Unlocked AWS pentaband device options

[theefman]

So with all the update shenanigans with features either missing/being withheld I just thought I'd see if anyone knows of any other unlocked carrier free pentaband AWS compatible device being sold. I saw a link on Wikipedia that says some Latin American countries use AWS but have not come across any other AWS device for sale apart from the Rogers 920. Any info on any such devices?

Alternatively any experts on the Tmo refarming and how that would work as a long term solution to using a 1900MHz unlocked European unbranded device on Tmo? Thanks.

 

[palandri]

The last time I checked, There were only carriers in the U.S., Canada and Chile that use 1700/2100 aws.

 

[theefman]

Thanks, can't say I've seen the 920 released for Chile unless I missed it.

 

[A J Benamu]

I have one here in Chile, RM-821.

 

[theefman]

Thanks. Is that a carrier branded version? If not is it an import or sold locally unlocked and unbranded?

 

[A J Benamu]

Well they are all carrier branded and sim unlocked. We have 3 carriers selling it.

 

[palandri]

Well they are all carrier branded and sim unlocked. We have 3 carriers selling it.

Is it in Chile where the law says all phones have to sold unlocked?

 

[theefman]

Well they are all carrier branded and sim unlocked. We have 3 carriers selling it.

Branded on the hardware itself with the carrier logo or just the software, ie splash screen and carrier apps? I suppose though since they are carrier phones they will still be subject to carrier interference on updates and features, how are the carriers for updates?

 

[A J Benamu]

Is it in Chile where the law says all phones have to sold unlocked?

That is correct.

 

[A J Benamu]

Branded on the hardware itself with the carrier logo or just the software, ie splash screen and carrier apps? I suppose though since they are carrier phones they will still be subject to carrier interference on updates and features, how are the carriers for updates?

Only carrier splash logos, yes they have a carrier product code and are subject to updates.

AWS is used by MVNOs which incidentally don't carry Lumias.
The three major carriers use 850, 1900 and 2100 MHz. And 2600 for LTE.

 

[FearL0rd]

Ger the rogers load the dev firmware and you are set

 

[theefman]

Only carrier splash logos, yes they have a carrier product code and are subject to updates.

AWS is used by MVNOs which incidentally don't carry Lumias.
The three major carriers use 850, 1900 and 2100 MHz. And 2600 for LTE.

Thanks for your input, really helped a lot. One last question, any unbranded AWS Lumia's offered for sale by retailers, like for example how Clove or Expansys sell unlocked unbranded handsets? Thanks again.

 

[A J Benamu]

Thanks for your input, really helped a lot. One last question, any unbranded AWS Lumia's offered for sale by retailers, like for example how Clove or Expansys sell unlocked unbranded handsets? Thanks again.

There is one company which sells and unbranded and unlocked phones but are quite expensive.. GSM STORE - Celulares de Alta Gama - Best Sellers - -
There are very reliable, I bought two phones from them, they give you 3 months of warranty. The phones I bought were when I was using Android.
The AWS part I am not completely sure, they offer Android phones with those bands but not WP8 phones.

 

[pankaj981]

Ger the rogers load the dev firmware and you are set

Yeah this is probably the best option. I have been using a Rogers 920 which has no hardware branding but only Rogers splash screen on boot on the 1314 firmware. I have flashed it with the Euro Dev GDR2 + Amber update and it has no branding and probably is the only firmware (apart from Rogers, not sure about the French version) which preserves AWS + LTE on the Rogers 920

 

[theefman]

There is one company which sells and unbranded and unlocked phones but are quite expensive.. GSM STORE - Celulares de Alta Gama - Best Sellers - -
There are very reliable, I bought two phones from them, they give you 3 months of warranty. The phones I bought were when I was using Android.
The AWS part I am not completely sure, they offer Android phones with those bands but not WP8 phones.

Thanks, that could work out nicely, I will contact them and see if they ship to the US.

@pankaj981: problem with this route is the dev rom hardly gets OTA updates and you have to flash it losing all your data every time, gets old fast. And you never know when a carrier will withhold a feature, eg datasense on att. Unlocked/unbranded is the way to go.

 

[pankaj981]

@pankaj981: problem with this route is the dev rom hardly gets OTA updates and you have to flash it losing all your data every time, gets old fast. And you never know when a carrier will withhold a feature, eg datasense on att. Unlocked/unbranded is the way to go.

I agree on the less to no OTA updates for the Dev ROM but I am okay with flashing my phone back to the Rogers version when GDR3 is out in December. Also the global unbranded version doesn't have AWS bands so that's not an option for me (T-Mobile US uses AWS)