Unofficial L920 for T-Mobile

[jkrc717]

There is a strong chance that T-Mobile will NOT carry the Lumia 920.

Lets use this thread for up to date info on whether or not an unlocked Lumia 920 will work for T-Mobile without restrictions.

There is speculation that it will when T-Mobile's new spectrum comes out rumored this year.

Some say it will work perfectly, some say it won't.

I am happy with T-Mobile. I pay $70 a month for unlimited talk, text and data.

At&t and Verizon's plan makes it very difficult to stay under $100 a month.

Please, only those who have real information.

 

[squire777]

I am holding out hope that an AWS (for T-Mobile, Wind Mobile, Mobilicity) variant of the 920 will be released as well.

When the 710 was originally announced they did not list the AWS frequencies on the specs, but people who unlocked the phone and used the connection setup app were able to get it to run on AWS carriers. I hope it will be the same situation.

 

[jkrc717]

I'm hoping Nokia will sell them.

 

[feedmylittletroll]

I thought it was confirmed from engadgets Elop interview that the L920 isn't going to have the AWS band on the phone. I really want them to but I don't think it's going to happen. An unlocked phone could work on Tmobiles 2g network.

Edit: I found this article while looking into the issue more: http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumor-nokia-lumia-820-and-920-coming-to-at-t-nov-2-1094943

So there might be a chance since they are suppose to release a pentaband HSPA model later on in the year.

 

[TJWINS]

There is a strong chance that T-Mobile will NOT carry the Lumia 920.

Lets use this thread for up to date info on whether or not an unlocked Lumia 920 will work for T-Mobile without restrictions.

There is speculation that it will when T-Mobile's new spectrum comes out rumored this year.

Some say it will work perfectly, some say it won't.

I am happy with T-Mobile. I pay $70 a month for unlimited talk, text and data.

At&t and Verizon's plan makes it very difficult to stay under $100 a month.

Please, only those who have real information.

An unlocked Lumia 920 will work on T-Mobile's network after the network refarming is complete by the end of the year but you will probably only get HSPA+14 not the HSPA+42 which both the AWS band and the device support. Still HSPA+14 is not bad as that's the speed the iphone 4S runs on AT&T's network but of course HSPA+42 is faster. Although the refarming will support any unlocked AT&T phone, T-Mobile is really doing the network refarm to accommodate unlocked iphone 3GS-4S which do not support more than 14.4mbps data speeds. Therefore, I doubt the refarmed network will be upgraded faster than that although I could be wrong. I will be getting the Lumia 820 with the 1700MHz band so I can enjoy HSPA+42 on T-Mobile's AWS network. It's nice to see T-Mobile doing this network refarming and it will be really good for the company.

 

[jkrc717]

Well since the 920 is going to be ATT exclusive and there being question marks on the 820, looks like I'm going to buy an unlocked 920 and use it on T-Mobiles network.

My questions are . . . . .

Will an unlocked 920 be sold from the Nokia website or an unbranded phone be available?

Also, when T-Mobile finishes it's spectrum this year, will it be T-Mobile's 4g or will it be slower?

 

[palandri]

Well since the 920 is going to be ATT exclusive and there being question marks on the 820, looks like I'm going to buy an unlocked 920 and use it on T-Mobiles network.

My questions are . . . . .

Will an unlocked 920 be sold from the Nokia website or an unbranded phone be available?

Also, when T-Mobile finishes it's spectrum this year, will it be T-Mobile's 4g or will it be slower?

You would have to buy an import if you want an unlocked 920. The 900 is still locked by AT&T in the states.

I always buy unbranded/unlocked GSM phones. I currently an unbranded/unlocked Nokia N8 (US Version), an unbranded/unlocked Samsung Galaxy S2 (from Greece) and an unbranded/unlocked HTC 7 Trophy (from Germany). You need to watch sites like ebay, Amazon, MobileCityOnline and NewEgg for imports.

 

[jkrc717]

You would have to buy an import if you want an unlocked 920. The 900 is still locked by AT&T in the states.

I always buy unbranded/unlocked GSM phones. I currently an unbranded/unlocked Nokia N8 (US Version), an unbranded/unlocked Samsung Galaxy S2 (from Greece) and an unbranded/unlocked HTC 7 Trophy (from Germany). You need to watch sites like ebay, Amazon, MobileCityOnline and NewEgg for imports.

I've never purchased an unlocked phone over seas before.

Are there any restrictions or anything I should know about that I may not be happy about?

 

[palandri]

I've never purchased an unlocked phone over seas before.

Are there any restrictions or anything I should know about that I may not be happy about?

No restrictions. Sites like MobileCityOnline, NewEgg do the importing, you're just buying it from them.

Just watch what country it's imported from. When you do a firmware upgrade on an import, it will normally go back to it's original country code language (unless you flash it to a different country code). My Trophy goes back to German, and it's not too hard to figure out how to get it back to English. My Galaxy S2 goes back to Greek and that's harder to get back to English because the Greek alphabet is different. Can you imagine how hard it would be to get back to English if you got an import from China, Japan or Saudi Arabia?

 

[jkrc717]

No restrictions. Sites like MobileCityOnline, NewEgg do the importing, you're just buying it from them.

Just watch what country it's imported from. When you do a firmware upgrade on an import, it will normally go back to it's original country code language (unless you flash it to a different country code). My Trophy goes back to German, and it's not too hard to figure out how to get it back to English. My Galaxy S2 goes back to Greek and that's harder to get back to English because the Greek alphabet is different. Can you imagine how hard it would be to get back to English if you got an import from China, Japan or Saudi Arabia?

How fast would it be on T-Mobile? Would it be 3G or 4G?

 

[palandri]

How fast would it be on T-Mobile? Would it be 3G or 4G?

On the Nokia global site, not the U.S. site, the 920 is listed as a pentaband phone, meaning it has all 5 bands and will work on either AT&T or T-Mobile. No need to wait for T-Mobile refarming:
http://forums.windowscentral.com/upcoming-rumored-devices/198451.htm

 

[darthhen]

You would have to buy an import if you want an unlocked 920. The 900 is still locked by AT&T in the states.

I always buy unbranded/unlocked GSM phones. I currently an unbranded/unlocked Nokia N8 (US Version), an unbranded/unlocked Samsung Galaxy S2 (from Greece) and an unbranded/unlocked HTC 7 Trophy (from Germany). You need to watch sites like ebay, Amazon, MobileCityOnline and NewEgg for imports.

Whoa....that's a lot of unlocked phones. Must've cost a boat load of moola.

I'm on the same boat it seems. I'll have to buy unlocked phone and use it on TMO network.

 

[theefman]

On the Nokia global site, not the U.S. site, the 920 is listed as a pentaband phone, meaning it has all 5 bands and will work on either AT&T or T-Mobile. No need to wait for T-Mobile refarming:
http://forums.windowscentral.com/upcoming-rumored-devices/198451.htm

How realistic is that though? Pentaband WCDMA is not new but all those LTE bands in one radio as well seems a bit much. I would lean towards it just being a listing of all the bands the phone is capable of and not what is actually in any one device.

 

[jkrc717]

On the Nokia global site, not the U.S. site, the 920 is listed as a pentaband phone, meaning it has all 5 bands and will work on either AT&T or T-Mobile. No need to wait for T-Mobile refarming:
http://forums.windowscentral.com/upcoming-rumored-devices/198451.htm

How realistic is that though? Pentaband WCDMA is not new but all those LTE bands in one radio as well seems a bit much. I would lean towards it just being a listing of all the bands the phone is capable of and not what is actually in any one device.

I hope someone can verify. Because having this phone unlocked for T-Mobile, not having to wait for the spectrum and it being as fast as a T-Mobile branded phone would be perfection.

I was planning on buying this phone out right anyway to have the unlimited value plan. So this exclusive stuff would mean nothing to me.

 

[theefman]

I hope someone can verify. Because having this phone unlocked for T-Mobile, not having to wait for the spectrum and it being as fast as a T-Mobile branded phone would be perfection.

I was planning on buying this phone out right anyway to have the unlimited value plan. So this exclusive stuff would mean nothing to me.

I would just wait till its released, the Euro version should have the most bands onboard, best to buy from someone like Clove or expansys then.

 

[x I'm tc]

I would just wait till its released, the Euro version should have the most bands onboard, best to buy from someone like Clove or expansys then.

I hope someone can verify. Because having this phone unlocked for T-Mobile, not having to wait for the spectrum and it being as fast as a T-Mobile branded phone would be perfection.

I cannot, of course, swear it will, but I can confirm first hand that the Nokia N8 (amazing phone, BTW) works perfectly on T-Mobile USA's HPSA. Here are the bands the N8 supports:
GSM 850
GSM 900
GSM 1800
GSM 1900
WCDMA Band V (850)
WCDMA Band VIII (900)
WCDMA Band IV (1700)
WCDMA Band II (1900)
WCDMA Band I (2100)

And here are the 920's bands:
GSM 850
GSM 900
GSM 1800
GSM 1900
WCDMA Band V (850)
WCDMA Band VIII (900)
WCDMA Band IV (1700)
WCDMA Band II (1900)
WCDMA Band I (2100)
LTE 700
LTE 800
LTE 850
LTE 900
LTE 1700
LTE 1800
LTE 1900
LTE 2100
LTE 2600

As you will note, the Lumia 920 supports a super-set of the N8's bands, so I'd say it's 90%+ certain to work "out of the box" on T-Mobile.

This makes me very happy.

 

[jkrc717]

Any new info on this issue?

 

[squire777]

Ok so the main site is saying that someone contacted Nokia about the international version having the AWS bands, and Nokia responded by saying that they are listed there by mistake.

As I currently look at the international Nokia sites the bands are still listed so I will wait and see if they are removed any time soon. For some reason I have a feeling Nokia might be denying the AWS bands to protect their exclusivity deal with ATT (in other words so that people don't get ideas to buy internationally and unlock them).

The reason I say this is because the Canadian Nokia site doesn't list the AWS bands for the Lumia 710 but it is confirmed that the phone does support those bands.

The only way to find out for sure is if someone is willing to buy an international version and get it unlocked.

 

[palandri]

Ok so the main site is saying that someone contacted Nokia about the international version having the AWS bands, and Nokia responded by saying that they are listed there by mistake.

As I currently look at the international Nokia sites the bands are still listed so I will wait and see if they are removed any time soon. For some reason I have a feeling Nokia might be denying the AWS bands to protect their exclusivity deal with ATT (in other words so that people don't get ideas to buy internationally and unlock them).

The reason I say this is because the Canadian Nokia site doesn't list the AWS bands for the Lumia 710 but it is confirmed that the phone does support those bands.

The only way to find out for sure is if someone is willing to buy an international version and get it unlocked.

Interesting theory. It might be true.

Keep in mind the 1700 band isn't real popular. It's only used by carriers in the U.S., Canada and Chile.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Ok so the main site is saying that someone contacted Nokia about the international version having the AWS bands, and Nokia responded by saying that they are listed there by mistake.

As I currently look at the international Nokia sites the bands are still listed so I will wait and see if they are removed any time soon. For some reason I have a feeling Nokia might be denying the AWS bands to protect their exclusivity deal with ATT (in other words so that people don't get ideas to buy internationally and unlock them).

The reason I say this is because the Canadian Nokia site doesn't list the AWS bands for the Lumia 710 but it is confirmed that the phone does support those bands.

The only way to find out for sure is if someone is willing to buy an international version and get it unlocked.

So, I wonder if that means that the Lumia 820 WILL support those bands as well. If so, that negates my whole rant status on FB about how only an iPhone 5 will support all the bands I need completely redundant. In which case... FML I RAGE WAY TOO EARLY! GFDI!