How To: AT&T Lumia 1520 (RM-940) on T-Mobile/Wind/Mobilicity AWS1700Mhz/HSPA+ Band 4

[heywhitmarsh]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

It does have 700 LTE band according to spec listed.
Nokia Lumia 1520 - Full phone specifications

It's all in the details. While it does have 700mhz support, its only on band 17. Because of complications in Block B and Block C LTE, band 17 devices can not receive all of the 700mhz LTE band. This means they cannot receive band 12 signals, which means that you will not get low band T-Mobile LTE. However this network doesn't exist yet, and will probably take at least a year to be relevant. Since the AT&T 1520 supports all the other T-Mobile bands, it's definitely worth picking up for use on T-Mobile. I've seen as high as 60mbps down on T-Mobile on my AT&T branded 1520.

TL;DR: The AT&T 1520 has full support for T-Mobile's network right now

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Does this really work? anybody can confirmed this works on T-Mobile 3G 1700 band? or is it hardware locked, need unlocked 1520.3/rm-938 only. what about t-mobile 700 LTE band. Recently news says T-Mobile is increasing 700 LTE band.

If you read this thread it is confirmed that it enables T-Mo compatible 1700 MHz AWS for 3G/H+ reception in all T-Mo legacy areas which have not had an LTE rollout. It effectively makes the RM-940 3G radio identical to the 3G radio on RM-938.

RM-940 (AT&T) and RM-938 (Latin America) have identical LTE radios.



AT&T uses LTE Bands 2@1900, 4@1700 and 17@700 MHz
T-Mo uses LTE Bands 2@1900, 4@1700 and 12@700 MHz
Source: List of LTE networks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The difference between Band 12 and Band 17 is that Band 12 is broader... It encompasses a higher and lower end point than Band 17.
Band 12 uplinks on 699-716 MHz and downlinks on 729-746 MHz
Band 17 uplinks on 704-716 MHz and downlinks on 734-746 MHz
Source: E-UTRA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note that Band 17 is a subset of Band 12. A Band 17 radio falls right in range for Band 12 and will cross over.

A Band 12 radio may not work optimally on Band 17 as it might try and "talk" to the towers outside of their "listening" range. This is why AT&T is resistant to rolling out Band 12 as it would strand AT&T users with only Band 17 on board.

So Band 17 (AT&T) can substitute for Band 12 (T-Mo).

Both RM-938 and RM 940 have everything they need for any AT&T or T-Mo compatible service...

 

[Byu1]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

The reason I asked is because original rm-940 has AWS 1700 disabled. T-Mobile has fall back to 3G on area LTE is not available. rm-940 will fall on edge if AWS is not enable.

Does the phone show 3G on the top?

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well till now no one has confirmed anything. Enabling 1700MHz does not enable AWS. AWS is 1700/2100MHz enabled together. Unless someone using an AT&T unlocked 1520 posts the 3G UARFCN from Field Test we cannot confirm whether this method works. In order to make it simple, set highest connection speed to 3G, go to Field Test and repeat the steps mentioned by OP on a T-Mobile SIM and post the UARFCN

 

[Byu1]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

In the picture under step 5, B4 WCDMA 1700 has same number from number on this page.

PDAmaster | PDAdb.net

LTE1700/2100 (B4)

Does the phone show H+ when it get to 3G?

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well till now no one has confirmed anything. Enabling 1700MHz does not enable AWS. AWS is 1700/2100MHz enabled together. Unless someone using an AT&T unlocked 1520 posts the 3G UARFCN from Field Test we cannot confirm whether this method works. In order to make it simple, set highest connection speed to 3G, go to Field Test and repeat the steps mentioned by OP on a T-Mobile SIM and post the UARFCN

I would have sworn that someone reported back here that it worked...

Here's more from: Nokia Lumia 1520 passes through FCC - ThePocketTech



The point of this thread is to enable what was disabled at AT&T request and "hidden" from casual users.

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I would have sworn that someone reported back here that it worked...

Here's more from: Nokia Lumia 1520 passes through FCC - ThePocketTech

View attachment 95151

Well one can claim the same thing about the AT&T 920 and Rogers variant, AWS disabled. By now everyone who tried has been unsuccessful. Field Test mode was disabled on the AT&T ROM but not on Rogers. Folks who have flashed the Rogers pre-portico ROM onto the AT&T variant (including me) couldn't enable AWS through Field Test, even though the option is checked. Heck even the now discontinued Lumia 810 had the LTE option in Field Test, which really didn't mean anything. If a band is disabled by hardware there is no way it would magically enable after flipping switches in higher level ROM access menus (such as Field test).

Again I am not saying that the RM-940 doesn't support 3G/HSPA+ on AWS, I just want someone to confirm it and UARFCN band while being used on T-Mobile's HSPA+ would confirm that

 

[Liam Wong]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well till now no one has confirmed anything. Enabling 1700MHz does not enable AWS. AWS is 1700/2100MHz enabled together. Unless someone using an AT&T unlocked 1520 posts the 3G UARFCN from Field Test we cannot confirm whether this method works. In order to make it simple, set highest connection speed to 3G, go to Field Test and repeat the steps mentioned by OP on a T-Mobile SIM and post the UARFCN

It works. I have an AT&T model working on Wind mobile in Canada. They only have the 1700 HSPA band up here.

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

It works. I have an AT&T model working on Wind mobile in Canada. They only have the 1700 HSPA band up here.

And that, specifically, Band 4 flavor 1700.
UMTS frequency bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

It works. I have an AT&T model working on Wind mobile in Canada. They only have the 1700 HSPA band up here.

What works? LTE or HSPA+? 1700MHz can be LTE Band 4 as well.

Try this. Set your highest connection speed to 3G under cellular+settings. Your network will refresh and connect to either HSPA+/3G or 2G/E. Now go to the dialer and dial ##3282#, this will bring up the field test mode. Click accept. Check if you are still connected to 3G/HSPA+, if yes then proceed. Select 3G DCH Status and take a screen shot and post the values here

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

And that, specifically, Band 4 flavor 1700.
UMTS frequency bands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Why are you confusing Band 4 LTE with AWS 3G/HSPA? AT&T 1520 variants support Band 4 LTE (1700MHz), everyone knows that. It does not support AWS band (1700MHz/2100MHz) which is what T-Mobile's legacy (non-refarmed markets) 3G/HSPA network works on. So does Rogers Canada, Wind Canada, Bell Canada, and the so called 1520.3 LTA model.

Having an option enabled in Field Test doesn't really mean the hardware supports it. On the other hand, not having an option in field test doesn't mean the phone doesn't support that frequency. For e.g. my pentaband 920 only lists 2 options under 3G, All Bands and UMTS Band 2.

FYI:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-810/205089-lumia-810-lte-capable.html

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Why are you confusing Band 4 LTE with AWS 3G/HSPA? AT&T 1520 variants support Band 4 LTE (1700MHz), everyone knows that. It does not support AWS band (1700MHz/2100MHz) which is what T-Mobile's legacy (non-refarmed markets) 3G/HSPA network works on. So does Rogers Canada, Wind Canada, Bell Canada, and the so called 1520.3 LTA model

Did you not look at the tables I linked? AWS 1700/2100 is 3G Band 4. Exactly the same on T-Mo in legacy areas and on Wind in Canada.

I'm not confusing the two at all.

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Did you not look at the tables I linked? AWS 1700/2100 is 3G Band 4. Exactly the same on T-Mo in legacy areas and on Wind in Canada.

I'm not confusing the two at all.

In that case so is the 810 LTE capable


Unless I see the UARFCN bands, I am not convinced. There is a 300 Pg thread claiming folks have enabled AWS on the AT&T 920, eventually no one did.

A UARFCN screenshot on T-Mobile/Wind CA/Rogers CA's 3G network on an unlocked RM-940 would be the only proof. That takes like 2 mins to post

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well I've neither an RM-940 or a SIM from T-Mo, Rogers or Wind. I just believe users like the ones who report it as working in areas that require that 3G Band... One of them will have to supply the screenshot you are asking for.

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Well I've neither an RM-940 or a SIM from T-Mo, Rogers or Wind. I just believe users like the ones who report it as working in areas that require that 3G Band... One of them will have to supply the screenshot you are asking for.

Well that's what I tend not to do unless there's enough proof. This might help save someone's wrong purchase

 

[Liam Wong]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I'm not sure why screen shots dont work in the field test menu, but I took a picture of the phone's screen. You can see that I'm getting a 4G HSPA connection (not LTE, since WIND doesn't have the spectrum) in the top right.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!AEaEUqzsvSjF380&v=3&ithint=photo,jpg

 

[AR2186]

I'm not sure why screen shots dont work in the field test menu, but I took a picture of the phone's screen. You can see that I'm getting a 4G HSPA connection (not LTE, since WIND doesn't have the spectrum) in the top right.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!AEaEUqzsvSjF380&v=3&ithint=photo,jpg

There's your proof then. UARCFN 1987 is AWS, specifically Band 4 portion of it. I had tested it in the past but didn't have screen shots on me

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

Okay this is promising. Now some using it on T-Mobile might be able to confirm?

 

[AR2186]

Thanks. Looks like I am getting UARFCN readings of 462 and 2062, which appears to be the PCS 1900 and 1700 bands, respectively. Guess that proves it works

Just for good measure, I confirmed the use of band 4 umts in December. Helps if you read the whole thread

This was seen running on T-Mobile. I am back using AT&T so I can't test again unfortunately

 

[Byu1]

Re: Instructions: AT&T Lumia 1520 on T-Mobile AWS 3G (HSPA Band 4 - 1700)

I guess a screenshot of H+ on the top would prove everything.