Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Hi Nate,

I read somewhere that the LTE bands mentioned in the box may vary depending on which carrier you buy the phone from. However you can still use the phone on other bands.

I am from India, where we have LTE bands 3, 5 and 40. Do you know if the unlocked model works on these bands.

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Hi Nate,

I read somewhere that the LTE bands mentioned in the box may vary depending on which carrier you buy the phone from. However you can still use the phone on other bands.

I am from India, where we have LTE bands 3, 5 and 40. Do you know if the unlocked model works on these bands.

I have been seeing this question more and more now that this particular model goes for 99.00...In the US and Canada this variant (open market/factory unlocked) is very compatible. It does not carry LTE band 3 or 40 enabled, but it should have band 5. This is what I have a record of it carrying enabled as far as 3G and 4G LTE bands:
UMTS: 1,2,4,5 LTE: 2,4,12,5,7,17
GSM: 850/900/1800/1900

The Idol 4 Pro aimed for the European regions has band 3 enabled.

There is a beta app called cellmapper that shows the LTE bands you lock to. It might be helpful for discovering cell towers and enabled frequencies on the device. Unlike where the Lumia fieldtest app is the tool of choice for Lumia phones.

Edit: Frequencies on the Idol 4 Pro Euro variant:
GSM Band850/900/1800/1900
LTE Bands1/3/7/8/20/28A/38

 

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Thank you for your reply.

Snapdragon 820 on other phones like HP Elite X3 in Windows and Most Android phone support all Bands.

I know some bands are inactive. Is there any way to activate them.

Can any one answer this question?

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

I know some bands are inactive. Is there any way to activate them.

Yes there is. At your own risk but yes...
I attempted to do this on my T-Mobile IDOL 4s, but went a bit too far, was not completely familiar with QPST and QXDM and how they operate. Now my idol 4s has no IMEI and if I try to restore the .qcn file if fails at about 65% each time...

It can be done, but nobody has confirmed it yet.

 

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T



Can you send me link for instructions to activate the inactive bands. I will give it a try.

The unlocked Alcatel Idol 4S phone which i have received only has LTE bands 2, 4 , 12. This was purchased from Microsoft Online store.

 

[Palm_forlackofchoice]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Does this unlocked version have all the bands as my Cricket Lumia 650? I am considering it for the $100 . I can't afford to lose any bands as Cricket doesn't allow roaming. I live in se South Dakota and travel alot in sw Minnesota. I am happy with my 650 but want continuim. Thanks

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

As you can see his pic no.

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

View attachment 138605

Can you send me link for instructions to activate the inactive bands. I will give it a try.

The unlocked Alcatel Idol 4S phone which i have received only has LTE bands 2, 4 , 12. This was purchased from Microsoft Online store.

Bummer. Thats fewer bands listed on the box then when i bought the unlocked model last year from Microsoft...The only directions (unofficial) are what I derived from the XDA forums. I can point you to links for information and how to understand what to do but there are no official directions anywhere.

 

[Palm_forlackofchoice]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Oh, sorry he must have posted while I was typing. I am using Windows central app on my 650.
What bands does att use? Are all of them in my cricket Lumia 650? Cricket won't tell me what they use in the areas I live and travel.

 

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Sorry to be a pain.

Can you provide me direction?

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Oh, sorry he must have posted while I was typing. I am using Windows central app on my 650.
What bands does att use? Are all of them in my cricket Lumia 650? Cricket won't tell me what they use in the areas I live and travel.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T_Mobility

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T

Sorry to be a pain.

Can you provide me direction?

I cannot build a step by step guide on this since I do not know enough about this area of topic...plus it is very easy to permanently mess up your phone with these tools. I can however provide you the basic information so that you can try it yourself if you decide. I recommend you get familiar with the XDA forums for extra information and analysis before you try to do it though. Remember that editing/altering/changing EFS data on your phone can render it inoperable or brick it if you do not know what you are doing or make a mistake. So use the tools at your own risk.
You need to download and install QXDM professional 03.12.714 and QPST version 2.7.460. Make sure all the drivers are installed.
Boot your phone into factory mode using ffutool.exe (found in Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)) by executing this command <ffutool.exe -setbootmode 1 factory>.
From there you should see in device manager the COM port show up as Qualcomm Diagnostics Port 9001 COM #whatever .
From there open QPST Configuration, make sure your COM port is detected and open QPST Software Download and make a backup using the backup tab to a qcn file and a xqcn file just in case.
Close that program and use QXDM to edit the LTE bands. Look under NV Browser > LTE > LTE BC Config. There are other LTE categories but if I remember correctly this was the only one that had a value. Click read to read the value there. It will be in decimal format. If you are not familiar with binary/hex/decimal then I suggest you familiarize yourself on that too. The LTE bands are defined in that decimal number. Ultimately the LTE bands are defined as a binary set converted to HEX and the final result is a Decimal which QXDM uses. Copy that down in case you need to restore it. FYI-there is conversion that takes place from the what you see defined as the LTE bands. They started at the binary set went to hex then to decimal. I won't go into that here just look up a thread on XDA to help your self understand it better or read the manual/use google. Anyway you change the decimal number on that item to the desired one with the Needed LTE bands. Be careful that you do not try to enable more than you need or try not to enable a Band that the phone cannot open, as you could cause problems. You should be better off than I was, I was a little careless thinking I could just restore my QCN file if anything went wrong, but I did something to the GSM/UMTS frequencies on the QPST Programming app that rendered mine inoperable at the moment.

 

[Partha Goswami1]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

how about installing idol 4 pro ROM Europe version ?

 

[Partha Goswami1]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

Raj
is 3g working well in India with idol 4s ? T MOBILE FIRMWARE HAD LTE 5 which is support by JIO but not sure if u put JIO sim then volte will work or not

 

[nate0]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

It won't work. The efs/nvi configs are hard coded in each variant. It's been attempted before. You would have radio interface layer updated meaning the OS and drivers would be there but the actual efs/nvi data is not altered during an ffu flash.

 

[JoshCaleb]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

T-Mobile's version offers Wi-Fi calling. Very important because the network is Shiite.

Originally posted by editguy
I'm not on AT&T so I can't answer your first questions. But as to the differences between the Tmo version and the unlocked, I'm fairly confident that the only difference*between the two is the Tmo software and that it says T-Mobile on the splash screen while booting up. There is no T-Mobile branding on the exterior of the phone. But none of that answers your major questions :grin:

 

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

Not sure if it will work on 4G LTE (JIO), but it should work on 3G.

Asked my friend to get it for me who is coming to India next month.
I will receive my Idol 4S after a month. Will test and let you know.

The phone is out of stock for $99. You can still get the VR model for $199 (priced increased from $169)

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

T-Mobile's version offers Wi-Fi calling. Very important because the network is Shiite.

Important for some (maybe most?) but not for everyone. I bought one from the MS store for a song. The idea to have one as a spare phone. But I retired the T-Mobile 4S my wife had been using and replaced it with the unlocked one from MS store so as to not waste warranty coverage. Since we have good signal at home and any place we go that MIGHT have free wi-fi, we are lucky and can do without the wi-fi calling.

Carriers lose some customers over not providing wi-fi calling to BYOD that are designed for wi-fi calling such as the 950s. Not sure about the 4Ss. Phones are more important to me than carrier. If I didn't have signal at home for whatever phone I wanted and the carrier didn't provide wi-fi calling (or devices for the home to act as dedicated mini-towers), I wouldn't replace my phone, I'd replace the carrier.

 

[Partha Goswami1]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

I purchased one at $99 few days ago not in hand yet but MS store spec saying it donor have UMTS 2 not 1 so not for India 3g I think

 

[livin_raj]

Re: Using the Idol 4s with W10M on AT&T?

Are you taking the risk of keeping it or are you going to return it.

I don't have much knowledge on 3G technology.