Will an "unlocked" 950XL work on Verizon?

[libra89]

Will Verizon say no to an Acer's Liquid Jade Primo too?

I don't think there's a straight yes or no answer. It could be possible, considering the HTC One M8, and LG Lancet being launched on their network.

 

[cjghome]

Went to The Microsoft Store in Northern Virginia at Tysons Mall today 10/12/15 3:45pm EST, Spoke with a Microsoft CSR and he stated the 950XL DOES NOT currently work on the CDMA network. He also stated that Microsoft has not announce all the carriers that the phone will work on. He stated sometime before 10/26/15 MS will clarify which carriers the unlocked 950XL will work on.

I took a picture of the Sales Cards attached to the display model of the 950XL (see attached) .
If you look closely (at the fine print) it does state that the 950XL WILL NOT work on CDMA carriers..."Please contact your carrier prior to purchasing to confirm your carrier will support voice and data on this unlocked GSM device."
I currently have 5 phones on the Verizon network (3 under contract) and not up for renewal for a year. So, I freaking screwed....So I will wish/hope MS will create their own Cell network and I can tell Verizon to bugger off....or maybe MS will offer free WiFi access throughout the USA and I'll use Skype for all my calls....Gladly give MS $240 a month for all 5 phones will unlimited Skype and free WiFi access...

 

[11B1P]

They don't need to promote a phone if they choose not to spend the money to carry it. They want to guarantee a return on their investment (like most people/businesses). They don't need to take any risk on Windows Phone (for now). They have plenty of phones that are a better bet. So they pass on Windows Phone. They won't carry it without good reason that it will benefit them.

This isn't just the vibe I get, but the answer I get from friends at corporate when we attend meetings.

Unfortunately I agree with you, although I hope you're wrong.

 

[hapishyguy]

OK ... for all of us "pissed off" at Verizon customers - IF, "the 950XL and 950" are offered "unlocked" does that technically make it work on Verizon in the US market - OR - does "Verizon" still have to "carry it"?

PLEASE SAY YES !!!

It will. Don't ask me too many questions but it will. LTE might be a bit spotty.

 

[goodsit2]

So now are only hope is that Verizon hurries to get VoLTE coverage up asap. Word back in 2014 was that verizon was going to release a VoLTE only phone in 2016 (aka no CDMA). Hopefully, they are still on track for this milestone.

This was the original from 2014: Verizon to launch VoLTE in Q4, but delays first LTE-only phones to 2016 - FierceWireless

and now the updated: Verizon's Small: We have close to 4M VoLTE customers - FierceWireless

 

[Jeemo]

I want PROOF of this... Not just because another phone uses it. A lot of people are saying this but, so it contains a CPU that supports CDMA but, how do you know for sure that a FIRMWARE will unlock it ?

If you look at the official briefing of the Snapdragon 810 it mentions that it has the X10 LTE modem which is capable of encoding/decoding CDMA1x and EV-DO. It also mentions having the WTR3925 radio, which could possibly not support CMDA1x and EV-DO. If you want to get a conclusive result about whether or not the radio supports it, you can buy the analysis report. If the WTR3925 does support Verizon's bands, but the phone doesn't pick them up, then you can assume with certainty that the functionality has been disabled through software. Until we have a spec breakdown of the WTR3925, there is no winner here.

 

[TexasLabRat]

Wow = nice catch TexasLabRat ... "NO posted FCC cert docs YET" ??????????????

As of this evening, no, not yet. Though being a federal holiday..that doesn't mean much. Would also explain why the demo units don't work when a SIM is inserted..they aren't legally entitled to operate yet.

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm?calledFromFrame=N

 

[Generalheed]

From what I understand both the Snapdragon 808 and 810 chipsets support CDMA EV-DO and 1xRTT. So physically, these phones should have the CDMA radios inside. The problem probably is that Microsoft disabled the CDMA radios via the firmware making it impossible to activate on a CDMA network.

However, there's hope. On the Microsoft store website, the Verizon exclusive Lumia 735 is listed without any CDMA support (possibly in error) but it obviously supports CDMA. Perhaps a similar error has been made with the 950 since Microsoft hasn't officially announced all of their carrier availabilities yet.

 

[goodsit2]

From what I understand both the Snapdragon 808 and 810 chipsets support CDMA EV-DO and 1xRTT. So physically, these phones should have the CDMA radios inside. The problem probably is that Microsoft disabled the CDMA radios via the firmware making it impossible to activate on a CDMA network.

However, there's hope. On the Microsoft store website, the Verizon exclusive Lumia 735 is listed without any CDMA support (possibly in error) but it obviously supports CDMA. Perhaps a similar error has been made with the 950 since Microsoft hasn't officially announced all of their carrier availabilities yet.

Please check Smartphones, Mobile Phones and Tablets - Microsoft - USA and compare the 950, 950xl, and 735.

You will see the 735 specs include CDMA bands while the other two do not.

 

[TexasLabRat]

Please check Smartphones, Mobile Phones and Tablets - Microsoft - USA and compare the 950, 950xl, and 735.

You will see the 735 specs include CDMA bands while the other two do not.

That, and the placard with MS Store demo phones which specifically state that the phones don't work with CDMA. Not a lot of grey area there But as I mentioned before, the FCC cert will be the real deal as far as what the phones are capable of once they are posted on the .gov site.

 

[Jeemo]

From what I understand both the Snapdragon 808 and 810 chipsets support CDMA EV-DO and 1xRTT. So physically, these phones should have the CDMA radios inside.

The Qualcomm website states that the modem on the chipset supports CDMA, EV-DO, and 1xRTT, and that the modem's radio is the WTR3925. The modem isn't responsible for transceiving; this is just saying that it could encode/decode signals from those frequencies if it were hooked up to a radio that could pick up those frequencies. The WTR3925 is mentioned to satisfy all 3GPP bands, but CDMA2000 is 3GPP2. There is no explicit, public information I could find that says whether or not the WTR3925 can pick up CDMA.

 

[MikeSo]

Went to The Microsoft Store in Northern Virginia at Tysons Mall today 10/12/15 3:45pm EST, Spoke with a Microsoft CSR and he stated the 950XL DOES NOT currently work on the CDMA network. He also stated that Microsoft has not announce all the carriers that the phone will work on. He stated sometime before 10/26/15 MS will clarify which carriers the unlocked 950XL will work on.

I took a picture of the Sales Cards attached to the display model of the 950XL (see attached) View attachment 114195.
If you look closely (at the fine print) it does state that the 950XL WILL NOT work on CDMA carriers..."Please contact your carrier prior to purchasing to confirm your carrier will support voice and data on this unlocked GSM device."
I currently have 5 phones on the Verizon network (3 under contract) and not up for renewal for a year. So, I freaking screwed....So I will wish/hope MS will create their own Cell network and I can tell Verizon to bugger off....or maybe MS will offer free WiFi access throughout the USA and I'll use Skype for all my calls....Gladly give MS $240 a month for all 5 phones will unlimited Skype and free WiFi access...

Well that settles it (if anyone was still wondering). Thanks!

 

[falconrap]

The antennas pick up the signal, which the transceivers filter and boost and send to the modem, which, in this case, is a DSP, which transcodes the converted digital signal into the data/voice stream, and vice versa for transmission. This is all integrated on the SOC (system on chip). Qualcomm doesn't make a Snapdragon 810 that doesn't transcode Qualcomm's own CDMA technology. The ability to use CDMA is tied to 2 things: 1) the antennas must be tuned to pick up the frequency bands (they are, as WCDMA operates at the same frequency and is listed) and 2) the firmware must be enabled to transcode the protocols that are being received (i.e. it needs to understand the stream it is receiving and be able to transmit back in the same protocol). MS then needs to have the phone EMI and SAR rated for the particular frequencies and protocols being used, which harkens back to the FCC report.

Until we see an FCC report we won't know if MS is simply choosing not to have the bands advertised, or they have not enabled the bands in firmware.

For me, unless VZW ends up with these phones shortly after, I'll be on AT&T and not dealing with this stupidity anymore.

 

[DavidinCT]

Well that settles it (if anyone was still wondering). Thanks!

As I was saying. Just because the CPU supports CDMA does not mean it's enabled, there could be other factors (besides MS's problem with Verizon) that it could not be CDMA. One one has ever been able to hack a band to work.

Even if there was a HACK to enable the bands, not sure I would spend $650 on something that could be broken via a update.

Let the rumors flow or we just need to wait till their is an offical statement from Microsoft, or....hmmm....Verizon..

Would love this phone to come to Verizon, sure but, this among other statemetns made by Microsoft kind of claims....It AIN'T gona happen...

If you think it will happen, just dont hold your breath

 

[jlzimmerman]

I know that Verizon and Sprint are CDMA. But there are other carriers that are GSM. And looking at 950's, they support all other carriers.

GSM doesn't have the same geographical range as CDMA, which is one reason why it's popular in US being that it is the third largest nation on the planet and its population likes to sprawl.

 

[realwarder]

GSM doesn't have the same geographical range as CDMA, which is one reason why it's popular in US being that it is the third largest nation on the planet and its population likes to sprawl.

Range is based much more on frequency than GSM/CDMA. Lower frequency = longer range.

 

[Eric Chew]

Actually, the Icon NEVER got Cyan. Verizon SKIPPED it completely to Denim (which includes Cyan automatically). The fact that happens, is just another reason for me to dump my account with them. I'm not thrilled switching to AT&T, but I'm tired of Verizon's gistoppo (sp?) tactics.

 

[Guy Named Bob]

You can use T-Mobile but you also won't have access to their exclusive VoLTE (voice over LTE) technology, or Wifi calling. Also phones that ride on the T-Mobile network, but aren't official T-Mo devices always have issues with group text messaging, since the carrier does SMS/MMS a bit differently than others, from what I understand.

Where can I find out more info on this? Is there a different thread? I searched but nada...

 

[garak0410]

View attachment 114048I asked Paul Thurrot on twitter if the unlocked versions will work on Verizon and he said No.

Microsoft Store has new ones in stock: Buy Nokia Lumia Icon for Verizon - Microsoft Store

 

[tk-093]

Though I would have loved the phone, part of my disappointment has been tempered by the lack of pen support.

I'm addicted to my pen on my Note 5. I love scribbling notes down in One Note. Not sure I can give that up.

I'm already using Cortana, Office, Outlook mail, Smartglass, and Groove now on my Note.

I'd kill to have Sammy make a W10 Note.

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