Will an "unlocked" 950XL work on Verizon?

[MikeSo]

SO ... can ANYONE "definitively say" whether a twice as "expensive" Lumia 950XL *** DOES NOT HAVE the SAME every carrier in the world - AND - Verizon "Radios" that the Lumia 735 has ???

ANYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

According to the official specs on Microsoft's website, it does not. Who knows if that is correct but that's all we have to go by right now.

 

[920Walker]

Why all this love for Verizon? If the phone I wanted only worked on their system I'd get another phone. That's how much I despise them for their extortionist policies, hidden taxes and generally complex plans. And now that Apple is subsidizing phones, I hear Verizon is sucking wind. Oh well, sucks to be them.

Cricket is my new savior now. Month to month, no hidden fees, cheap. Yeah, I know they're owned by AT&T but if they screw me over I'll dump their azzes too. Choice is wonderful.

I've been on Cricket for a month. $35/m including all taxes and fees, 2.5GB, no overage fees but throttled to 2G, no contract using my 920. Was paying $80 for 3GB, more if going even 1kb over 3 gigs. Buy unlocked, the European way.

 

[kwright62]

I'm moving to AT&T for the 950XL. I won't be surprised to find that eventually Verizon offers a variant of the same thing but by then Microsoft will release the Surface phone..... on AT&T.

I'm done with buying a phone from a carrier as well.

 

[Markeyse Jamar Mundy]

i dropped vzw back when they had crap wp7 support when i got tired of them always getting crap devices and went to ATT, signal and speed wise i haven't noticed any real negative difference, out in the sticks, i tend to get better reception than i did with verizon.

this is in SoCal and also the NorCal (bay) areas fwiw

Good to know!

Another good thing about AT&T, is that they bought DirecTV, and there are bundle pricing! This is definitely a way out if Verizon doesn't carry the 950 XL. I love Verizon, but not more than the Windows Phone! I just need the network to work! That is all!

 

[11B1P]

Well ****!. Looks like I am going to have to go to AT&T. The problem for me is that Verizon has CLEARLY the best coverage in my area. Nobody complains about the coverage (service and support are another matter) but every other carrier gets complaints. Need to shop and compare.

Ok, for you and everyone else reading this. You never pick a phone simply because it's only a specific carrier. You always pick the carrier with the best service for your area, then pick a phone on said carrier. Now if there's no difference in quality of service between your current provider and one you're looking to switch to, so be it. Now, yes it sucks, because I was looking forward to Verizon carrying the 950 and XL, but I will not give up Verizon simply for a phone.

 

[Markeyse Jamar Mundy]

I'm moving to AT&T for the 950XL. I won't be surprised to find that eventually Verizon offers a variant of the same thing but by then Microsoft will release the Surface phone..... on AT&T.

I'm done with buying a phone from a carrier as well.

Yea I may buy my phone without buying it from a carrier!

 

[Markeyse Jamar Mundy]

Ok, for you and everyone else reading this. You never pick a phone simply because it's only a specific carrier. You always pick the carrier with the best service for your area, then pick a phone on said carrier. Now if there's no difference in quality of service between your current provider and one you're looking to switch to, so be it. Now, yes it sucks, because I was looking forward to Verizon carrying the 950 and XL, but I will not give up Verizon simply for a phone.

You can't tell people what to do with their money though!

#Choices

 

[EspHack]

it has band 17 (700mhz) which is their base LTE network and the 950's support it, I think it is slower than AWS(don't know their exact freq) so in theory yes, LTE is a gsm technology, they actually give you an LTE simcard which only does data, so I guess you could buy a prepaid data simcard if they offer it, apply the network parameters and be good to go but only with LTE DATA and NOTHING ELSE

that's perfectly fine to me and even a benefit since I can get rid of their analog 2g/3g crap and just get data like fiber on my home, that is, if they sell prepaid LTE simcards and data plans for it AND let unlocked phones use it

 

[FXi2]

This is the question of the month we have to wait to see what the carriers do. Frankly I don't really care if carriers sell it from their store, the MS version would actually be nice if it got updates outside of the carrier update methods. Means we'd get security fixes done faster. And carriers aren't exactly offering discounts like the old days. But not false flags either. When we say "run" on their network it runs fully, no features disabled, no channels or methods disallowed, no "special" problems to deal with. Just get the sim into the thing, start billing me and it's just the same if I buy it at MS or Amazon or the VZ online store.

 

[MikeSo]

I'm moving to AT&T for the 950XL. I won't be surprised to find that eventually Verizon offers a variant of the same thing but by then Microsoft will release the Surface phone..... on AT&T.

I'm done with buying a phone from a carrier as well.

Yeah I'm leaving Verizon too no matter what they do. After the Icon debacle there is no way I will keep supporting them at least not for the foreseeable future.

 

[MikeSo]

When the antennae were specifically mentioned, I right away thought that they were going to include CDMA capabilities. As it turned out, I have no clue what the significance is of two antennae!

That's what I thought too. Although no matter what I am happy they talked about that because the one thing about the Icon that really sucks is the reception on Wi-Fi so hopefully that will no longer be the case in the 950.

 

[donebrasko]

I just can't leave my unlimited data. #u-d-til-i-d-i-e

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Tegument]

even if it's unlocked it would still need to work w/ cdma rather than gsm...as a verizon user myself, I'm keeping my fingers crossed as well that they offer both, especially since the carriers aren't doing contracts anymore we should have the option w/ byod

 

[dkediger]

Unfortunately, ATT has no signal, not just no LTE signal, but no freakin' signal period at 3 of the 5 locations I work, as well as at home.

I have to admit, the Note 5 my wife uses is looking better by the day. I'm in no real rush - my Icon is a solid phone. But if Verizon is out as a carrier, either sold direct or BYOD, it is a bad omen for improving WP's fortune in the US.

 

[Sick Freak]

I called T-Mobile within minutes of the showcase ending on Tuesday, and learned that they will not be carrying either of the Lumia 950 models. Although we can bring one on via BYOD, WiFi calling will not be supported.

This is a huge letdown for me personally, as my workplace has zero TMo reception unless I walk out of the building and to the parking structure. I've had my Lumias for 3 years now and was in dire need for this upgrade, but without WiFi calling a 950XL would a brick at work.

Why would WiFi calling not work?

 

[DustinRyan]

Yea... this is very common. I have gone to many VZW stores around the country (including one in Seattle) and the reps often flatly state that there is no such thing as a Windows based phone. And then when I show it to them (which is usually hiding behind an Android display - or I show it to them on their own website,) they immediately do the hard sell for an Android phone. I've even seen them try to push people away from iPhones in favor of Android. Once, and only once, did I find a rep that actually admitted that they had Windows Phones (and he actually had one in his pocket for his personal use.)

I can relate. I am a manager at a Verizon premium retailer, and I'm that one guy with a Windows Phone often talking to people (even coworkers) who don't know that a) Windows Phones exist, or b) that Verizon even carries them.

 

[bulls96]

I wonder how long Microsoft will be quiet over this issue of carrier support other than AT&T for the unlocked devices?

 

[illidanx]

I wonder how long Microsoft will be quiet over this issue of carrier support other than AT&T for the unlocked devices?

I guess until no one on Verizon cares anymore and has all switched to Android/iOS. If they want to be transparent, they could just say what carriers their unlocked phones support.

 

[tangledW]

I guess until no one on Verizon cares anymore and has all switched to Android/iOS. If they want to be transparent, they could just say what carriers their unlocked phones support.

Nah... I just stopped caring and switched to AT&T for my Windows phones.

 

[Christopher Senn1]

seems some people are saying that yes 950 can be used on Verizon, but its all about Verizon allowing the device on their network. This CDMA requirement is actually a bit flexible and doesnt need to have it per say but rather Verizon has to give the go ahead to accept it on their network