Will an "unlocked" 950XL work on Verizon?

[dksf42]

Come on everyone who is PO'd ... Verizon "Band 13" which IS listed for the current Lumia 735 is ***NOT*** on the Lumia 950XL "specs" = NADA for Verizon!

So, back to my question ... IS this the fault the Qualcomm "chipset" OR that the "firmware has NOT enabled band 13???

Of course ... I humbly admit, I do NOT know nor care about this but "just wanted US ALL to know" ...

IS the 950XL nor 950 "even Qualcomm chipset capable of CONNECTING to Verizon"???

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

It has nothing to do with Band 13.

It has to do with support for EV-DO and 1x RTT, which is Verizon's CDMA technology. Devices on the Verizon network use EV-DO/CDMA for phone calls and text SMS, while they use LTE GSM for data.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

I have maybe an answer for the whole issue of MS dealing with Verizon.

It is really pretty simple, though some would call it the "Nuclear Option".

MS just needs to call Verizon's CEO and basically give him one of two options:

1. Verizon open up it's system to Microsoft's phone the same it does for Apple and Samsung, no more, no less. No special treatment, but also no dogging MS phones in relation to the competition. Let the phones sell themselves or not. No pushing them to the back of the store in a corner. They get the same floor space as the others.

2. If Verizon doesn't like that, OK, fine. ALL and I mean ALL of their computers, across their entire company, just had their Microsoft Windows licenses declared null and void per the EULA. I would be willing to bet MS has plenty of attorney's that could make this stick. Tell Verizon they have 7 days to switch their systems off MS Windows, including their servers, or face multiple lawsuits from all divisions.

Don't know if that is possible, but it is an idea.

Boy, I'm sure glad you don't run Microsoft. Tactics like that will get you sued out of existence, never mind the Justice Department.

 

[Kram Sacul]

So MS dropped the ball again on carrier exclusive nonsense. What's new?

 

[dksf42]

It has nothing to do with Band 13.

It has to do with support for EV-DO and 1x RTT, which is Verizon's CDMA technology. Devices on the Verizon network use EV-DO/CDMA for phone calls and text SMS, while they use LTE GSM for data.

So ... translation = NO GO for Verizon "in combination of the bands REQUIRED"?

 

[illidanx]

The network bands for the 735 on VZW are identical to the 950 XL. The 950 XL will work on VZW.

735 on VZW

GSM network: 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz
GSM max data speed DL: EGPRS 296.0kbps
GSM max data speed UL: EGPRS 236.8kbps
WCDMA Band 1 (2100 MHz), Band 5 (850 MHz), Band 8 (900 MHz)
WCDMA max data speed DL: 42.2Mbps (Cat 24)
WCDMA max data speed UL: 5.76Mbps (Cat 6)
LTE FDD network: Band 20 (800MHz), Band 3 (1800 MHz), Band 7 (2600 MHz)
LTE max data speed DL: 150 Mbps (Cat 4)
LTE max data speed UL: 50 Mbps (Cat 4)

950 XL Unlocked
GSM network: 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz
GSM max data speed DL: EGPRS 296.0kbps
GSM max data speed UL: EGPRS 236.8kbps
WCDMA network: Band 1 (2100MHz), Band 2 (1900MHz), Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz), Band 5 (850MHz), Band 8 (900MHz)
WCDMA max data speed DL: 42.2Mbps (Cat 24)
WCDMA max data speed UL: 5.76Mbps (Cat 6)
LTE FDD network: Band 1 (2100MHz), Band 17 (700MHz), Band 2 (1900MHz), Band 20 (800MHz), Band 3 (1800MHz), Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz), Band 5 (850MHz), Band 7 (2600MHz), Band 8 (900MHz), Band 28 (700MHz), Band 12 (700MHz)
TD-LTE network: Band 38 (2570-2620MHz), Band 40 (2300-2400MHz), Band 41 partially (2555-2575 MHz)
LTE max data speed DL: 300 Mbps (Cat 6)
LTE max data speed UL: 50 Mbps (Cat 6)

I think the specs for Lumia 735 on Microsoft website miss the CDMA band, which is different from WCDMA. Otherwise, there is no way that phone can work on verizon network.

 

[goodsit2]

Not sure if this link will work, but here is a comparison of specs between 950xl, 950, and 735. You can scroll down to Connectivity and see the differences between the bands available on each.
Search results for Lumia 950 XL, Lumia 950, Lumia 735 - Microsoft - USA

You will notice it does not have band 13 (one of the Verizon frequencies) as many above have indicated.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

So ... translation = NO GO for Verizon "in combination of the bands REQUIRED"?

Unless there's a specific phone, built for Verizon Wireless, with support for EV-DO CDMA tech, yeah, no go.

It's basically just AT&T in the U.S.

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.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

I thought Verizon is now making their customers buy phones contract free. Figured the 950 would make that list

It looks like that initiative was launched with the new iPhones in mind, which really DO pack in all the relevant carrier antennas for the U.S. market.

Ditto, the new Moto X Pure and Moto G. Surprised that Microsoft couldn't bother with including antennas for the Verizon network. I mean, the Moto G......

 

[dksf42]

It looks like that initiative was launched with the new iPhones in mind, which really DO pack in all the relevant carrier antennas for the U.S. market.

SO = NO Band 13 as a "fault of the Qualcomm chipset" - or - NOT firmware enabled ...

Because ... "possibly Verizon WILL introduce there own "960XL and 960 variants"?

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

SO = NO Band 13 as a "fault of the Qualcomm chipset" - or - NOT firmware enabled ...

Because ... "possibly Verizon WILL introduce there own "960XL and 960 variants"?

You're overthinking this. All you need to know is that, these particular Lumia devices won't work on Verizon.

 

[final_fantasy781]

SO = NO Band 13 as a "fault of the Qualcomm chipset" - or - NOT firmware enabled ...

Because ... "possibly Verizon WILL introduce there own "960XL and 960 variants"?

I don't see either happening, Verizon variants anyways. Unfortunately, the new phones won't seem to work but only with AT&T.

 

[nokia4life]

Thanks for the history, but we had been "hoping" that Microsoft would fulfill their "rumored promise" from almost 6 months ago to "go direct" with UNLOCKED phones!

Per the website both models will be sold unlocked and it seems that there will also be a carrier variant for att so there may be hope for you Verizon folks however I plan on getting the unlocked xl to use on att vs carrier branded.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DavidinCT]

So MS dropped the ball again on carrier exclusive nonsense. What's new?

Just so you know, the GLOBAL standards for Cell phones IS GSM. When it comes to the gobal market Microsoft's goal, allow access to the most customers in the world. Verizon uses a Key for CDMA and it's about the only one in the gobal marketplace (as far as I know). When you look at the big picture, making the phone in the global standards (that includes AT&T as they are primary GSM), is the most important to them.

Due to Verizon's security on their network, unlocked phones wont work on Verizon's CDMA network (even if it DID support the correct bands for it). Wile it might be possable to use it on their LTE network for some things, 1/2 the features would not work and call quality would be questionable. The 3G network is still used for texts and the fallback network (so you dont drop calls). The advanages of Verizon's network would be gone if you lost CDMA access (dead spots would be more common and no signal areas would be in more places than you know).

No matter how many people here WANT the 950 and 950XL to work on Verizon and how some numbers MIGHT match up as for band, it will not fully work on Verizon and would not even be worth trying.

The ONLY way to get a fully working phone with all features is for Verizon to add the phone to their selection to add the feature set needed.

If you want this phone on Verizon, everyone get on the phone and ask for it, keep calling, it's the only way it MIGHT come. SO if your thinking about spending $550-650 on a phone and it will just work on Verizon like your current one does, you will be VERY dispointed.

Trust me, I wish it was different, I want this phone too but, I am not willing to give up my unlimited Verizon LTE Data plan....it would just cost so much to go to a metered plan.

 

[jt09xlt]

FWIW on chat with ATT rep right now and he checked and stated they will be offering the XL as well as the 950. $300 credit for switching from Verizon as well. Here I come.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

Eh, we're the 2% though, of the smartphone market. The preponderance of consumers aren't switching carriers for a Windows phone that they know little about, from their Androids and iPhones on other carriers.

Those are just the cold hard facts; Verizon wireless represents about half of all U.S. smartphone consumers, so right there, the Lumia is out of the gate in the U.S., with half the market unavailable to them.

 

[to_be_announced]

Went on a Verizon chat to bring up the lack of support for the new Windows phones. The reps exact words were "I do understand, but why settle for something less when you can get the amazing iphones or samsung phones." I LOL'd at that one. Pretty ridiculous.

 

[libra89]

Went on a Verizon chat to bring up the lack of support for the new Windows phones. The reps exact words were "I do understand, but why settle for something less when you can get the amazing iphones or samsung phones." I LOL'd at that one. Pretty ridiculous.

Wow...

 

[DavidinCT]

Went on a Verizon chat to bring up the lack of support for the new Windows phones. The reps exact words were "I do understand, but why settle for something less when you can get the amazing iphones or samsung phones." I LOL'd at that one. Pretty ridiculous.

Nothing new...No wonder why Windows Phone only has 2-3.5% in the US...

 

[Indistinguishable]

The revised the report:

Microsoft's new Lumia phones will launch with AT&T in the US



[/I]AT&T will carry the 950. Both Lumias will work on AT&T. They should also work on T-Mobile. The current band support does not work with Verizon. That surprises me a bit since the rumors were that the radios were universal like the iPhone 6s or the Moto X Pure Edition.

I was told in the past that Verizon expected them to be universal radios and considered selling them to business customers, but things change. I don't know the expense of those radios and the amount of carriers that use CDMA globally is small, so great expense to support few customers doesn't make great business sense.

Windows has seen the best success on AT&T and T-Mobile. Their new devices support both those carriers. The rumors have been that other devices are going to Verizon and I think the prices are there to open the door to other OEMs.

We'll see what happens. I have no problem going to AT&T or T-Mobile if I need to.

Mac, weren't you the one saying that you didn't expect Verizon to sell the 950 line because they would be focused on other Windows Mobile 10 OEM's?

It does suck that Microsoft devices won't work on Verizon. But it just further solidifies that Microsoft is going to trust AT&T to move their Lumina line, and Verizon to move Windows 10 devices made by other OEM's.