Database Users

Band 12 - T-Mobile

So I'm not the brightest with the different frequencies etc... What I do know is that Band 12 on T-Mobile has greater building penetration, and that it's currently not supported on the Nexus 6P, despite the phone having the band. My question is, what functionality do I lose? Aside from having more penetrating power, which gives me better signal, do I lose anything else? Honestly, I'm pretty sure Band 12 isn't even in Columbus, Ohio (where I am) yet... but I don't wanna buy this phone and then Band 12 go live here and then I lose LTE, if that's even what happens... or would it just resort to the current band 4?

Band 12
Powell730 said:
So I'm not the brightest with the different frequencies etc... What I do know is that Band 12 on T-Mobile has greater building penetration, and that it's currently not supported on the Nexus 6P, despite the phone having the band. My question is, what functionality do I lose? Aside from having more penetrating power, which gives me better signal, do I lose anything else? Honestly, I'm pretty sure Band 12 isn't even in Columbus, Ohio (where I am) yet... but I don't wanna buy this phone and then Band 12 go live here and then I lose LTE, if that's even what happens... or would it just resort to the current band 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats trouble for you. From what I understand there is a long certification process to get the certification from T-Mobile, especially if they do not sell the phone. The Nexus 6 DOES support the T-Mobile band 12:
Unlocked devices
The following unlocked phones not only support LTE band 12 but all other bands required to be compatible with T-Mobile network (LTE bands 2, 4 and 12, HSPA+ on AWS and 1900 MHz, and GSM on 1900 MHz) however band support is not the only requirement. T-Mobile issued a statement regarding band 12 unlocked phones: All Band 12 LTE devices on our network must support VoLTE, E911. Currently only three unlocked phones supports VoLTE and band 12:
Nexus 6 XT1103 (US model)
iPhone 6s A1688 and A1633
iPhone 6s Plus A1689 and A1634

cc999 said:
Thats trouble for you. From what I understand there is a long certification process to get the certification from T-Mobile, especially if they do not sell the phone. The Nexus 6 DOES support the T-Mobile band 12:
Unlocked devices
The following unlocked phones not only support LTE band 12 but all other bands required to be compatible with T-Mobile network (LTE bands 2, 4 and 12, HSPA+ on AWS and 1900 MHz, and GSM on 1900 MHz) however band support is not the only requirement. T-Mobile issued a statement regarding band 12 unlocked phones: All Band 12 LTE devices on our network must support VoLTE, E911. Currently only three unlocked phones supports VoLTE and band 12:
Nexus 6 XT1103 (US model)
iPhone 6s A1688 and A1633
iPhone 6s Plus A1689 and A1634
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well tmobile has already confirm the 5x/6p will work on their network... im just wondering what the lack of band 12 support (for the time being), means for me. i assume i would continue to run on the band 4 that i do now.

Not sure if you've found the answer to your question or not. If you dont have Band 12 where you're located then its really a moot point. I'm in Phoenix and there is a TV station still operating on the 700Mhz Band 12 spectrum so I dont have it. However, if T-Mobile lights up Band 12 and these phones havent received their certification then they will not use Band 12 at all. That means you're limited to Band 2 and Band 4 LTE. Assuming you dont have Band 12 in your area (it appears you do not based on the de-facto map that most cite reference to is here http://www.tmonews.com/700mhz-lte-map/), your coverage will remain the same as it is now.
That being said, Google has stated that they are working with T-Mobile to have the 6p certified by the time the devices ship. So if that holds true, and T-Mobile rolls out Band 12 coverage in your area you should theoretically get better indoor LTE coverage since low-band spectrum travels farther and has an easier time passing through obstacles like block walls. Until then, you should have a similar coverage experience to what you have now. You're not "losing" anything to answer your question.

it is Possible to unlock or change 4G bands or not??

hello, just wondering if i can change 4G bands on my Motorola 4G Plus (XT1642) i cannot use 4G on USA or Mexico, only 3G or H+, i was checking on google and saw something to change baseband to unlock all bands or something like that, can some expert tell me if this is possible or not?? here is my Phone Information:
Software Channel:
Retapack
Android Version:
7.0
Android Security Patch Level:
October 1, 2016
Baseband Version:
M8952_70025.20.03.52R
ATHENE_EMEA_DSDS_CUST
Kernel Version:
3.10.84-gf8fdcaa
[email protected] #1
Fri Oct 14 16:27:08 CDT 2016
Build Number:
NPJ25.75-2
Thanks for your help

Just wondering if I need to change the Modem file or something to make it work on another country as 4G

Same issue in the Netherlands with my Moto Plus. No 4G only G3 or lower

the weird thing is that no one knows if this is possible lol, no experts yet for moto g4 plus

Or it has multiple bands and it's unclear what you want to change. It has Edge HSPA and LTE for GSM and evdo and LTE for CMDA. That makes it a true world phone. Unless your variant does not support it.

idered said:
Just wondering if I need to change the Modem file or something to make it work on another country as 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do that and you probably wont have service at all. I don't think anyone has been able to unlocked bands.

DutchSnake said:
Same issue in the Netherlands with my Moto Plus. No 4G only G3 or lower
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you flash the nougat test build?

Droidphilev said:
did you flash the nougat test build?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it's still stock android, though if i use my Galaxy s5 4G pops up immediately
Did not see any reason to use custom rom jet...

Got it fixed, call your provider and ask to reset QOS / data. 4G pops right up after restart.

For those wondering: it's not possible. One can technically unlock additional bands following QPST tutorials, and actually changes does stick, however model number cannot be changed which is the one that "tells" the device which bands to use. This has been my personal experience

It's not that. You can unlock the bands with QPST, but if the actual RF amplifiers cannot work on those bands, you won't get signal. One can be lucky if for example adds 800MHz band to a device that already has 850MHz, but the signal strength might be lower than expected.
http://www.radio-electronics.com/in...ong-term-evolution/lte-frequency-spectrum.php
I did "add" via Qualcomm software the EU band 20 to my US phone that had band 5, and I will be able to test it when I get there next week. The US phone has the other main two EU bands (bands 3 and 7, urban mostly).

SoNic67 said:
It's not that. You can unlock the bands with QPST, but if the actual RF amplifiers cannot work on those bands, you won't get signal. One can be lucky if for example adds 800MHz band to a device that already has 850MHz, but the signal strength might be lower than expected.
http://www.radio-electronics.com/in...ong-term-evolution/lte-frequency-spectrum.php
I did "add" via Qualcomm software the EU band 20 to my US phone that had band 5, and I will be able to test it when I get there next week. The US phone has the other main two EU bands (bands 3 and 7, urban mostly).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you're telling me there's a chance? I do have a XT1622 which has bands 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 19(800), 20(800), 28(700), 40(2300). I'm trying to use it with band 4 (1700/2100), what should I try next then?

Band 4 is "special" because it has such a wide frequency difference between uplink and downlink that I doubt it will work. The UL for band 4 is the same like band 3, but the DL for band 4 is more like band 1.
Not sure if they can be "coupled" like that, it might... Qualcomm modem reprogramming - to get in that mode it's easy on our phones, Power on + Vol Up and then scroll to Qcom... You need the special software (2 pieces, both running in the same time on PC), don't ask me how, just search on XDA.

Any H870DS users getting LTE?

Hi Folks,
I thought I had found a gold-mine here in the United States in the H870DS because it has the quad-DAC and the bands look to be compatible with AT&T and T-mobile. The seller listed band 2 LTE and sadly, according to the box, it is not supported and this is one of AT&T's main bands in my area in California. It still has band 12/17, so, I figured I'd be okay. I cannot for the life of me get it to connect to any LTE though. I've checked and re-checked the APN settings, the network settings (4G preferred) and am out of ideas. Does anyone have this phone and have you successfully gotten it to connect to LTE in the United States? I don't have a T-mobile SIM anymore to try.
-Collin-

I believe AT&T SIMs have issues with LTE on non-AT&T devices until the device IMEI is added into their system.
I am not an AT&T user so I forget the specifics but people often have to call in and have the device IMEI added to their account.. or sometimes this happens automatically after a few hours.
What bands are listed on the box? The thread on XDA listing all the bands shows your model as having B2 LTE (Possible the thread is not correct though) https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g6/how-to/info-lg-g6-models-bands-t3571221

I have searched some of the AT&T user forums, it is because different areas have different coverage and certain bands are not licensed properly, so you might not get any LTE signals. I do not know if that is true. But my G6 sure does not have LTE whatsoever.

Thanks for the replies guys. Well, I managed to pick up Band 4 when I walked down the street. I still cannot get 17/12 which is weird because it's the primary LTE band for AT&T. The bummer is that now that I know LTE is working, I can 100% confirm that LTE Band 2 is missing. The eBay listings are wrong and the XDA listing is wrong. I've attached a photo of the box. Oh well
-Collin-

I was interested in picking up an 870DS unit myself. I noticed the discrepancy when it comes to band 2. That had me worried, so I did not pick it up. The 870 DS box shows that band 2 is missing. I have to assume that is correct, so I did not buy.

Sorry to hear that i was thinking of picking up the Korean version myself but if I can't get reliable LTE on att no thanks. I wonder if you could return it to the seller since its technically false advertisement

Well this is unfortunate. I just got mine from Ebay today and was wondering why I couldn't get an LTE signal. The seller did list Band 2 so I'm hoping they will refund my purchase or there is a way to edit the radio.

Sorry for the off-topic question but could anyone tell if the H870DS would support 3G simultaneously on both radios (or 4G on one and 3G on the other simultaneously)? If so it would be worth mentioning here as well.

inquisitor said:
Sorry for the off-topic question but could anyone tell if the H870DS would support 3G simultaneously on both radios (or 4G on one and 3G on the other simultaneously)? If so it would be worth mentioning here as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using T-Mobile SIM at SIM 1 and my home country carrier's SIM at SIM2.
It is getting LTE at SIM 1 and UMTS (roaming at AT&T network) at SIM 2.

Fi (T-mobile) is working perfectly for me, full LTE. Cricket (At&t) is hspa+ but no LTE.
For the price I am not unhappy even though I usually use cricket as my primary data sim. It's not what I expected but I knew going in I was shooting craps as there just wasn't a ton of information out for this H870DS variant. It's not a huge upgrade over 3t, just needed to switch it up for a while. I am quite enjoying the screen, camera, and HiFi dac without losing my 2 sim setup.
Edit: Sim one does have full LTE while Sim 2 does not.
The references definitely need to show that there is no B2, B17, or B30 for ATT users though, pretty much a let down there.

solver404 said:
Fi (T-mobile) is working perfectly for me, full LTE. Cricket (At&t) is hspa+ but no LTE.
For the price I am not unhappy even though I usually use cricket as my primary data sim. It's not what I expected but I knew going in I was shooting craps as there just wasn't a ton of information out for this H870DS variant. It's not a huge upgrade over 3t, just needed to switch it up for a while. I am quite enjoying the screen, camera, and HiFi dac without losing my 2 sim setup.
Edit: Sim one does have full LTE while Sim 2 does not.
The references definitely need to show that there is no B2, B17, or B30 for ATT users though, pretty much a let down there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually got Band 4 to connect on AT&T, but it's pretty sparse and not reliable. I switched that line over to T-Mobile and it works perfectly just as you describe.
I like the phone a lot more than I thought I would. It feels so solidly constructed and the camera I really missed from the V20. I prefer this camera to the one on my S8 9 times out of 10. It's a hair slower to focus, but everything else is better for me.
What's odd is that on AT&T Band 12 is supposed to be compatible with Band 17. On T-Mobile, I connect to Band 12 just fine, but not on Cricket. Oh well, my Cricket line has been canceled anyhow
-Collin-

I'm in San Francisco and unable to get LTE on AT&T or T-Mobile on the H870DS. These LTE bands are listed on the box: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41.

Hi there,
I'm in new Mexico on a at&t go phone plan and on a h870ds.
and I'm defenetly getting LTE.

Does the LG G6 actually reveal the used channel and so the frequency band?
On many Android phones this information will show up after dialing *#*#4636#*#* and tapping "Phone Information" - on the very bottom of this screen you will find a list of available cells including their channel number (called EARFCN for LTE/4G, UARFCN for UMTS/3G and ARFCN for GSM/2G). You can then lookup to which frequency band the EARFCN/UARFCN/ARFCN belongs, e.g. at http://niviuk.free.fr/lte_band.php

Take a look at the 'LTE Discovery' app. The free version will probably have what you need.

pocketfox said:
I'm in San Francisco and unable to get LTE on AT&T or T-Mobile on the H870DS. These LTE bands are listed on the box: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm the lack of LTE on T-Mobile in Southern California as well. Very odd as others are reporting success getting LTE on TMO in other geographic locations. :crying:

uid_0 said:
I can confirm the lack of LTE on T-Mobile in Southern California as well. Very odd as others are reporting success getting LTE on TMO in other geographic locations. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't seem odd at all considering that according to frequencycheck.com, some key bands are missing:
T-Mobile LTE Bands
B2 (1900 PCS)
B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1)
B12 (700 ac)
B66
ATT LTE Bands
B2 (1900 PCS)
B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1)
B17 (700 bc)
B30 (2300 WCS)

kurtbird said:
Doesn't seem odd at all considering that according to frequencycheck.com, some key bands are missing:
T-Mobile LT seeE Bands
B2 (1900 PCS)
B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1)
B12 (700 ac)
B66
ATT LTE Bands
B2 (1900 PCS)
B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1)
B17 (700 bc)
B30 (2300 WCS)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As noted on the box as well as other first hand accounts, the H870DS does support both B4 and B12 required for T-Mobile. My G3 and my wife's previous 860N both connect(ed) with B4.
On top of this, I now have a solution to the problem via updating the APN settings. The magic change was simply adding ”xcap” to the APN Type setting and setting the Network Mode for SIM1 to GSM/WCDMA/LTE auto radio button.

uid_0 said:
As noted on the box as well as other first hand accounts, the H870DS does support both B4 and B12 required for T-Mobile. My G3 and my wife's previous 860N both connect(ed) with B4.
On top of this, I now have a solution to the problem via updating the APN settings. The magic change was simply adding ”xcap” to the APN Type setting and setting the Network Mode for SIM1 to GSM/WCDMA/LTE auto radio button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's possible that if you're in an area where only T-Mobile B2 or ATT B30 is available then you wouldn't have LTE.

Was finally able to get 4G LTE in AZ on Band 4. Create a new APN with these settings and make sure network is GSM/CDMA/LTE Auto.
Edit: Also, I had AT&T update their system with the IMEI number of this 870DS that I'm using. That might have something to do with it. It took a couple of weeks too.

Differences between A320F/DS, A320F, A320FL and Usability in the United States?

Hi,
So, I'm interested in getting a cheap 4.7" Android phone to use in the United States and sometimes in Canada. I zeroed in on the Galaxy A3 2017. The model that works best in North America is the A320Y, but so far I've only been able to find it online at some store in New Zealand. Since finding the answer to the question, Will shipping the device from NZ to the United States cost customs fees (and if so, how much)? is a question harder to answer than the question, Where is Jimmy Hoffa?, I've begun considering getting one of the models listed in the title of this thread.
But there's a problem. Those models in the title don't work on US LTE. Actually, according to frequencycheck.com, the A320FL has one LTE band (Cricket/AT&T) and the other models have none of the LTE frequency bands. I wonder if frequencycheck.com is accurate. I'm also wondering if there are other differences between those models. I'm also wondering what happens if I put a Cricket SIM inside these phones. Even though frequencycheck.com says I will get no LTE bands, will putting a Cricket SIM inside suddenly activate an LTE band?
The other question I was wondering: Do I even need LTE if I don't care much about download speed? Maybe HSPA+ or whatever it is will be good enough? If I don't have LTE, will I get less reception indoors or outdoors, or will I get the same exact reception/coverage but just be relegated to 3G/4G/HSPA+ service? What is the benefit of LTE besides data speed?
Finally, which one of these models has the most ROM support? Can they all be bootloader unlocked?
I know I'm asking a whole bunch of questions at the same time. Sorry. I appreciate any help I can get with this!

To answer some:
That website appears to be accurate. Doesn't only list AT&T for a320fl once expanded.
As for SIMs activating bands, I haven't seen it on Samsung, only RRC Release, VoLTE, LTE CAT, maybe individual CA combos. The disabled bands are shown as CAL_DEFAULT vs CAL_PASS. Guess it's like Snapdragon.
HSPA+ vs LTE
The range of 3G/4G is close with the same frequency, but 4G performs better at cell edge (low signal).
Speed (anyway)
Well, 3G is usually given its own spectrum at first, then the 2G is refarmed into 3G. Today, 3G gets refarmed to 4G. This leaves 3G with a small amount of spectrum, it becomes prone to interference. It's bit like multiple tv/fm stations on the same channel number. Other 'tv/fm stations' have to be filtered out by the phone, this lowers the speed. 4G gets some too, along with echoed complex signals, but it gets less.
3G supports up to 5MHz per carrier, 4G up to 20MHz. 3G can have carrier aggregation, so 5+5+maybe 5. Expect up to 2 carriers (not every combo) on 4G, unless a specific SIM is detected in specific phone models. Along with that, 4G can have better spectral efficiency.
If you are going with 3G(HSPA, sometimes called '4G') anyway, you should know that there are these states (usually called fast dormancy) to save power.
DCH = Full speed.
FACH = Up to 32kbps. 4kB/s. Maybe RRC Release downgrade is visible (H+ to H).
PCH = No data.
Anything below is further away from data.
For high performance, keep the speed above 4kB/s, at the cost of battery. LTE has a faster start.
Sometimes, the speed is simply constrained by backhaul, the internet access that goes to the tower.

Thanks. So, to your knowledge, the F and F DS variants shouldn't work on LTE in the United States? I was in a live chat session with someone on Samsung's UK website and she said that the F variant would work on LTE in the United States. I then sent them an email to confirm and they replied with:
As per our resources from our technical review, the following Network is available in our Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) for the US.
Network
Band: Quad
GSM 850: YES
GSM 900: YES
GSM 1800: YES
GSM 1900: YES
UMTS 2100: YES
GPRS: YES
4G: YES
HSDPA: YES
Works in the US: YES
I replied to ask them why frequencycheck.com lists no LTE frequencies in common for the F variant on AT&T. I'm so confused.

sm-a320f / sm-a320f/ds
According to every other (not alternating) source the LTE band 2 and band 5 is supported in the US (and the entire spectrum of these bands). So, it supports some bands. Check if the signal of those bands (for your mobile network operator) are available in your location. Ask again, specifically for band 2 LTE(4G).

LG V20 VS995 in the UK?

I'm in the UK and about to buy a LG V20 VS995 from Hong Kong off of Ebay. Pretty sure I've checked the available frequencies here especially the 800 & 900MHz bands as these are the ones which travel the furthest and are able to penetrate buildings better than the higher frequencies. I've attached a table of the main UK networks and what bands they use. So can anyone let me know I've got this right before I purchase. Many thanks

Hi
I am in the UK also and currently using O2 with no problems. I have also used an EE SIM again with no problems. The only thing you need to be aware that the VS995 will not pick up the SIM APNs automatically, at least that is what I found, so you will need to find the APN for whichever network you use. There are off-line APN finders you can find via Google. Hope this is of some help.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk

Ferg8080 said:
I'm in the UK and about to buy a LG V20 VS995 from Hong Kong off of Ebay. Pretty sure I've checked the available frequencies here especially the 800 & 900MHz bands as these are the ones which travel the furthest and are able to penetrate buildings better than the higher frequencies. I've attached a table of the main UK networks and what bands they use. So can anyone let me know I've got this right before I purchase. Many thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, the LG V20 VS995 doesn't support ALL the bands used in the UK. It doesn't support one of the LTE bands used by Vodafone - the 2100Mhz band. So if you're on the Vodafone network, you may find that 4G/LTE speeds might be slightly slower.
I got all of this information from frequencycheck.com and it's usually where I get all my information on the bands that smartphones support.
The best option if you want to get a V20 that supports ALL bands in the UK (at this current time), is the LG V20 H990DS (Taiwanese Version).
That is the variant that I own and it supports every single band used in the UK.
The only other variant that supports all bands is the LG V20 H990N (Hong Kong version), but it only has Cat6 capability as opposed to the H990DS's Cat12 capability. Therefore, the maximum speed you'll be able to get is 300Mbp/s on the H990N - whereas on the H990DS you can get up to 600Mbp/s.
I got this information from techwalls.com/lg-v20-model-numbers-differences/
I hope that helped.

rikstar555 said:
Hi, the LG V20 VS995 doesn't support ALL the bands used in the UK. It doesn't support one of the LTE bands used by Vodafone - the 2100Mhz band. So if you're on the Vodafone network, you may find that 4G/LTE speeds might be slightly slower.
I got all of this information from frequencycheck.com and it's usually where I get all my information on the bands that smartphones support.
The best option if you want to get a V20 that supports ALL bands in the UK (at this current time), is the LG V20 H990DS (Taiwanese Version).
That is the variant that I own and it supports every single band used in the UK.
The only other variant that supports all bands is the LG V20 H990N (Hong Kong version), but it only has Cat6 capability as opposed to the H990DS's Cat12 capability. Therefore, the maximum speed you'll be able to get is 300Mbp/s on the H990N - whereas on the H990DS you can get up to 600Mbp/s.
I got this information from techwalls.com/lg-v20-model-numbers-differences/
I hope that helped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not really sure that's true according to gsmarena it does support band 4(1700/2100) admittedly that's not the same as 1(2100). I'm sorry but in my ignorance I don't know . Maybe someone who is more enlightened could tell us what the difference is. See here.
Also the bit about the Cat 6, 9, 12 with LTE does not really bother me. For the VS995 it's LTE-A (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps but for the H990N it's LTE-A (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps. Now I ask you is anyone on this planet going to realistically even touch or even dream of a download speed of 300Mbps on a mobile network. I'm not even remotely getting this on my home fibre and we're watching UHD movies!!

Did find this
LTE Band 1: This is one of the paired bands that was defined for the 3G UTRA and 3GPP rel 99.
LTE Band 4: This LTE band was introduced as a new band for the Americas at the World (Administrative) Radio Conference, WRC-2000. This international conference is where international spectrum allocations are agreed. The downlink of band 4 overlaps with the downlink for Band 1. This facilitates roaming.
I guess I'll soon find out, not sure how though

Ferg8080 said:
Did find this
LTE Band 1: This is one of the paired bands that was defined for the 3G UTRA and 3GPP rel 99.
LTE Band 4: This LTE band was introduced as a new band for the Americas at the World (Administrative) Radio Conference, WRC-2000. This international conference is where international spectrum allocations are agreed. The downlink of band 4 overlaps with the downlink for Band 1. This facilitates roaming.
I guess I'll soon find out, not sure how though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be on the safe side, I would just go for the H990N or H990DS. You also don't get the horrible, disgusting Verizon watermarks and logos (software and hardware) if you go with either of the H990 variants. But if you're not going to be using Vodafone, it doesn't really matter - because Vodafone is currently the only UK network that uses B1(2100) for 4G/LTE. Have you already ordered the phone?

i have a h990n in the uk all networks with full 4g

Don't buy CDMA phones for use on GSM carriers, or phones not specific to your region! Though nearly all CDMA phones from Sprint and Verizon in the USA support GSM protocols like 2G: GSM, 3G: UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+, and some LTE bands, they are not always accessible. VS995 doesn't support Vodafone UK's LTE B1. I ran into problems with invalid sims and poor coverage because not all bands were unlocked by Verizon. If you want a V20 save the hassle and buy a GSM unlocked V20: US996, H990, H910 (won't get OTA, so flash H915 KDZ), H915, H918.
More info: https://www.frequencycheck.com/countries/united-kingdom

patato21 said:
Don't buy CDMA phones for use on GSM carriers, or phones not specific to your region! Though nearly all CDMA phones from Sprint and Verizon in the USA support GSM protocols like 2G: GSM, 3G: UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+, and some LTE bands, they are not always accessible. VS995 doesn't support Vodafone UK's LTE B1. I ran into problems with invalid sims and poor coverage because not all bands were unlocked by Verizon. If you want a V20 save the hassle and buy a GSM unlocked V20: US996, H990, H910 (won't get OTA, so flash H915 KDZ), H915, H918.
More info: https://www.frequencycheck.com/countries/united-kingdom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had a look at the above link and have got the following compatibility
GSM: 2G, 2.5G 100% (2/2)
UMTS: 3G, 3.5G, 3.5G (4G speed) 100% (2/2)
LTE: 4G 75% (3/4)
So I'm chuffed especially after reading this concerning the band/frequency I'm missing...
2.6GHz frequency band
The 2.6GHz band is the other frequency which was auctioned by Ofcom and it’s essentially the opposite of the 800MHz band. So it’s not great at travelling over long distances, meaning that masts need to be closer together to deliver reliable coverage and as such it’s not so suited to rural areas.
It’s also not all that adept at penetrating walls so indoor signal on the 2.6GHz band won’t always be perfect.
But on the other hand with 35MHz blocks available it has a high capacity. So it can cope with thousands of simultaneous connections, which in that sense makes it a good fit for cities and other busy areas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered the phone and hope to get it in the next couple of weeks and I will post back my experiences. I ended up getting it at a good price too

Stransky said:
Hi
I am in the UK also and currently using O2 with no problems. I have also used an EE SIM again with no problems. The only thing you need to be aware that the VS995 will not pick up the SIM APNs automatically, at least that is what I found, so you will need to find the APN for whichever network you use. There are off-line APN finders you can find via Google. Hope this is of some help.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of curiousity were you able to update from Nougat to Oreo? I had a quick preliminary look and didn't see any straightforward method via official channels.

Ferg8080 said:
Out of curiousity were you able to update from Nougat to Oreo? I had a quick preliminary look and didn't see any straightforward method via official channels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk

Stransky said:
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Will probably stick with the stock ROM for a while until I'm settled in with the phone. Has choosing the Alpha rom negatively affected the performance of the camera or sound quality at all?
Some of the reasons for getting this phone is the renowned DAC and the camera esp in manual mode (apparently auto could be disappointing).

Ferg8080 said:
Will probably stick with the stock ROM for a while until I'm settled in with the phone. Has choosing the Alpha rom negatively affected the performance of the camera or sound quality at all?
Some of the reasons for getting this phone is the renowned DAC and the camera esp in manual mode (apparently auto could be disappointing).
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Click to collapse
No negative affects. Alpha Rom is actually based on the last stock Rom from Verizon with some modifications.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Stransky said:
No negative affects. Alpha Rom is actually based on the last stock Rom from Verizon with some modifications.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
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Okay thanks for all your help. I'm expecting to get my phone sometime before Christmas
Just looked at the delivery estimate and it was anywhere between Sept 4th and October??th and it was ordered about 10 days ago. I guess it's to be expected coming from Hong Kong.
:good:

Stransky said:
No, very few American V20 users have been able to update to Oreo as the providers have not released Oreo for the phone. To keep ahead with security updates I use a custom Rom on my V20 (Alpha Rom ) but you need to have the Bootloader unlocked and the phone rooted to use it. Hope this offers some clarity.
Sent from my Nokia 7 plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well picked up my new V20 VS995 today and before I launch myself head long into customising it I've posted some questions in the main thread here I would really appreciate any help you might be able to give. I was going to post it here but I thought that would be unfair to load you with a barrage of questions.
The whole process seems so much more complicated than with my Note 4 and I there is a lot less handholding esp with the AΩ ROM'S initial post. For a relative novice it seems an absolute minefield.