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Help LTE/CDMA carrier unlock

Hi!

I am looking for some expert comments on this topic. I have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon and I am wondering if anyone can provide comments on LTE/CDMA portability. In short, can you take this LTE/CDMA phone and make it fully work on a similar carrier.

I know that the CDMA part is fairly easy, but I dont know anybody working on LTE right now. Since LTE carries the same principle as GSM, is a SIM unlock possible? Assuming you can find a carrier that offer similar phones (LG Revolution vs LG Esteem) but maybe on a different LTE frequency. For example VRZ to MetroPCS, who offers LTE and CDMA too.

Thanks!
 
Do you mean that Verizon's version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus can not be used on any other carrier system?

I live in the US for 6 months of the year and in Canada for 6 months of the year. I now have a 2 year contract with Verizon and two Samsung Nexus phones (wife has one). Verizon allows me to suspend service for 90 day periods. I want to be able to go to Canada to another carrier and swap out SIM cards to use the phone with a Canadian number while I am in Canada. In the fall, I want to be able to replace the Canadian SIM card with my Verizon SIM card while I am in the US.

Is there something wrong with this picture?
 
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Unless the other carrier is using the exact same frequency as the Verizon GN....then no.

According to the FCC test documentation for both VZW and Sprint's versions
Verizon's GN runs on CDMA 850 and 1900 (LINK)
and on LTE 750 (LINK).

Sprint's GN also runs on CDMA 850 and 1900 (LINK), however Sprint's LTE operates on the 1900 band (LINK)

I suppose you could get a GN to run in CDMA mode on either network, technically speaking.... but LTE is a no-go for sure.
 
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Unless the other carrier is using the exact same frequency as the Verizon GN....then no.

According to the FCC test documentation for both VZW and Sprint's versions
Verizon's GN runs on CDMA 850 and 1900 (LINK)
and on LTE 750 (LINK).

Sprint's GN also runs on CDMA 850 and 1900 (LINK), however Sprint's LTE operates on the 1900 band (LINK)

I suppose you could get a GN to run in CDMA mode on either network, technically speaking.... but LTE is a no-go for sure.

---

Thank you, Tim. Next time I'll be more careful in my dealings with Verizon.
 
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Don't expect things to get better with LTE...

In North America, 700/ 800 and 1700/ 1900 MHz are planned to be used; 800, 1800, 2600 MHz in Europe; 1800 and 2600 MHz in Asia; and 1800 MHz in Australia. Also, the Brazilian government and CPqD, are testing a specific version of LTE under 450 MHz frequency band, specific for the rural market.

In addition to all that, is Clear still looking to convert their WiMax 2400MHz band to LTE?
 
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You could always get a Nationwide plus Canada plan from Verizon or just switch to it for part of the year.

Plans - Verizon Wireless
Thanks. I used the Nationwide plus Canada plan last year. The problem is that there is no corresponding data plan that makes any sense at all. The best they've got right now is $25 for 100mb. I can blow through a 100mb in a day and I'm not even breathing hard. That's $750 for 3gb per month. Get real.
 
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Thanks. I used the Nationwide plus Canada plan last year. The problem is that there is no corresponding data plan that makes any sense at all. The best they've got right now is $25 for 100mb. I can blow through a 100mb in a day and I'm not even breathing hard. That's $750 for 3gb per month. Get real.

$25 for 100 MB?? That's terrible!

I can blow through that in 40 seconds or so over 4G!
 
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OP - your best bet might just be to get an unlocked GSM Nexus, and use that when you go to Canada. You'd have your choice of Rogers, Telus and Bell SIMs, not to mention some prepaid options (PetroCanada, 7-11).

VZW wants you LOCKED in. Always has, always will. They want their customers to roam worldwide on THEIR plans. It's BS. VZW does not sell "world" phones, as much as they claim.

As tough a pill as it might be to swallow, maybe you ditch VZW altogether, get an unlocked GSM Nexus and go with AT&T or T-Mobile in the US, Rogers/Telus/Bell in Canada. Then you'd truly be all set on either side of the border with plenty of options.
 
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Hi all,

I am having a Samsung Nexus SCHi515 with Verizon network( It has a sim slot)
I have taken the phone to India. I thought it could be unlocked and used in some CDMA network( Reliance) here since one of my friend have unlocked LG droid 3,(non-sim model),verizon network. But I have heard from some people that phone with sim slot cannot be unlocked and only the non sim model can be unlocked and registered with the Reliance CDMA network in India.
Is it not possible to unlock the model with sim slot?
Kindly help me out.
 
Upvote 0
Hi all,

I am having a Samsung Nexus SCHi515 with Verizon network( It has a sim slot)
I have taken the phone to India. I thought it could be unlocked and used in some CDMA network( Reliance) here since one of my friend have unlocked LG droid 3,(non-sim model),verizon network. But I have heard from some people that phone with sim slot cannot be unlocked and only the non sim model can be unlocked and registered with the Reliance CDMA network in India.
Is it not possible to unlock the model with sim slot?
Kindly help me out.

Most likely not, as the Nexus gets network information from the SIM (like a GSM phone would), so Reliance would have to have a SIM for the Nexus. Since CDMA phones don't normally use SIMs, that may prove quite difficult.
 
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CDMA phones don't use SIMs and no it's not possible to use a Verizon phone on any other carrier or any other carrier's phones on Verizon. Here in the US it is now illegal to unlock a phone without carrier consent.

Not entirely true on some CDMA phones though. LTE CDMA phones do use SIM cards (I think the LTE standard requires them), and the dual mode CDMA/GSM phones do as well (for obvious reasons).
 
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