Internet Sharing + MMS now working on AT&T 920 w/ USA T-Mobile SIM

[trooters]

After many long days and nights, I finally got Internet Sharing on my AT&T 920 with T-Mobile LTE data. It turns out that Access Point is both the problem and the solution.

Summary: Access Point configures tethering settings behind the scenes, including special MO settings. It has the ability to configure the APN/MMS settings, as well as the tethering messages we see when tethering fails (e.g. 'upgrade required', 'contact att 611', etc you will notice these messages change after Access Point runs on the device). However for T-Mobile SIM cards, it doesn't quite get all the settings and code 100% right so as a result the phones fail to enable tethering. This is true for any unbranded or AT&T phones we use with a T-Mobile SIM. The solution is to use a foreign SIM card + access point to configure the tethering settings, then uninstall access point, and then configure the APN/MMS settings manually with the T-Mobile SIM. Internet sharing will then work.

Of course, I believe the real solution is for Nokia to update Access Point so that when it configures a T-Mobile SIM it will also configure and install all the necessary code for tethering to work correctly.

P.S. It did not escape me that T-Mobile phones ship with Access Point installed, and everything works just fine (e.g. 521/925). To me, what this means is that there is likely some extra software on a T-Mobile ROM image that is not included with a stand-alone version of Access Point . Nokia/Microsoft really should find a way to bundle this extra software so that all phones work correctly with a T-Mobile SIM.

HOW TO:

Requirements (Pre-requisites)

• AT&T 920 Phone (I have mixed results with unbranded phones. This guide works consistently for AT&T phones since they expose manually editable APN settings) [forum members have reported that this works on AT&T 1020, 1520, Rogers 920, Rogers 1020 devices, as well.]
• T-Mobile microSIM
• Foreign microSIM (for me, I happened across a WIND SIM card from Greece, recently)
• Access Point, installed on the phone. access point | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Step-by-Step

• Part I : Use Access Point and the foreign SIM to configure tethering settings
  1. Insert foreign SIM card into phone and boot it up.
  2. Goto Settings->Access Point, launch the app, and verify that it applies the foreign settings (it should read 'active' underneath the Mobile Operator settings being used)
  3. Reboot the phone to ensure the settings 'stick'
  4. Shut down the phone.
  5. Remove the SIM card.
• Part II: Uninstall Access Point to keep the tethering settings. (If you don't do this and boot with the T-Mobile SIM, Access Point may apply a different set of tethering settings.)
  1. Boot the phone
  2. Go to settings->Time & Date
  3. Turn off Automatic Date, set the year to 2113 (or something ridiculous)
  4. Go to settings->Access Point. When you launch the app, it will request to uninstall because it has expired. Uninstall it.
  5. Restore the time & date settings, shut down the phone.
• Part III: Boot with the T-Mobile SIM and configure APN/MMS settings
  1. Insert the T-Mobile SIM card, boot phone
  2. Goto Settings->Cellular
  3. Configure & save internet settings with (this should be consistent w/ the T-Mobile website)
     1. APN: fast.t-mobile.com
  4. Configure & save MMS settings with (this should be consistent w/ the T-Mobile website)
     1. APN: fast.t-mobile.com
     2. MMSURL: http://mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc
        Port: 80
  5. Send yourself a picture MMS to apply the new MMS and data settings (this is important).
  6. Go to Settings->internet sharing, turn on sharing.

At this point, you should be able to successfully do everything that a device should be able to do. Send picture messages. Share internet.

If you get this working please post the make/model and the foreign SIM you used. Some members have run into cases where this doesn't work and I suspect it is the fault of the SIM.

SIMs reported by others which work: UK Orange Prepay, UK O2 Prepay, UK Vodafone & UK Vodaphone Prepaid, UK 3, Greece WIND, Thai AIS, Thai DTAC, Spanish Lebara Movil, Mexico TelCel 128k, Giffgaff, Canada Telus (hit/miss), Pakistan uFONE, Ukraine MTS, Saudi Arabia Aljawal (AKA STC)

SIMs reported by others which do NOT work: UK Virgin Mobile, US Net10, Canada Rogers, Canada Bell, Spain Vodaphone, Ireland O2, USA Aio, Canada Virgin Mobile,

 

[Laura Knotek]

This will be helpful for a lot of people using unlocked AT&T devices on T-Mobile.

 

[jobinthomas]

Awesome I need to get my hands on a foreign sim

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Tapatalk

 

[darthhen]

trooters,

OMG!!! Thank you VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY much for this. I have Lumia 1020 and I can confirm your instructions works for me!!!

 

[thejaredhuang]

+1 for figuring out how to uninstall access point. +2 for 1020 tethering

For the 920 you can use access point and tethering if you flash a 3049 ROM. The Australian ones are 3049.

 

[Zulfigar]

+1 for figuring out how to uninstall access point. +2 for 1020 tethering

For the 920 you can use access point and tethering if you flash a 3049 ROM. The Australian ones are 3049.

I was debating if I should either PM you and ask or just ask here, figured here in case anyone else was interested, but care to share the steps? I just got an international version of the 920 (RM-821_eu_euro2_530) with the firmware revision number: 3049.0000.1130.003 ....

What do I need to do? Been trying for a couple weeks to get tethering to work on T-Mobile with this phone (and I don't know anyone in my area with a foreign SIM).

 

[amifilho]

Thanks, worked for me with unlocked AT&T Lumia 920 now on T-Mobile. Before your instructions I had it mostly working by just having the APN T-mobile settings -- except internet sharing would not work on LTE (only on 4G or less). Then I installed the access point app, and everything stopped working altogether. After following your instructions everything works including internet sharing on LTE!

 

[hung0820]

I was wondering if possible to flash the T-Mobile Nokia 925 onto the unlock ATT nokia 920. That way, the Nokia 920 become the T-Mobile Nokia 925 and all features working without hassle. Does anyone know if that is possible?

 

[maxawesome]

Everything was great up until this step in part 2:

"Goto Settings->Cellular
Configure & save internet settings with (this should be consistent w/ the T-Mobile website)"

When I uninstall access point, set automatic date & time again, and reboot with T-Mobile SIM inserted, I go to Settings > Cellular, but there's no option for me to configure anything. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

I am using the unlocked Developer Device from the BUILD conference with the latest 3047 ROM for the Developer Device. I tried using a Congstar SIM from Germany/France but to no avail.

 

[anon(5339110)]

I don't have access to a foreign SIM, and have no idea how to get my hands on one, other than to beg for one--or buy one. Any idea if either of these would do the trick?

Telcel America Micro Sim Card Call Mexico Anytime New Rate Plans $40 | eBay

Virgin Mobile Canada Micro Sim Card LTE | eBay

 

[trooters]

Everything was great up until this step in part 2:

"When I uninstall access point, set automatic date & time again, and reboot with T-Mobile SIM inserted, I go to Settings > Cellular, but there's no option for me to configure anything. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

I am using the unlocked Developer Device from the BUILD conference with the latest 3047 ROM for the Developer Device. I tried using a Congstar SIM from Germany/France but to no avail.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, you are unfortunately hitting the limitation identified in my requirements section; i have only ever found manually editable APN settings on the ATT image. I have been consistently successful with these instructions on ATT devices, but that is about it. :-\

 

[trooters]

That way, the Nokia 920 become the T-Mobile Nokia 925 and all features working without hassle. Does anyone know if that is possible?

I have never tried but a quick spec check would show the 920 and 925 have some similar, but also very different hardware (e.g. lcd vs. amoled display)

 

[trooters]

I don't have access to a foreign SIM, and have no idea how to get my hands on one, other than to beg for one--or buy one.

one idea is to try a local wireless store (esp the mom/pop places in china towns or international districts). they may already have intl SIM cards in the trash... Of course, it is a weird question to ask them...

The SIM itself doesn't need to be 'live', the access point just needs it to apply the settings, that is all.

 

[anon(5339110)]

one idea is to try a local wireless store (esp the mom/pop places in china towns or international districts). they may already have intl SIM cards in the trash... Of course, it is a weird question to ask them...

The SIM itself doesn't need to be 'live', the access point just needs it to apply the settings, that is all.

Well, I went ahead and bought one of the Virgin Canada SIMs--a $2.80 gamble. I'll report back on how that works out for me...

 

[pankaj981]

I tried on a Rogers unlocked Lumia 920 on T-Mobile. I uninstalled Access Point and followed instructions, now I get LTE, MMS works, and so does Internet Sharing. I tested it after rebooting, LTE didn't show up for like 10 minutes but then it worked. I did a speed test on my laptop and get around 21M up/10M down. Thanks for the trick to uninstall Access Point.

 

[trooters]

I tried on a Rogers unlocked Lumia 920 on T-Mobile. ... I did a speed test on my laptop and get around 21M up/10M down. Thanks for the trick to uninstall Access Point.

I am glad to hear that it works for the Rogers image/ROM too. I don't have access to a Rogers device so I am sure others will appreciate your post knowing that the instructions work on more than just AT&T branded devices.

 

[rory753]

I recently switched to tmobile from att, bringing my lumia 920. I am hopeful for this method, and I went through the steps. I was able to send myself (slowly) an mms, but when I enable the internet sharing, while I no longer get the "upgrade your phone" dialog, I now get a "there's no cellular data connection to share right now. Check your cellular setting and signal, and try again". I've triple checked the internet cellular APN, which I have as "fast.t-mobile.com". I've gone to the tmobile website to check the apn for internet, which appears to still be the "fast.t-mobile.com".

I live in seattle, so I expected this to work. I do know that my internet speed is around 11 mbs, which I consider slow for LTE(my phone shows 3 bars of LTE). I don't know if having GDR3 means anything, but I have that installed on my phone. Has anyone had this issue?

update: adding access point back and testing speeds show them to be about comparable with the manually entered internet APN. still no idea why the other dialog came up

update2: I've found that if I restrict the phone from LTE, I can use internet tethering (IE it works on 4g, but not LTE).

update3: I've tried the method on a non-gdr3 lumia 920, and have the same problem. I'm wondering now if it's the simcard that I'm using(a Italy Vodaphone) one.

update 4: I bought a Canadian Telus simcard, and this has the same affect as the Italian simcard, which means I can use internet sharing on hspa+(listed as 4g on a 920), but not lte.

 

[wvanellis]

This process also works for the 1520!!!

Thanks so much!!!

 

[trooters]

This process also works for the 1520!!!

Thanks so much!!!

Would you mind posting the foreign SIM card you are using? That may help others narrow down problems they have.

 

[anon(5339110)]

I recently switched to tmobile from att, bringing my lumia 920. I am hopeful for this method, and I went through the steps. I was able to send myself (slowly) an mms, but when I enable the internet sharing, while I no longer get the "upgrade your phone" dialog, I now get a "there's no cellular data connection to share right now. Check your cellular setting and signal, and try again". I've triple checked the internet cellular APN, which I have as "fast.t-mobile.com". I've gone to the tmobile website to check the apn for internet, which appears to still be the "fast.t-mobile.com".

I live in seattle, so I expected this to work. I do know that my internet speed is around 11 mbs, which I consider slow for LTE(my phone shows 3 bars of LTE). I don't know if having GDR3 means anything, but I have that installed on my phone. Has anyone had this issue?

update: adding access point back and testing speeds show them to be about comparable with the manually entered internet APN. still no idea why the other dialog came up

update2: I've found that if I restrict the phone from LTE, I can use internet tethering (IE it works on 4g, but not LTE).

update3: I've tried the method on a non-gdr3 lumia 920, and have the same problem. I'm wondering now if it's the simcard that I'm using(a Italy Vodaphone) one.

I finally received my SIM, and my 920 back from Nokia service (broken USB), and have been trying to apply the fix. So far, I get the same result as rory753 quoted above (except I haven't tried tethering on 4G only), "there's no cellular data connection to share right now. Check your cellular setting and signal, and try again."

I followed the instructions to a tee, and it all seemed to go smoothly. This is the foreign SIM I used:

Virgin Mobile Canada Micro Sim Card LTE | eBay

edit: I just tried the APN settings that were in the T-Mobile Lumia 810 I picked as a spare, and no dice. Those APN settings are epc.tmobile.com