Inspire 4G on T-Mobile

[John Jason]

I've been with AT&T for years, but with a plain old phone, therefore no data plan. I had, but returned, an Atrix 4G, and while I had it I fell in love with Android. I have been doing a lot of research on various 4G phones / plans, and what I really want is an Inspire 4G, but on T-Mobile instead of AT&T. I can get a practically new Inspire 4G locally for $350. A T-Mobile sales dude told me "any AT&T phone can be used on T-Mobile." If I buy the Inspire 4G and root it will it work if I switch to T-Mobile? Or was the sales dude naive / misinformed / lying?

 

[2manyPHONES]

The phone has to be unlocked to work on another carrier. I have used unlocked tmobile phones on att, I have also unlocked some phones myself (either att can give the code to unlock but this is kinda unlikely unless you give them a real good reason to get the code or you can check ebay and some people sell the code and the method to unlock)

 

[shawn1224]

Also I don't think the Inspire has the same 3G bands for T-mobile so you might only be able to get 2G speeds at best. I'm not even sure about 4G/HSPA+ either.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[John Jason]

The phone has to be unlocked to work on another carrier. I have used unlocked tmobile phones on att, I have also unlocked some phones myself (either att can give the code to unlock but this is kinda unlikely unless you give them a real good reason to get the code or you can check ebay and some people sell the code and the method to unlock)

I found quite a few people on eBay willing to sell the unlock code for around $22.

But regarding the bands as noted by shawn1224, I don't know. I don't even know where to look to find out.

I was planning on buying a brand new one off-contract from a local seller on Craigslist for $350, but I waited too long and the phone is now sold. There will be others, though, I am sure. And it may be a blessing that I didn't buy it, now that a question about the bands has arisen. I'm off to google on the bands question.

 

[shawn1224]

Tmobile uses 1700/2100 MHz
HTC Inspire uses 850/1900 MHz

.... so doesn't look like you'll get any 3G or HSPA+ speeds only 2G

 

[2manyPHONES]

From my 2 sec research on google before my ADD kicked in it would be only able to access edge network. For tmobile 3g you would need a device that can do 2100 and 1700 mhz. As per the htc website this device supports the following: HSPA/UMTS Dual-band (850/1900), GSM/GPRS/EDGE Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 mhz)

 

[John Jason]

Tmobile uses 1700/2100 MHz
HTC Inspire uses 850/1900 MHz
.... so doesn't look like you'll get any 3G or HSPA+ speeds only 2G

Yep, just found the same thing here:

How hard would it to have the Inspire on TMobile? [Archive] - xda-developers

So if I want 4G on T-Mobile I'm stuck with their 4G phones. My choices are:

Great phone, expensive plan with lousy bandwidth and maximum 4GB data (AT&T)
Mediocre phone, cheaper plan with better bandwidth and unlimited data (T-Mobile)

Mommmyyyy!!! Why can't I have what I want? Make them give me what I want!

 

[2manyPHONES]

Yep, just found the same thing here:

How hard would it to have the Inspire on TMobile? [Archive] - xda-developers

So if I want 4G on T-Mobile I'm stuck with their 4G phones. My choices are:

Great phone, expensive plan with lousy bandwidth and maximum 4GB data (AT&T)
Mediocre phone, cheaper plan with better bandwidth and unlimited data (T-Mobile)

Mommmyyyy!!! Why can't I have what I want? Make them give me what I want!

As explained in other threads if you look at the fine print for a carriers data plan explanation that unlimited plan is capped at 5gb at which point they can terminate your connection or just a slower connection so you will be so mad that you won't want to use the internet on your phone

Also whats with the 4gb on ATT? They got a 4gb plan?

 

[John Jason]

Also whats with the 4gb on ATT? They got a 4gb plan?

AT&T (in my area, at least) offers 200MB for $15 a month, 2GB for $25 a month, and 4GB for $45 a month. Regardless of which level you are on, if you exceed your allotment you are not cut off, they just bill you extra in increments. For example, if you are on 2GB and you go over, they automatically give you an additional 1Gb and bill you $15 for it.

Some people who have had data plans with AT&T for a long time have unlimited data, but they are grandfathered and AT&T's legal department is squirreling as hard as they can to terminate their plans. Unfortunately, I am not such an AT&T customer. Therefore, the only way I can get unlimited data is to go to T-Mobile or Sprint, of which T-Mobile is the least bad alternative.

From reading the net it is clear to me that at some point all carriers (in the US at least) will go to a tiered pricing structure, probably eliminating "unlimited data." I want to get a T-Mobile account because they are cheaper and offer me unlimited data, and if they drop unlimited data in the future I am hoping that I will be grandfathered. Ditto if Deutsche Telekom sells T-Mobile USA to AT&T.

I had my mouth all set for an HTC Inspire, but now that I have discovered that I can't use it effectively on T-Mobile I am trying to get my heart around a Samsung Galaxy S 4G.

The most annoying and frustrating part of my journey is that the wireless business in the US developed without universal standards (like television and radio), so carriers can play lock-in games. Every option I consider has a bitter aftertaste.

 

[socalcyclist]

The HTC desire Hd might work with t mobile on all bands. It is basically the same as the inspire 4g, just the european version.
Does anyone know for sure if it will work across all of t mo's bands?

 

[shawn1224]

If you want T-Mobile just hold out out for the HTC Pyramid. Supposedly it's all spec'd out with a 4.3" qHD display, Qualcomm's new dual core snapdragon processor and the best part, it's pure Android. At least this is what the rumors are leading to. I was with TMO for 3 years and even though I had unlimited data, their network was crappy and it wasn't worth the hassle. I guess it all depends on your area, though they finally do seem to have a powerhouse device in the making, it's probably worth the wait.

 

[John Jason]

If you want T-Mobile just hold out out for the HTC Pyramid. Supposedly it's all spec'd out with a 4.3" qHD display, Qualcomm's new dual core snapdragon processor and the best part, it's pure Android. At least this is what the rumors are leading to. I was with TMO for 3 years and even though I had unlimited data, their network was crappy and it wasn't worth the hassle. I guess it all depends on your area, though they finally do seem to have a powerhouse device in the making, it's probably worth the wait.

Because AT&T throttled the bandwidth on the Atrix 4G and the Inspire 4G I decided to return the Atrix 4G and check out T-Mobile. I still have my AT&T account and I use my ancient Razr V3 with it. But a couple days ago I signed up for a T-Mobile prepaid plan with 2GB data. The same day I scored a MyTouch 3G used and in perfect condition for $80.

Even though the MyTouch is only 3G Speedtest.net tells me that I get about twice the bandwidth as I did with the Atrix 4G.

I am really thrilled to hear about the HTC Pyramid. My MyTouch 3G is adequate and will give me time to learn the fine points of Android. The internet says the Pyramid will probably be available at T-Mobile in May, and I can wait until then.

 

[mrcamp]

I do not think it's 3G bands are the same as tmobiles.

HTC Desire HD - Full phone specifications

The HTC desire Hd might work with t mobile on all bands. It is basically the same as the inspire 4g, just the european version.
Does anyone know for sure if it will work across all of t mo's bands?

 

[a1yet]

AT&T to Buy T-Mobile for $39 Billion USD
T-Mobile 3G (i think 4G also) Phones Will Require Replacement After AT&T Merger

SO buying this phone and unlocking it will give u a little while to use T-Mobiles services (maybe 2 years AT MOST) after that u will need an AT&T phone

so this is the best GSM phone as it will be merger proof !!

 

[John Jason]

AT&T to Buy T-Mobile for $39 Billion USD
T-Mobile 3G (i think 4G also) Phones Will Require Replacement After AT&T Merger
SO buying this phone and unlocking it will give u a little while to use T-Mobiles services (maybe 2 years AT MOST) after that u will need an AT&T phone.

I've been reading about this over and over ever since the planned merger was announced. Consider the cost to AT&T in terms of customer dissatisfaction, churning to Sprint or Verizon, and/or having to replace phones or at least heavily subsidize replacement phones. It seems to me that there is a far simpler and cheaper solution.

Let me use my city as an example. Here T-Mobile and AT&T each have their own towers. After the merger AT&T would own all of them. The big cost of the towers is in the real estate and construction. The radios are trivial in comparison. So why couldn't AT&T just put their radios on the former T-Mobile towers, and T-Mobile's radios on the AT&T towers? All the phones would continue to work indefinitely.

Or have I missed something?

 

[AndreaCristiano]

I've been reading about this over and over ever since the planned merger was announced. Consider the cost to AT&T in terms of customer dissatisfaction, churning to Sprint or Verizon, and/or having to replace phones or at least heavily subsidize replacement phones. It seems to me that there is a far simpler and cheaper solution.

Let me use my city as an example. Here T-Mobile and AT&T each have their own towers. After the merger AT&T would own all of them. The big cost of the towers is in the real estate and construction. The radios are trivial in comparison. So why couldn't AT&T just put their radios on the former T-Mobile towers, and T-Mobile's radios on the AT&T towers? All the phones would continue to work indefinitely.

Or have I missed something?

Yes your missing the fact that LTE needs bandwidth so eventually the 700 and 1700 that tmobile brings to the table will be LTE. The rest of your theory is how it will go

 

[TXGrunt]

Didnt ATT just buy T-Mobile? I think they did.

Here is the link

http://www.craveonline.com/lifestyle/article/att-buys-t-mobile-for-39-billion-126799

 

[AndreaCristiano]

Didnt ATT just buy T-Mobile? I think they did.

Here is the link

http://www.craveonline.com/lifestyle/article/att-buys-t-mobile-for-39-billion-126799

Yes they did but it won't be finalized for months