U US model working perfect.
You stated the app wouldn't load with your Verizon SIM in slot 1. I don't see how any SIM or Slot # is relevant to accessing or downloading the Samsung Pay app. I would try the following.
1 Uninstall Samsung Pay
2 Remove SIM cards
3 Connect via Wifi
4 Download Samsung Pay via Wifi
5 Reinstall app
I just reinstalled the app with no glitches. I uninstalled it a few months back because I found Debit Card transactions are less hassle than NFC transactions. To me the only situation where NFC makes sense is if I wasn't carrying a Debit Card, which isn't very often. Hope this works for you!
---------- Post added at 11:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------
I'm guessing your device has the Exynos Chipset. Mine is the Hong Kong variant with Snapdragon. If that's the case you're not alone, I've read other posts where Exynos and Samsung Pay have compatibility issues.