Verizon version - GSM Unlocked? - Moto G4 Play Questions & Answers

Has anyone tried to use the Verizon variant on a GSM network yet? We've gotten lucky in the past with other Verizon prepaid LTE phones working.

I don't think the XT1609 is GSM capable. It has no 3G UMTS bands enabled, though it does have the full range of GSM 2G/EDGE bands enabled.
So, pretty much unless you're in a VoLTE area, you might be out of luck for voice calls if it is unlocked. I'm not even sure if this phone does VoLTE anyway though.
Sent from my Moto G Play using XDA Labs

somebody has a moto g4 play to try the same method of moto e 2º generation ?? following the steps with Network app to get gsm capable in the phone.

moto g4 play verizon
i bought one moto g4 play verizon and their coming locked i need a imei code for unlock help me

kamelsouki said:
i bought one moto g4 play verizon and their coming locked i need a imei code for unlock help me
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did you try the "network" app and follow the same method than moto e 2° verizon?

best buy have them $64.99 at the moment hurry hurry someone please completely confirm if unlockable to work on gsm lol
http://www.android.gs/sim-unlock-verizon-moto-e-2015/
this is what you mean a possible unlock method?

mrw187 said:
best buy have them $64.99 at the moment hurry hurry someone please completely confirm if unlockable to work on gsm lol
http://www.android.gs/sim-unlock-verizon-moto-e-2015/
this is what you mean a possible unlock method?
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It would probably be a waste of time and $. Someone already bought one in the other Verizon moto g4 play thread and returned it because it looked like a no go. And without unlocking the bootloader, how would you flash a custom or alternate ROM to use the bands needed for GSM (as mentioned above). That's if it's a firmware thing and not a hardware limitation. If we want an unlocked Moto G4 play, the only option looks like we're shelling out $100 to Amazon for the one with ads or $150 without ads.

ryanl2299 said:
It would probably be a waste of time and $. Someone already bought one in the other Verizon moto g4 play thread and returned it because it looked like a no go. And without unlocking the bootloader, how would you flash a custom or alternate ROM to use the bands needed for GSM (as mentioned above). That's if it's a firmware thing and not a hardware limitation. If we want an unlocked Moto G4 play, the only option looks like we're shelling out $100 to Amazon for the one with ads or $150 without ads.
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please show me in the above link where there is any mention of a needed bootloader unlock or custom rom? stop spreading your negative bs without any factual backup other than your negative assumptions

mrw187 said:
best buy have them $64.99 at the moment hurry hurry someone please completely confirm if unlockable to work on gsm lol
http://www.android.gs/sim-unlock-verizon-moto-e-2015/
this is what you mean a possible unlock method?
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yes, i have 2 moto e 2º from verizon 4G LTE and it work completely in Movistar Mexico, but a relative bring a samsung j1 , from verizon too and it can´t be unlocked, the menu "network" is disable and if yiu try to run network app, it close..... so, i don´t know if all verizon 4G LTE can be unlocked to get gsm signal like the moto e 2 , samsung s4,etc.....

mrw187 said:
please show me in the above link where there is any mention of a needed bootloader unlock or custom rom? stop spreading your negative bs without any factual backup other than your negative assumptions
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What link do you need, the link to the product page? Did you even research this phone one little bit before posting or was it a case of post now, think later? What network are you even looking to use this phone on? I'll tell you right now that several of the bands used for other networks are completely missing for this phone (can see this clear as day on any product or spec listing for this phone). Then there's the matter of this phone being carrier locked (it's not as simple as popping in a different sim anymore - Verizon changed their policy this year). People need to stop comparing this to the Moto e from last year because this clearly isn't. What else do you need to know?

ryanl2299 said:
It would probably be a waste of time and $. Someone already bought one in the other Verizon moto g4 play thread and returned it because it looked like a no go. And without unlocking the bootloader, how would you flash a custom or alternate ROM to use the bands needed for GSM (as mentioned above). That's if it's a firmware thing and not a hardware limitation. If we want an unlocked Moto G4 play, the only option looks like we're shelling out $100 to Amazon for the one with ads or $150 without ads.
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EDIT: NEVER MIND. I just realized you were saying they'd need to flash a rom to enable the GSM 2G bands the phone hardware IS capable of. I thought you were trying to say you could magically enable 3g/UMTS bands that it's NOT capable of with a rom lol. Disregard the parts below about enabling bands the hardware isn't capable of, that's my misunderstanding!!
Original post:
I don't know what you're smoking bro. It most certainly IS a hardware limitation. You can't just enable bands that the antenna isn't capable of. SOME devices, very rarely, have antennae capable of more bands than are enabled in the radio firmware(NOT the Rom) but those are very few and far between.
Simply put, you can't make a 1609 into a 1607 just by flashing a new radio. If you could, then hell... I'd make every one of my old phones work with all carriers by turning on the bands they don't already have. Sadly, this is not possible.
As I said earlier in the thread, it's capable of EDGE (2g), and some of the GSM LTE bands that CDMA carriers use for data, BUT you wouldn't be able to call/text over LTE and it would fall back to EDGE for voice and sms (so no simultaneous voice and data) if you got a carrier unlock code from Verizon, but most GSM carriers are phasing out EDGE for postpaid accounts so if it's not a prepaid SIM it likely wouldn't register to the network at all for voice calling.
tl;dr unlocking the XT1609 for use on GSM carriers would be a very painful and unpleasant experience on prepaid where calls would go to voicemail when you're using data, and the SIM wouldn't register at all on a contract/postpaid account.

what about international use? is it possibly just locked in usa unlocked international for roaming?

mrw187 said:
what about international use? is it possibly just locked in usa unlocked international for roaming?
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I'm afraid that you're misunderstanding the meaning of "locked" in this scenario. It's probably carrier locked to Verizon prepaid no matter where you take it, but that can be remedied very easily (it was brought to my attention last night in a different forum that there are now unlock codes for these on eBay for around $2.50, so buying an unlock code takes care of that problem). But the real issue is the bands that this phone is capable of using and what is available where you're going and what network you'll be using. I believe the bands Verizon uses are more prevalent over seas, but I'm sure you can find this out with a quick web search.

ryanl2299 said:
It would probably be a waste of time and $. Someone already bought one in the other Verizon moto g4 play thread and returned it because it looked like a no go. And without unlocking the bootloader, how would you flash a custom or alternate ROM to use the bands needed for GSM (as mentioned above). That's if it's a firmware thing and not a hardware limitation. If we want an unlocked Moto G4 play, the only option looks like we're shelling out $100 to Amazon for the one with ads or $150 without ads.
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ryanl2299 said:
I'm afraid that you're misunderstanding the meaning of "locked" in this scenario. It's probably carrier locked to Verizon prepaid no matter where you take it, but that can be remedied very easily (it was brought to my attention last night in a different forum that there are now unlock codes for these on eBay for around $2.50, so buying an unlock code takes care of that problem). But the real issue is the bands that this phone is capable of using and what is available where you're going and what network you'll be using. I believe the bands Verizon uses are more prevalent over seas, but I'm sure you can find this out with a quick web search.
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I see. Need to find out what 3g bands get unlocked if any because according to gsmarena the 4g bands on this model are not applicable in my country and rolling 2g only is not worth it.

agentfusion said:
EDIT: NEVER MIND. I just realized you were saying they'd need to flash a rom to enable the GSM 2G bands the phone hardware IS capable of. I thought you were trying to say you could magically enable 3g/UMTS bands that it's NOT capable of with a rom lol. Disregard the parts below about enabling bands the hardware isn't capable of, that's my misunderstanding!!
Original post:
I don't know what you're smoking bro. It most certainly IS a hardware limitation. You can't just enable bands that the antenna isn't capable of. SOME devices, very rarely, have antennae capable of more bands than are enabled in the radio firmware(NOT the Rom) but those are very few and far between.
Simply put, you can't make a 1609 into a 1607 just by flashing a new radio. If you could, then hell... I'd make every one of my old phones work with all carriers by turning on the bands they don't already have. Sadly, this is not possible.
As I said earlier in the thread, it's capable of EDGE (2g), and some of the GSM LTE bands that CDMA carriers use for data, BUT you wouldn't be able to call/text over LTE and it would fall back to EDGE for voice and sms (so no simultaneous voice and data) if you got a carrier unlock code from Verizon, but most GSM carriers are phasing out EDGE for postpaid accounts so if it's not a prepaid SIM it likely wouldn't register to the network at all for voice calling.
tl;dr unlocking the XT1609 for use on GSM carriers would be a very painful and unpleasant experience on prepaid where calls would go to voicemail when you're using data, and the SIM wouldn't register at all on a contract/postpaid account.
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Part of me says that the disabled bands is a firmware thing rather than a hardware thing since it's much cheaper for moto to make "one phone" with different programming, but it's probably just wishful thinking on my part. Either way, I'm sure Verizon locked these phones down so we'll because of the whole moto e thing last year (hordes of zombies flocked to bestbuy to buy $10 Verizon branded phones only to use them on other networks). All it took was a couple of commands in abd from what I remember (there was an ultra long thread about it at the time). Probably pissed off Verizon and I hope they lost their shirts. I'm sure that these types of phones are subsidized in some way since the unbranded ones are almost always double or more in price (especially with verizon- they usually have cheaper phones but more expensive service - great way to hook you).
And I know exactly what you're talking about with using this in stock form on gsm carriers. If you're in need of a laugh, go check out the thread for Verizon moto g4 play over on slickdeals. There was one poster who got this phone unlocked (via eBay) and was going to try to use this for VOIP with Google voice or something (data only I suppose) since he claimed to have excellent LTE in his region. I believe that he's in for an underwhelming experience and constant missed/dropped calls. I guess it might work if you stand in one spot all day. To each his own. Some people would do just about anything to save a few bucks. Here's a link and their username was TheLao :http://slickdeals.net/f/9195543-16g...ipping-free-store-pickup-best-buy-ebay?page=7

Just got off live chat with motorola with 2 different csrs neither knew anything outside of public info on what bands the xt1609 has or it truely has no 3g gsm bands.
may have to wait until someone who physically has this and can confirm what bands it has once unlocked? i tried searching for an app on store that can tell you available bands on the device but gave up after about 4-5 apps.

ryanl2299 said:
Part of me says that the disabled bands is a firmware thing rather than a hardware thing since it's much cheaper for moto to make "one phone" with different programming, but it's probably just wishful thinking on my part. Either way, I'm sure Verizon locked these phones down so we'll because of the whole moto e thing last year (hordes of zombies flocked to bestbuy to buy $10 Verizon branded phones only to use them on other networks). All it took was a couple of commands in abd from what I remember (there was an ultra long thread about it at the time). Probably pissed off Verizon and I hope they lost their shirts. I'm sure that these types of phones are subsidized in some way since the unbranded ones are almost always double or more in price (especially with verizon- they usually have cheaper phones but more expensive service - great way to hook you).
And I know exactly what you're talking about with using this in stock form on gsm carriers. If you're in need of a laugh, go check out the thread for Verizon moto g4 play over on slickdeals. There was one poster who got this phone unlocked (via eBay) and was going to try to use this for VOIP with Google voice or something (data only I suppose) since he claimed to have excellent LTE in his region. I believe that he's in for an underwhelming experience and constant missed/dropped calls. I guess it might work if you stand in one spot all day. To each his own. Some people would do just about anything to save a few bucks. Here's a link and their username was TheLao :http://slickdeals.net/f/9195543-16g...ipping-free-store-pickup-best-buy-ebay?page=7
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I'm sure in some phones it is probably just a firmware thing. I remember some of the early Kindle fire models that were on the low end were really underclocked high end models with a smaller NAND. If you rooted them and flashed a new kernel, you could enable Bluetooth and set the clock speed up to match the higher end model and all you'd be missing is some storage. In the case of the Moto g4 play, though, it's probably cheaper to just leave out the physical antenna hardware for non VZW bands than disabling them via firmware. That's likely just a matter of dropping a step from the assembly process, so it wouldn't cost them any extra... Might even save a few pennies per run. But I'd imagine on high end flagship devices where it's a different model for every carrier, it's just a firmware thing. That's probably the REAL reason some phones have locked bootloaders. Like the LG G4, the only one with bootloader unlock is the international version with all bands enabled. I bet if I COULD unlock the bootloader on my sprint LG G4, I could turn it into a GSM phone.
And LOLOLOL about that link. Dude is going to hate life. When my LG G4 was in for repair and the Moto G4 Play hadn't shipped yet, I was using a LG G Pad F7 LTE tablet with Google voice, using hangouts and hangouts dialer for sms and voice. Missed calls SO many times because it would take too long to start ringing on my end, and I'm in one of the major US markets so LTE coverage is literally everywhere.

Welp, TIFU. I bought two of the Moto g4 play at walmart... got home and found out that Verizon locks 4g phones again. Paid for an unlock, found the phone doesn't allow connecting to GSM networks, but that is because even with a GSM sim in the phone it still only connects to Verizon. With my t-mobile sim in the phone, I make a call and get the "your call is being transfered to a representative who will take your credit card info to complete this call". Leave it to verizon to only allow the phone to connect to their network even after you unlock it...

Xt1609 doesn't have connection of gsm or 2g
Hi! I bought a "Moto 4G play" of Veirzon USA (XT1609). Unfortunately, My network operator in Mexico (Telcel) hasn't compatible with the VoLTE.
The cellphone doesn't have connection of GSM or 2G only LTE 4G. I did unlocked it and use everything, photo, video, WhatsApp. The cellphone recognize my SIM Card and network carrier, but I can't make, or receive, calls.

Shrraga said:
Welp, TIFU. I bought two of the Moto g4 play at walmart... got home and found out that Verizon locks 4g phones again. Paid for an unlock, found the phone doesn't allow connecting to GSM networks, but that is because even with a GSM sim in the phone it still only connects to Verizon. With my t-mobile sim in the phone, I make a call and get the "your call is being transfered to a representative who will take your credit card info to complete this call". Leave it to verizon to only allow the phone to connect to their network even after you unlock it...
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Well, that's what the Moto E 2nd gen did out of the box as well, they removed the setting to swap CDMA/GSM in the menu, but the folks over in that part of the forum figured out that using the app "Network" from the play store, and a sequence of turning on/off airplane mode, they were able to switch it from CDMA to GSM and make it stick. Otherwise, it would keep trying to connect to Verizon just like you describe.
So it doesn't mean anything that you didn't get it to work immediately after unlocking. You probably have to force it off CDMA in a similar fashion. Bigger issue is whether or not the phone will be able to actually access the appropriate bands you'd need, whether because the hardware doesn't support it or because it is disabled in firmware. We don't really know for sure yet. But if you've come this far and have a penchant for torture but don't want to give up until you know for certain, give it a try!

Related

HTC Hero130 (Telus Version)

First off - I Private Messaged a couple of people about this, but realized that I should have just posted this in the forum. So, my apologies for anyone seeing this a second time.
I've been getting all sort of conflicting information about the Hero 130 (The Telus one) and which UMTS bands it supports.
Most of the information I see at places like PDADB says that it's UMTS enabled for 850/1900 only, which are the North American bands. FCC reports and the Telus user manual show testing for WCDMA (UMTS) 850/1900 only.
However, HTC's Canada Hero website (http://www.htc.com/ca/product/herotelus/specification.html) says "Dual Mode UMTS" and lists frequencies for US (850/1900), EU/Asia (900/2100) and Telstra (850/2100). Two HTC support techs from their website also confirm that the Hero 130 supports UMTS for US EU/Asia and Telstra, but it feels like they are just regurgitating information from the extremely vague website.
The device is a quad-band worldwide device. These are the bands the device is capable of using:
Europe/Asia
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (900/2100MHz for EU/Asia)
North America
850/1900
Telestra
850/2100
GSM/GPRS/EDGE (Quad-band 850/900/1800/1900Mhz)
If the bands you are needing are any of these then the device should work.
Kay
HTC Technical Support
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Has anyone with a HERO130 actually gone overseas and seen if you get UMTS/3G to work overseas - or has seen anything that conclusively and definitively proves if it does or does not work?
Thanks!
I'm wondering the same thing. I'd like to get the Telus one and use it here on AT&T 3g in the states... anyone know if that is possible?
The Telus version of the HTC Hero (aka HERO130 or A6265) definitely supports ATT's 3G bands. It's been confirmed via the FCC documentation as well that 850/2100 is supported. T-Mobile's 1700MHz is not supported.
My question is specifically in regards to the European/Asian (900/1900MHz) bands. HTC's confirmed that it does support by phone, but I'm still a little dubious. However, I'm ordering one and am going to give it a test!
Stay Tuned!
itpromike said:
I'm wondering the same thing. I'd like to get the Telus one and use it here on AT&T 3g in the states... anyone know if that is possible?
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Yes. It is possible. I've got the Telus Hero, unlocked and running on the Rogers network. HSDPA/3G works fine on Rogers. North American radio bands for 3G are supported with this hardware.
BlueHawk said:
Yes. It is possible. I've got the Telus Hero, unlocked and running on the Rogers network. HSDPA/3G works fine on Rogers. North American radio bands for 3G are supported with this hardware.
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Awesome! How difficult is the unlocking process?
I just thought about something. I'm used to the iPhone where you have to root your phone to unlock it for other carriers. Is the way it work with the HTC Hero and the like is that you just pay full price for the phone ($499) and it comes unlocked already? No tinkering needed?
itpromike said:
Awesome! How difficult is the unlocking process?
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The unlocking process is not painful at all, but it costs you $20-25. When you insert a non-Telus sim into the device and power it up, it will tell you that you are using the wrong sim and ask you to enter the unlock code. The unlock code is specific to the IMEI of you phone, so they can't be shared. They can be purchased on eBay for slightly more than $20.
Note that you cannot unlock your phone by flashing a custom ROM. So unless you figured out the magic formula for generating these unlocking code (different for each device and different for each carrier), you have to pay for it one way or another.
tsekh501 said:
The unlocking process is not painful at all, but it costs you $20-25. When you insert a non-Telus sim into the device and power it up, it will tell you that you are using the wrong sim and ask you to enter the unlock code. The unlock code is specific to the IMEI of you phone, so they can't be shared. They can be purchased on eBay for slightly more than $20.
Note that you cannot unlock your phone by flashing a custom ROM. So unless you figured out the magic formula for generating these unlocking code (different for each device and different for each carrier), you have to pay for it one way or another.
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So I buy the full priced ($499) phone from Telus, then I have to buy the unlock code from Ebay? Hmm... I feel leery about buying something like this from Ebay. Is there an official channel I can buy an unlock code from?
itpromike said:
So I buy the full priced ($499) phone from Telus, then I have to buy the unlock code from Ebay? Hmm... I feel leery about buying something like this from Ebay. Is there an official channel I can buy an unlock code from?
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I paid mine for the full price too, but this doesn't make the phone automatically unlocked. Telus enters an exclusive contract with HTC to be the sole carrier of this phone in Canada (at least for now), and they have every right to make sure that an average-joe, who knows nothing about unlocking, who wants this phone have to go to them, with or without contract. Exclusive dealings are extremely common in cell phone industry, and they are not free for the carrier.
I doubt Telus would unlock the phone for you. In the US, T-Mobile will unlock their phones for you a few months into the 2-year contract, may be Telus will do the same, if you signed a contract with them that is.
I just went to eBay and notice that there are now many sellers selling Telus Hero unlock code, and some are selling for as low as $13. I bought mine from a seller called cellfservices, it is not the cheapest but it worked (and it took them about an hour after the sales to send me the code).
mobileincanada.ca seems to be one that is very popular for unlocking, $20cdn, and they usually send unlock code very fast (within 5 minutes)
all right people.
I am here to bust the myth.
Telus hero does not have asian HSPA band.
I have two heros: GSM and Telus.
Tested location: Taiwan.
Telus hero with Taiwan sim card = GPRS only, no 3G connection.
GSM hero = 3G connection.
Telus hero does not have dual model 3G, period.
So which do I get for AT&T
Ok so I'd like one of these WITH 3G connection on AT&T so which one would I get to make this happen? I'm leaning toward the Telus model from what I've been reading but if anyone can confirm or deny this, that would be great. Also once I have it and it's been unlocked, then what do I tell AT&T? Just order a second line with a data plan? Won't they ask me what type of phone is this for or how should I do this?
itpromike said:
Ok so I'd like one of these WITH 3G connection on AT&T so which one would I get to make this happen? I'm leaning toward the Telus model from what I've been reading but if anyone can confirm or deny this, that would be great. Also once I have it and it's been unlocked, then what do I tell AT&T? Just order a second line with a data plan? Won't they ask me what type of phone is this for or how should I do this?
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The Telus Hero is the only current Hero model that will work with 3G/HSDPA in North America. The European Hero will only use Edge for Data - it doesn't support the North American radio bands. The Sprint model only supports CDMA.
Do you need a second line? Are you planning to run two cell phones? If not, just switch your current AT&T SIM into the Hero and get a data plan for that SIM/line.
I do plan on running a second line yes. I have an iPhone 3GS as my main phone and I am planning on using the Hero to play around with as my second phone. The hero is a decent phone and fun to flash and play around with etc... but I couldn't ever really use it as my main phone. I definitely couldn't give up my iPhone 3GS for an Android phone just yet there are still some refinements that Android as a mobile OS needs to undergo and still some refinements that HTC needs to bring to the SenseUI as well. I rely too heavily my phone and it doing what I need it to do as fast as possible. I did have the Sprint Hero for a month before I took it back, I just didn't like it... it was slow, laggy, and some of the things I wanted to do with the phone that I was just so used to doing on my iPhone either couldn't be done OR had to be done in a way that didn't make very much logical or design sense. I had a lot of those 'why can't I just press this to make it do that?' moments or 'why the heck would they put this menu under here?' moments. Anyhow with that being said, Hero and Android are still fun platforms to play with and flash and try different settings and home screens and different ROMS etc so I'm going to get another one but this time on AT&T so I can use voice and data at the same time (one of the things I hated about having the Hero on spring was the inability to use data and voice at the same time as well as how slow sprints data was compared to AT&T)... but I wouldn't want a phone that I flashed and played around with so much to be a phone I relied on for mission critical work.
So what's the best way of going about this? What type of line should I order from AT&T? What should I ask for when i call or go into the store to get another line? Any suggestions?
I just got my Telus Hero last week, and coming from a 3G iphone, this blows it away. Not sure about the 3GS as it is a faster processor..... Also better than the Tilt 2. Love it. Just waiting on Eclair to get Google Navigation and other goodies...
Broken said:
I just got my Telus Hero last week, and coming from a 3G iphone, this blows it away. Not sure about the 3GS as it is a faster processor..... Also better than the Tilt 2. Love it. Just waiting on Eclair to get Google Navigation and other goodies...
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Yeah the iPhone 3G (I have both a 3G and 3Gs) and the Hero are pretty comparable. Browsing the web (which I do a lot) is faster on the 3G but the loading of applications etc... are pretty much the same. This is stock to stock so no modding on either phone. The scrolling on the 3G is much smoother than a stock Hero. I know that there are ROMS that make the device faster which is the only reason I'm even rethinking about getting one. The 3GS however is just no contest. But I've pretty much had all the fun I can out of the iPhone; not talking about the the apps as there are so many apps to choose from and a lot of them are awesome and fun to use, but with modding the phone itself and playing around with the OS etc I've done all I can do with the iPhone and want something new to play with...
itpromike said:
So what's the best way of going about this? What type of line should I order from AT&T? What should I ask for when i call or go into the store to get another line? Any suggestions?
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Just tell them you have an existing phone so you want a new SIM and to purchase a plan for a smartphone (data and voice plan) - they can advise you on deals and packages then. The carrier should never care about the phone - it's not like they make money on it - they usually subsidize the manufacturer for a unit anyway, in a profit sharing deal. The only thing the carrier is really interested in is the data and voice carriage charges.
i would just tell them you want to add a line for regular phone with unlimited data. that way you dont have to pay extra for the smart phone data. unless of course its cheaper and you can just for like ten dollars make your smart phone data plan you have now a family unlimited
BlueHawk said:
Just tell them you have an existing phone so you want a new SIM and to purchase a plan for a smartphone (data and voice plan) - they can advise you on deals and packages then. The carrier should never care about the phone - it's not like they make money on it - they usually subsidize the manufacturer for a unit anyway, in a profit sharing deal. The only thing the carrier is really interested in is the data and voice carriage charges.
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That would not be the best option. If you are going to add a line, figure out which phone they are giving away for free they you can get the biggest profit by flipping on eBay. Most likely the Solstice.
This way you can get away with the cheaper non-smart phone data plan and get about $200 back by selling the "free" phone they give you.
Can anyone confirm if the telus hero ships with the updated faster firmware? Thanks.

Moto G 2015 Verizon

This is a bounty- $100 if you get the new Moto G 2015 fully working on Verizon. I assume the Sprint version should partially work having similar bands though the lte band 13 is missing. Since the bootloader is unlockable, I have hope someone will tinker around with the software to get this working on Verizon postpaid. I really want this phone and am really pissed I cant get use it. I have no interest in a phablet (new moto x). If you figure this out, the $100 is yours, via google wallet, paypal, or bitcoin. I'll just leave this here for now....
If I'm correct, you cant truly activate a phone on Verizon unless they have the IMEI number in their system already. I may be wrong though.
Rarscaryfrosty said:
If I'm correct, you cant truly activate a phone on Verizon unless they have the IMEI number in their system already. I may be wrong though.
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As far as I understand as well you are correct. I've heard of folks popping in a VZW SIM for LTE and getting hit with a fee for an "unknown IMEI" as well. It's Verizon's gateway you have to pass through, the phone has no way to force itself on their network.
that was not what i heard for the unlocked nexus 6 running on verizon
nexus7lte said:
that was not what i heard for the unlocked nexus 6 running on verizon
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That's because the phone was already registered with Verizon's network.
The iPhone 6 has all radio bands, but if it doesn't come from the Verizon network (Say from AT&T, Tmobile) it will not be registered on their network. I would imagine that if any N6 works on Verizon its because Google setup a deal to register all IMEI's with them .. but I've not heard this.
Bump for answers.
Anyone put a Verizon sim in their moto g and try it?

Will unlocked (Intl) version work on Verizon?

Will the Exynos variant work fine on Verizon? Will features be broken?
I am really disappointed how Verizon disabled certain apps and settings with the VZ variant. I am also really bummed out that the bootloader is completely locked.
No.
Verizon is CDMA, only CDMA phones will work. International phones are 99% GSM phones unless the specs say CDMA.
Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk
_Dennis_ said:
No.
Verizon is CDMA, only CDMA phones will work. International phones are 99% GSM phones unless the specs say CDMA.
Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk
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In addition to this, even if the hardware supports the bands, Verizon has no obligation to allow the device to access or work on their network.
billybob275 said:
In addition to this, even if the hardware supports the bands, Verizon has no obligation to allow the device to access or work on their network.
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Actually they do have legal obligations to do so for any supported LTE devices (per FCC regulations). That said, for Nexus 7 and 6p it took a while.
Edit: So to answer OP's question, if the bands are supported on Verizon (no idea personally the diff of the two models) it should work. My rep just needed to throw in my old SIM and I was set. It's questionable though if you make it clear to the rep that it wasn't originally a Verizon issued phone.
gleggie said:
Will the Exynos variant work fine on Verizon? Will features be broken?
I am really disappointed how Verizon disabled certain apps and settings with the VZ variant. I am also really bummed out that the bootloader is completely locked.
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I'm wondering this too. As long as I can connect to LTE I'll be happy.
djh816 said:
Actually they do have legal obligations to do so for any supported LTE devices (per FCC regulations). That said, for Nexus 7 and 6p it took a while.
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Fairly certain their obligation ends at allowing their phones to be used on other networks, as without VoLTE or CDMA the phone isn't a phone and is instead a connected device, and they can block it on a phone line due to not being able to call 911. I could be mistaken though.
The 6/6p/5x all have CDMA, the 7 isn't a device you can call from, though I'm not familiar enough with it to say if it has a CDMA modem or not.
Sent from my E6683 using Tapatalk
I should clarify, since there's technicalities. Carriers are legally obligated to allow emergency calls on their devices, and they are obligated to network-unlock their devices so that they can be used on other carrier networks. You can also roam on their network, if Verizon has an agreement with your carrier and you have active service through your non-Verizon carrier, but they don't have to allow full access to their LTE network. However, they still reserve the right to deny activation of devices using Verizon SIMs.
Case in point, try activating a T-Mobile or even a Global LG G4 on Verizon, and they will block it. If I could activate a global version to get an unlocked bootloader, and have it work on Verizon, I would have done this 6 months ago. If I can get a bootloader unlockable S7 on Verizon, then I'm buying one ASAP.
Bumping this up, instead of a new thread. Disappointed in the SD820. Wondering if anyone ever got a G930F to work on Verizon? I don't care about CDMA, as I rooted and used ServiceMode to set the phone to LTE Only.

What LTE bands does Sprint HTC 10 have?

I can't find any definitive answers on this. All I know is the minimum is 25, 26 and 41 but it'd be nice to know the full list. I travel internationally and without other LTE bands like band 7, it makes it tough to use it anywhere outside the US.
EDIT: Someone answered this question in another thread but it would be good to get screenshots to verify this.
m03sizlak said:
LTE Bands: 2 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 12 / 13 / 25 / 26 / 41
I've heard that the FCC filings show that the Sprint variant is not capable (tested or approved) for GSM or WCDMA, which is kind of disappointing since I travel a lot in Canada. Any confirmation on this?
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This list of bands is a little better than both the Sprint variants of the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7. If this phone can be unlocked, you at least have a way to go abroad and use LTE connections in much of Europe and elsewhere. Band 7 is the most common band in the world from what I understand.
I'm curious about this comment about GSM and WCDMA. Hopefully someone can verify this one way or another.
asuh said:
I'm curious about this comment about GSM and WCDMA. Hopefully someone can verify this one way or another.
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Did you ever get an answer on this? I have a Sprint variant of the 10 and am trying to unlock it as I will be travel for the next 2 years. I've done everything I can think of but cannot get the phone's radio to work with any unlocked ROM. I could use some help here. Any advice or information you can provide?
vijn said:
Did you ever get an answer on this? I have a Sprint variant of the 10 and am trying to unlock it as I will be travel for the next 2 years. I've done everything I can think of but cannot get the phone's radio to work with any unlocked ROM. I could use some help here. Any advice or information you can provide?
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If you plan to travel outside the US during most of this time, your best options are to sell your HTC 10 and get one of the few unlocked flagship phones on Sprint's networks, assuming you want to stay with Sprint.
Here are your options:
Google Pixel
Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-930U
Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-935U
Nexus 6P or 5X
Motorola X Pure Edition
Apple iPhone
Here's a full list as of February 2017 of radio unlocked phones compatible with Sprint.
There are other unlocked phones that are not compatible with Sprint because CDMA and LTE bands are crippled or missing.
asuh said:
If you plan to travel outside the US during most of this time, your best options are to sell your HTC 10 and get one of the few unlocked flagship phones on Sprint's networks, assuming you want to stay with Sprint.
Here are your options:
Google Pixel
Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-930U
Samsung Galaxy S7 SM-935U
Nexus 6P or 5X
Motorola X Pure Edition
Apple iPhone
Here's a full list as of February 2017 of radio unlocked phones compatible with Sprint.
There are other unlocked phones that are not compatible with Sprint because CDMA and LTE bands are crippled or missing.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the response. The thing is I'm not on Sprint and have no desire to be. I won't be in the states long. I bought the phone thinking that like most, it could be unlocked and used as needed wherever I travel to. I knew it wasn't unlocked but figured I could do it myself. Well, I've tried a number of times, and keep having an issue with the radio. Can you explain what you mean by bands being crippled? What I'm trying to find out now is whether it's possible for me to get this HTC10 completely unlocked. I think I've done everything right but maybe not. I'm kinda desperate at this point. I love this phone. And if I have to I'll return it and grab another that can be unlocked but I just have a hard time believing that the phone can't be unlocked. It's a strange concept for me. Any help or info would be appreciated.
vijn said:
Thanks for the response. The thing is I'm not on Sprint and have no desire to be. I won't be in the states long. I bought the phone thinking that like most, it could be unlocked and used as needed wherever I travel to. I knew it wasn't unlocked but figured I could do it myself. Well, I've tried a number of times, and keep having an issue with the radio. Can you explain what you mean by bands being crippled? What I'm trying to find out now is whether it's possible for me to get this HTC10 completely unlocked. I think I've done everything right but maybe not. I'm kinda desperate at this point. I love this phone. And if I have to I'll return it and grab another that can be unlocked but I just have a hard time believing that the phone can't be unlocked. It's a strange concept for me. Any help or info would be appreciated.
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First, go go Google and look up what LTE bands are.
Crippled LTE bands = the hardware inside the phone will not allow certain LTE bands to work unless physically altered. It doesn't matter which ROM you install, you will not unlock all the LTE bands without physical alteration. https://www.quora.com/Does-installing-different-rom-change-LTE-band-frequency
So no, HTC 10 will never be completely unlocked. Look at the list above and buy one of those phones if you want a completely unlocked phone.
asuh said:
First, go go Google and look up what LTE bands are.
Crippled LTE bands = the hardware inside the phone will not allow certain LTE bands to work unless physically altered. It doesn't matter which ROM you install, you will not unlock all the LTE bands without physical alteration. https://www.quora.com/Does-installing-different-rom-change-LTE-band-frequency
So no, HTC 10 will never be completely unlocked. Look at the list above and buy one of those phones if you want a completely unlocked phone.
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I'm not sure I fully understand. Yes, I know that different chips have different bands that they work with. So, what you're saying is the Sprint HTC10 variant uses either a different chip or has some sort of other hardware configuration that is incompatible with GSM and the wider LTE bands and that no matter what I do with this phone I'll never have a truly unlocked phone? That's what I have understood, so my best option is to send it back. Ok, I get that. But I have read across tons of forums and threads of people who unlocked their Sprint 10s and are able to use them on other non-cdma carriers. So, how does that work? Are all the Sprint 10s the same or are some more limited than others? Are you essentially saying that i would have to get an unlocked/dev edition of the htc10 to be able to use GSM in other countries?
Sorry if i'm asking stupid questions here, I'm just trying to fully understand this. Thanks again for helping me out on this.
If anyone reading this knows better, please feel free to correct me.
This is my understanding of LTE bands and CDMA/GSM radios.
Phones like HTC 10, which are locked, include hardware that are built for specific usages. Prior to HTC 10, HTC phones built for Sprint's CDMA radio were specifically built to lock out GSM radio signals and most other LTE bands using the hardware. This means you'd have to open the physical device and modify the wiring inside the phone in order to allow other signals to work.
As of HTC 10, the locks are supposedly now just software based but I haven't seen proof of that. What this essentially means is that you should be able to unlock the bootloader and flash new Roms that could allow the GSM radio to work universally. However, lots of people are having issues with it. Here's one story of someone who was mostly successful but still had issues:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68960210&postcount=47
Read through the thread above and you'll see a lot of people having issues trying to fully unlock the radios and LTE bands for this phone.
If you ultimately don't want to be on Sprint anyway, I think you really should consider getting something already unlocked that can universally work anywhere. And lots of interesting non-Sprint compatible phones like OnePlus 3t (among the others on the lists I provided) are already unlocked and have a lot of good capabilities and would work great anywhere. The Pixel is one of the best devices out there and the camera is amazing from what most people say.
So I think your options are limited and I'd highly suggest you consider getting a Pixel or something else already unlocked.
asuh said:
If anyone reading this knows better, please feel free to correct me.
This is my understanding of LTE bands and CDMA/GSM radios.
Phones like HTC 10, which are locked, include hardware that are built for specific usages. Prior to HTC 10, HTC phones built for Sprint's CDMA radio were specifically built to lock out GSM radio signals and most other LTE bands using the hardware. This means you'd have to open the physical device and modify the wiring inside the phone in order to allow other signals to work.
As of HTC 10, the locks are supposedly now just software based but I haven't seen proof of that. What this essentially means is that you should be able to unlock the bootloader and flash new Roms that could allow the GSM radio to work universally. However, lots of people are having issues with it. Here's one story of someone who was mostly successful but still had issues:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68960210&postcount=47
Read through the thread above and you'll see a lot of people having issues trying to fully unlock the radios and LTE bands for this phone.
If you ultimately don't want to be on Sprint anyway, I think you really should consider getting something already unlocked that can universally work anywhere. And lots of interesting non-Sprint compatible phones like OnePlus 3t (among the others on the lists I provided) are already unlocked and have a lot of good capabilities and would work great anywhere. The Pixel is one of the best devices out there and the camera is amazing from what most people say.
So I think your options are limited and I'd highly suggest you consider getting a Pixel or something else already unlocked.
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They are software based. I have unlocked AT&T bands on my Sprint variant, 2 actually , and they worked perfectly fine. I would show you proof but I am back on T-Mobile which the Sprint HTC 10 already has LTE support for by default.
unlock
jblparisi said:
They are software based. I have unlocked AT&T bands on my Sprint variant, 2 actually , and they worked perfectly fine. I would show you proof but I am back on T-Mobile which the Sprint HTC 10 already has LTE support for by default.
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how did you unlock it manualy? can you show me some instruction?
jacobtvaliashvili said:
how did you unlock it manualy? can you show me some instruction?
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See my other reply.

Moto G4 Play on eBay?

I have a Moto G4 Play with a cell plan on it.
I like it a lot, and am thinking of getting another one. eBay offers this phone for around $50-60 new, and these are Verizon locked.
Suppose that I don't care about using the phone to call people, but instead, want to use it for WiFi and for experimental purposes like rooting and for catching the Nougat update when it comes.
Does this type of cheap offer make sense, or am I missing something somewhere?
glenmccl79 said:
I have a Moto G4 Play with a cell plan on it.
I like it a lot, and am thinking of getting another one. eBay offers this phone for around $50-60 new, and these are Verizon locked.
Suppose that I don't care about using the phone to call people, but instead, want to use it for WiFi and for experimental purposes like rooting and for catching the Nougat update when it comes.
Does this type of cheap offer make sense, or am I missing something somewhere?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't unlock the bootloader via official Motorola method on Verizon branded handsets.
The verizon variant xt1609 is cheaper because it supports limited LTE and CDMA bands specifically for the verizon network, no GSM bands, unlike the xt1607 US retail version for example. See https://www.frequencycheck.com/models/GL1Wr/motorola-moto-g4-play-4g-lte-xt1609-motorola-affinity and https://www.frequencycheck.com/models/AzWPV/motorola-moto-g4-play-td-lte-xt1607-motorola-affinity for comparison.

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