Wifi Tethering - International Sim Unlocked in US

[Codemaverick]

Coming from Android, I got a rude awakening tonight, being told that I had to pay more to T-mobile for tethering my device, on a data plan I never go over as it is on my new HTC 8x. The phone is likely going back, but before I do that..

My question(s) are:
1. If I buy an international (UK) sim-free version of the phone from e-bay or Amazon UK for example, will it work in the US, including tethering?
2. Since I bought the phone full price, I know there's an option to call the carrier for an unlock code. If I do that, will the issue go away? Based on my hours of Google searching tonight, it appears to be a custom ROM issue, so probably not, but I just wanted confirmation.


Thanks

 

[jhguth]

I never had to pay more for tethering on tmobile, is this new?

 

[ttsoldier]

SIM Free and Unlocked phone are two different things. You will need to look for a Factory Unlocked Nokia Lumia 920 on amazon or ebay. Then yes, it will work in the US or anywhere in the world.

From what I gather, tethering is based on the carrier, not on the phone. It's up to the carrier if they want to allow tethering or now. As far as chargers go... I'm not sure.

 

[Codemaverick]

Thanks for the responses:

Re: Jhguth - No, sadly it's not, but unless you have a 5G monthly data plan (which I don't need) or are on a rooted Android, you do have to pay 14.99/month for tethering. I didn't have an issue before because I'm coming from a Nexus device.

 

[Stefan L]

^***Update
Does not work - Tethering option disappears also on unlocked SIM free version and you get the call ATT message in the same way as an an ATT locked phone. So forget about WP8, they have implemented this poison pill exactly like Apple and the device gets semi bricked when you put an ATT compatible SIM in.

I can not believe it...

Yes it is free and available on any phone where it is available in the firmware (nothing to do with SIM unlocked). Operators try to control it with apps in the phone that check against their or the HW manufactures server.
iPhone is an exception where it applies a carrier profile based on the SIM you put in. Apple bends over for the Operator and particularly ATT. If you have a European unlocked iPhone tethering option disappear if you put in an ATT SIM or even if you edit the APN.

 

[foxbat121]

Just to add that if you buy anything other than a T-Mo phone, you may stuck at 2G speed even if you can tethering. We are talking about 60 to 100kbps 2G speed. If you want to take full advantage of T-mo network, you need a T-mo phone (which will have tethering checking software loaded) or some penta-band phones from Nokia.

 

[Stefan L]

It is correct that you need support for T mob proprietary 3G frequency (1700)
However T Mob are building 3G support on legacy America bands to support 3G for iPhone and I think some cities have coverage already.
Why T-Mob when you have Straight talk on ATTs network?

 

[Codemaverick]

I'm posting this just so that someone else who may have the same issue can get some answers.

- I got an international sim-free phone. Didn't solve my problem. As foxbat121 mentioned, the phone was stuck in 2G. I expected that, but since T-mobile claimed they were expanding their HSPA+ service to the ATT frequencies - 1900Mhz to accomodate iPhones, and my city is one of the cities where it is supposedly deployed, I didn't think I'd have an issue. It didn't work. The phone occassionally detected HSPA+ speeds, but once I started using it, defaulted back to 2G data.

- Even worse, the wireless hotspot feature still didn't let me share my internet connection. Kept popping up the error message to send me to t-mobile to sign up for hotspot - which tells me that the issue is not with the phone ROM, but likely with the SIM card as well as Microsoft bowing to pressure from the carriers and building it in.

For anyone else for whom this may be an issue, stick to your Nexus device. Just curious, do those who have the latest Nexus 4 devices have the same issue?

 

[Stefan L]

Does not work - Tethering option disappears also on unlocked SIM free version and you get the call ATT message in the same way as an an ATT locked phone. So forget about WP8, they have implemented this poison pill exactly like Apple and the device gets semi bricked when you put an ATT compatible SIM in.

Should work on T mobile if you have a Dev edition or unlocked Rogers phone but I have not tested. European/International does not support WCDMA 1700

 

[Stefan L]

Surprisingly tethering / Internet sharing actually works on the ATT 920 after unlock and firmware upgrade (current 2013 05 21). I am also using the access point app.

I assume the unlock did it and either it is a lucky mistake or Microsoft / Nokia realized it was a bad idea to lock unlocked devices and corrected the ATT carrier profile for unlocked devices.

*Note, a vanilla, full price SIM free factory unlocked 920 previously did not allow ATT tethering, same as iPhone "Call 611 ATT to enable hot spot etc....)