Database Info

Question about CDMA/GSM technology!

If I have a GSM (like AT&T) carrier and find a cheap CDMA (Like Verizon)phone like the XV6900 (not for real just saying) and it's unlocked. If I buy it will I be able to make calls and what not on the phone since it's unlocked? Their is a phone I'd like to purchase but not sure because is CDMA and unlocked. Thanks!

cdma only works on cdma networks
so if you pay for a contract on a cdma network you can use it

So their is no slot for a SIM card in it? I found a cheap Imagio in great condition but if i cant use it it's not worth it.

Well... is it possible or not?

froggylover1345 said:
Well... is it possible or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a sim slot on some CDMA world phones, but not on the Imagio and it will not work on a GSM network.

[Q] Nexus S SIM unlock?

Hey NSers.
I bought a Nexus S just about the week it came out from Best Buy, but I've decided to move on to another phone. I had thought that purchasing it from Best Buy meant that it shipped unlocked, with no specific carrier, but I just tried an AT&T SIM card in the phone, and it gets no service.
I called T-Mobile, but the woman I spoke to informed me that they couldn't request an unlock code because it's not a phone they actually support.
So I'm wondering how I can unlock it.
Right now, its bootloader is unlocked and it's rooted, if that makes any difference (I'm hoping there will be something easy I can do that doesn't involve contacting either Google or Samsung).
Thanks in advance for any guidance.

your nexus s IS unlocked as of google phones.
the problem is that the nexus s does not support (hardware) AT&T cellular bands.
there is a specific model of the nexus s (I9020A if i'm not wrong) that support those AT&T bands.. sorry.

Gonizahavy said:
your nexus s IS unlocked as of google phones.
the problem is that the nexus s does not support (hardware) AT&T cellular bands.
there is a specific model of the nexus s (I9020A if i'm not wrong) that support those AT&T bands.. sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, really? I thought it supported AT&T GSM bands, but not the 3G bands.
And no worries. It's an i9020T, so maybe it's unlocked but still works only with TMo. Darn.

willentrekin said:
Oh, really? I thought it supported AT&T GSM bands, but not the 3G bands.
And no worries. It's an i9020T, so maybe it's unlocked but still works only with TMo. Darn.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think he meant to say it does not support at&t 3g bands. It should work on any GSM carrier, but may not work on 3g.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

OuncE718 said:
I think he meant to say it does not support at&t 3g bands. It should work on any GSM carrier, but may not work on 3g.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right. But if I put in an AT&T SIM, it should work with AT&T's GSM frequencies, right? I'm really not looking forward to calling Samsung tomorrow.

I should go to best buy and ask if you can swap it for a i9020A.

avili said:
I should go to best buy and ask if you can swap it for a i9020A.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I9029A isn't sold in best buy. I'd go to AT&T and get a new sim card. Your phone should work just fine on AT&T, u just won't have 3G.

I've had a similar experience with the Canadian carriers, however if the carrier supports GSM bands it will work (like previously said) it's when the carrier only supports HSDPA (like Koodo in Canada does) then you need the specific Nexus S (i9020A in your case).
You could also try adding the APN to see if that will allow you to connect (Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Access Point Names (APN)) - the details can be found on the forums / your carriers website.

Works for me.
willentrekin said:
Right. But if I put in an AT&T SIM, it should work with AT&T's GSM frequencies, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me. I live in NYC, and I picked up a Nexus S at Best Buy over the Easter break as a quick temp phone till I got my Captivate fixed.
No 3g, but it certainly works on Edge. Makes calls, data works, syncs with google apps, etc.
Maybe you're just in a poor reception spot for ATT...

Thanks for the advice. Will retry. I'd wanted to confirm AT&T would work before I put it on eBay.

[Q] Motorola Xoom on UAE Etisalat

Hi all! I leaving In UAE - Fujairah, and I'm planing to buy a Motorola Xoom. Maybe someone with more experience than me, can advice me, if it worth, if it will work on Etisalat 3G network, and finally if those Xoom 3G released by Verizon and sell via E-bay are OK for my location. Thanks in advance !!!

ovigt71 said:
Hi all! I leaving In UAE - Fujairah, and I'm planing to buy a Motorola Xoom. Maybe someone with more experience than me, can advice me, if it worth, if it will work on Etisalat 3G network, and finally if those Xoom 3G released by Verizon and sell via E-bay are OK for my location. Thanks in advance !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Axiom in UAE is going to be selling the XOOM. Sure they can provide more information they have a direct tie up with Moto,
Cheers.

thanks dude, but as far as I know they will bring only WIFI....

The Verizon Xoom uses CDMA for 3G networks. If I remember correctly, Etisalat is GSM only, so it would not work. I'm not sure about 4G LTE though, but that's not active on the Motorola Xoom yet anyway.
BTW, I was in Fujairah a few weeks ago; my Verizon Xoom worked great on wifi.

silentshab said:
The Verizon Xoom uses CDMA for 3G networks. If I remember correctly, Etisalat is GSM only, so it would not work. I'm not sure about 4G LTE though, but that's not active on the Motorola Xoom yet anyway.
BTW, I was in Fujairah a few weeks ago; my Verizon Xoom worked great on wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, but in order to use the WI-FI, I need to be stuck in home or any other place which has a Wireless Network.....anyway, it looks like I have to wait for a while....

Maybe I become insistent, but I don't want to spend almost 1000$ for nothing. Can someone to confirm if this model Motorola XOOM MZ601 will work in my 3G network. I already read the details and also I check the compatibility list on above link, but.....i just want to make sure, maybe someone has the similar model and using in GSM network. Thanks in advance!

Does your network use sim card? If yes, then the Verizon Xoom won't work for you.
Verizon 3G Xoom uses CDMA, it won't work on GSM networks that use sim cards.

[Q] Unlocked Fido Razr HD w/ AT&T Sim: "SIM not allowed MM #3"?

Got my FIDO Razr HD. Rogers SIM = all is good. AT&T sim = asks for unlock code, which i buy online.
After entering code, phone appears to do a factory reset. During the reboot, a box pops up:
"SIM not allowed MM #3"
Now the phone permits "Emergency Calls Only" with the AT&T sim. Rogers SIM = still good.
When I put AT&T sim into my other phone (HTC desire) it works fine on roaming (rogers network). So I know sim + signal is fine.
Don't understand this error message.
Did I mess up the unlock?
advice appreciated, thanks.

Do you have another Canadian SIM you can try? Bell/Telus etc?

grant2 said:
Got my FIDO Razr HD. Rogers SIM = all is good. AT&T sim = asks for unlock code, which i buy online.
After entering code, phone appears to do a factory reset. During the reboot, a box pops up:
"SIM not allowed MM #3"
Now the phone permits "Emergency Calls Only" with the AT&T sim. Rogers SIM = still good.
When I put AT&T sim into my other phone (HTC desire) it works fine on roaming (rogers network). So I know sim + signal is fine.
Don't understand this error message.
Did I mess up the unlock?
advice appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you inserted your fido/rogers simcard when you are in usa... and roaming (put the phone on and get the att signal)... if yes... there are no solution you must roam with rogers... imei is recorded via att and you can t use att on your razr ;( this is a strange things... but is real ... many user report this ! ( not just with the razr ) this is not a phone problem
This is a very... great problem for traveller...

grant2 said:
Got my FIDO Razr HD. Rogers SIM = all is good. AT&T sim = asks for unlock code, which i buy online.
After entering code, phone appears to do a factory reset. During the reboot, a box pops up:
"SIM not allowed MM #3"
Now the phone permits "Emergency Calls Only" with the AT&T sim. Rogers SIM = still good.
When I put AT&T sim into my other phone (HTC desire) it works fine on roaming (rogers network). So I know sim + signal is fine.
Don't understand this error message.
Did I mess up the unlock?
advice appreciated, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was doing some research for you, have you tried using a different SIM card from AT&T? The SIM might be corrupted.
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 2

Really not sure...
My fathers who travel in usa and canada... have tried 2 others att simcard ... same problems ...
i have see anothers topics on howardforum

o2qc418 said:
Really not sure...
My fathers who travel in usa and canada... have tried 2 others att simcard ... same problems ...
i have see anothers topics on howardforum
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are the SIM cards prepaid or postpaid? Did you have to cut then yourself or were they already micro sized?
Sent from my XT925 using Tapatalk 2

I have try with a rogers xt925 last month ... tried with different sim... micro and regular... postpaid and prepaid too... have see many people in the same boat...
Sent from my XT925 using xda premium

If you think AT&T are blocking your phone, then why don't you try T-Mobile...?

... Yes no problem with tmobile or others prepaid carrier on att network...
You just don t roam on att with uour rogers simcard...
Sent from my XT925 using xda premium

Thanks for the replies everyone. to answer the questions:
1) i don't have any other sims right now: just rogers + ATT. Next time i am w/ friends I will ask to borrow telus/bell microsim.
2) they were regular sims that were cut down.
3) haven't had a chance to visit USA since posting topic- but when i do, i will test both cards and also visit an AT&T shop to bug them about it.
Is sim corrupted? I don't think so because it works fine in HTC desire. But I guess trying a new one will prove or disprove.
imei is recorded via att and you can t use att on your razr ;( this is a strange things... but is real ... many user report this ! ( not just with the razr ) this is not a phone problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do we know this is happening, has someone from AT&T discussed this before?

grant2 said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. to answer the questions:
1) i don't have any other sims right now: just rogers + ATT. Next time i am w/ friends I will ask to borrow telus/bell microsim.
2) they were regular sims that were cut down.
3) haven't had a chance to visit USA since posting topic- but when i do, i will test both cards and also visit an AT&T shop to bug them about it.
Is sim corrupted? I don't think so because it works fine in HTC desire. But I guess trying a new one will prove or disprove.
How do we know this is happening, has someone from AT&T discussed this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to let you know that I was able to use a Bell sim card in my phone. That's what I used to unlock it with.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

grant2 said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. to answer the questions:
1) i don't have any other sims right now: just rogers + ATT. Next time i am w/ friends I will ask to borrow telus/bell microsim.
2) they were regular sims that were cut down.
3) haven't had a chance to visit USA since posting topic- but when i do, i will test both cards and also visit an AT&T shop to bug them about it.
Is sim corrupted? I don't think so because it works fine in HTC desire. But I guess trying a new one will prove or disprove.
How do we know this is happening, has someone from AT&T discussed this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using this phone with at&t with no problems, I took my sim out from my iphone 5 and used a adapter to go to micro sim and it works fine, no issues.

I'm receiving a Fido RAZR HD to be used with AT&T this afternoon, I'll let you guys know if there are any issues.

OOI, is AT&T seen as a much better GSM network than T-Mobile in the US?
I was looking at the T-Mo USA site, and there are some amazing "Monthly4G" SIM only plans (e.g. $30/month for 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 5GB of HSPA data).
This seems much better value than AT&T, Verizon and even Sprint! But is their network sketchy compared to the others?

Sumanji said:
OOI, is AT&T seen as a much better GSM network than T-Mobile in the US?
I was looking at the T-Mo USA site, and there are some amazing "Monthly4G" SIM only plans (e.g. $30/month for 100 minutes, unlimited texts and 5GB of HSPA data).
This seems much better value than AT&T, Verizon and even Sprint! But is their network sketchy compared to the others?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T offers the second largest network coverage behind Verizon. They are also one of the two GSM carriers in the United States, and tend to be more popular with mobile phone enthusiasts because their UMTS bands are more common and used with other regions such as Canada or Australia. T-Mobile does indeed offer excellent value, but they use mainly AWS band in addition to PCS band in selected regions, thus making them the lesser choice for using unlocked phones from outside the country.

Hey,
Just looking on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility#Radio_Frequency_Summary
It looks like T-Mo mainly use 1900 for 2G and 1700 for 3G, whereas AT&T use 850 and 1900 for both 2G/3G, right?
So if I bought a Canadian Razr HD XT925 and came to the US, would I be able to use T-Mo's 3G network? I am guessing no, since it does not support 3G on 1700MHz.
But then there is a note on that Wiki page saying that they now have a roaming agreement with AT&T after the failed acquisition. So if I forced the phone into "WCDMA only" mode from the test menu, would it then fall back onto the AT&T 3G network?
Sorry for taking the thread slightly off topic
Cheers,
Su

Sumanji said:
Hey,
Just looking on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility#Radio_Frequency_Summary
It looks like T-Mo mainly use 1900 for 2G and 1700 for 3G, whereas AT&T use 850 and 1900 for both 2G/3G, right?
So if I bought a Canadian Razr HD XT925 and came to the US, would I be able to use T-Mo's 3G network? I am guessing no, since it does not support 3G on 1700MHz.
But then there is a note on that Wiki page saying that they now have a roaming agreement with AT&T after the failed acquisition. So if I forced the phone into "WCDMA only" mode from the test menu, would it then fall back onto the AT&T 3G network?
Sorry for taking the thread slightly off topic
Cheers,
Su
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As you have read, T-Mobile did acquire PCS bands from the failed merger with AT&T, but these bands are not as utilized as their 850 MHz band so it's not as widely available as you may think. Some areas might be able to use the 1900 MHz band for T-Mobile 3G, but I would check with fellow T-Mobile users to confirm first before you dive in headfirst. I know that there are T-Mobile users in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that are getting 3G data connectivity with their unlocked AT&T iPhones.

Well T-Mo do daily plays for like 2 bucks right, so I can always try this out before committing to a contract
Do you think AT&T would be the better bet if I am bringing my own device from Europe?
The reason I ask is that I may be coming to a US college for a couple of years, so naturally, I'm planning ahead to see if my phone will work over there

Sumanji said:
Well T-Mo do daily plays for like 2 bucks right, so I can always try this out before committing to a contract
Do you think AT&T would be the better bet if I am bringing my own device from Europe?
The reason I ask is that I may be coming to a US college for a couple of years, so naturally, I'm planning ahead to see if my phone will work over there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're using a device from Europe or Asia, then yes, you have a much higher chance of being able to get 3G connectivity with AT&T. Off the top of my head, Nokia seems to be the only one that tries to actively keep AWS band in their radios.

Hmm, so I did a bit of research on GSM Arena. Seems the Nexus line of devices consistently support 1700MHz 3G (including the Nexus S which I currently have).
Guess who cancelled their Nexus 4 order last week, and opted for a Canadian RAZR HD instead...
Whoops

Verizon Moto G on Straight Talk

The phone is only $99 on Verizon. I heard you needed to use the phone for 6 months before you can use it on another carrier
Anyway to get around this or has anyone actually done this yet? Want to make sure it works.
And are you still getting Verizon coverage on Straight Talk or how does that work?
Is there a 16gb CDMA version as well? Only saw an 8gb.

kaivorth said:
The phone is only $99 on Verizon. I heard you needed to use the phone for 6 months before you can use it on another carrier
Anyway to get around this or has anyone actually done this yet? Want to make sure it works.
And are you still getting Verizon coverage on Straight Talk or how does that work?
Is there a 16gb CDMA version as well? Only saw an 8gb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that Straight Talk is a GSM network so you would have to have the GSM model of the phone. I was under the impression that Straight Talk uses the T-Mobile network. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.

romuloxiii said:
I think that Straight Talk is a GSM network so you would have to have the GSM model of the phone. I was under the impression that Straight Talk uses the T-Mobile network. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have a CDMA card you can buy and register your phone on their network. I think it's kind of new. I'd link you but I'm on mobile

romuloxiii said:
I think that Straight Talk is a GSM network so you would have to have the GSM model of the phone. I was under the impression that Straight Talk uses the T-Mobile network. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Straight talk uses Sprint and Verizon CDMA networks as well as T-mobile and AT&T GSM networks...
I'm really not sure how the BYOD on CDMA works, I would like more info as well.

redking117 said:
Straight talk uses Sprint and Verizon CDMA networks as well as T-mobile and AT&T GSM networks...
I'm really not sure how the BYOD on CDMA works, I would like more info as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Straight Talk (Verizon Wireless - CDMA) will require an access code to their network; $15.00. This applies to phones that do not have a SIM Card which the $99 8GB Motorola Moto G CDMA variant is. However, I did put the MEID for the device as to its compatibility on Straight Talk and was told it is not which makes no sense given if you have a GSM variant, it does not require a subsidy unlock code if the device is set up with either the AT&T and/or T-Mobile radios. I have to believe that the reason has to do with those stupid clauses which carriers have with their phones and however long they are. It's always been my understanding the code is what you need to run on their network. One caveat; I have noticed that on Verizon Wireless's prepaid "Everything" plan, the devices run only on their 3G network nor am I aware they have the 4G LTE radios in them. I've tested their 3G band and at best regardless of where I have tested it between Albany, GA; Columbus, GA; Auburn-Opelika, AL; the best speed I have had is tops 1.0 meg down but normally about 0.7 megs (700 k) down...enough to run Pandora or any music app. I will say one thing about the phone, for the price, not bad! I wish it was available when I bought an HTC One M7 I paid $650.00 for but I got the DE 64GB variant; this device, you do feel the 8GB restriction though there are many cloud options.