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[Q] Unlocked D2G Working On TMobile US But Questions Remain

Hi,
I'm actually not new to XDA, I 've been a member for about 3 years and used to screw with my old broken HTC G1 all kinds of ways. So ignore the newbie status, I forgot all the old login info and had to re-roll.
Anyway, so now I have a sweet shiny Droid 2 Global that I bought off a ebay for a very nice $149 buy it now in used but excellent condition.
It was listed as unlocked and obviously indeed is because I am running it on Tmobile with a tmob simcard in Dallas, tx. So, I can make calls, internet works and is ok but only on edge (2G), signal is generally pretty good overall.
My questions (after days of searching and reading up, don't tell me to search) Are these:
1. Am I already band unlocked? I can already use tmob's edge/2g, and I can see AT&T's 2g and 3g networks when I search but I can't connect to them or they don't work if I do i'm guessing because i'm on a tmobile sim and obviously can't logon to at&t.
2. If it isn't band unlocked, would doing so unlock tmobile's 3g or is that just straight up not compatible and never going to happen with or without a band unlock?
3. If not with tmobile np, can I get 3g with at&t? Especially since I already can see their 3g network when searching.
4. Wether or not I am running a custom rom or the stocker....
It says it's running 2.4.330 A956.verizon.en.us kernel android version 2.2 kernel version 2.6.32.9 build number VZW
Not sure if this is the stocker or a pre-installed XDA Rom. It boots to a clockwork recovery tool screen too before actually booting into android. Is that something added on or is it on the phone already?
Thanks in advance for any help, so happy to have a badass new phone to screw with.

1. Sure seems like it. You wouldn't be able to use the T-Mobile SIM at all otherwise.
2. T-Mobile uses 1700MHz. The D2G does not support 1700MHz. Period.
3. Yes.
4. 2.4.330 is stock Motorola Froyo firmware.
In your case it would probably be better to SBF your phone to 2.4.29 or 2.4.330, and follow the instructions in the band unlock thread to get you to Gingerbread with band unlock.

Gasai Yuno said:
1. Sure seems like it. You wouldn't be able to use the T-Mobile SIM at all otherwise.
2. T-Mobile uses 1700MHz. The D2G does not support 1700MHz. Period.
3. Yes.
4. 2.4.330 is stock Motorola Froyo firmware.
In your case it would probably be better to SBF your phone to 2.4.29 or 2.4.330, and follow the instructions in the band unlock thread to get you to Gingerbread with band unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be very careful with doing an SBF to an unlocked phone. An SBF would rewrite the radio firmware and very likely undo the unlocking that's in place.
The only way that it would be safe to do so is if he still had the unlock code, then he could just re-unlock and re-apply the band unlocker after SBF'ing.

Thanks for the replies. So I guess i'm looking at switching carriers at some point for the 3g. Honestly the 2g isn't that bad though. Plus I heard that since att failed to acquire tmobile, they ended up cutting some deal to share some att tech with tmobile. So some areas will get 1900 mhz 3g at some point. Probably won't happen to me but oh well.
As for the rom, I don't think I want to update just yet. I have no unlock code since it came that way already.
If I get a code though, since it's already unlocked and rooted (i'm assuming),
Do I just toss the sbf file on an sdcard and run the update? I've installed roms on my old G1 but I don't know the exact process on the D2G yet.

benjmiester said:
If I get a code though, since it's already unlocked and rooted (i'm assuming)
Do I just toss the sbf file on an sdcard and run the update? I've installed roms on my old G1 but I don't know the exact process on the D2G yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SBF files are something else completely. SBF files contain images for every aspect of the phone, from Radios, to the operating system, kernel, and more. Think of an SBF file as a Windows CD. It helps to wipe the entire system clean and installs everything factory fresh.
SBF files reside on your hard drive, and they are flashed to the phone with a Windows app called RSD Lite. The current version is 5.6. There are links to it everywhere around the forums.

projektorboy said:
I would be very careful with doing an SBF to an unlocked phone. An SBF would rewrite the radio firmware and very likely undo the unlocking that's in place.
The only way that it would be safe to do so is if he still had the unlock code, then he could just re-unlock and re-apply the band unlocker after SBF'ing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if you read my post at all.
I stated that the safest bet is to perform everything from the start, including the band unlock process.
Why the hell would someone need the unlock code at all on a device that was already SIM unlocked?
I bought my phone off eBay, unlocked, and I have no SIM unlock code stored anywhere. I SBF'd it at least 20 times by now.

Gasai Yuno said:
Not sure if you read my post at all.
I stated that the safest bet is to perform everything from the start, including the band unlock process.
Why the hell would someone need the unlock code at all on a device that was already SIM unlocked?
I bought my phone off eBay, unlocked, and I have no SIM unlock code stored anywhere. I SBF'd it at least 20 times by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well in this case, this is good knowledge to have. I presumed that an SBF would essentially erase a SIM Unlock because it rewrites essentially every bit of data stored in the phone.
Looks like there's something else going on in these phones when they get SIM unlocked. It's nice to know that SIM unlocks are truly permanent.

I am getting a prompt now for the new OTA update. Will this be safe to do in my phone's current state then? I just keep putting it off for now because I don't want to lose any of the sim unlock or my data ability.
I know it doesn't do much, but I think it might help my battery life which drains 90% every day with only very light use and only 2g data.
It appears that I am going to be stuck on tmobile until 2013 but I can probably deal, or trade it... So I want it to be the best it can be without being fast on data obviously.

SIM lock state doesn't change.
If you're on T-Mobile USA, you definitely have the US band unlock hack performed and if you update you will lose it with no way to rollback to 2.4.x baseband.
90% battery spent per day is normal for Froyo. I get 26 to 32 hours with light use on 3G with WiFi and GPS enabled on stock 4.5.608, used to get 16 hours on 2.4.330.

Hmm, well can I flash the new one. I was reading this earlier:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1437177
Would that do the trick?
Otherwise, is there a way to stop it from promting me from updating?

If you flash the 4.5.608 SBF image, you'll lose your US band unlock.
To disable OTA:
Rename /system/app/BlurUpdater_VZW.apk, /system/app/BlurUpdater_VZW.odex, and /system/etc/security/otacerts.zip by adding .bak to their names (e.g. otacerts.zip.bak).

Ok, I will rename those for now. I was using Astro and it said permissions no allowing me to rename so so I am going to try another browser app.
So is there nothing I can do to get this update done and get back on tmobileusa? There's a way to band unlock it again isn't there?

How many times needs one to repeat that
USA GSM BAND UNLOCK IS ONLY SUPPORTED ON THE BASEBAND FIRMWARE THAT COMES WITH 2.4.29 AND 2.4.330 FIRMWARE
?

Well that's retarded, thanks motorola/verizon for steering me away from ever purchasing one of you phones again. Looks like I will be trading or selling my phone after all. I had an offer to trade for a samsung vibrant which can be flashed to gingerbread and has a bigger, nicer looking amoled screen that I think I will go ahead and do that. Way to screw up your customer base motorola. I USED to like you guys.

Did you mean: “OMG I'm a US GSM user and I wanted to use a Motorola CDMA handset made exclusively for Verizon on my GSM network and Motorola are such jerks because they won't let me”?

Gasai Yuno said:
Did you mean: “OMG I'm a US GSM user and I wanted to use a Motorola CDMA handset made exclusively for Verizon on my GSM network and Motorola are such jerks because they won't let me”?
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Click to collapse
Seriously. I have no idea why he's being such a big baby about this. The phone was designed to Verizon's specifications by Motorola. It was designed to not work with Tmo/ATT from the very start. This was known by everyone at the time of the phone's release.
We were lucky in the first place to even get the ATT/Tmo hack. If someone isn't willing to put in the work to accommodate the requirements of the hack then this phone isn't for you.

projektorboy said:
Seriously. I have no idea why he's being such a big baby about this. The phone was designed to Verizon's specifications by Motorola. It was designed to not work with Tmo/ATT from the very start. This was known by everyone at the time of the phone's release.
We were lucky in the first place to even get the ATT/Tmo hack. If someone isn't willing to put in the work to accommodate the requirements of the hack then this phone isn't for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not, man. I already know why this is and have known since about 5 posts ago. BTW I bought this phone off of ebay a month ago and it was 'listed as unlocked for att&t, tmobile etc' WTF am I supposed to think when I read that? Stop projecting your in-depth knowledge onto all people like it's 'common' knowledge. It's not. That's like saying I should know Obama's favorite food or whatever the hell else for example. I don't know that nor do the vast vast vast majority of people. You know who does know that? Somebody who looked it up!
The only way somebody would know that this phone is locked out of tmob's 3g is by looking that up specifically. I would like to point out that I had the phone for at least a week prior to posting at all, all the while reading up on how to get my 3g before the kind folks on the 1st page answered the final question I had about that (which is the only way I know that now). So it took at least a week of researching to discover this.... We should really close and lock this thread since it's just wasting space with my displeasure about this phone purchase. $5 says this whole ordeal is the very reason the guy was selling the phone in the first place!! (He said he was currently using it on tmobile when I asked if it was unlocked for tmob...)

[Q] Easy question

I am thinking about picking up a M8, but have read in a few places that verizon doesn't allow the bootloader to be unlocked like other carriers. What is the current status of being able to unlock the bootloader and gain root / rom? I looks like I will be able to, but just want to verify before dropping the money. Also, is it possible to return to completely stock for warranty purposes if there is an issue?

Unlocked and return to stock is available.

richiewrt said:
I am thinking about picking up a M8, but have read in a few places that verizon doesn't allow the bootloader to be unlocked like other carriers. What is the current status of being able to unlock the bootloader and gain root / rom? I looks like I will be able to, but just want to verify before dropping the money. Also, is it possible to return to completely stock for warranty purposes if there is an issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea can return it to stock and they would never now just if you do get one make sure you dont update to 4.4.3 so you can use firewater after that youll be fine

Bierce22 said:
yea can return it to stock and they would never now just if you do get one make sure you dont update to 4.4.3 so you can use firewater after that youll be fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Purchased yesterday, and brought it home and rooted and s-off'ed. Liking it so far but seems like the radios are not as good as on my iphone 5s. Gonna have to find some way to make the reception better. Had solid 4g at my house with the iphone, now it bounces between 4g and 3g with the m8.

richiewrt said:
I am thinking about picking up a M8, but have read in a few places that verizon doesn't allow the bootloader to be unlocked like other carriers. What is the current status of being able to unlock the bootloader and gain root / rom? I looks like I will be able to, but just want to verify before dropping the money. Also, is it possible to return to completely stock for warranty purposes if there is an issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone was already on the newer firmware. Tried firewater with no luck. Had to pay the 25 for sunshine. It is a slick program and well worth the money.
theroot dot ninja

richiewrt said:
Purchased yesterday, and brought it home and rooted and s-off'ed. Liking it so far but seems like the radios are not as good as on my iphone 5s. Gonna have to find some way to make the reception better. Had solid 4g at my house with the iphone, now it bounces between 4g and 3g with the m8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may have an older radio, check your baseband version, I think the latest is 1.09.20.0702.

I did flash the latest radios. Reception is slightly better, but still not good.

Recently unlocked, will it stick?

Just unlocked my phone through the Tmobile app and now plan to root (hopefully I can I'm already on 10D and was gonna do the tot method but idk about all these problems with it, this is my daily but I miss xposed dearly). Any way I want to know will the unlock stick through a factory reset and rooting? Also when I unlocked I got this weird message.....
Update: Well I'm rooted and ran the app again and still shows the message. Tried a few extra sim cars I had lying around for att and Verizon...... BOTH were able to pick able to pick up a signal and read the phone numbers from those cards but of course weren't able to make calls. Are the G5's like the S7's when it comes to unlocking? The S7's support all carriers hardware wise once unlocked not just GSM ones, is this the same? Unfortunately I don't have an active Verizon sim to test with.

Yes I have had the lg v10 on T-Mobile and had it permanently unlocked and since then have flashed wiped and tried new Roms with no revert to being sim locked and I had it done on my lg g5 and since then flashed fluences ROM and wiped a few times and my phone still works when I put my [email protected] work sim in it to make calls and text

Switching to AT&T from Verizon, will I be able to root?

I know people are tired of the "Verizon users not being able to root because bootloader" threads. I myself have given up hope that I'll be able to do so with Verizon. However, I'm planning to switch to AT&T(Not specifically for rooting purposes, mostly because it's cheaper for more data and has comparable coverage to Verizon in my area) and I realized that if I switch to an AT&T SIM card, there could be a chance the bootloader is unlocked. Has anyone had any success in that area or are Verizon phones simply hard-wired with a locked bootloader even if a factory reset and different carrier SIM is installed because it's a Verizon model? I'm honestly just curious at this point, I'm not expecting success.

I'm using a unlocked Verizon pixel. Just use search terms in this device threads. Follow instructions and it worked for me. You can never go back to Verizon though a system process called Verizon services runs. Can be stopped and appears (I don't use Verizon) to effect anything. System process can be stopped, when I remember I do, runs as a background process. And never relock bootloader.

kkjb said:
I'm using a unlocked Verizon pixel. Just use search terms in this device threads. Follow instructions and it worked for me. You can never go back to Verizon though a system process called Verizon services runs. Can be stopped and appears (I don't use Verizon) to effect anything. System process can be stopped, when I remember I do, runs as a background process. And never relock bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha, thank you very much! I don't have very much love for Verizon so I doubt I'll want to return(And I'd probably just get a new phone if I did go back) so that's good news.

Yeah. Back on Android 7.12 (I think), Verizon rolled out an update to VZW customers that would make it impossible to unlock the bootloader, therefore impossible to root.
But if your bootloader is already unlocked, you're good to go.

Samsung galaxy 2 fold at&t Change Carrier

Hi
Have Samsung galaxy 2 fold at&t unlock
Can I change Carrier from att to t-mobile I flashing T-Mobile firmware or can I just Flash csc??

if your phone is sim-unlocked, once you insert a t-mobile simcard it will change the phone to t-mobile. no need to flash anything.

Stalix said:
if your phone is sim-unlocked, once you insert a t-mobile simcard it will change the phone to t-mobile. no need to flash anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it works for making phone calls, texts, even 5g. But you won't get OTA updates. At least that's what I was told. I'm typing from a purchased AT&T unlocked Fold 2, with a TMobile sim inside. It works fine, just no updates. Still on One UI 2.5, and android 10. I'm actually here hoping to change this by flashing a TMobile rom. I did a little research last night, and it seems a little scary with the danger of bricking the phone. Back in the PPC hayday of flashing roms, I was all over it. I even flashed a few roms on my s6 years ago, so I have some experience with Odin, but it still seems nerve wracking because I can't return this phone if I brick it. Bought it used.

vinscuzzy said:
Yes, it works for making phone calls, texts, even 5g. But you won't get OTA updates. At least that's what I was told. I'm typing from a purchased AT&T unlocked Fold 2, with a TMobile sim inside. It works fine, just no updates. Still on One UI 2.5, and android 10. I'm actually here hoping to change this by flashing a TMobile rom. I did a little research last night, and it seems a little scary with the danger of bricking the phone. Back in the PPC hayday of flashing roms, I was all over it. I even flashed a few roms on my s6 years ago, so I have some experience with Odin, but it still seems nerve wracking because I can't return this phone if I brick it. Bought it used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@vinscuzzy I feel you because I understand what you're going through. I used to flash my devices back in the day. I haven't flashed or rooted in a long time but like you, I also have an unlocked AT&T branded Z Fold2. It seems easy enough. Any reason why you would install the T-Mobile firmware rather than the U1 Unlocked version?

HoOnZ said:
@vinscuzzy Any reason why you would install the T-Mobile firmware rather than the U1 Unlocked version?
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Click to collapse
Theoretically I would think the unlocked version would be better because when theres an update, I'm guessing, we wouldn't have to wait for the carriers to do their stuff to it. But I'm not 100% sure if that's how it works anymore. The last truly unlocked phone I had was a Nokia 1520.3, with windows mobile, and it was great, BUT if I remember correctly I had trouble with wifi calling, visual voicemail, and tethering. I actually asked @zimgir124 the same thing in the other thread about which one is more beneficial, but haven't heard back yet.

Well, I just found another thread on how we can go back to AT&T in case we need to.

If it's running well now I would not be concerned with updates. You could well end up with a less functional device by updating.