I'm traveling to upstate NY next week, and I have my GT-I9000M (Bell Canada Vibrant) unlocked. Will T-Mobile's $1.49 mobile web day pass work with my phone?
I asked this question about 2 weeks ago, and the answer I got was:
Your phone should operate on T-Mobile's Voice Network,
If you want Data, you need AT&T,
Apparently our Bell(Mine SaskTel) I9000M's do not have the right radio to connect to the frequencies T-Mobile uses for their 3g network.
I picked up an At&t sim off ebay for $1 from a guy in Quebec, No problems activating it, no need for an american address. I was told to complete the activation the phone would have to be in At&t coverage however(for sim to receive activation info from servers) On pay as you go (go-phone) Att'2 deal isn't bad. You can get unlimited talk and text for $2 a day. But T-mobile's Data is a better deal, as Att is $0.01/Kb or $20/100Mb
Hope that helps
My understanding of everything is the following:
The GSM/EDGE radio in our I9000Ms is quad band 850/900/1800/1900MHz
The WCDMA (3G/HSPA/UMTS) radio is tri-band (850/1900/2100MHz)
Bell/TELUS/SaskTel et al in Canada use 3G/HSPA on 850/1900. No GSM/EDGE service.
Wind/Mobilicity/Public Mobile in Canada use 3G/HSPA on 1700/2100.
AT&T in US use 3G/HSPA/GSM/EDGE on 850/1900.
T-Mobile in US use 3G/HSPA on 1700/2100, GSM/EDGE on 1900.
Based on that: I think that our I9000Ms with a data-enabled SIM from TMo should connect, but only using EDGE. A data-enabled SIM from AT&T would connect using 3G/HSPA
Sounds right to me. If that is the case then I will most certaintly be picking up a T-mo sim, as they have a way better plan system for pay as you go!
Also interesting:
*#BAND# (*#2263#) typed into the dialer lets you select what frequency bands you want your phone to run in. The options appear to allow a WCDMA 900 band (FDD Band VIII), however, this one is switched off by default, while all others (GSM850/GSM900/DCS1800/PCS1900/WCDMA2100/WCDMA1900/WCDMA850) are switched on.
To see what band you're currently connected on, you can enter this into the dialer:
*#197328640#, then click on DEBUG SCREEN, then BASIC INFORMATION, and line 3 will list what band you're on.
I haven't seen my phone on anything but WCDMA 850 Band 5, or WCDMA 1900 Band 2, when connected to Bell Mobility Canada, in the south-central Ontario/GTA area.
racer26 said:
Based on that: I think that our I9000Ms with a data-enabled SIM from TMo should connect, but only using EDGE. A data-enabled SIM from AT&T would connect using 3G/HSPA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not correct
T-mobile like Wind
they use AWS network for 3G data
AWS = 1700+2100 together
if you only have 1700 or only have 2100 it will not work at all
Isnt that what I just said?
T-Mobile operates a GSM/EDGE network in the 1900MHz band, as well as an AWS 3G/HSPA network in the 1700/2100MHz bands.
Wind (AFAIK), operates a AWS-only network in the 1700/2100MHz bands.
Bell/Telus operates a 3G/HSPA WCDMA network in the 850/1900MHz bands
AT&T operates a 3G/HSPA WCDMA network in the 850/1900MHz bands, as well as a GSM/EDGE network in the 850/1900MHz bands.
My Bell I9000m, which has GSM850/GSM900/DCS1800/PCS1900/WCDMA850/WCDMA1900/WCDMA2100 should connect on 3G to Bell, Telus, and AT&T. Should connect on GSM/EDGE to T-Mobile, and not at all to Wind. If I'm correct in my understanding.
I know it connects to Bell and Telus, as well as Fido in Canada. I've tried it.
racer26 said:
Wind (AFAIK), operates a AWS-only network in the 1700/2100MHz bands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's the Wind Home default
but you also have the Wind Away which runs on GSM/EDGE on 850 or 1900, but in reality it's roaming off Rogers network.
UPDATE: I have returned from Upstate NY where I purchased a T-Mobile PayAsYouGo SIM, and used the $1.49 Web DayPass on my GT-I9000M. It DOES work, however, T-Mo's EDGE network is (as-expected) slow. It also has a hard time operating well in a heavy rainstorm.
As I expected, I was only able to get an EDGE connection. No 3G.
Also convenient for I9000M owners to note: A SIM card will happily fit for storage behind the battery without impeding closure of the backplate. With my Bell SIM back in the phone now, the T-Mo SIM is stored behind the battery so I don't lose it.
EDIT: Also, when I re-entered Canada, and put my Bell SIM back in, it would only connect with "Emergency Calls Only" status, until I manually went into the Mobile Networks settings, and selected the first of the three "BELL" networks that show up. Interestingly, on Canadian soil with the T-Mo SIM, this menu sees "Bell" "Telus" and "CAN Rogers Wireless Inc" as networks to connect to, and when you try to select either of the second 2 "Bell" networks with the Bell SIM, it says the SIM wasnt recognized. Is the Bell SIM doing some weird re-naming of the Telus and Rogers nets?
Excellent! Thanks for confirming my suspicions. Although I already have an At&t sim, i will be picking up a T-mo sim as their data pass is a way better deal imo
Hello,
I have the Droid 3 with Verizon, unlocked, with verizon vodafone sim activated. I am currently in Canada, and am wondering why it will not connect to GSM/HSDPA towers.
If I go into the wireless and networks -> mobile networks -> Operator selection the phone will show me Rogers 2G, Rogers 3G, Bell, and Telus networks.
I also get this error for all three in the drop down menu, the name just changes:
No service
Selected network (CAN Rogers wireless inc. 3g) unavailable.
I have all the APN's entered for all three of those carriers, and can select them with an application named APN Manager, however none of those APN's show up in my wireless and networks -> mobile networks -> access point names. Both the vodafone APN's are unselected though.
I am looking to get on this GSM/HSDPA network, as when I am out in the country there is only 1x dial up internet on CDMA, and HSDPA available in the country.
If anyone can help me out, let me know!
Thanks much, in advance!
I have posted this exact same question at Howardforums. Here is the link to that thread:
/showthread.php/1736801-Q-Droid-3-GSM-Roaming
You will have to first go to howardforums website, then add the above part
Forgot to mention: I tried a Rogers and a Telus sim card and they both got calling service.
Not sure if Verizon has roaming agreement with any of the Canadian GSM networks. You can roam using CDMA here without any problem. I believe Telus is backing up Verizon here when it comes to CDMA.
If you want to use GSM you can put a SIM from any of the operators here (except AWS ones) and you will be fine since you have unlocked phone. Cheaper to use too, of course if using local SIM is an option for you. If you will be using local SIM you will need to define APNs or you won't get data connection. Head over Google for the settings for each of the operators here (Canada)
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
leobg said:
Not sure if Verizon has roaming agreement with any of the Canadian GSM networks. You can roam using CDMA here without any problem. I believe Telus is backing up Verizon here when it comes to CDMA.
If you want to use GSM you can put a SIM from any of the operators here (except AWS ones) and you will be fine since you have unlocked phone. Cheaper to use too, of course if using local SIM is an option for you. If you will be using local SIM you will need to define APNs or you won't get data connection. Head over Google for the settings for each of the operators here (Canada)
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Leobg. I believe you are right that there is no roaming agreement for GSM, which makes sense. Verizon lady told me otherwise
This phone is going back though, as I was looking for some HSPA while in the country.
I was using Droid3 and Droid4 with Mexican SIMS, IUSACEL and TELCEL without problem. Now Im at Canada and Rogers SIM doesnt work on both phnes. I guess they are locked, can you describe me how to unlock where i do purchase unlocking codes?
reply
If you are on a contract with Verizon, you can ask them for unlock code,
Insert a sim card which it ain't accepting, enter the unlock code and its done.
Don't forget --- Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Network Mode -> GSM/UMTS
But I believe once unlocked, Verizon doesn't work on it.
It sounds like the SIM. Or try switching to CDMA. I think the Canadian carriers still have CDMA on their towers (used to a few years ago) and maybe that's the roaming the lady means.
I got a unlocked AT&T G928A, its currently on Tmobile but the 4G LTE keeps going in and out on it, it skips to Edge and then back to 4G LTE. I checked the phone does have LTE B12 and B4 which is what Denver uses for LTE band. Anyone know how to troubleshoot this? I have tried to do a master reset and verified the APN settings to be correct.
i've noticed that despite this phone having all the needed LTE bands, it just won't put my FreeUp mobile sim into LTE it will only default to 2G which has been decommissioned. Are there any tricks to get it to go into LTE so I could have some basic calling abilities?