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Help CHINA - Can my phone be reformatted

Tim Brown

Lurker
Mar 21, 2015
4
1
I have an HTC ONE M8d (Dual SIM)
I bought it on Amazon-CN (Amazon China)
It is formatted for the Chinese cell phone provider - China Telecom
Because of China's bad relationship with Google, China Telecom has blocked Google play.
This is a hardware block not an IP address block.
I can not access Google Play even if using a VPN which makes the phone think it's in the USA.

My question is can the phone be reformatted, when I return to USA?
Is this just a firmware replacement or do you know if the Chinese Gov and this Provider have screwed with this thing even deeper.
 
Hmm, I don't know anything about cell-hardware blocks.

But I've heard things about people fastboot flashing modem/radio modem.img / radio.img to change bands/radios from a cell provider.

Could that be possible to unblock it? But that's my knowledge, the real man for china related problems are @mikedt
 
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Presumably this is what you've got:
http://product.pchome.net/mobile_phone_htc_htconem84g/param_423475.html

It's primarily a CDMA phone, intended mainly for use with China Telecom.

This is it's radio specs:
4G网络
电信TD-LTE,电信FDD-LTE(国际漫游时支持)
3G网络
电信3G(CDMA2000),联通2G/移动2G(GSM)
支持频段
2G:GSM 850/900/1800/1900
2G:CDMA1X 800
3G:CDMA EVDO 800/1900MHz

It doesn't have WCDMA/UMTS 3G, so that's out for a start. 2G GSM is quad-band, which should work in the US. But I've never heard of anyone successfully using a China Telcom CDMA phone with a US CDMA carrier, such as Verizon or Sprint. 4G LTE, I don't know too much about LTE in the US, it may work, it may not.


A major difference between Chinese CDMA and American CDMA, is that China Telecom CDMA phones always use SIMs, rather like GSM, no registration or activation of the phone required. Think in the US, you have to register and activate the phones actual ESN with the carrier, e.g. Verizon.


This might not be the best phone for using in the US. The fact it hasn't got Google may be least of its problems. Basically this version of the One M8 is best kept in China.

To install Google Play on it, it would have to be rooted, custom recovery etc, I don't know too much about rooting and hacking HTCs, I've never had one. Presumably there's details for all that in the One M8 "All Things Root" forum, or over on XDA Devs.
 
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I know from trying to help others - root details and tools for the dual sim M8 are few and far between. There's a little bit on XDA, not much, and none with us here.

It's hard enough to legally change MNVO carriers within Sprint or Verizon - attempts to cross major radio barriers by flashing different firmware usually results in a conversion into a paperweight.

Here's the phone / carrier compatibility lookup -

http://willmyphonework.net/

The dual sim isn't listed.

Mike's right - you don't want to bring it to the US.
 
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I know from trying to help others - root details and tools for the dual sim M8 are few and far between. There's a little bit on XDA, not much, and none with us here.

It's hard enough to legally change MNVO carriers within Sprint or Verizon - attempts to cross major radio barriers by flashing different firmware usually results in a conversion into a paperweight.

Here's the phone / carrier compatibility lookup -

http://willmyphonework.net/

The dual sim isn't listed.

Mike's right - you don't want to bring it to the US.
I wonder, would rooting, flashing a custom ROM, fix the bands block? Or will it brick it like you said when trying to flash Sprint to Verizon.
 
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I wonder, would rooting, flashing a custom ROM, fix the bands block? Or will it brick it like you said when trying to flash Sprint to Verizon.
I think it would have to be the radio firmware they flashed mate, not the rom, and it would need to be compatible with the hardware onboard :thumbsupdroid:
 
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I think it would have to be the radio firmware they flashed mate, not the rom, and it would need to be compatible with the hardware onboard :thumbsupdroid:
I checked WillMyPhone work with the HTC One M8d (the phone the guy has) and it supports AT&T 4glte (just to name a few). Would the radio work for that version. I know for a fact there's a bunch of support for the AT&T M8.
 
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I checked WillMyPhone work with the HTC One M8d (the phone the guy has) and it supports AT&T 4glte (just to name a few). Would the radio work for that version. I know for a fact there's a bunch of support for the AT&T M8.
Good catch, plus I finally translated Mike's link.

It ought to be fine on the AT&T network as it's GSM capable. If that site says that it has AT&T compatible LTE bands, ok, HTC doesn't have the band specs on the English language website.

I was too focused on the CDMA side - my bad, sue me lol.

Beware of confusing the M8d with any other M8.

I've seen it repeatedly - "Can I flash this M8 rom on my dual sim M8?" "No." "But the specs are basically the same." "Don't do it." "Ok so I flashed this rom on my dual sim M8 and now I can't get out of the bootloader. Can anyone help me?" "Nope, that's why six of us told you to not try it."

But as I said, there is *limited* root support for it, so sometimes those can be recovered.

I helped one guy get out using this as memory serves -

http://llabtoofer.com/2014/11/15/htc-one-m8-dual-sim-maximushd-2-0-0/

Yep -

http://androidforums.com/threads/htc-m8-stuck-in-bootloader.906078/

It roots the same as any other HTC -

http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-one-m8/general/guide-how-to-root-m8dugl-m8-dual-sim-t2831154

+5 insightful to @mikedt on the /system/etc/hosts file being the culprit.

I'd bet even money it's that.

Either way, if you can't fix the Chinese lock down by hand, go for the rom linked above.

And never, ever mod a phone without a nandroid backup.

Per the many I've helped out, the road to HTC hell begins by avoiding doing the root steps yourself and using an all-in-one tool.

Don't even think about flashing firmware not specifically made for the M8d. That includes radios.

There's a lot of links to links in the ones I've provided - but everything is there.

First rule of rooting - read, read, read, and read some more before you do anything.
 
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I was just thinking that if I'm not mistaken, in the WORST case, you could still use it at home connected to your WiFi instant messaging apps, emails, and web browsing! Certainly not much of a consolation to you I know, but I'm a member of the "something is always better than nothing" school of thought, lol.
 
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I was just thinking that if I'm not mistaken, in the WORST case, you could still use it at home connected to your WiFi instant messaging apps, emails, and web browsing! Certainly not much of a consolation to you I know, but I'm a member of the "something is always better than nothing" school of thought, lol.

May not even be doing that with this phone, in it's current state.

Thinking of the saga of the Onda V712 tablet, purchased locally in China.
http://androidforums.com/threads/tablet-locked-down-for-china.625226/

"Problems:
Can't access Facebook online (error 404) or via Android App (login doesn't reach facebook servers). Other sites giving 404 are Youtube and Google."

...and this was in the United Kingdom.
 
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That would totally suck Mike! The reason I mentioned it is that last year I bought a dual sim Chinese phone from China last year that can't be used as a phone here in Spain, but I do use it to for all the things I mentioned in my post with the WiFi at the house. Before I bought it, the guy told me that I couldn't use it as a phone, and for 15 bucks I thought it was worth it.

May not even be doing that with this phone, in it's current state.

Thinking of the saga of the Onda V712 tablet, purchased locally in China.
http://androidforums.com/threads/tablet-locked-down-for-china.625226/

"Problems:
Can't access Facebook online (error 404) or via Android App (login doesn't reach facebook servers). Other sites giving 404 are Youtube and Google."

...and this was in the United Kingdom.
 
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Wow, thanks for all the help. I've been living out here for 2 years. The internet is crazy. They are ramping up censorship and all the cell phones they sell in the country have a startup screen of the provider, Like China Telecom. The first start up screen is the HTC startup, then the China Telecom startup screen is next. They make things very difficult. No Google anything, including Google Play. Any app the calls back to Google Play does not work. They have a bad relationship with Google. hahaha. We use VPNs to get past the GREAT FIREWALL (It's called) but as of the first of the year they are screwing with these and it's become more difficult. Thanks for all the advice. Maybe there is a GSM provider in USA that can get it working. My main question is could I actually send it to HTC in USA to be RESET without all this Chinese formatting on it. Start from scratch, for a small fee, maybe.
 
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^^^^
That's pretty much what I thought it was.

CDMA version phones are often branded China Telecom, that's who usually supplies them, and they are the only CDMA carrier here, no MVNOs. Carrier branded phones are commonplace in other countries as well of course, buy a phone from Verizon, it's going to have Verizon branding and customizations.

For Android in the PRC, it's companies like Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba, that have taken up the space in the absence of Google. Some companies can be a success in China, e.g. Apple, others do not, e.g. Google.
 
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^^^^
That's pretty much what I thought it was.

CDMA version phones are often branded China Telecom, that's who usually supplies them, and they are the only CDMA carrier here, no MVNOs. Carrier branded phones are commonplace in other countries as well of course, buy a phone from Verizon, it's going to have Verizon branding and customizations.

For Android in the PRC, it's companies like Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba, that have taken up the space in the absence of Google. Some companies can be a success in China, e.g. Apple, others do not, e.g. Google.



I am able to get English apps though "1 Mobile Market" , so I'm not completely unhappy.
What other Adroid stores are out there? I'm new to Android. I think it's just google & google play the Chinese don't like.
 
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1 Mobile Market is Chinese. We don't usually recommend it on AF, because they don't seem to have any control or curating of what's goes on there, like unsavoury ad practises, spyware, piracy, etc. But if you're in China, or that's all you can get on the phone, you may have no choice. There's also MoboGenie and MoboMarket as well, very similar to 1Mobile, both Chinese but operate internationally in English.

If you're an expat, and have an appropriate credit card and billing address, e.g. UK or US, the Amazon app store is available in China, no VPN needed.

I've been in China for six years now. But I've never had any China Telecom CDMA phones, always used China Mobile or Unicorn, both are GSM carriers. Current phone is an Oppo Find 7, bought in China, didn't have Google of course, but very easily added, and also has no problems working internationally, except for CDMA networks.
 
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I was just thinking Tim, as long as we are talking about FREE apps, another way around the whole market thing would be just to download the apps via internet and simply pass them over to the phone by mini sd or with the phone hooked up to the PC. And in the worst worst case, even though it's a bit unusual here, lol, since I know that Chinese phones work here in Spain for web browsing at least, I will offer to buy the phone off you so that you can make some of your money back if you want!!! Good luck, Vin.
I am able to get English apps though "1 Mobile Market" , so I'm not completely unhappy.
What other Adroid stores are out there? I'm new to Android. I think it's just google & google play the Chinese don't like.
 
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