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I know this is an odd request, but is there anyway to use the internet while talking on the phone. Normally I wouldn't care but I'm tired of the iPhone goons hassling me about it since those new commercials.
If not would there be a way if I unlocked my phone for GSM so I could talk on one frequency and surf on another?
Please direct me to a link if this has already been answered, I searched and didn't find anything.
Whoo boy, the old GSM vs. CDMA debate. No to your first question; it's a technology limitation of CDMA, which is why AT&T loves flaunting that fact. GSM also has the leg up in the number of simultaneous connections for conference calling. If you're looking for ammunition, CDMA generally enjoys better penetration of structures, and I know that I have found my service on Sprint to be stronger and much more reliable than my old plan with AT&T. Some people would even say that CDMA offers better call quality than GSM, but that's a huge debate with opinions on both sides. Also, GSM's encryption method was cracked recently, making calls potentially more vulnerable to eavesdropping. Finally, even when I had my old Tilt on AT&T I don't think I did too much surfing while talking on the phone; I really don't think it's as amazing a feature as they make it out to be.
For your second question, the CDMA Worldphone edition Touch Pro 2 used by Verizon and Sprint does have a GSM radio, but the question has been asked before if both networks can be used simultaneously and I believe the answer is always no. Anyone else feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
last I checked in order to use cdma/gsm phone networks at the same time can't you just pop in a sim card!!!!!
trogdor1138 said:
Whoo boy, the old GSM vs. CDMA debate. No to your first question; it's a technology limitation of CDMA, which is why AT&T loves flaunting that fact. GSM also has the leg up in the number of simultaneous connections for conference calling. If you're looking for ammunition, CDMA generally enjoys better penetration of structures, and I know that I have found my service on Sprint to be stronger and much more reliable than my old plan with AT&T. Some people would even say that CDMA offers better call quality than GSM, but that's a huge debate with opinions on both sides. Also, GSM's encryption method was cracked recently, making calls potentially more vulnerable to eavesdropping. Finally, even when I had my old Tilt on AT&T I don't think I did too much surfing while talking on the phone; I really don't think it's as amazing a feature as they make it out to be.
For your second question, the CDMA Worldphone edition Touch Pro 2 used by Verizon and Sprint does have a GSM radio, but the question has been asked before if both networks can be used simultaneously and I believe the answer is always no. Anyone else feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
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Click to collapse
one word IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! GSM and CDMA are hardware radios an unlock is IMPOSSIBLE unless the phone is a world phone with both CDMA and GSM but your phone doesn't qualify so try getting a GSM/CDMA hybrid and then come back to me. However verizon will upgrade to LTE which is GSM based!!!!!!!! watch em LTE will allow voice and data at the same time. When LTE upgrade is complete say goodbye and good riddance to CDMA it will be shut down soon!!!!!
KW TP said:
I know this is an odd request, but is there anyway to use the internet while talking on the phone. Normally I wouldn't care but I'm tired of the iPhone goons hassling me about it since those new commercials.
If not would there be a way if I unlocked my phone for GSM so I could talk on one frequency and surf on another?
Please direct me to a link if this has already been answered, I searched and didn't find anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
qjsmartphone - I thought that the TP2 was a world phone and thus held both antennas for cdma and gsm?
trogdor1138 -thanks for the input.
now I'm with sprint, and they offer 4G. This may be an ignorant comment, but can't a world phone with both antenna's say call on cdma and use the 4G provided by sprint? Or am I missing something? I kind of new at this so forgive the question if it is stupid. If there is a wiki on it please give me the link and I will be glad to read up. Thanks
qjsmartphone said:
one word IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! GSM and CDMA are hardware radios an unlock is IMPOSSIBLE unless the phone is a world phone with both CDMA and GSM but your phone doesn't qualify so try getting a GSM/CDMA hybrid and then come back to me. However verizon will upgrade to LTE which is GSM based!!!!!!!! watch em LTE will allow voice and data at the same time. When LTE upgrade is complete say goodbye and good riddance to CDMA it will be shut down soon!!!!!
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Click to collapse
I'm not sure what you are talking about, but CDMA variant of Touch Pro 2 does have both GSM and CDMA hardware in them.
Also, LTE and WiMAX is a two new 4G technologies that will eventually replace 3G data.
LTE is not based on GSM, they are two different communication technologies.
Back to OP's question, if you are using CDMA branded TP2 you cannot surf and talk at a same time. It is limitation on CDMA technology.
4G and 3G is not compatible, is your grandparent's old 2G phone do 3G? no.
How about your 3G phone accesing 2G? yes. Usually when newer technology is being deployed, they make sure that it is backward compatible, so that they can lower battery consumption and remain accessible to area where new technology is not yet available.
Just be near wifi and then show them you can surf while talking.
segadc said:
Just be near wifi and then show them you can surf while talking.
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Click to collapse
I like the way you think
Or pop in a ATT or T-mobile SIM card and switch to GSM mode. The phone IS capable of voice and data when using GSM.
isdnmatt said:
Or pop in a ATT or T-mobile SIM card and switch to GSM mode. The phone IS capable of voice and data when using GSM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll jump in here...
I thought Sprint/Verizon phones with both GSM/CDMA radios cannot use AT&T nor T-Mo SIM cards. I thought they only accepted the GSM SIM cards of countries outside the US.
Wait... HardSPL fixes that, doesn't it?... Oh well, I think I should stop stalking the CDMA forums when I have almost no idea on anything CDMA-related!
But, I'm still in favor of the WiFi suggestion!
mac people live in their own little world. don't let them bother you. sure, they can talk and surf the web at the same time...if they have 3g coverage. but there are areas where they have no coverage at all let alone 3g. then they can use the 'paper weight mode'. i also love how they tout their app store meanwhile we've had multiple wm app stores for years already. also i get to choose what apps i want to use without htc or sprint telling me what i'm allowed to.
segadc said:
Just be near wifi and then show them you can surf while talking.
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Click to collapse
this is what i would do
sumflipnol said:
I'll jump in here...
I thought Sprint/Verizon phones with both GSM/CDMA radios cannot use AT&T nor T-Mo SIM cards. I thought they only accepted the GSM SIM cards of countries outside the US.
Wait... HardSPL fixes that, doesn't it?... Oh well, I think I should stop stalking the CDMA forums when I have almost no idea on anything CDMA-related!
But, I'm still in favor of the WiFi suggestion!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think you can use any SIM card you want if you phone is SIM Unlocked
yes you can use any sim card if your phone is sim unlock buy the Sprint TP2 is not working with us 3G
unlock
I called up VZW and told them I was going to Europe and wanted to use prepaid SIM cards instead of paying Big Red the $$. They gave me the SIM unlock code and now I can use T-Mo or AT&T SIM cards with no problem. Only downside is that their GSM frequencies are slightly off from the rest of the world so no high-speed data when using VZW on GSM carrier in the states...
Nate
qjsmartphone said:
one word IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! GSM and CDMA are hardware radios an unlock is IMPOSSIBLE unless the phone is a world phone with both CDMA and GSM but your phone doesn't qualify so try getting a GSM/CDMA hybrid and then come back to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The CDMA Touch Pro 2 *is* a dual mode world phone with both GSM and CDMA.
sumflipnol said:
I'll jump in here...
I thought Sprint/Verizon phones with both GSM/CDMA radios cannot use AT&T nor T-Mo SIM cards. I thought they only accepted the GSM SIM cards of countries outside the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Verizon TP2 has a simple SIM lock on it which is similar to standard GSM SIM locks. Remove the SIM lock and you can use any SIM card with a compatible network, including US networks.
The Sprint TP2 doesn't have a standard SIM lock, but instead has the US frequency bands disabled. Hence the need for a new radio.
I'm planning to buy an TP2 from ebay but I couldn't decide which version(s) are compatible with my country's cellular networks. I use Vodafone in Turkey and Vodafone uses GSM 900 and UMTS 2100 bands. I read the forum a lot but I got very confused.
I'll use both UMTS and GSM networks because the UMTS covarage is limited in Turkey so far. I'm looking for Sprint or AT&T versions but I didn't understand if need to unlock these devices or not. In a thread I read that Sprint is unlocked for GSM networks but the same thread didn't mention anything about UMTS band. Please make suggestions to me.
I hope that I could explain my concerns clearly.
tasmania said:
I'm planning to buy an TP2 from ebay but I couldn't decide which version(s) are compatible with my country's cellular networks. I use Vodafone in Turkey and Vodafone uses GSM 900 and UMTS 2100 bands. I read the forum a lot but I got very confused.
I'll use both UMTS and GSM networks because the UMTS covarage is limited in Turkey so far. I'm looking for Sprint or AT&T versions but I didn't understand if need to unlock these devices or not. In a thread I read that Sprint is unlocked for GSM networks but the same thread didn't mention anything about UMTS band. Please make suggestions to me.
I hope that I could explain my concerns clearly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=566043
That should have the information about which phone you need. You can always unlock the phones, so make sure it has the correct GSM/CDMA networks and you should be fine.
*edit*
I should have mentioned this before. Sometimes carriers are really picky about which phones they will activate, make sure that Vodafone will activate the model TP2 that you get.
tasmania said:
I'm planning to buy an TP2 from ebay but I couldn't decide which version(s) are compatible with my country's cellular networks. I use Vodafone in Turkey and Vodafone uses GSM 900 and UMTS 2100 bands. I read the forum a lot but I got very confused.
I'll use both UMTS and GSM networks because the UMTS covarage is limited in Turkey so far. I'm looking for Sprint or AT&T versions but I didn't understand if need to unlock these devices or not. In a thread I read that Sprint is unlocked for GSM networks but the same thread didn't mention anything about UMTS band. Please make suggestions to me.
I hope that I could explain my concerns clearly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Sprint TP2 will work for you in its stock configuration.
It supports GSM 900, GSM 1800 and UMTS 2100 out of the box and it is NOT SIM locked. Basically all you'll have to do it pop in your SIM card and go.
Now, you will still have to register the IMEI with customs (assuming Turkey still has that stupid ass rule) so it doesn't get blocked from the network, but aside from that you're golden.
If you get the ATT version it will also work, however it will be SIM locked out of the box and you will have to unlock it to use it. The same is true of the Verizon TP2.
burtonsnow8 said:
That should have the information about which phone you need. You can always unlock the phones, so make sure it has the correct GSM/CDMA networks and you should be fine.
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Click to collapse
I read that thread 3 times But the the explanations about GSM does not contain UMTS band so i need to ask. Thanks for your reply.
gamescan said:
The Sprint TP2 will work for you in its stock configuration.
It supports GSM 900, GSM 1800 and UMTS 2100 out of the box and it is NOT SIM locked. Basically all you'll have to do it pop in your SIM card and go.
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Click to collapse
Thanks. This was the exact answer I expected to get.
On ebay i found a Sprint with bad ESN. In the descriptions it says that it can be used in any networks other than Sprint. Can I use a phone like this in Turkey with confidence?
tasmania said:
Thanks. This was the exact answer I expected to get.
On ebay i found a Sprint with bad ESN. In the descriptions it says that it can be used in any networks other than Sprint. Can I use a phone like this in Turkey with confidence?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. A Sprint Touch Pro 2 will work just fine with a Vodaphone SIM so long as your local network is one of the three frequencies that I listed.
You only need to replace the Radio ROM if you want to use it on US GSM frequencies.
gamescan said:
Yes. A Sprint Touch Pro 2 will work just fine with a Vodaphone SIM so long as your local network is one of the three frequencies that I listed.
You only need to replace the Radio ROM if you want to use it on US GSM frequencies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks gamescan. Does a bad ESN phone be a problem for me?
tasmania said:
Thanks gamescan. Does a bad ESN phone be a problem for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad ESN means that the phone has been banned from its home network.
This usually happens because:
1) There is an outstanding bill that was not paid
2) The phone was reported lost and claimed on insurance
3) The phone was stolen
If you are using it on another CDMA network or on a GSM network, the bad ESN will not impact you (aside from possibly in a karmic way).
If it does have a bad ESN you should get it pretty cheap.
gamescan said:
Bad ESN means that the phone has been banned from its home network.
This usually happens because:
1) There is an outstanding bill that was not paid
2) The phone was reported lost and claimed on insurance
3) The phone was stolen
If you are using it on another CDMA network or on a GSM network, the bad ESN will not impact you (aside from possibly in a karmic way).
If it does have a bad ESN you should get it pretty cheap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the valuable information you give gamescan.
Hi all. I've just found out about this brilliant phone. Had no idea it existed. I've always liked the Motorola Milestone (qwerty physical keyboards are a must to me) however i ended up getting the wrong version of the milestone (european) with the wrong 3G bands for my carrier so i could only get Edge speeds.
Anyways, it seems like the Droid 2 Global version uses simcards. I live in the Dominican Republic, Claro (my carrier) runs on the 850/1900 bands and it seems like the D2G can work with them, in theory. I've been reading a couple of threads regarding this though, it seems like those bands have been locked out by verizon so people don't use it on other US carriers such as AT&T which happens to run on the same bands i need (850/1900). But others say its the carrier ID that has been locked out. I read something about a user being able to get 3G speeds on Chile, but i've no idea what bands he was using.
What i want to know is, if i ordered a Droid 2 Global phone, would i be getting 3G speeds using my Claro simcard here after having it sim-unlocked?
There's also the Milestone 2 of course, but they seem to cost $500+ plus they dont specify which bands the phone works with. I dont want to end up buying the wrong phone version again. Also, It seemsl ike the droid 2 global is being sold for a less ($300-400).
XtriFe said:
Hi all. I've just found out about this brilliant phone. Had no idea it existed. I've always liked the Motorola Milestone (qwerty physical keyboards are a must to me) however i ended up getting the wrong version of the milestone (european) with the wrong 3G bands for my carrier so i could only get Edge speeds.
Anyways, it seems like the Droid 2 Global version uses simcards. I live in the Dominican Republic, Claro (my carrier) runs on the 850/1900 bands and it seems like the D2G can work with them, in theory. I've been reading a couple of threads regarding this though, it seems like those bands have been locked out by verizon so people don't use it on other US carriers such as AT&T which happens to run on the same bands i need (850/1900). But others say its the carrier ID that has been locked out. I read something about a user being able to get 3G speeds on Chile, but i've no idea what bands he was using.
What i want to know is, if i ordered a Droid 2 Global phone, would i be getting 3G speeds using my Claro simcard here after having it sim-unlocked?
There's also the Milestone 2 of course, but they seem to cost $500+ plus they dont specify which bands the phone works with. I dont want to end up buying the wrong phone version again. Also, It seemsl ike the droid 2 global is being sold for a less ($300-400).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_droid_2_global-3636.php
read the spec
I am using my SIM-unlocked D2G fine here, on a carrier that uses 850MHz UMTS.
The Milestone 2, as far as I know, is still only available in a 900/2100 UMTS variant so far.
From what I gather, the lock Verizon put on the radio to prevent use on US GSM carriers is based on the MCC (mobile country code) number associated with networks based in the USA, and not the frequencies themselves. In effect, once unlocked the phone will work with any GSM provider (on a supported frequency), except those based in the U.S. This would explain why the AT&T 850MHz network (MCC 301) doesn't work, whereas the Telstra 850MHz network I use (MCC 505) does.
One complication about buying a Droid 2 Global now, is that from various reports on this forum, some devices don't respond to their SIM unlock codes (!) and are effectively unlockable. If I were buying a D2G now for use on a GSM carrier, I'd only buy one that has already been unlocked - wouldn't want to take the chance on getting a phone that is unlockable. This might be why some are being listed for dirt cheap!
helmutiffe said:
I am using my SIM-unlocked D2G fine here, on a carrier that uses 850MHz UMTS.
From what I gather, the lock Verizon put on the radio to prevent use on US GSM carriers is based on the MCC (mobile country code) number associated with networks based in the USA, and not the frequencies themselves. In effect, once unlocked the phone will work with any GSM provider (on a supported frequency), except those based in the U.S. This would explain why the AT&T 850MHz network (MCC 301) doesn't work, whereas the Telstra 850MHz network I use (MCC 505) does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brilliant, thats what i wanted to know, many thanks !
helmutiffe said:
One complication about buying a Droid 2 Global now, is that from various reports on this forum, some devices don't respond to their SIM unlock codes (!) and are effectively unlockable. If I were buying a D2G now for use on a GSM carrier, I'd only buy one that has already been unlocked - wouldn't want to take the chance on getting a phone that is unlockable. This might be why some are being listed for dirt cheap!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow thats not good is it. Thanks for the advice, i'll make sure the phone is unlocked. I've never really understood how phones are unlocked by third party anyways. But I understand you can have them unlocked by giving verizon a call and under certain conditions, they'll provide the unlock code for free.
I was in the Dominican Republic last week with my D2G and it worked perfectly (unlocked using Rogers Canada service). Claro service sucked a bit (coverage wise) but worked fine (3G), Orange (EDGE) seemed a bit better where I was.
I am pretty sure you will be fine AS LONG AS you get unlockable/unlocked D2G.
ok one last question,
does anyone know if a droid with bad esn will work ok with a different carrier's simcard if unlocked?
I would assume droids with bad esn will be going for cheaper on ebay
bas esn mean d phone could be stolen so it will b a hassle to clear the esn
How can one know if the phone has a bad ESN? Just wondering.
TripleMPower said:
How can one know if the phone has a bad ESN? Just wondering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obtain the esn from whomever you are purchasing from. Then ask Verizon regarding the esn you were provided.
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
but wouldnt you only need a clear ESN if you're going to use the phone with CDMA? or would that affect GSM usage as well ? (simcards)
According to the eBay listing I bought mine from, it has a bad ESN (at least, it explicitly stated "will not activate on Verizon") - but the GSM/UMTS radio works fine.
helmutiffe said:
According to the eBay listing I bought mine from, it has a bad ESN (at least, it explicitly stated "will not activate on Verizon") - but the GSM/UMTS radio works fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad ESN will only affect use on Verizon and its MNVOs (possibly). GSM networks will work fine. Just remember though if it's not already unlocked, and the ebay unlocker codes don't work, it will probably be near impossible getting verizon to give you the code for a phone with bad esn.
thanks for the info. I''ll look for unlocked plus bad ESN phones on ebay and see if theyre any cheaper
Hello gents, I'll start with a short story to get you into the thread:
Me and my girlfriend live in Venezuela, our service providers are not up to par with american or european carriers in terms of available devices, so we bought an HTC Magic for each of us last year to try out Android, everything was fine, I learned how to root it, install roms and such, and we had a pretty good run with the phone and the OS.
Last week we got robbed and they took away our phones, I decided to get a Nexus S for her and I found one at a good price on eBay(270$+shipping) however this one is branded for Sprint, will I be able to go to my service provider and just tell them to attach my account to the phone I bought on ebay? or are the Sprint and Verizon Nexus S locked to those carriers exclusively?
If the answer to the second question is yes, then a third question is raised, can I in any way unlock this phone to use it on my non-american service provider?
I have seen other threads and the replies are always "the Nexus S is factory unlocked." but I dont know if this refers exclusively to the ones sold in the UK or retail stores in the US.
I apologize for any noobish behaviour, I'm a big fan of devices and gadgets yet I lack a lot of the technical skills you all seem to demonstrate.
Thanks in advance.
-Gaash
There is no such thing as a Verizon Nexus S. Sprint Nexus S have different radio bands than the regular Nexus S (I9020T/I9020A/I9023) and features a 4G radio with it. You have to make sure that the phone is compatible with your carrier's bands. Another thing to note is that the Sprint Nexus S is CDMA (No SIM card) as well.
All Nexus S models come unlocked regardless if you're on the contract or not. Sorry to hear about your incident
The model I bought is GT-I9020T, according to people on the internet(random links on google) this model works on GSM frequencies of 850, 900, 1800, & 1900. It supports UMTS 900, 1700, and 2100 frequencies.
My current provider works on 850 and 1900 for GSM and 850 for CDMA.
Do you think I will have trouble using the phone I bought for my girl?
I feel terribly dumb when I ask this, I cant explain why, hehe.
Oh, I think I figured it out, I bought for her the non branded GSM version, so yes, it will probably work on my provider.
But what happens if I buy a Sprint CDMA one for myself? Those are definitely cheaper, and CDMA seems to be better down here, at least more stable.
Thanks for your replies, and simpathy, it's been a rough week without a smartphone for both of us.
Gaash said:
Oh, I think I figured it out, I bought for her the non branded GSM version, so yes, it will probably work on my provider.
But what happens if I buy a Sprint CDMA one for myself? Those are definitely cheaper, and CDMA seems to be better down here, at least more stable.
Thanks for your replies, and simpathy, it's been a rough week without a smartphone for both of us.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure and I wouldn't say the CDMA version is more stable. I personally never used the Nexus S 4G but from what I can tell from threads is that there are problems with WiFi or something of that sort.
You might want to ask the carrier yourself via phone to see if it would be compatible or so. Just let them know about the bands the phone supports.
And that's interesting if your carrier supports CDMA and GSM.
CDMA = No SIM card
GSM = SIM card
GSM is more popular around the world. Just including that just incase!
Alright, so I talked to my carrier they said the following:
-If I buy a CDMA phone with no contract on the US I will be able to register it on their network.
-If I buy an unlocked GSM phone I can register it on their network.
I guess I'll have to buy a couple of GSMs just to be sure... even tho they are about 100$ more expensive.
Thanks for all the replies, catch you later!
Ok, so I've searched all over and haven't had much luck. I have no experience with cdma phones, as t mobile is all I've ever had.
I was given a new US Cellular HTC Hero s. I opened it up and saw the sim slot and though, sweet I can replace my sensation with it (I smashed the screen pretty bad). Well, that was a no go, as the phone is cdma. Looking online though, I see it can run in gsm (options global mode, cdma mode, gsm / umts mode. I unlocked the bootloader using the htc site (not sure it matters) and popped in my sim card again, and tried both global and gsm mode, though neither got signal or would dial out. (under networks, it had the tmo apn info.)
So, is the GSM mode offered on this phone only for non US bands? Would a custom rom (now or down the road) allow it to work on tmo? I read something about the HTC Merge and someone being able to switch out the modem in the rom that allowed it to work in the US, but that is well beyond me. I can follow instructions, work ADB and flash roms.. but thats about it.
Is it possible, or will it soon be, to have this phone work on GSM or am I just stuck trying to sell it as a us cellular phone (or perhaps another cdma carrier.. like I said, I don't know anything about cdma)
As a Canadian I'm not sure about who owns US cellular or if they are their own company but I'm guessing they work like Verizon world phones. They have sim card slots but will work only outside of the US. If those verizon phones are used within the States, they will only pick up Verizon's frequency, as opposed to T-Mobile or AT&T where you can unlock them and use them with any GSM carrier within the States. But yeah, you can unlock it and it will work with any GSM carrier outside the States but within the States I think it will only work under US Cellular CDMA network...please correct me if I'm wrong.
That's right, u.s. cdma "world phones" have gsm radios but are locked down from connecting to gsm networks in the u.s. This is not just the normal sim lock found on gsm phones but they are hard coded to ignore u.s. gsm networks.
Some have been unlocked to work on any network through various methods including flashing a modem from a non-us varient of the same phone and other hacks. I can't comment specifically on this phone however.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Well, that points me in the right direction, and confirms what I read about swapping modems (on the other phone mentioned).
So basically it's software telling it not use a certain frequency, and not that the phone itself is incapable of picking it up (had my doubts about that)
Pretty shady the way phone companies are allowed to operate (don't get me started on my unlimited internet in my contract [pre data caps in tmo]. "Hey! check it out, this phone uses data 5 times faster than your old one, oh, and you get half as much too) sorry, end of rant.
I'll keep searching, and post if I find something..
On a side note, can cdma phones be flashed to another cdma carrier like verizon or sprint, or is it the same deal, coded to only use a certain frequency range?
only thing I've heard of is flashing sprint and verizon phones to cricket, metro pcs and boost.