[Q] Using a Vodafone TP2 in US, Advice please? - Touch Pro2, Tilt 2 Windows Mobile General

Hi,
I am about to visit New York and was wondering whether I can use my VF Touch Pro 2. It is unlocked for international use. However I am not totaly sure that its frequency is right for the US. Perhaps it can be used over GPRS and not 3G?
Also the prices are pretty hefty... £1.35 per minute and £3/MB for first 5MB and then £15 per 5MB.
Some good advice on the above would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sam

Vodafone TP2
In US, you will roam on the AT&T network and the 3G frequencies are 850/1900. Your phone has 900/1800/2100 3g frequencies, so no, it will not see 3G speeds. You can, however, expect to get EDGE service, but that will be prox 100KBS speeds, so double dial up speeds, but much slower than 3G. OK for email, but web is dog slow. NY has poor 3G service, in general, due to heavy users and lot's of people.
If you need data, better to find wifi hotspot and use that.
Welcome to America, and the incompatible world of roaming with 3G.
MWS

Thanks for this... Useful
Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
So my options are:
1) GPRS/EDGE with email used sparingly
2) TP2 with Wifi
Also I guess I cannot purchase a local SIM since my phone is a VF. Having said that I am not sure that VF have locked it. So perhaps purchasing a local PAYG SIM may be a cheap option????..... or go on hols properly and stay away from the mobi
Thanks,
Sam

Thanks all.
Returned from US. All worked fine, now waiting for my bill! No 3G though of course.
Sam

Related

How can I get internet speed 7.2Mb?

Is there any rom or program can make the internet speed on HTC DIMOND 7.2mb instead of 3.6mb?
Thanks very much.
you need a service provider that will provide 7.2mbps in your area (not many provide that atm in UK, but i know orange are expanding it up to 7.2 over the next year) either vodaphone uk or t-mobile uk do it, google it as it depends on your areas coverage.
JanDaMan said:
you need a service provider that will provide 7.2mbps in your area (not many provide that atm in UK, but i know orange are expanding it up to 7.2 over the next year) either vodaphone uk or t-mobile uk do it, google it as it depends on your areas coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vodafone is already 7.2mbps and three are gonna do it before christmas if they cant they are definattely gonna do it on the first quarter of 2009
Unfortunately, saying that the diamond(or any device using the 3G network) is capable of 7.2mbps is not really correct. Sure, the device itself is very much capable of receiving data at these speeds but the latency in the network itself will never provide that speed, unless perhaps you're sitting three feet from a transmitter...
Basically, even though you're paying for "7.2mbps" you'll never see those speeds in real life...
Oh, and I don't really think that this question belongs in the "Diamond ROM development" section.
7.2 long long way away dude. i have tried vodafone 7.2 from many different locations and using a 7.2 mbps modem the best i have achived is maybe 3mbps but not a solid speed, avrage speed is about 1-2mbps, so 7.2bmps true speed will be achived when, the networks advertise 48Mbps lol.
anyway you dont need that speed on the phone, 1mb is enough mos of the times,
unless you want to stream HD media..
Guys...7.2 is obviously a "dream" for me...considering I'm still with the "E" = Edge under my local ISP DIGI MALAYSIA! Argh!!
and sometimes i can't get 90% of the EDGE speed too
Can i just add to this... MOST servers do not upload more than 1mb/sec.. so how do you expect to download @7.2mb... Not possible, until servers start to upload at those speed you are not going to be able to download @7.2......do you believe mobiles would be fast than a fixed line... Yrs from that happening I'm afraid...!
fyew-jit-tiv said:
Can i just add to this... MOST servers do not upload more than 1mb/sec.. so how do you expect to download @7.2mb... Not possible, until servers start to upload at those speed you are not going to be able to download @7.2......do you believe mobiles would be fast than a fixed line... Yrs from that happening I'm afraid...!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mine is comparable with my broadband actually. obviously the rendering on my firefox is faster but the phone is not that far behind on less demanding web pages
I here provide the Tips & free software site http://www.vclcomponents.com/s/0__/need_for_speed_undercover_htc_diamond for increase the Internet speed of the HTC..Then check the speed of the Internet using the site http://www.ip-details.com/internet-speed-test/ in the Mobile Browser.
The only way you'll ever get 7.2mps is by sitting on the mast, at 3am with no one trying to use a mobile in the surrounding 25 mile radius.
Oh, and 3 are not going to have 7.2 before christmas. We've had them in at work today and they're having to talk nicely with T-Mobile so they can improve their network coverage. They have 3.6mps, quote 2.8mps as an average but they want to get away from "HSDPA" as they know it'll never work properly on their network.
... They did however quote by 2010, they should have 14.4mbps
... Now thats a pipe dream...
Alasio said:
The only way you'll ever get 7.2mps is by sitting on the mast, at 3am with no one trying to use a mobile in the surrounding 25 mile radius.
Oh, and 3 are not going to have 7.2 before christmas. We've had them in at work today and they're having to talk nicely with T-Mobile so they can improve their network coverage. They have 3.6mps, quote 2.8mps as an average but they want to get away from "HSDPA" as they know it'll never work properly on their network.
... They did however quote by 2010, they should have 14.4mbps
... Now thats a pipe dream...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi,
In Denmark, they already started with the 16 Mbit on 3 network, but as we all know, it is not practical. it is just teoritical.
lomo2002 said:
hi,
In Denmark, they already started with the 16 Mbit on 3 network, but as we all know, it is not practical. it is just teoritical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You guys on the continent get the best... Higher speed home bband connections, the UK average being <8mps, there's more money pumped into the development of the mobile networks including city-wide WiFi and we just get screwed.
3 claimed today in their presentation to have 14.4mps under testing inside certain cells in the UK, but didn't seemingly know where. That coupled with the Virgin Media testing of their 200mps connection, well... Will wait to see...
The only "decent" connection in the UK (personal experience) is T-Mobile as their parent company have pumped the most money into cell development but still its completely lacking. Look at the current Orange & T-Mobile merger that's on / off... 3 in the UK have so little 3G coverage they have had to make a deal with T-Mobile so they can use their backbone and masts for transmitting their signal, else they're never going to get anywhere with signal coverage.
But either way, the lack of cells in the UK coupled with a poor backbone simply means that speeds are too unstable in the UK to ever get the full 7.2mps stable.
Actually the all the tier one UK networks (Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile) support 7.2 in various locations around the country - the issue we will always have is contention.
The certainly won't admit it but only the first 6 or 7 connections to a mast have any chance of reaching 7.2 - after that it drops off dramatically. When you get up to 30 then your down to GPRS speeds. As someone pointed out, the only way to reach anywhere close to the potential 7.2 is to sit under a mast a 3AM and hope that no one else in the vicinity is online too.
T-Mobile, Orange and 3 will always win out when it comes to contention as they run on an 1800 MHZ network as they came late to the game in the UK. 1800 has a shorter range and therefore T-Mobile put up many more masts to compensate - 3 for every one mast that Vodafone put up on the older 900MHZ network. The Vodafone network will punch out much further from the mast which works better in more isolated areas but in urban or densely populated areas, T-Mobile's 3 masts to Vodafone or O2's 1 mast will always give a better experience.
At the end of the day its swings and roundabouts and experiences are so localised that its not worth swapping networks to improve speed unless you intend to stay always in the same location and never go out the front door.
I've been using mobile data on all four networks all over the UK over the last few years and the only thing I can guarantee is that Orange (which has stupidly been my sole personal network provider for over 15 years) will always be the worst of the lot!!!
Their data network is honestly shocking and with all the outages I've experienced this year I would say that the network is really struggling - actually I think most of them are going that way - and it will be a relief if they do actually join forces with T-Mobile.
Anyway this rant has been building up for some time - anyone else experienced the networks performance getting worse this year particularly?
I blame all the new iPhone users myself!!! LOL
Alasio said:
... 3 in the UK have so little 3G coverage they have had to make a deal with T-Mobile so they can use their backbone and masts for transmitting their signal, else they're never going to get anywhere with signal coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually it was announced recently that 3 have the most comprehensive data coverage in the UK at the moment!
Yeah sorry, you'll probably never see 7.2Mb, just like you never get full internet speed it's always 'up to xxMb'
If you live near a mast then yeah signal should be good but probably 5-6Mb at most you would get. (If)
You can follow the tips in the site tips to speed up 7.2mb interent for increasing the speed of the Internet then you can check the Speed in the site http://www.ip-details.com/internet-speed-test/Internet Speed Testyou will know the Difference.
Your tips are useful...

Should I go for Verizon touch pro 2 or something else??

Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
duke911 said:
Hi
I'm new to the US, and I'm not familiar with the wireless companies system here..
I have some question:
1. Which service provider is better? I'll be living in Berkeley, CA?? I keep hearing that At&T has bad reception.. which one should I go for??
2. The 30$ data plan: all companies say that this plan is unlimited, but I keep reading (at least for Verizon) it's 5 GB/month.. is this true?? and are there any companies that offer real unlimited data plan...
Because I was thinking of using my phone as a modem for my PC, I don't want to pay more 30-40$ for DSL if I already have a true unlimited data plan
3. Roll over minutes: does this apply only to AT&t, or all carriers?
Thanks in advance guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just left AT&T due to extremely poor customer service. AT&T is the only carrier that offers rollover minutes, but their 3G coverage is spotty, and when switching from 3G to Edge or vise versa, you will experience a lot of dropped calls. If you want to use your phone as a modem with AT&T you have to get a tethering plan which will run you $60/month. Verizon has a much larger 3G coverage area, and you don't have to worry about the network being burdened by iPhone users. Sprint has rolled out 4G coverage in some areas with plans to expand. Sprint has cheaper calling plans, but their subsidized phone prices are higher. All in all, do your research, and check online for reviews of coverage, network speed, and customer service.
1. reception obviously varies by location. VZW probably has the best claim to the best nationwide coverage--their business model has very much focused on network building, and up until very recently, their phone selection sucked because they didn't invest as much in securing great smartphones. Alternatively, ATT has focused investment heavily on having great phones, and haven't focused investment as much on building any of their networks.
That said, ATT has great phone reception in a lots of metropolitan areas. There might even be some areas where they have better coverage. And while their 3G data coverage isn't nearly as broad, where it exists, it has been tested as being the fastest (especially when you're not using an iPhone).
2. No, all wireless carriers have a cap of some kind. Further most will charge an extra $30ish a month on top of the $30ish a month for smartphone data for tethering (using your phone as a modem), and they'll still have a data cap.
3. I don't know VZW's plans.
ive been with ATT for YEARS and their costumer service can kiss my ass because i never use it. why? because they offer best reception where im at. why would i want to find out how good t-mobiles costumer service is? i just want a reliable network. all carriers have crappy prices and conditions here. just find the one that works for you and dont listen to what anyone else says. why would you care if verizon has 3g in montana and att doesnt if you live in LA?? its irrelevant. find the least crappy one for you and stick with it.
Do some research on the difference between CDMA and GSM networks. One may work better than another in certain situations.
T-Mobile has cheap rate plans and free tethering.
Sprint has a WiMax network rolling out, although all of the carriers are working on LTE or some other standard of 4G- Not really a concern at this point, since few phones support it.
Verizon has the best customer satisfaction ratings, but their phones are often locked down with software.
AT&T has a history of dropping calls, but has the fastest recorded data speeds.
No matter whom you may chose, you will end up disappointed over some facet or another. You will need to get DSL or some other form of land-based internet, unless you can keep yourself constrained to the 5GB data caps that ALL of the carriers have.
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
duke911 said:
I guess I'm gonna go with verizon then..
I asked a Veizon representative today about the Touch Pro 2, and he said it's only CDMA ... although on their websitethey say it's GSM Quad Band!!! Is there anything that I'm missing?
Will I be able to use out side the US if travel home?
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's kind of misleading. The Verizon Touch Pro2 is actually a CDMA/GSM hybrid device, which works on Verizon's CDMA network or any GSM network. In theory, you should be able to use it on any GSM network in any country as long as you have a valid SIM card.
you cant trust advertising. it makes it appear that all options are shiney. verizon claims all of its wireless technologies as 3g no matter what they are, whether they have speeds slower than atts 2g or worse. the verizon touch pro will not actually work in the us or canada on gsm. you also need to pay for vodofone service separately to get international coverage. you can flash a radio that will let you use atts network but youll loose the cdma network verizon uses. sprints 4g network is not as promising as i hoped. its slower than atts 3g network and to use it you have to buy a $10 1-day pass that will let you use 4g in about 10 or so cities. its also not on any phones. in terms of data or unlimited plans, i would probably have to recommend t-mobile. even though i think they have the ugliest version of the touch pro 2. verizon does limit there unlimited plans to 4gb a month i think. and yes att is the only one with roll over. i never use my minutes so i up to about 10000 minutes rolled over. i will never be charged overage as long as i live.
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
So I signed up with Verizon, which did not even sell phones within a hundred miles of where I would be using it. That was in March of 2007. I went to Alaska for 16 months where it roamed constantly. Not a peep from Verizon about not being on their network. When going to a remote village for more than a month where no cell phone would work, I would just call them and they would suspend my phone for the time I was there. No bill at all and no charge for turning it off. So I have to say the customer support from Verizon is the best there is and ATT is the absolute worst.
texascbx said:
I was with ATT when they were known as Cingular for three years. One day I got a call and they said I was using it off their network too much and I had to stop it or they would cancel me. Since I was not even living in their area, it was not going to happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that.
I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)?
I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Cheers
duke911 said:
thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciae that. I have one final question: Is there a way I can buy verizon touch pro 2 without a contract, and use it with verizon prepaid service (if that is possible in te first place)? I'm new here and I don't have many people to speak with, and since I'm a student, I could use any some extra money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased my VZW off contract. Unsubsidized is probably about $500.
Different carriers have different rules for their prepaid services. With GSM carriers, TMo and ATT, it's easy to pop a prepaid sim into any phone. With CDMA (Sprint and VZW), I'm not sure. Best bet is to call and ask.
well i had sprint for ever...I switched to tmobile.. to get that tp2 free through wmdeals.com even though coverage sucks at my house im happy.. I have wifi for data when im home.. when i leave my home i have edge service everwhere.. til i start getting close to mesquite ( texas ) it goes to 3g.. but edge works great with opera mini.. and for updating certain things.. but so far tmobile rocks..
The Jack of Clubs said:
they wouldnt say something like that. the entire gsm network is theirs.
btw att, verizon, and sprint all have horrible customer service. youre going to always loose with any provider.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
anyway... I like really the verizon version of the Touch Pro 2..
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
I never used CDMA before, and after reading some info, I think GSM is better for me, at least for now...
duke911 said:
I called Verizon today, and the representative said that I can't use their prepaid service on a smart phone... although I'm not really sure about, as she sounded clueless, and I had to do lots of explanation until she got the basic idea..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You never know with reps. I seem to recall that VZW's prepaid might have some unlimited data intended for dumbphones, which of course they wouldn't want you to use with a smartphone.
There are MVNOs, like Page Plus, that use VZW's network, but have prepaid plans where they probably wouldn't be concerned about smartphone usage (pay per kb instead of unlimited).
If I go for month-to-month and get it for full retail (490$).. can I cancel with Verizon after that, and unlock my phone, then use it with some other network like T-mobile or At&T????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get it unlocked here and use it on ATT or TMo (minus 3g, 2g data still works), and as to whether you can cancel after the fact without penalty, it depends on exactly what you signed up for at VZW.
texascbx said:
That's where you are wrong. They did cancel me and one of my brothers living in another town shortly after I got the call and letter. The explanation was they had contracts with other providers to cover you when your were roaming. And roaming was fine, as long as you did not do it too much. I roamed all the time, for about three years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fortunz said:
Last I checked, Tmobile's network isn't owned by ATT.
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Click to collapse
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
The Jack of Clubs said:
well then double check because att hardware can not utilize tmobile 1700 band. if you in the country you are never going to use another carriers network. and roaming only applies to out of country. even if you stand anywhere on the canadian or mexican borders, you wont be charged roaming. the system isnt that fd up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's not entirely true. AT&T devices can use T-Mobile's network, just not HSPA (3G), and vice versa. Before I got my 8925, my main phone was an old T-Mobile Blackberry 7200 which I unlocked to use on AT&T. It could make phone calls and browse at EDGE speeds just fine. The 3G bands are f*cked up internationally since they often differ by country and carrier, but the EDGE and basic GSM bands are pretty much compatible with any GSM phone (since most GSM phones are Tri-band or Quad-band capable).
In addition, it's perfectly possible to use another network in the same country. If a company like AT&T doesn't have infrastructure in a remote area and wants to add service there, they'll often strike a deal with a local carrier who does. It's usually a seamless transition for the user, and it doesn't generally cost the user a cent. Rather, AT&T is the one paying the local cellular operator for allowing the AT&T customers use the local carrier's network as opposed to the alternative of having no coverage in that area. AT&T got mad at texascbx because he was costing AT&T money by roaming on these local carriers, which AT&T had to pay.
Lastly, I know people who live near the borders and they always are careful to see which operator they are using. One of them lives near the Mexican border, and has to make sure he's on AT&T's network before he makes a call. If he doesn't check, he might be roaming on the TelMex network and will get billed outrageous fees for a simple call, even though he's in the US.
I was at the mall today, and I talked to a T-Mobile guy, and he said I can get the T-mobile version of touch pro 2 for full retail, and I can use it with their prepaid plan without any porblems.
Then I spoke with a Verizon representative, and he said that I can't do that on their network, however I can buy the device with out a contract and without any plan...
So my Final question (and I guess fortunz answered before,but I still feel like asking coz I don't want to through 500$ away)... If I get the Verizon Touch Pro 2, and get it unlocked here
http://rhodiumw.htc-unlocks.com/
or here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=578642
will I be able to use it with any carrier?? prepaid or plan??
I don't really mind about the data, as I'll be using WiFi mainly
Thanks a lot

Moving from T-Mobile US to AT&T

Recently moved to a T-Mobile dead zone forcing me to switch providers. As I would like to keep my Defy, I have decided to unlock it and move to AT&T.
Sometime today or tomorrow I will be making the transistion and would like to ask those who have gone before me for some advice...
Preferred ROM for making the switch? (For Example: I'm not sure I completely understand the Bands involved...for a UK ROM, I had to install a patch to get T-Mobile to work, but I don't know how/if it would affect AT&T)
AT&T Software? I can pretty much rip out T-Mobile the software, just not sure about how to get any AT&T specific software I might want/need.
De-branding? Retaining the T-Mobile branded market will just irritate me.
Anything else I should know or prepare for?
Thanks -
Presume you are in the US.
Where I live it's a dead zone as well (for both T-Mo & AT&T) but I use the wifi calling built into the Defy (my wife uses the similar UMA on her Blackberry). The calls are so perfect we could get rid of land lines. AT&T does NOT have wifi calling.
As far as I know there is no ROM that will allow you to run the Defy on AT&T 3G, but I could be wrong. T-Mo is 1700, AT&T 1900 -- both have 2100 for Europe etc. Again, if that's changed someone here will tell you.
I believe roaming -- including data roaming -- domestically is free. That's what I was told by a T-Mo rep, and you may want to double check. But if it is, and you cannot get your phone to work on AT&T's 3G, you may want to stay with T-Mo. Or get a different phone and move to AT&T.
AT&T uses 850 and 1900 and are moving to only 850 which this (US) phone has so it should work in most areas, but I would consider the wifi calling first too as AT&T is much more expensive than Tmo, has data caps and overages unlike Tmo.
Do what you have to do, just be aware of the pitfalls of AT&T.
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, Alltel was the major roaming provider in the area for T-Mobile, but since Alltel was bought out/merged with Verizon, there is really no roaming in this area any longer.
Wifi is what I am using now, but is extremely limiting, as I am restricted to about 15-20 yards of my living room. There is little to no public WIFI in the area (country living...) and no outside data access though pretty much defeats the purpose of having a smart phone (no Google Maps, remote email, local movie show times, business look-ups, comparison shopping, etc.).
While going with an AT&T phone is an option, I really like the water resistance of the Defy. Since I do a lot of outdoor activities (e.g. hiking) and drive a doorless/topless CJ7 most of year, water resistance is a godsend.
AT&T, while not ideal, is currently my best option.
Does anyone know for sure that an unlocked Defy will work on the 3G 850 freak for AT&T? I recall that some protocols also need to be on a phone for it to register on a specific network.
Looks like this guy got it working on androidforums. Sorry, no links for me yet.
androidforums.com/t/217819-t-mo-motorola-defy-working-t-3g-850-band-only.html

[Q] Hardware, roms, and 3G frequencies...

Hi - I'm looking for some good answers - I think I know the basics...
After much shopping, I bought 2 of these...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170623785892&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
(HTC Touch Pro 2 s - the wife likes for our phones to match so I can teach, set up, etc...)
I think they are called T7373 SEA's South East Asia Versions, and I flashed to 2.07.707/4.49.25.91 radio just fine to get current at WM6.5. (I like factory ROM's - the books work, etc - despite my appreciation for the effort to cook.)
Now - I'm currently ATT, and when they go to Data Plan me, I'm going to T-Mobile prepaid.
So - I get to looking at 3g frequencies - of course!
The book for the device says 900/2100 HSPA/WCDMA.
The sellers' ad says
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 or HSDPA 1700 / 2100
(It's not really clear what the 'or' means)
Now, I'm not *****ing at the seller, I want to really understand, and they knew I was US and they asked ATT or Tmobile.
Would they like have reached into one of three bins, to sell me one of three truly different hardware phones - OR - picked a phone up and flashed it (Radio or full ROM) to my provider, or did they just configure the existing system so it picked Tmobile and its freqs for instance? (When the phone boots, it asks T-Mobile or 2 other Asian-sounding systems) How else could the phones do as advertised? (9/21, 8.5/19, or 17/21)
If the frequencies are not a settings, but a ROM/Radio issue, can I load the 'other US guys' flash and have it work?
If not, does anyone know what really is changed in the hardwares (I imagine the antennas' length might vary by X%, but then here that's % of mms.)
Thanks - great answers and experience really appreciated!!
The device in the picture of the ad is a European unbranded model (RHOD100). It's 3G frequencies are on the 2100MHz band. If they sent you the one pictures, you will not get 3G with any US provider. AT&T uses 850MHz and 1900MHz for their 3G service, while T-Mobile uses 1700/2100MHz. 3G radios are hardware dependent, not software dependent. This means that you must purchase the device that contains the radio for the 3G service you wish to use. They will work on 2G networks anywhere in the world. 3G is really the only difference between carriers.
The AT&T device is the RHOD300 model, also known as the Tilt 2. The T-Mobile version is the RHOD210.
The short answer is that if they send you the exact device in the picture from the ad, you will only be able to get 3G in some parts of Asia and Europe.
The description on the eBay listing is just cut and paste from somewhere (like HTC's website), so that is why it says "or" for the 3G bands. One is for the Euro model, the other is for the Asia model. Either way, neither have the correct bands to give you 3G on AT&T or T-Mobile. And as cajun mentioned, bands are hardware dependent, and there is no way to change it.
If you want 3G on AT&T, you need to buy the AT&T branded Tilt2. But since they will be able to read the IMEI number of the phone (since its ATT branded), they will probably add a smartphone data plan very quickly. So its probably not even worth getting a Tilt2, if you don't want a smartphone data plan. If you want 3G on T-Mobile, you need to buy a T-Mobile branded TP2.
Bottom line, if the phones you bought are unbranded, then they don't have the correct hardware to get 3G on either AT&T or T-Mob.
THX
Hey guys(?) thanks, I think I understand.
So - basically the ad HAS to be a lie, at least for 3G.
So I'm still wondering... What does HTC actually change in the phones - a crystal (I doubt this in modern times), a chip, a pack, an antenna length? There is a small area in the phone that looks 'potted' we used to call it.
They are way too pretty, and way too functional 'as is' to mess with (so I'm not gonna go module or whatever shopping), and we are pretty much 'emergency only' web people (for maps, pizza places, etc) and 2G will be fast enough. The value of a keyboard for texting, the Windows interoperability, and no damn contract is good enough.
We are deciding which ROM level we want before we try ATT to see if they know the numbers... T-Mobile prepaid is the backup plan.
THX
tshephard said:
Hey guys(?) thanks, I think I understand.
So - basically the ad HAS to be a lie, at least for 3G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lie in that it looks like a lazy cut and paste, with either no proof-reading to catch the error, or a seller that does not fully understand what he is selling. They are a high volume seller, and also just used stock photos (not photos of the actual item), so its just a rushed auction posting. I don't think it was an intentional lie meant to mislead you. But if you want to dispute the sale, I think you have very good grounds, since the information in the auction is incorrect, and its actually impossible to tell what exact model (Euro or Asian) they are selling from the description.
AT&T most likely won't be able to correlate the IMEI with the right phone brand/model. But I've seen cases where they think its a smartphone, but the wrong one, and try to add a smartphone plan. I read a post where a guy was using a Nexus One, and their system was reading it as a Blackberry. I think he just told them it was an unlocked dumbphone, and they removed the smartphone plan.
Please Correct me if I'm wrong...
presently I'm using Sprint Touch Pro 2, and I have read on the internet that it is possible to work with AT&T or T-Mobile (which uses different technology other than Sprint's CDMA) after proper unlocking. Is it possible?
Regards.
chris8989 said:
presently I'm using Sprint Touch Pro 2, and I have read on the internet that it is possible to work with AT&T or T-Mobile (which uses different technology other than Sprint's CDMA) after proper unlocking. Is it possible?
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but you will not be able to use any other network's 3G service. The best you will get is EDGE on another network.
To follow up...
ATT stuck me on $25 Smartphone within 24 hours. (We went to $15 later, and they dropped us to a $10 cheaper talk plan.) For this particular set of phones, apparently the first 8 or so digits of the IMEI is phone type (which they clearly knew from Tilt 2's) and the rest is item serial number. Couldn't argue there...
Speeds, freqs... I don't get a clear definition of G's anywhere, but I show a H before I long on, and another H with bars as I use data. I have used cellular data at up to 1.1mbs per speed sites - I don't know if that's over E, or G, or H but it seems pretty fast to me. All that's on ATT, when I went to the T-Mobile store and tried their card, the best I got was 200kbs on about 5 tries.
Love the phones, added HTC task manager pulldown, and 1.6 VC from here - THX
tshephard said:
To follow up...
ATT stuck me on $25 Smartphone within 24 hours. (We went to $15 later, and they dropped us to a $10 cheaper talk plan.) For this particular set of phones, apparently the first 8 or so digits of the IMEI is phone type (which they clearly knew from Tilt 2's) and the rest is item serial number. Couldn't argue there...
Speeds, freqs... I don't get a clear definition of G's anywhere, but I show a H before I long on, and another H with bars as I use data. I have used cellular data at up to 1.1mbs per speed sites - I don't know if that's over E, or G, or H but it seems pretty fast to me. All that's on ATT, when I went to the T-Mobile store and tried their card, the best I got was 200kbs on about 5 tries.
Love the phones, added HTC task manager pulldown, and 1.6 VC from here - THX
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
G stands for GPRS, and it is a 2G service. It stands for General Packet Radio Service. It is the slowest data service you can get with speeds normally under 50Kbps. It is occasionally known as 2.5G service.
E stands for EDGE. It stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution. It was a revision to the 2G service implementation and features speeds from about 100Kbps to 250Kbps depending on location, service provider, and signal. It is occasionally referred to as a pre-3G technology. It fits in the ITU's definition of 3G, but few people refer to it as such. It is normally marketed as 2.9G.
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) was a revision to the voice service, and did not address much data-wise. This was the first widespread usage of the term and use of 3G. It is normally the service that your device is using when it shows the 3G icon. 3G speeds are normally 350Kbps - 500Kbps.
H stands for HSPA. It stands for High Speed Packet Access. It is one step higher than what is commonly known as 3G.It is also known as 3.5G. It features speeds closer to 1.5Mbps. HSPA is normally grouped in with 3G service when it is being discussed.
As for your test with T-Mobile, that wasn't really a fair comparison since you can't get 3G speeds on a Tilt2 on T-Mobile's network. You can only ever get EDGE service. Therefore, you were comparing AT&T's 3G service to T-Mobile's EDGE service. This is like trying to race a Mustang with a Moped. If you get the Rhod210 model, you will get the faster connection with T-Mobile. There isn't much to compare between AT&T and T-Mobile. AT&T 3G speeds are slower than T-Mobile. The services are also much cheaper on T-Mobile.
THX for reply, I generally understood all the abbreviations, but like you said - the marketing hype really seems to very from the technology.
If I saw, regularly, over 1 mbs and the H bars to the right of the H block, do ya' think I was H/HSPA over 8.5/9/19/21 freqs?
tshephard said:
THX for reply, I generally understood all the abbreviations, but like you said - the marketing hype really seems to very from the technology.
If I saw, regularly, over 1 mbs and the H bars to the right of the H block, do ya' think I was H/HSPA over 8.5/9/19/21 freqs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On AT&T it would be HSPA on the 850MHz and/or 1900MHz frequencies. T-Mobile uses 1700MHz for HSDPA and 2100MHz for HSUPA. The frequencies for 2G services are all the same for everyone. This is why you will get up to EDGE service with any GSM carrier, but never 3G service unless you buy a device that explicitly supports that carrier's 3G service.

[Q] Use Note 3 as modem in Germany?

Hi,
I'll be taking my TMo Note 3 to Germany, and will use a local Sim there (Fonic).
It comes with 5Gb of data, and I'd like to use my phone as a modem for my laptop.
Do I need an app for that, or will the Tmobile tethering option work?
I'm on lycamobile here, and when connected via wifi, I can use Tmo usb tethering to share with my laptop.
Not sure if it will work with a 3G data connection.
If you are on a custom rom the tethering provision should allow it to work perfectly (if included). If your stock it'll check the carrier provisioning and eww to fonic...thats O2 (which is EDGE in 90% of the country, 3G is just in major areas....and midsized towns basically) unless you are going to south germany or going to like munich.
Tmobiles 3G coverage is much much more extensive there, 4G too! a lot of it.
nxneko said:
If you are on a custom rom the tethering provision should allow it to work perfectly (if included). If your stock it'll check the carrier provisioning and eww to fonic...thats O2 (which is EDGE in 90% of the country, 3G is just in major areas....and midsized towns basically) unless you are going to south germany or going to like munich.
Tmobiles 3G coverage is much much more extensive there, 4G too! a lot of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, if I'm rooted stock, are there apps that will work?
So far, I've had no problems over there, using Fonic or O2 in the Duesseldorg/Koeln area, but I'd be happy to try something else.
I'll check into tmobile over there.
siskiou said:
So, if I'm rooted stock, are there apps that will work?
So far, I've had no problems over there, using Fonic or O2 in the Duesseldorg/Koeln area, but I'd be happy to try something else.
I'll check into tmobile over there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it does not work you can just try FoxFi. Anyways, if it works in that area it works. When I go I get dragged around so I need "Anywhere" type of reliability, I go in Aug but also to london so I think this time im just using the stock 128kbps free international. its faster then ISDN .shrug.
But O2 - Roaming from Verizon - was severely spotting for me when I was in pfalzgrafenweiler area....that edge....so much edge....so much loading. from the maps O2 is strong in cities and large towns but if your staying in a small village its a toss up
nxneko said:
If it does not work you can just try FoxFi. Anyways, if it works in that area it works. When I go I get dragged around so I need "Anywhere" type of reliability, I go in Aug but also to london so I think this time im just using the stock 128kbps free international. its faster then ISDN .shrug.
But O2 - Roaming from Verizon - was severely spotting for me when I was in pfalzgrafenweiler area....that edge....so much edge....so much loading. from the maps O2 is strong in cities and large towns but if your staying in a small village its a toss up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I'm just used to slow speeds!
My parents live in a smaller town, but o2 seems okay there. I don't do anything like streaming videos, while over there, and for email, websurfing and skype, it seems to work okay.
I'll install a couple of tethering apps, and hope, something works. *g*
Giffgaff worked well for me in London the past 2 years, but I'm always on the lookout for cheap!
If I had Tmobile here, I might go for the simple plan, but they told me that they might cut me off, if I only use it here for a few days, before going to Germany for 2 months.

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