How To: AT&T Lumia 1520 (RM-940) on T-Mobile/Wind/Mobilicity AWS1700Mhz/HSPA+ Band 4

[AR2186]

Confirmed by others to be working on RM-940 w/ Cyan and/or Denim updates. This trick enables the 1700mhz band 4 for HSPA+ for use on carriers including T-Mobile in the US and Wind/Mobilicity in Canada. Functionally we now have the equivalent of RM-938 but with 16gb and the benefit of a US warranty, but lacking Qi charging

Phone Information
AT&T Nokia Lumia 1520 (SIM unlocked)
Windows Phone 8.10.12397.895 (Cyan) or 8.10.14219.341 (Denim)
Firmware Revision: 02061.00074.14273.33019 (Cyan) or 02540.00019.14484.37028 (Denim)
Hardware Revision: 4.1.0.0
Radio Software Version: 201c110.00024.0001 (Cyan) or 201c110.00039.0001 (Denim)



Step 1: Go to the dialer and dial ##3282# (no need to press send, the final "#" will automatically take you to the next step. Picture is edited to represent what needs to be input)



Step 2: Accept the disclaimer and enter Field Test



Step 3: Click on the ellipse on the lower right to bring up the Settings link



Step 4: Change Network Type from Automatic to Manual. You should now see a "Supported Bands" list populate reporting "13/14 bands active"



Step 5: Enter the band sector and scroll down to "B4-WCDMA US 1700" and click the check mark. Make sure to then hit the check mark at the bottom to save the settings.



Step 6: Make Sure that Supported Bands now reads "all bands active"

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

If this works, that will be awesome.

I don't use Qi so might prefer an AT&T over my 1520.3. Basically then its a trade off between 32GB and having a US warranty Since I put all files on SD and just apps on the phone, I think 16GB might be enough. And if not, isn't there a 32 GB AT&T 1520?

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I believe there is a 32gb version of the AT&T 1520, but I'm not sure it's actively being sold / may have been a limited run. I'm curious if the ability to connect to the 1700 band is because I have hardware revision 4.1 (assuming it started as 1.0?). The phone came with Cyan out of the box

 

[tai4de2]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

In that same app there is a way to look at the channel being used to connect to the cell tower. I no longer have any phones that include that app so can't refresh my memory on *exactly* how do to it.

However if you go into "WCDMA" menu on the top page, you can drill around until you see something like AFRCN as shown on this page:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...est-manually-change-channel-signal-arfcn.html

Then look that up in the channel list here in one of the UARFCN columns:

UMTS frequency bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

In that same app there is a way to look at the channel being used to connect to the cell tower. I no longer have any phones that include that app so can't refresh my memory on *exactly* how do to it.

However if you go into "WCDMA" menu on the top page, you can drill around until you see something like AFRCN as shown on this page:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...est-manually-change-channel-signal-arfcn.html

Then look that up in the channel list here in one of the UARFCN columns:

UMTS frequency bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks. Looks like I am getting UARFCN readings of 462 and 2062, which appears to be the PCS 1900 and 1700 bands, respectively. Guess that proves it works

 

[Liam Wong]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Have any of you tried it on the green Lumia 1520? Really wanted a green one to use on Wind in Canada.

 

[Donny James]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Man I was wondering if Windows Phone could do anything like this just a few months ago. Back then I stumbled upon a video on YouTube of a guy doing something similar like this on Samsung Galaxy Note 3. He pretty much enabled all LTE, 4G etc bands ever created by mankind. It was awesome. Now you found this and it has made my day. It seems to have made 4G connection much better indoors. I've never seen 3G on my L1520 on T-Mobile. Hopefully this has enabled it. RM-940

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Have any of you tried it on the green Lumia 1520? Really wanted a green one to use on Wind in Canada.

No I only have a white 16gb. Do you know what hardware version it is? Also, if people can try this and list their model it would be helpful to understand if all AT&T 1520s have this capability

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I'd help test, but I'm on a 1520.3. It already has WCDMA 1700 enabled and the ##3282# field test menu is disabled... Sorry.

I do think this is a VERY worthwhile project though and I hope some users step forward to help test. I'm avidly reading this thread as I'm always interested in radio/carrier match ups.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Have any of you tried it on the green Lumia 1520? Really wanted a green one to use on Wind in Canada.

The color shouldn't matter. The model number does. But if the green happens to be a different model number than all the rest, that would be what makes the difference. I think all the 16GB AT&Ts have the same model number.

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I'd help test, but I'm on a 1520.3. It already has WCDMA 1700 enabled and the ##3282# field test menu is disabled... Sorry.

I do think this is a VERY worthwhile project though and I hope some users step forward to help test. I'm avidly reading this thread as I'm always interested in radio/carrier match ups.

Mind posting your hardware/software info? Also how many bands does your 1520 have (LTE, WCDMA, etc)?

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

The color doesn't determine. The model number does. But if the green happens to be a different model number than all the rest, that would be what makes the difference. I think all the 16GB AT&Ts have the same model number.

I didn't want to tell them the green model is just a sheep in "Hulk" clothing...

 

[AR2186]

I didn't want to tell them the green model is just a sheep in "Hulk" clothing...

I realize that, but the green came out in 2014 with a limited hardware run, so it may not come from the original hardware version. My 1520 (2 weeks old w/ Cyan out of the box) is Hardware Revision number 4.1.0, but still RM-940. Its not unheard of for hardware changes within the same model as problems are discovered. The 1520 originally only supported 4 WCDMA/UMTS/HSPA bands with the FCC, but mine has 5. Could be hardware (radio disabled on old ones) or it could be software. The real question is determining which rm-940 hardware revisions have access to the band in ##3282# field test mode. Hopefully its all of them, but we can't be certain yet and I don't want to get peoples hopes up

Edit: Thought you were replying to me for some reason, but my point still stands

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

No field test with my 1520.3 either.

I thought I read in this or another thread where a 1520.3 owner did this and changed some things for the better?!?

 

[Liam Wong]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

The color shouldn't matter. The model number does. But if the green happens to be a different model number than all the rest, that would be what makes the difference. I think all the 16GB AT&Ts have the same model number.

Well I was assuming that since the green version came out later it might have a different hardware revision number than what the OP has. It would be interesting to see if it worked on all At&t 1520s regardless of when it came out.

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I'd help test, but I'm on a 1520.3. It already has WCDMA 1700 enabled and the ##3282# field test menu is disabled... Sorry.

I do think this is a VERY worthwhile project though and I hope some users step forward to help test. I'm avidly reading this thread as I'm always interested in radio/carrier match ups.

There may be other ways to enable field test. Try *3001#12345# or *3001#12345#*

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I realize that, but the green came out in 2014 with a limited hardware run, so it may not come from the original hardware version. My 1520 (2 weeks old w/ Cyan out of the box) is Hardware Revision number 4.1.0, but still RM-940. Its not unheard of for hardware changes within the same model as problems are discovered. The 1520 originally only supported 4 WCDMA/UMTS/HSPA bands with the FCC, but mine has 5. Could be hardware (radio disabled on old ones) or it could be software. The real question is determining which rm-940 hardware revisions have access to the band in ##3282# field test mode. Hopefully its all of them, but we can't be certain yet and I don't want to get peoples hopes up

It's still not determined by color. There is nothing preventing a hardware change between the first of any color and the last of that color, including green, no matter how short of time passed between them.

 

[AR2186]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

It's still not determined by color. There is nothing preventing a hardware change between the first of any color and the last of that color, including green, no matter how short of time passed between them.

Yeah I know, not really what I was saying, only that its probably a different production run, and there appear to be different hardware versions in 2014 so who knows. Hopefully its the same as mine and works

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Mind posting your hardware/software info? Also how many bands does your 1520 have (LTE, WCDMA, etc)?

Well I can't get into field test to screencap that but all documentation shows:

• GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (same across all variants)
• HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 (this would be the WCDMA module)
• LTE 700/850/1700/1900/2100/2600 Bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 17 (same LTE radio as RM-940)

 

[Donny James]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well I still haven't seen 3G on AT&T RM-940 L1520. I never did change the APN setting when I brought my phone to T-Mobile. Should I have done that to get 3G? I already get Edge, 4G and 4g LTE. Don't know if I should mess with it.