CDMA Rhodium Q & A: GSM, 3G Bands, SIM UNLOCK, ESN, IMEI, HARD-SPL, ROMS, FM, GPS

[leepriestenator]

This is a copy of a thread from "the other forum". A lot of people (especially international users) would benefit from the answers you provide to these questions. TIA.


I've seen a million (not a million literally, but close enough) of these threads in all shapes and sizes around the forum, yet there still doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to everyone's questions. I would like for this thread to be a sticky so that any questions pertaining to the following are discussed and answered.

• Telephony Network & 3G band compatibilty

• SIM Unlocks

• HARD-SPL & ROM compatibility queries

• Domestic (US) and International Usage

• Usability of Both CDMA and GSM radios

• GPS

• FM Radio

As someone that shares most of the comunities queries about the Rhodium CDMA's compatibility, I am listing all the questions that I have encountered around the forum and a format in which the answers must be provided in order to eliminate any unwanted chatter in order to be able to get to the "bottom of this" ASAP.

ANSWERING FORMAT
1. Please indicate the Q number to which you will be providing your answer
2. If you are going to describe compatibilty with any service provider, please indicate the following before you start answering or asking any questions.

Name of the Serive Provider: Veri zon / AT&T etc.
Country of the Serive provider:
Network Type: CDMA / GSM
3G Bands supported by the service provider:


QUESTIONS

Q1. Are the Verizon, Sprint and Telus versions of the TP2 identical as far as the hardware is concerned? The only difference I can find between the 3 of them as compared on PDADB is that the Verizon and Telus versions support only UMTS2100 instead of both UMTS 900 / 2100 like the Spint version. We need this sorted out. Is the info at PDADB not accurate?




Q2. As far as I know, ESN is used for CDMA phones and IMEI is used for GSM phones. Can anyone check to see if the CDMA Rhodiums come with 2 identifications numbers, one for each radio?


Q3. Again, as far as I know most CDMA service providers around the world offer phones without a SIM card (or even a SIM Card holder). They program the "SIM Card equivalent identification number" (maybe the ESN itself is used as identification) into the phone itself and that is how it identifies itself on the network. More recently, I have started to notice that CDMA phones are coming out with SIM card slots and even CDMA service providers (like verizon) are offering CDMA SIM cards. Now multiple questions arise from this.

a. Does the Rhodium allow your Verizon / Sprint / Telus telephone number to be programed into it or do you receive a SIM card for your telephone number?

b. Does the SIM card slot accept SIMs for both GSM and CDMA networks?

c. If the Rhodium supports having the telephone number programed into it, does that mean that I can have another CDMA service provider (in a different country of course) delete the existing number and program in a new telephone number?

d. Essentially, the question I want answered here is, can I use 2 telephone numbers (one CDMA number programmed into the phone and another GSM / CDMA number via use of a SIM card). I understand you cannot have both radios active at the same time and that's not what I am asking.


Q4. This might sound like a silly question, but a lot of people including myself aren't a 100% sure about it. Once HARD-SPL is introduced for the CDMA Rhodium, can we use all the ROMs cooked here at XDA, or do we have to use ROMs that are specific to these CDMA models?


Q5. Leaving T-Mobile and AT&T aside, most GSM 3G networks around the world use 900 / 2100 bands. The CDMA Rhodium (atleast the Sprint version) supports both. Does this automatically mean that 3G would work on this where ever 900 / 2100 is available? or is there more voodoo magic to this? If I understand it correctly, then this phone is exactly the same as the HTC European version (except the Front CAM) + the fact that it has a CDMA radio as well?

Misc Questions

Q6. Is there a SIM Unlock tool (or any other kind of paid service / hack) available to make this phone compatible with the US GSM service providers?
A. No Tool at the moment.
Verizon: Call Global Services Customer Care (1. Customer in good standing can get it done immediately after purchase. 2. New customers or defaulters need to wait for 60 days) After it is unlocked, you'll have no problems making it work with any US GSM carrier.
Sprint: It's already unlocked, but won't work with US GSM carriers.
Telus: I'm not sure if Telus does that for you but thankfully enough there are a lot of paid unlocking services available starting from as low as $13.00.
Option #1: eBay
Option #2: Others


Q7. This phone seems far more superior to the International version simply because it supports CDMA and has everything else that the International version has (except the Front CAM). Is there any reason why this is not the preffered phone for ALL?


Q8. What is the deal with the FM Radio?
a. Is the hardware built-in for it or not?
A. Nobody is entirely sure about it yet, although based on some of digging around that the folks over at PPC Geeks have done, it seems the hardware might be present. You can follow the development for that here. Get's interesting around Page 5.

b. If the hardware is present, then which port needs to be used as the antenna? Ext USB or the 3.5mm jack?
A. We'll find out when someone figures out how to make it work.

c. A lot of people report that it's locked or doesn't work. Any sign of a hack for it yet?
A. Not yet. There is one available for the GSM versions but that doesn't work for the CDMA Rhodiums.


Q9. GPS...
a. Is it locked to only Sprint's or Verizon's navigators or can Google maps or any other third party navigation / map software be used?
A. Apparently NOT. 2 Confirmed reports state that both Verizon and Sprint TP2s work with every navigation and map software under the sun with pretty accurate locks.

b. If it is locked, where is the hack for it?
A. Not required. It's NOT Locked

c. I'm having issues with getting accurate locks.
A. Follow the links to these discussions.
Read This #1 (PPC Geeks)
Read This #2 (XDA)


Q10. Front Camera. There isn't one, is there?
A10. Nope. No Front Camera.


Q11. Headset
a. Do you get audio (stereo output) from the Ext-USB port like with the GSM versions?
b. Can an old headset with the Ext-USB connector work as a handsfree?
c. Telus comes with a 3.5mm based handsfree. What are Verizon and Sprint customers (who don't get one) doing about it?