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[Q] Droid 2 Global 3G Bands outside the US

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

[Q] Factory unlocks, ebay and international carriers.

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!

[Q] Us Cellular phone cdma with sim slot (gsm option)

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.

International

Why hasn't the international xl been released? The AT&T variant passed FCC like a month ago and is supposedly being released May 7th. The international phones are supposed to come out long before major carriers in the US -- taking forever!

maybe a shortage of kraits? there was that...
maybe because there is already an int one x...

I've heard that the international One XL does not work well with AT&T because it is not "optimized". Does anyone know:
1) what "optimized for AT&T means
2) is this something that could be fixed through a custom ROM or by flashing the AT&T radio?

paulsalem said:
I've heard that the international One XL does not work well with AT&T because it is not "optimized". Does anyone know:
1) what "optimized for AT&T means
2) is this something that could be fixed through a custom ROM or by flashing the AT&T radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Optimized meaning the band frequencies are not compatible for at&t's frequencies. Which doesn't really make sense considering the international version would be a gsm phone as well and would most likely be using the same 3 bands as at&t does. It can't be fixed by flashing a radio because it's hardwired into the phone. I was going to buy the unlocked international xl to use on Simple Mobile's network here in the US. Now I'm finding nothing on the international xl other than just it saying at&t's xl is being released in late april-early may.

UnlockedNand said:
Optimized meaning the band frequencies are not compatible for at&t's frequencies. Which doesn't really make sense considering the international version would be a gsm phone as well and would most likely be using the same 3 bands as at&t does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That doesn't seem correct. Notice below the 3G works, but it's spotty.
HTC sent us the international version of the One X. Though it functions on AT&T's 3G network, it has not been optimized for AT&T's network (or any U.S. network at the moment). In my time with the device, I saw erratic network performance. It found AT&T's network everywhere I took it, but dropped the connection often. Browsing performance was inconsistent, as was the ability to place phone calls. This is likely a direct result of international version's lack of optimization for AT&T. Phone Scoop will also review the AT&T version of this device, so don't place much importance on our assessment of this internationally-banded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=10166&p=4925

paulsalem said:
That doesn't seem correct. Notice below the 3G works, but it's spotty.
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=10166&p=4925
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for posting. That's good to know, as I was (slightly) considering the international version, and using it on AT&T. Primarily due to the increased storage, and also on the notion that LTE sucks for battery life (but still waffling on this point, and will likely go for an LTE device);.
Article sounds like it was written by somebody that actually does not know much about cell phones; as the terminology "not optimized" is conveniently vague.
I'm certainly no expert either. But if its got the right band compatibility, I don't see what could be the problem. The AT&T version will likely have an AT&T specific radio, but I don't see this making all that much a difference. I've tried various radios on my Desire Z (usually based on recommendation for a particular custom ROM) none of which are not AT&T specific, and they all worked well.
My Desire Z is the Canada Bell version, and it works perfectly on AT&T's network. But the Canada Bell and AT&T networks seem similar in various ways, maybe there are some hardware level optimizations (beyond the basic fact of band compatibility)?

[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