A few unique TP2 questions

Gulanowski · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 11:39 PM

No doubt I'm getting the Verizon TP2 as soon as I'm done with classes around noon on friday. I do however have a few questions regarding the TP2 that I didn't find answers to, and I think they're questions a lot of us are curious about...

1) Pretty technical, but is there any possibility of being able to use the GSM radio on the verizon tp2 to roam on say AT&T or Tmobile? Obviously it's possible from a technological standpoint, but does verizon even have roaming agreements with GSM providers in the US, and what action would verizon take when they'd see us roaming on GSM in the U.S.?

2) Is there an extended battery out for the TP2 yet? I can't seem to find one. I've got the mamooth 3600mah Mugen on my xv6800 now and I'd like something comparable on the TP2 as soon as I get the phone.

stevedusa · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulanowski

No doubt I'm getting the Verizon TP2 as soon as I'm done with classes around noon on friday. I do however have a few questions regarding the TP2 that I didn't find answers to, and I think they're questions a lot of us are curious about...

1) Pretty technical, but is there any possibility of being able to use the GSM radio on the verizon tp2 to roam on say AT&T or Tmobile? Obviously it's possible from a technological standpoint, but does verizon even have roaming agreements with GSM providers in the US, and what action would verizon take when they'd see us roaming on GSM in the U.S.?

2) Is there an extended battery out for the TP2 yet? I can't seem to find one. I've got the mamooth 3600mah Mugen on my xv6800 now and I'd like something comparable on the TP2 as soon as I get the phone.

1. I know that so far it's a no go on Sprint's TP2. It's confirmed that they have an US-carrier lock. I tried AT&T and T-Mo SIM cards, it just doesn't register on the network nor can see any networks. Sprint doesn't even know if there is a subsidy lock on it or not. However the phone says, SIM Unlocked. So I'd assume more research is needed. Or wait for the unlockers.

2. None that I know. However the battery on TP2 is much better though!

**themuffinman** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 11:56 PM

Just putting in a att sim or tmob sim wont work, its not that easy. Sprint would never allow that kind of functionality right out of the box. It says sim unlocked because it is unlocked for international use only. So to use an att sim or tmob sim here in the US would take some hacking of some sort.

Nygel · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 01:22 AM

non would making it the opposite way be feaseable, mean making a GSM TP2 work on a CDMA network cause from my understanding (could be wrong) ITS THE same phone correct.

**themuffinman** · #5 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nygel

non would making it the opposite way be feaseable, mean making a GSM TP2 work on a CDMA network cause from my understanding (could be wrong) ITS THE same phone correct.

Getting a gsm phone to work on a cdma network is impossible, not gonna work at all.

**CovKid66** · #6 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevedusa

However the phone says, SIM Unlocked. So I'd assume more research is needed. Or wait for the unlockers.

Given the comment above, and coming from a "SIM locked" TP2 myself, I'm not sure if you can apply the same lock code I purchased or not??? This thread covered this for us Telus (CDMA) users who were looking to unlock the Telus locked GSM portion of our phones:

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=77989

and specifically this post in that thread is what I used to purchase my unlock code...

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...8&postcount=50

I'm now able to use any SIM card, North American or otherwise, to roam onto that carriers GSM network.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gulanowski

...and what action would verizon take when they'd see us roaming on GSM in the U.S.?

I don't think Verizon would know that you're roaming on another carriers network. Presumably at that point in time you've got somebody else's SIM in your phone and therefore not on the Verizon network. Therefore technicaly you're not roaming on the other carriers network...you're just on it with their SIM card...and therefore one of their users e.g. AT&T or T-Mobile.

stevedusa · #7 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CovKid66

Given the comment above, and coming from a "SIM locked" TP2 myself, I'm not sure if you can apply the same lock code I purchased or not??? This thread covered this for us Telus (CDMA) users who were looking to unlock the Telus locked GSM portion of our phones:

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=77989

and specifically this post in that thread is what I used to purchase my unlock code...

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.p...8&postcount=50

I'm now able to use any SIM card, North American or otherwise, to roam onto that carriers GSM network.

I understand, however the thing with Sprint is somewhat different. I went to the Settings -> Security and it says, "This phone is SIM unlocked."

So I put in an AT&T SIM card, switched the system to the GSM only mode, it tells me that "No Network Detected" and the phone status is "No Services."

Then I did a manual search on GSM networks, it still refuse to find any GSM networks. I swap out the AT&T SIM and put in a T-Mobile SIM, still the same result.

I thought my GSM radio is no good but under SIM manager, I can actually see the phone numbers and text messages I stored on the SIM card. Also I can hear the famous GSM pulse buzz in our old office phone.

Also in the phone there is an PDF titled "International Usage". I opened it and I saw something that says "Note: When in the United States, your device will only operate in CDMA only mode, domestic GSM networks are NOT accessible via this device."

Sounds like me that it's a software lock rather than a subsidy lock. Of course I could be wrong too. I don't have an non-US SIM card so I can't try it out if it's unlocked or not. I will be traveling to China in 2 weeks and I guess I will bring the phone with me to give a try.

Again, Sprint did this on purpose I am sure, after all whom would want someone to buy a phone for CDMA system and use it on a competitor's GSM network anyway. Oh yes BTW, it does NOT has US 3G band (UTMS 2100 only) so, EDGE in the States at the most.

**CovKid66** · #8 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevedusa

I understand, however the thing with Sprint is somewhat different. I went to the Settings -> Security and it says, "This phone is SIM unlocked."

So I put in an AT&T SIM card, switched the system to the GSM only mode, it tells me that "No Network Detected" and the phone status is "No Services."

Then I did a manual search on GSM networks, it still refuse to find any GSM networks. I swap out the AT&T SIM and put in a T-Mobile SIM, still the same result.

I thought my GSM radio is no good but under SIM manager, I can actually see the phone numbers and text messages I stored on the SIM card. Also I can hear the famous GSM pulse buzz in our old office phone.

Also in the phone there is an PDF titled "International Usage". I opened it and I saw something that says "Note: When in the United States, your device will only operate in CDMA only mode, domestic GSM networks are NOT accessible via this device."

Sounds like me that it's a software lock rather than a subsidy lock. Of course I could be wrong too. I don't have an non-US SIM card so I can't try it out if it's unlocked or not. I will be traveling to China in 2 weeks and I guess I will bring the phone with me to give a try.

Again, Sprint did this on purpose I am sure, after all whom would want someone to buy a phone for CDMA system and use it on a competitor's GSM network anyway. Oh yes BTW, it does NOT has US 3G band (UTMS 2100 only) so, EDGE in the States at the most.

I think you'll find it is only SIM locked within N/A. It will work fine abroad. The ebay vendor I linked you to states that they can SIM unlock TMobile, etc. My own Telus came with a SIM card, but it was only good for roaming abroad...it would not work within N/A. Inserting another carriers SIM card resulted in the exact same issues you reported...until I bought the unlock code.

Rick#2 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 01:25 PM

Maybe this is a dumb question, but is your AT&T SIM a valid one, ie: prepaid or otherwise still in use? If you're trying to use a SIM that doesn't have an active account linked to it, it certainly won't work.

I don't see why a different SIM couldn't work in your unlocked Sprint phone. If you have a prepaid AT&T SIM card, for example, you ought to be able to pop it in and for all intents and purposes, you aren't on the Sprint network anymore and are just using AT&T services with your prepaid account.

No different than taking the phone international and popping in a prepaid European SIM. There have been reports of Telus users (ie: Canadian) using prepaid American SIMs down in the States without any issues.

stevedusa · #10 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CovKid66

I think you'll find it is only SIM locked within N/A. It will work fine abroad. The ebay vendor I linked you to states that they can SIM unlock TMobile, etc. My own Telus came with a SIM card, but it was only good for roaming abroad...it would not work within N/A. Inserting another carriers SIM card resulted in the exact same issues you reported...until I bought the unlock code.

I see, however I didn't even FIND a place to put in the unlock code. The Settings->Security says this phone is SIM unlocked, and it never bothered to ask me to put in an unlock code when I have the SIM card in there. It just refuses to register/find any North America GSM networks.

Did yours ask for an unlock code? Because it did then at least you have a place to put it. Not mine though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick#2

Maybe this is a dumb question, but is your AT&T SIM a valid one, ie: prepaid or otherwise still in use? If you're trying to use a SIM that doesn't have an active account linked to it, it certainly won't work.

I don't see why a different SIM couldn't work in your unlocked Sprint phone. If you have a prepaid AT&T SIM card, for example, you ought to be able to pop it in and for all intents and purposes, you aren't on the Sprint network anymore and are just using AT&T services with your prepaid account.

No different than taking the phone international and popping in a prepaid European SIM. There have been reports of Telus users (ie: Canadian) using prepaid American SIMs down in the States without any issues.

Yes both of the AT&T and T-Mobile SIM I used are current active cards, i.e. I pulled them out of a working phone that is currently active. But still no good so...