Can I unlock it

[RaRa85]

Ok guys its February 28, 2013. I am a T-Mobile user in the USA. I really want the Lumia 920 but lately I have been reading conflicting reports about whether I would be able to unlock the phone through cell unlocking services such as cellunlocker and others. Before I cut my sim card and spend $300 plus on eBay. I need to know if this will be a waste of my time. Any T-Mobile customers out there rocking a Lumia 920? Let me know! Thanks.

 

[sym1a1a]

The L920 (in the U.S.A.) will not be unlock able at least until May at the earliest due to att 6 month exclusive rights, you might try an international version but don't know if it would work on T Mobile or not

 

[RaRa85]

Thanks cause some of these services have been saying they could unlock it. I may just switch to AT&T and use messaging apps such as WhatsApp to stay within the $65 range that I pay now.

 

[BeaverJuicer]

Unlocking a cell phone in the USA without the network's consent is now a violation of the DMCA, and illegal. Not that such a horrible disrespectful law should stop you.

 

[RaRa85]

I thought that was for phones manufactured after the date they signed the bill making all phones before that time good to go. Either way, looks like I'll have to be more patient and give T-Mobile one last chance to score a high end Nokia phone by the summer.

 

[MattMamba2012]

I'm not 100% sure but I think if you use the att 920 on T-Mobile you won't have 4G (hspa) speeds or even 3G due to the antenna frequency. If I remember correctly I saw a thread where someone said the Canadian Rogers 920 uses the same antenna frequency as T-Mobile. You might want to consider one of those instead. I'm not sure of Rogers will unlock it though.

 

[RaRa85]

I'll look into that as well but my HTC Titan has been loyal and the best phone I've owned thus far. I'm just ready to get that great camera love in my life.

 

[BeaverJuicer]

I thought that was for phones manufactured after the date they signed the bill making all phones before that time good to go. Either way, looks like I'll have to be more patient and give T-Mobile one last chance to score a high end Nokia phone by the summer.

No. Previous to Jan 28th, there was an exception in place to allow unlocking of phones, but the Library of Congress bowed to lobby pressure to remove that exemption. Doesn't matter when the phone was made.

How Unlocking Your Phone May Now Be A Crime: $500,000 Fines And 5 Years In Prison For First Offense | Techdirt

It truly is horrible law.

 

[RaRa85]

Well that about sums it all up for me. Either the HTC One with T-Mobile or the Nokia Lumia 920 with AT&T. I'll wait for the review of the HTC One before I make that decision.

 

[MattMamba2012]

http://www.expansys.ca/nokia-lumia-920-windows-phone-236632/

I found this site which sells the unlocked 920 with the 1900 frequency from Canada. Make sure that's the correct frequency for TMobile though because I'm only going based off memory and I don't know too much about antennas and frequencies. I wish they all just worked and we could buy any phone on any network haha.
Well there you go. If you want the 920 on Tmobile I think this is the way to go.

Edit: Now that I think about it, the frequency might be 1400 not 1900 for Tmobile. Sorry I really can't remember.

Edit 2: okay it seems that some areas support 1900 but I guess tmobiles base frequency is 1700. I'm confused now. Sorry.

 

[jgbstetson]

Tmobile uses 1700 for its 4g, but also 1900 in "refarmed" areas. If you live in a refarmed area, the Intl unlocked version will work. If you don't, or travel a lot, I believe you are looking for an unlocked Rogers version. Last I heard, this supports 1700. If you found a phone you want, get the tech specs and call tmo to verify it will suit your needs. Do not buy an att phone, even if someone tells you it can be unlocked.

 

[RaRa85]

Good deal if I can find a reasonably priced international one in that $300-375 range then I'm in. I am indeed in a refarmed area cause my unlocked HTC Titan from AT&T gets 4g coverage in about 75% of my city. And it started off in only one small part and grew by the weeks. Its amazing.

 

[RaRa85]

Any suggestions on where to look for an international version that won't cost an arm and a leg?

 

[jgbstetson]

Any suggestions on where to look for an international version that won't cost an arm and a leg?

not sure where you can find one in that price range. Att locked models are aplenty, and there is downward pressure on these prices. Expansys sells them new...pretty steep. There's always eBay.

 

[RaRa85]

EBay has the ATT versions in that price range everyday. Too bad. Guess I'll wait it out.

 

[jgbstetson]

EBay has the ATT versions in that price range everyday. Too bad. Guess I'll wait it out.

the verge thinks a flagship for tmo is in the works for summer release.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/28/4039466/nokia-lumia-strategy-time-for-windows-phone-2013

 

[anon(5335877)]

No. Previous to Jan 28th, there was an exception in place to allow unlocking of phones, but the Library of Congress bowed to lobby pressure to remove that exemption. Doesn't matter when the phone was made.

How Unlocking Your Phone May Now Be A Crime: $500,000 Fines And 5 Years In Prison For First Offense | Techdirt

It truly is horrible law.

Applies only to phones sold after January 26th.

https://www.eff.org/is-it-illegal-to-unlock-a-phone

Even then, they're probably not going to go after you. There isn't really a way for them to keep track of all this. I heard they're probably going after the phone unlocking services instead--much easier than trying to go after the many many many mobile phone users one at a time.

 

[vpop]

Here is such site where you can get unlock codes for your Nokia lumia 920 to make it accessible to other networks Prounlocking.com .If still needed can try them.

 

[txkimmers]

I recently purchased an unlocked international Lumia 920--I live in Austin, which was recently re-farmed on the Tmo network--could not get better than Edge or 3G speeds. I returned that phone for a Rogers brand unlocked L920, put my Tmo sim card in and instantly had 4G speeds and have had zero problems so far. I had to do some manual settings for MMS but once done, that has been great too.

If you are on Tmo and really want the Lumia 920, the Rogers unlocked unit is the way to go. I have heard that Tmo is supposedly getting a top shelf Lumia later this year, but having been a Tmo customer for years, I will believe that when I see it! And they certainly don't seem especially interested in anything but Samsung or finally getting the iPhone. The HTC 8X I bought from them didn't even offer wireless charging for the unit because it was an "exclusive" feature on another carrier--just depressing, really. I am so very glad I was able to switch to a Lumia 920, aside from 8X being a fine phone.

 

[jgbstetson]

You bring up an important side note. Just because tmo says your area has been refarmed, doesn't mean it has been THOROUGHLY refarmed. They call it refarmed when x% of the area or users are covered. Just a heads up.