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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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
He guys
Here is the question straight forward, I bought a used US Cellular HTC Touch Pro 2 from someone who uses the phone on a CDMA network while i will have to use it on a GSM network the seller said that there is a SIM slot underneath the battery which he never used, Will this phone work on my GSM network outside U.S. and will that phone be unlockable?
thanks in advace
HTC website
HTC website doesn't say anything about GSM support for this phone "US Celleular Touch Pro 2"
any ideas guys???
The touch pro 2 is a world phone and yes it has a sim slot (at least the sprint/verizon models do). I unlocked my phone in the U.S. and used it on AT&T with my buddies sim card, the only problem was that the radio is does not have the 3G frequencies for the U.S. you might have to research if this holds true out side the U.S. since every other country uses a different frequency set for 3G access.
Also plz tone down the font size
ya the seller satated that the phone has a SIM slot then i should assume that it can be used hopefully, and the 3G is frequinces is supported by this phone over here in Egypt and i should be fine.
sorry about the font
whhw31 said:
ya the seller satated that the phone has a SIM slot then i should assume that it can be used hopefully, and the 3G is frequinces is supported by this phone over here in Egypt and i should be fine.
sorry about the font
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it should work as its sim unlocked for world use. but i cant state about 3g?
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
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
My ultimate plan is to get a phone that I can use with both Ringplus and T-Mobile. I know about the Nexus phones and the new Moto X Pure, but I'm on a budget and the new Moto G is just what I want in features for the price.
So my first question is if I can get the XT1548 to work on Ringplus. But that question becomes mute if I can't even get it to work on Tmobile. On the plus side, if I can get it to work on Tmobile, the XT1548 supports LTE band 12. :good:
does anyone know if the XT1548 can be sim unlocked?
delawaresace said:
My ultimate plan is to get a phone that I can use with both Ringplus and T-Mobile. I know about the Nexus phones and the new Moto X Pure, but I'm on a budget and the new Moto G is just what I want in features for the price.
So my first question is if I can get the XT1548 to work on Ringplus. But that question becomes mute if I can't even get it to work on Tmobile. On the plus side, if I can get it to work on Tmobile, the XT1548 supports LTE band 12. :good:
does anyone know if the XT1548 can be sim unlocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need GSM.
I use an XT1540 on wind and that uses the same bands as T-Mobile I believe. ( I live in Canada. ) I've had previous phones on Wind Mobile that had T-Mobile tags so I believe they also use the UMTS (maybe 1700 band?) signal as well.
"Differences between unlocked GSM andCDMA*phones. This topic is important when it comes to*unlocking*a GSM or*CDMA*phone because they don't both work in the same way. It is because of the differences between them in regards to the hardware they use to connect to a network (SIM card versus no SIM card)." - http://support.mobileunlocked.com/h...ferences-between-unlocked-GSM-and-CDMA-phones - pulled from google for a bit of piece of mind.
Ringplus may have no sim (in order to keep you locked into their network.)
T-Mobile does include sim cards because I've pulled one out of said wind mobile phones lol
Thanks for your reply. maybe a little more context can help.
So, this is the thread that inspired my question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/guide-success-sim-unlock-sprint-xt1056-t2825155
RingPlus is a MVNO for Sprint. You can use a number of Sprint, Virgin, Boost phones on RingPlus. People have also gotten the new Moto X and the Nexus phones that work with all carriers working on RingPlus and T-Mobile at the same time by just switching sim cards. I want to do the same with the Moto G.
Because RingPlus is a MVNO of Sprint, it uses CDMA. This is why I would need to use the XT1548 instead of the XT1540. I hope that clears things up.
Ahhh okay! Yeah it does my bad heh I did kinda rush that answer. I would imagine as long as that variant supports both radio bands I would imagine it would work. I have a single sim but I have heard there is dual sim as well, that would probably be your best bet. Just check what frequency the carriers both run on and give your device model a scan on gsm arena or any spec observant website to see if it supports both.
Example : UMTS 1700 is the band I need in order to use wind mobile on phones.
First, if you are able to purchase an XT1548 you better be sure that it isn't subsidized and the service you purchase it from is willing to allow you to take that device to another MVNO. It's a matter of reaching a staff person who is able and willing. Ting may be the only one that will be helpful with this.
Second, good luck getting Sprint or someone to domestically unlock GSM for this phone. As of today, I doubt it will be easy. It may require you to activate the phone on Sprint service and then find the support chain that will domestically unlock GSM. They are not obligated to do this.
The jumping of hoops might look something like this:
1. Purchase unsubsidized XT1548 from Ting when it's available (PM me for $25 Ting referral credit).
2. Activate on Ting ($6).
3. Ask Ting to "release" the phone to be activated on Sprint.
4. Activate on Sprint.
5. Request DSU from Sprint.
6. Ask Sprint to "release" the phone to be activated on RingPlus.
7. Activate on RingPlus.
8. Activate T-Mobile SIM and install the SIM to see if the phone works on GSM (not 4G LTE capable).
EDIT: If you want to port your number, I wouldn't bother til your final activation.
Good luck!
The US Cellular version of the Moto E is apparently SIM unlocked. By US Cellular's device policy, none of their Motorola branded phones are SIM locked. Perhaps the US Cellular Moto G would be more likely to work on domestic GSM as well as Sprint MNVOs. Certainly that's true of the Moto E.
unlocking GSM on moto xt1548
I have a moto g xt1548 that I asked a friend to get me since I lost my prior phone. However i live in ethiopia for work and this phone doesn't seem to be connecting to the gsm networks here. I'm aware the phone was originally bought for use on virgin mobile's network, but I expected the gsm would work nonetheless here (I reckon the phone uses both CDMA and GSM bandwidths). Some help would be nice here. How can I get the phone to recognise the networks here. I have tried everything from GSM to WCDMA but yet to try LTE (which is also available in ethiopia). I need to get the LTE sim card first. Is there a way to do this? Otherwise would rooting and flashing a custom ROM help? Or is it possible to find a work around to unlock GSM connectivity otlf that is what is locked.?
x1548 is CDMA only as far as I'm aware.
Hedied4me said:
x1548 is CDMA only as far as I'm aware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the XT1548 supports:
XT1548 US (Sprint, US Cellular, Virgin Mobile)
CDMA: 800, 850, 1900
GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
UMTS/HSPA: 850, 1700, 1900
LTE: B2 (1900), B4 (1700), B5 (850), B12 (700), B17 (700), B25 (1900), B26 (850), LTE-TDD: B41 (2500)
Single SIM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moto_G_(3rd_generation)
This device should work in Ethiopia, at least as a basic GSM device, data above basic Edge service may not work.
According to GSM Arena, in that country 900Mhz is used for GSM, and 2100 Mhz for 3G, and 4G/LTE is not available. So the phone should work, but data service will not.
Virgin Mobile XT1548 Unlock
I have the Virgin Mobile XT1548 (on sale at Best Buy for $50 right now) and I'm trying to unlock it to work on T-Mobile. Has anyone managed to do this?
When I put a T-Mobile SIM card into the XT1548 no unlock window comes up, so I'm not holding my breath but it would be fantastic if anyone has found a way to unlock the Virgin Mobile version of the XT1548.
topmouse said:
I have the Virgin Mobile XT1548 (on sale at Best Buy for $50 right now) and I'm trying to unlock it to work on T-Mobile. Has anyone managed to do this?
When I put a T-Mobile SIM card into the XT1548 no unlock window comes up, so I'm not holding my breath but it would be fantastic if anyone has found a way to unlock the Virgin Mobile version of the XT1548.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No unlock password prompt opens and no "Invalid SIM" icon appears in the notification bar? What does it show for SIM status in Settings - About Phone?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
acejavelin said:
No unlock password prompt opens and no "Invalid SIM" icon appears in the notification bar? What does it show for SIM status in Settings - About Phone?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The odds that I'd run into a thread that's tailored to my question.
I placed my T-Mobile SIM into an XT1548 I just bought and... nothing. At all. It's like the SIM doesn't exist.
AwesomeTurtle said:
The odds that I'd run into a thread that's tailored to my question.
I placed my T-Mobile SIM into an XT1548 I just bought and... nothing. At all. It's like the SIM doesn't exist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odd... And you did a reboot after inserting the SIM?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
acejavelin said:
Odd... And you did a reboot after inserting the SIM?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Then I place the Virgin SIM back into it and it recognizes just fine. The T-Mobile SIM is brand new and activated. Purchased it with the phone.
acejavelin said:
No unlock password prompt opens and no "Invalid SIM" icon appears in the notification bar? What does it show for SIM status in Settings - About Phone?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After a reboot, it does say "SIM card error" as a notification. If you click on that it takes you to a screen where it asks you to make sure the SIM card is inserted correctly and contact the service provider. Again nowhere to enter an unlock code.
SIM status in settings says: "Not available" for every field. I've tried all four different ways to insert the SIM card (in case I had it in wrong somehow) and still no luck.
topmouse said:
After a reboot, it does say "SIM card error" as a notification. If you click on that it takes you to a screen where it asks you to make sure the SIM card is inserted correctly and contact the service provider. Again nowhere to enter an unlock code.
SIM status in settings says: "Not available" for every field. I've tried all four different ways to insert the SIM card (in case I had it in wrong somehow) and still no luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... I got nothing on this one I'm afraid. I've done this lots of times with other locked devices, always opens a SIM Lock password prompt, haven't tried a Moto since a Cricket version of the original G. Sorry.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
acejavelin said:
Hmm... I got nothing on this one I'm afraid. I've done this lots of times with other locked devices, always opens a SIM Lock password prompt, haven't tried a Moto since a Cricket version of the original G. Sorry.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's okay, I'm just hoping someone out there has an unlock and is willing to share it or offer it for sale. For $50 this phone is a STEAL if you could SIM unlock it. I'm partial to its IPX7 waterproof capability as well.
topmouse said:
That's okay, I'm just hoping someone out there has an unlock and is willing to share it or offer it for sale. For $50 this phone is a STEAL if you could SIM unlock it. I'm partial to its IPX7 waterproof capability as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm actually on the same boat. If I figure something out, I will be sure to let you know.
Gonna try to flash CyanogenMod and maybe even some from http://forum.xda-developers.com/2015-moto-g/general/index-moto-g-factory-firmware-images-t3169639 if I'm feeling adventurous... Will report back.
I already unlocked the bootloader and I have CM13 already installed. I put an AT&T sim card when starting but I wasn't prompted for an unlock code. I did request an unlock code from www.doctorsim.com if that would even make a difference. I'm still waiting for it to be processed.