Unlocked Lumia 920 on TMobile

[Sheikboy]

Hi Everyone,

So my trust my trusty HTC 8x has left me for the great Best Buy in the Sky and am looking at purchasing a new device. I use TMobile as a service plan and a service plan alone so I would need to purchase my device unlocked outright. I'm looking at the Lumia 920 (I know there are newer, better Lumias out now, but wireless charging built in is a definite plus for me) and was wondering what my experience with T-Mobile service would be if I were to purchase an AT&T branded Lumia 920 and had it unlocked by the carrier? I don't have a data plan at this time, but I may in the future. What kind of performance can I expect?

Thanks!

Sheik

 

[Mr Lebowski]

AT&T won't unlock the phone unless you've been with them at least 6 months and even then AT&T customers can't seem to get it unlocked,
(plenty of threads saying that) so scratch that and buy one unlocked on eBay or a 3rd party seller.
AT&T won't be your source for unlocking even if you bought it full price.
...Could be wrong about that but I would get it in writing from AT&T before you bought it from them.

 

[xandros9]

Save yourself the trouble and the effort and spend the extra for an unlocked model.

The Verizon 928 is a potential option, as its unlocked by default, but MMS and something else may not work properly.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

Save yourself the trouble and the effort and spend the extra for an unlocked model.

The Verizon 928 is a potential option, as its unlocked by default, but MMS and something else may not work properly.

Bit hard to run CDMA phone on a GSM network tho'

 

[xandros9]

Bit hard to run CDMA phone on a GSM network tho'

its a world phone, so it also has a GSM radio

 

[MikesChevelle]

Bit hard to run CDMA phone on a GSM network tho'

Let me google that for you

 

[metalchick719]

You can get a Rogers unlocked 920 for pretty cheap. I think Negrielectronics might still at least have the black one available (I have that one).

 

[Mr Lebowski]

Let me google that for you

Bit hard to run CDMA phone on a GSM network.

928 isn't just CDMA :winktongue:

 

[intoxicated662]

The Rogers unlocked phones are on either Backorder or Discontinued. I am looking for a Nokia Lumia 920 unlocked but no luck so far. I'm looking preferably for a pentaband to use on T-Mobile, any suggestions? I can't seem to find anywhere to unlock the at&t version anywhere.

 

[MikesChevelle]

eBay has loads of them

 

[intoxicated662]

yes, lots say pentaband but when looking at the specifications they aren't 1700 and some give mixed signals because the title will state one thing and the description another. I found a person locally selling a red nokia lumia 920 for $200 (RM820) but he claims he cannot unlock it since he doesn't have an AT&T account so is there another way around that? It would be cheaper and faster for me but not sure if it's worth taking a risk or just waiting it out and hope to find something better online.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

The Rogers unlocked phones are on either Backorder or Discontinued. I am looking for a Nokia Lumia 920 unlocked but no luck so far. I'm looking preferably for a pentaband to use on T-Mobile, any suggestions? I can't seem to find anywhere to unlock the at&t version anywhere.

Who's thread is this, yours or Sheikboy the OP ?

 

[pankaj981]

I would say buy a Rogers variant from eBay and get it unlocked from cellunlocker/unlockthatphone

 

[Sheikboy]

@Mr Lebowski, intoxicated can ask, it's fine with me. We have the same concerns: I'm worried about the compatibility of the antennas and radios with a TMobile network and whether they use different bands. I'm aware I can get an unlocked device, however AT&T branded devices can be significantly cheaper (up to 200 dollars cheaper if purchasing used). I'm mainly looking through amazon and ebay at this point

 

[xandros9]

@Mr Lebowski, intoxicated can ask, it's fine with me. We have the same concerns: I'm worried about the compatibility of the antennas and radios with a TMobile network and whether they use different bands. I'm aware I can get an unlocked device, however AT&T branded devices can be significantly cheaper (up to 200 dollars cheaper if purchasing used). I'm mainly looking through amazon and ebay at this point

AT&T will flat out refuse to unlock secondhand devices. (I chatted up customer support about that a couple weeks ago)
The person kept emphasizing that the original owner will have to unlock it.

It may be possible, but it may not be worth the grief and uncertainty.

You may have some luck if you sign on with them, but doubtful and that defeats the point.

They're cheaper because the lock kills resale value too.

 

[Mr Lebowski]

AT&T has no incentive to unlock a used 920 even a AT&T branded 920. Why would they do that, to be nice? they aren't in business to be nice
they are in business to make money.
Buy a used unlocked 920 or a new unlocked 920, AT&T isn't going to help you.

 

[md007]

Sheikboy,

I recently bought the Lumia 920 from AT&T outright at no annual contract price for $299. I cancelled the at&t activation and service the same day I picked up the phone from the store and hence am not using at&t service. I was able to submit an unlock request online to get the phone unlocked and received my unlock code promptly in 2 days. I am currently using t-mobile service and am even able to get LTE just fine. No issues and no runaround from at&t. Just my experience.

 

[sequoia464]

Sheikboy,

I recently bought the Lumia 920 from AT&T outright at no annual contract price for $299. I cancelled the at&t activation and service the same day I picked up the phone from the store and hence am not using at&t service. I was able to submit an unlock request online to get the phone unlocked and received my unlock code promptly in 2 days. I am currently using t-mobile service and am even able to get LTE just fine. No issues and no runaround from at&t. Just my experience.

Just returned a 1520 and bought a 920 today. Had planned on using it on Straight-talk (at&t sim), but will try to unlock online also. Anything specific that you said to expedite the unlock?

 

[md007]

Nothing specific. Just confirmed with CS on phone that I can get them unlocked if I bought them outright at full price without contract, even though I was not AT&T customer and had no plans of becoming one. They said yes. I bought the phone. Cancelled activation and plan upon store pick up (Have to choose one to buy online). Came home and called international dept to get unlock code. They gave me the temporary phone number that was assigned to my phone during order processing and instructed me to use it to open unlock request online as a former customer (I guess since I was a customer for few hours in their system). I obliged and got the unlock code in 2 days, no questions or issues.

Just returned a 1520 and bought a 920 today. Had planned on using it on Straight-talk (at&t sim), but will try to unlock online also. Anything specific that you said to expedite the unlock?

 

[pankaj981]

Its still better to buy the Rogers variant (Pentaband) since it truly supports the AWS bands for HSPA+ and Band IV for LTE on T-Mobile unless one wants to use it in a T-Mobile refarmed area