[ssapre]

I am planning to go for either of 810..820 .. or 822 later today. So far am on 710 and getting pretty good reviews of 810 and 820. any recommendations if 810 or 820 is better?

[danieljhb]

I think you need to pick a network, not a phone. All three phones are similar, but each is for a different network.

810 - Tmobile
820 - AT&T
822 - Verizon

I personally think that the 810 looks the best, and has better features than the 820, and basically the same as the 822. I also think Tmobile is the best company, just because they're by far the cheapest. I also get service everywhere I go (work, school, home), so the coverage is as good as the others. Go with the 810 and Tmobile, that's what I'm doing.

[Mystictrust]

810 has a higher rated battery life (as per specs) and a bigger battery, is 15 grams lighter and a completely different look/style than the 820. It has an HD front facing camera @ 1.2 megapixels while the 820 camera is VGA @ .9 megapixels. The 810 is also a little larger than the 820, and it has the same empty space below the capacitive keys as the 920, and the camera design on the back is the same as the 920's as well. There is no LTE on the 810.

I take it you're going to go to the carrier with the best device for you of these three?
810 = T-Mobile
820 = AT&T
822 = Verizon

[metalchick719]

I'm definitely loving my new 810, but I know the 820 is pretty sweet as well. The 810 does have a few edges over the 820, though. The 822 has 16GB of internal storage, which I wish the 810 had. I've only downloaded maybe 15 apps to my phone so far and have around 4.66GB left.

[ssapre]

Any idea if either of them will unlock it once I am through the contract?

[metalchick719]

From what I understand, T-Mobile will unlock a phone after a week, but I believe that's after you've had a contract with them awhile. Don't quote me on this. As for AT&T, everyone's been saying if you're a customer in good standing with them and have been awhile, they will unlock a phone after six months. If you don't yet have a contract with them, you will have to have one for two years and it should be in good standing and only then will they unlock a phone for you. The last part is what a rep in an AT&T store told me last week when I asked about their plans and about whether they would unlock a Lumia 920 for me if I were to buy one at full price.

[Mystictrust]

T-Mobile unlock policy requires you to have had service with them for at least 40 days (60 if prepaid) and have not requested an unlock code within the last three months. If you paid full price for the phone at a T-Mobile store or authorized dealer you can unlock whenever you want but you will have to fax in your proof of purchase.

The problem with getting the 820 is that, if you unlock it and bring it to T-Mobile after your contract is up, you will not get high speed 3G/4G service unless you are in a "refarmed" area. Technical details aside, T-Mobile plans on doing this to the entire country eventually, so if you're on a 2 year contract with AT&T you MIGHT be okay if you then leave for T-Mobile on the same phone - it still depends on how T-Mobile does the refarming and if it truly will affect each and every tower in every city. (The plan is to have a lot of their major markets done by the end of the year which *checks the date* is coming up very fast)

You can use an unlocked 810 on AT&T in the future with no problem, it uses the same data bands as AT&T does.

You won't get the 822 on either AT&T or T-Mobile... two completely different technologies (GSM vs CDMA). Same with the 810 and the 820 - you can't get them on Verizon.

As for LTE? The 820 has it but it likely won't run on T-Mobile's up and coming LTE... depends on a lot of things within the bands and T-Mobile's request to the FCC to let their LTE bands be interchangeable/useable with AT&T and Verizon. My guess? No.

[ssapre]

T-Mobile unlock policy requires you to have had service with them for at least 40 days (60 if prepaid) and have not requested an unlock code within the last three months. If you paid full price for the phone at a T-Mobile store or authorized dealer you can unlock whenever you want but you will have to fax in your proof of purchase.

The problem with getting the 820 is that, if you unlock it and bring it to T-Mobile after your contract is up, you will not get high speed 3G/4G service unless you are in a "refarmed" area. Technical details aside, T-Mobile plans on doing this to the entire country eventually, so if you're on a 2 year contract with AT&T you MIGHT be okay if you then leave for T-Mobile on the same phone - it still depends on how T-Mobile does the refarming and if it truly will affect each and every tower in every city. (The plan is to have a lot of their major markets done by the end of the year which *checks the date* is coming up very fast)

You can use an unlocked 810 on AT&T in the future with no problem, it uses the same data bands as AT&T does.

You won't get the 822 on either AT&T or T-Mobile... two completely different technologies (GSM vs CDMA). Same with the 810 and the 820 - you can't get them on Verizon.

As for LTE? The 820 has it but it likely won't run on T-Mobile's up and coming LTE... depends on a lot of things within the bands and T-Mobile's request to the FCC to let their LTE bands be interchangeable/useable with AT&T and Verizon. My guess? No.

Thanks. Looks like good help for me.... am almost ready for 810 now ;)

[tobygwinn]

I can tell you that the Houston, Tx area is almost completely refarmed or modernized as we call it. Dallas is in the process as well as several other cities across the US. But Houston is the closest to being finished. :)