AT&T and the RM-985: Lack of LTE

[gjs520820]

This sounds about right. I had a feeling the phone wasn't the problem in and of itself but AT&T's recognition of the equipment. In regards to changing my account's IMEI... Do you think, say, using a Lumia 520's IMEI (I just ordered one and a nano SIM converter) then switching back might possibly resolve this? That is to say I wouldn't tell them about switching back to the unlocked RM-985 Lumia 830. (;


Yep.

The imei from your 520 won't work because it is not LTE capable. It needs to be a imei from an AT&T branded and LTE capable phone.

 

[gjs520820]

I have no problem getting LTE (on AT&T) on non-AT&T phones. I have several phones and only one of them is an AT&T phone. One of them, the Nexus 5 isn't even offered by AT&T so I know that there is no way it could be in their "database".
Anyway, I swap phones at will (just move the SIM card to one of the other phones) and all of the phones that support the AT&T LTE bands, receive LTE.
No problems at all.
Now, there are areas around town where there is no (or too weak for the phone) LTE signal, so the phone drops back to HSPA+ there. My work place has no LTE signal.



Fred

The original imei attached to your account must have been from an AT&T branded and LTE capable phone. Swapping sim's does not change the imei on file, so non AT&T phones with proper bands will get LTE service unless you call AT&T and have them change the imei on file.

 

[vertigo_x]

The imei from your 520 won't work because it is not LTE capable. It needs to be a imei from an AT&T branded and LTE capable phone.

...

You are absolutely right. Hard to believe I was so careless on that one! Thanks. Might be a bit longer, then!

 

[kevm14]

May I recommend the 635 for only $99 then? Has LTE.

 

[vertigo_x]

May I recommend the 635 for only $99 then? Has LTE.

Aye, I'll get one tomorrow!

 

[pankaj981]

Does ##3282# bring the Field Test menu for you?

 

[vertigo_x]

Does ##3282# bring the Field Test menu for you?

##3382#? Would I use the dialer for that? That didn't do anything.

 

[pankaj981]

##3382#? Would I use the dialer for that? That didn't do anything.

Yes you had to use the dialer. What I wanted t check was if LTE bands were enabled from that menu. When I moved to Cricket (AT&T MVNO), I had to enable the LTE Bands 17, 2 and 5 to get LTE on my 920

 

[Tephra]

Change your 1520.3's IMEI to a 1020's... Does this mean you had a 1020 laying around of which IMEI you used for this? Or did they pick a 1020's IMEI for you? I'll be getting a 520 soon, so I'll have them set my account's IMEI to that one and I won't tell them about my switch back; think it'll work?

Also, I was on the phone trying to address this yesterday. The lady didn't seem to be a tech expert.

They picked the 1020 IMEI for me and as soon as they did that, LTE came on the phone. I didn't even ask them to do it for me, but the tech support agent I got said it was a known issue. If not just keep trying to get a different tech expert, obviously the one you had is not very good. Like I said it took me three times to get someone to actually help me who knew what they were doing. I have known people who have had to call in 7-10 times to finally get a decent tech support agent.

I can understand your pain with HSPA+/HSPA not working correctly it happened to me too.

Also, the first person who tried to help me told me it didn't have the right bands to work with ATT too, which of course was total BS, she just didn't want to put any effort into finding a solution. You could even suggest, to the Tech expert, that people who have had this issue have found a solution with changing the IMEI to a different ATT LTE phone such as a 1020.

I am not sure the 635 trick it going to work as the 635 uses a Micro SIM and the 830 uses a Nano SIM, you need the same type. Although you can cut the Micro SIM to fit, but you have to be careful doing that.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ocar]

I normally wouldn't mind, myself, since the speed at max bars on HSPA/HSPA+ is pretty good. My problem with it is that it fluctuates wildly from me just sitting here. I haven't had any dropped service or 2G since Tuesday, but the signal on HSPA/HSPA+ is still crazy at times. So much so that I can't update apps on the Windows Store at times!

So, you're saying you tried with the 920 what I am going to try with a 520? It sounds like things won't be going well if that's the case. o_0

That I can't answer. I don't know since this is my first time dealing with unlocked phones and plan on going to Straight Talk anyways once my ATT contract is out next month.

 

[vertigo_x]

They picked the 1020 IMEI for me and as soon as they did that, LTE came on the phone. I didn't even ask them to do it for me, but the tech support agent I got said it was a known issue. If not just keep trying to get a different tech expert, obviously the one you had is not very good. Like I said it took me three times to get someone to actually help me who knew what they were doing. I have known people who have had to call in 7-10 times to finally get a decent tech support agent.

I can understand your pain with HSPA+/HSPA not working correctly it happened to me too.

Also, the first person who tried to help me told me it didn't have the right bands to work with ATT too, which of course was total BS, she just didn't want to put any effort into finding a solution. You could even suggest, to the Tech expert, that people who have had this issue have found a solution with changing the IMEI to a different ATT LTE phone such as a 1020.

I am not sure the 635 trick it going to work as the 635 uses a Micro SIM and the 830 uses a Nano SIM, you need the same type. Although you can cut the Micro SIM to fit, but you have to be careful doing that.

Hope that helps.

I plan on using a nano-sim converter. It's just a piece of plastic to increase the size so that it'll fit in a micro-sim slot. As long as AT&T doesn't distinguish between micro-sim and nano-sim in the system, I'll be good to go (I think). We'll find out in a day or two when it comes in!

 

[sketchy9]

I plan on using a nano-sim converter. It's just a piece of plastic to increase the size so that it'll fit in a micro-sim slot. As long as AT&T doesn't distinguish between micro-sim and nano-sim in the system, I'll be good to go (I think). We'll find out in a day or two when it comes in!

They don't. I cut the micro SIM I had been using in my 920 and used it in the 830. No problems.

 

[JennyTan]

For test purposes, you don't need the sim card adapter, just put the nano-sim into 635's micro slot, watch out position though. Recently while I was traveling, my 1520 suddenly can't boot up, so I rushed to Microsoft store picked up 635 and put the nano in ( look carefully to align it up), it worked out for me for a week.

I had iPhone5 with at&t and unlimited data plan which not allow me to do hot spot unless I call AT&T to switch plan to 5G pro. 2 month ago, I picked 1520.3 and did the auto search network under sim setting and it picked at&t itself. then I turned on Internet sharing and Hot Spot worked right there. I literally have Hot Spot for unlimited data plan.

Then a week ago, my 1520 failed to boot in the airport on a trip. I had no choice but buy 635. I called AT&T to turn on hot spot on 635, they asked me to go through my work place to do it.

When I came back from trip, and working on sending 1520.3 ( bought from newegg, did carry 1 year warranty) for repair, I tried again with 635's new charge for a minute, all of sudden, 1520 booted up with a full battery inside. I lost everything though because on the trip I had tried software reset, hardware reset, Microsoft store also done much testing. I updated 1520 with Cyan and everything looked good, but Hot Spot just not working.

I let the company switched unlimited plan to 5G, still not working. I called 4 times to different level of Tech Support, they tried every bit to help me out with no luck. Each time they verify my IMEI#.

I tried on 635, same thing, no HotSpot, even with several different sim ( all AT&T though), still no HotSpot. In the end I thought may be the IMEI is not registered with AT&T. So I called AT&T for just switching IMEI. After he put in the 1520 IMEI, HotSpot worked. Then I did it for my 635's IMEI, it worked too.

Lesson learned, ATT's database seems not connected well, that's why sometimes so many troubles. Need to call in to change the IMEI# at the root place.

 

[vertigo_x]

It works! Success in getting LTE, though still not ideal reception at my place. Oh well.

I made sure they switched the IMEI to the 635 with the adapter and that I had LTE with it when I was in the store. Then I took the nano SIM out and placed it in the RM-985.

 

[gjs520820]

It works! Success in getting LTE, though still not ideal reception at my place. Oh well.

I made sure they switched the IMEI to the 635 with the adapter and that I had LTE with it when I was in the store. Then I took the nano SIM out and placed it in the RM-985.

AT&T really needs to fix this database issue or notify people they won't receive LTE service with non AT&T branded phones.

Another watch-out is if you sell the 635 and the imei gets blacklisted your 830 will stop working until you register another imei with AT&T.

 

[vertigo_x]

AT&T really needs to fix this database issue or notify people they won't receive LTE service with non AT&T branded phones.

Another watch-out is if you sell the 635 and the imei gets blacklisted your 830 will stop working until you register another imei with AT&T.

Good to know. I'm glad I decided to keep it as a back-up phone!