Official MetroPCS BYOD discussion thread

[new optimus]

Metropcs was running a $50 unlimited everything, including full speed unlimited data, as long as you were running a metropcs branded lte phone. That promo ended yesterday from my understanding
$60 for the same thing isn't bad, but personally that $10 adds up over time, I just wish I could have kept the $40 full speed unlimited LTE I had with the cdma lte phone.

I too had the $40 full speed unlimited a hold over from the first lte indulge/esteem days, that really was nice.

Both were Windows phones. One was the Lumia 822 which is the one that concerned me the most because it is a Verzion only phone. People at Metro PCS insisted it would work. Yeah it didnt. In order to use the phone I had to switch the radio to 2g to get text messages and any form of internet service. I spent an hour on the phone with a CS agent at Metro and even he couldnt figure it out. So I did what I should have done to begin with. I Googled the issue I was having. Page after page came up about this issue with these phone on any GSM network. Its a dual band phone but the GSM is not the same frequency as Metro/T-Mobile. So I returned that phone,sent what I found out to Metro CS. This was last Christmas. If you check their phone compatibility the 822 is still on there. The other phone was a Lumia 635 which T-Mobile sells. This phone had the exact same problem. Would not connect at 3g,4g, or LTE.

The key here is the voice is compatible, yes the data frequency is not but for basic phone service they are correct. its all about the technicality.

 

[bobnstpete]

Problem is no one buys a phone just for voice. Its BS and false advertising.

I too had the $40 full speed unlimited a hold over from the first lte indulge/esteem days, that really was nice.


The key here is the voice is compatible, yes the data frequency is not but for basic phone service they are correct. its all about the technicality.

 

[dportal2006]

Last year I purchased an LG G2 directly from T-Mobile. At the time the cell phone was not listed in the Metro PCS checker online as being compatible with Metro PCS. However, I checked in these forums and other users assured me it would the phone would work properly. I went ahead and activated the line with Metro PCS through the phone. The customer service lady that activated the phone for me gave me a T-Mobile APN settings that did not work. The phone simply would not connect to 4G. Good thing my mother had a Metro phone that had the original Metro APN setting and I copied it on my phone exactly as it was on the other phone. Problem solved.

Make sure to check the phone APN settings.

 

[robertkoa]

BYOD-I recently started using a Galaxy Alpha 850M
on Metro after using the excellent little LG Motion for the last few years.
The Alpha 850M has all the necessary Bands for Metro/ Tmobile and I have even seen the 1700 Band WCDMA on the service menu though not listed in Samsung Specs.
This is an International LTE Exynos Model made for North, South America and the Caribbean and has the Bands BUT the ugly little secret that no one talks about for BYOD Devices is:
You are on LTE but when you make a call or receive a call the Phone drops down to 3G, H, H+ usually with Data while on the call but sometimes interrupted Data from the call ( with perfect APN this is rare).
So this phone has great calling ( even in elevators) no problems with texts, mms. BUT the data speeds are wayyyy all over the place from very slow to very fast.
The fast speeds 20 to 30 mgps will slow down after 2 minutes almost as though throttling is occurring down to 5 or even 2 mgps.
There are settings in the APN Settings for GID defaults to 6d38 and IMSI defaults to 310x260 which seem correct for Metro ( or possibly GID 6D).
I assume these settings are being read off the Metro Sim card ( ?) and the phone works with Setting NONE for these BUT recently I tried setting GID to 6D and it seems to speed up Data and reduce the Phone jumping from LTE to H to 3G to H+.
A phone being "Compatible" is one thing and performing optimally is another thing.
Native Branded Metro PCS Phones which are 4GLTE usually have VoLTE which means that Voice and Data BOTH are on LTE and the phone does not drop to a 3G or H+ Band during calls and you always have fast data while on calls....
VoLTE requires hardware capable phone AND specific Carrier ( Metro PCS software in this case) software for VoLTE on Metro and NO BYOD ( except MAYBE some Tmo Phones) has VoLTE on Metro PCS.
So anyone know any exceptions to this ?
Do Tmo phones stay on LTE during calls when used on Metro PCS ?
Any techs know about GID settings in APN ?

 

[new optimus]

BYOD-I recently started using a Galaxy Alpha 850M
on Metro after using the excellent little LG Motion for the last few years.
The Alpha 850M has all the necessary Bands for Metro/ Tmobile and I have even seen the 1700 Band WCDMA on the service menu though not listed in Samsung Specs.
This is an International LTE Exynos Model made for North, South America and the Caribbean and has the Bands BUT the ugly little secret that no one talks about for BYOD Devices is:
You are on LTE but when you make a call or receive a call the Phone drops down to 3G, H, H+ usually with Data while on the call but sometimes interrupted Data from the call ( with perfect APN this is rare).
So this phone has great calling ( even in elevators) no problems with texts, mms. BUT the data speeds are wayyyy all over the place from very slow to very fast.
The fast speeds 20 to 30 mgps will slow down after 2 minutes almost as though throttling is occurring down to 5 or even 2 mgps.
There are settings in the APN Settings for GID defaults to 6d38 and IMSI defaults to 310x260 which seem correct for Metro ( or possibly GID 6D).
I assume these settings are being read off the Metro Sim card ( ?) and the phone works with Setting NONE for these BUT recently I tried setting GID to 6D and it seems to speed up Data and reduce the Phone jumping from LTE to H to 3G to H+.
A phone being "Compatible" is one thing and performing optimally is another thing.
Native Branded Metro PCS Phones which are 4GLTE usually have VoLTE which means that Voice and Data BOTH are on LTE and the phone does not drop to a 3G or H+ Band during calls and you always have fast data while on calls....
VoLTE requires hardware capable phone AND specific Carrier ( Metro PCS software in this case) software for VoLTE on Metro and NO BYOD ( except MAYBE some Tmo Phones) has VoLTE on Metro PCS.
So anyone know any exceptions to this ?
Do Tmo phones stay on LTE during calls when used on Metro PCS ?
Any techs know about GID settings in APN ?

because of the way they designed the 3g radio and the LTE radio every phone call will drop you down to the 3g radio, and yes they have been calling it 4g but its not, its still 3g, H or H+ its all the same, the differences are how good the 3g radio is, 21 or 42mbps or really old phones 7 or 14.
VoLTE should theoretically keep you at 4glte but I have not seen it yet. I call my wifes phone also metro lte phone with volte, I get the hd call light up but it still drops to 4g on the indicator.

 

[robertkoa]

because of the way they designed the 3g radio and the LTE radio every phone call will drop you down to the 3g radio, and yes they have been calling it 4g but its not, its still 3g, H or H+ its all the same, the differences are how good the 3g radio is, 21 or 42mbps or really old phones 7 or 14.
VoLTE should theoretically keep you at 4glte but I have not seen it yet. I call my wifes phone also metro lte phone with volte, I get the hd call light up but it still drops to 4g on the indicator.

 

[robertkoa]

Well - I am not sure if this has changed now that Metro is (soon to be exclusively) GSM -
but back in 2012 Metro was one of the first Networks in the world to offer VoLTE - I think most of their 4G LTE phones had it by default.
As far as I know ( and Pro Metro people or Developer types (I am not an expert) no ( non carrier )Phone has either VoLTE or Wifi Calling- because this is Software that is installed by the specific Carrier.
I had read that Android 5.0 was going to feature VoLTE calling but just hype probably..
In other words AT&T features or updates some phones to VoLTE ...as Tmo for their phones etc.

I thought maybe since Galaxy S6 has a VoLTE on/off setting it might be the first BYOD that might have VoLTE across multiple Carriers - but probably not.

 

[confed]

Well - I am not sure if this has changed now that Metro is (soon to be exclusively) GSM -
but back in 2012 Metro was one of the first Networks in the world to offer VoLTE - I think most of their 4G LTE phones had it by default.
As far as I know ( and Pro Metro people or Developer types (I am not an expert) no ( non carrier )Phone has either VoLTE or Wifi Calling- because this is Software that is installed by the specific Carrier.
I had read that Android 5.0 was going to feature VoLTE calling but just hype probably..
In other words AT&T features or updates some phones to VoLTE ...as Tmo for their phones etc.

I thought maybe since Galaxy S6 has a VoLTE on/off setting it might be the first BYOD that might have VoLTE across multiple Carriers - but probably not.

http://phandroid.com/2014/09/10/hangouts-free-voice-calls/

 

[new optimus]

Well - I am not sure if this has changed now that Metro is (soon to be exclusively) GSM -
but back in 2012 Metro was one of the first Networks in the world to offer VoLTE - I think most of their 4G LTE phones had it by default.
As far as I know ( and Pro Metro people or Developer types (I am not an expert) no ( non carrier )Phone has either VoLTE or Wifi Calling- because this is Software that is installed by the specific Carrier.
I had read that Android 5.0 was going to feature VoLTE calling but just hype probably..
In other words AT&T features or updates some phones to VoLTE ...as Tmo for their phones etc.

I thought maybe since Galaxy S6 has a VoLTE on/off setting it might be the first BYOD that might have VoLTE across multiple Carriers - but probably not.

back when metro was a cdma company with LTE you could access 4g LTE AND talk on the phone at the same time, my wifes cdma galaxy S3 did it all the time as did the esteem before that. the difference is the design on the cdma radio and the gsm style lte radio

 

[RockNRoll Mullet]

Will the LG G3 D851 T-Mobile work on MetroPCS? G3 IMEI checks good on T-Mobile website. Will the G3 need unlocked for MetroPCS? I have the LG F60 now and the SIM card fits the G3 what do I have to do to change to G3? The F60 says "Riding on the T-Mobile Nationwide Network" when you turn it on. Do I have to buy a new SIM card & Pay $5 more each month? The MetroPCS website used to let you check phones & IMEI numbers. I checked the G2 a while ago saying it would work & IMEI was good. Thank you for helping me understand BYOD.

 

[Kid09]

Will the LG G3 D851 T-Mobile work on MetroPCS? G3 IMEI checks good on T-Mobile website. Will the G3 need unlocked for MetroPCS? I have the LG F60 now and the SIM card fits the G3 what do I have to do to change to G3? The F60 says "Riding on the T-Mobile Nationwide Network" when you turn it on. Do I have to buy a new SIM card & Pay $5 more each month? The MetroPCS website used to let you check phones & IMEI numbers. I checked the G2 a while ago saying it would work & IMEI was good. Thank you for helping me understand BYOD.

That would work. You don't need a new Sim. You would just have to add the imei to metro's database (super easy if you have an online account with them.)

 

[confed]

That would work. You don't need a new Sim. You would just have to add the imei to metro's database (super easy if you have an online account with them.)

If your reference is meant to have someone activate a phone online, that only works with Metro branded phones. BYOD needs a phone call or a visit to a store. The phone calls have only taken about 5 minutes. Super easy.

 

[VoodooFarm]

Hey guys, so I got the dreaded you need to upgrade your phone or youll lose service text from metro, I guess I have to give up my S3.

I have a tmobile iphone 5s from a family member, would I be able to do a BYOD with it and have it work on metros network after july 1st? I saw the requirements for phones you bring in the OP but I'm not sure what the specs with the 5S bands are.

Thanks for any help!

 

[kate]

I have a tmobile iphone 5s from a family member, would I be able to do a BYOD with it and have it work on metros network after july 1st? I saw the requirements for phones you bring in the OP but I'm not sure what the specs with the 5S bands are.

Metro uses T-Mobile towers so a T-Mobile phone will have the correct bands, yes.

 

[VoodooFarm]

Metro uses T-Mobile towers so a T-Mobile phone will have the correct bands, yes.

Thanks! Just wanted to be sure before I tried messing with anything.

Would I just stick the sim in or how would I go about switching it exactly?

 

[kate]

Would I just stick the sim in or how would I go about switching it exactly?

With Metro you have to call or go into a store to start service with BYOD.

 

[VoodooFarm]

With Metro you have to call or go into a store to start service with BYOD.

Yeah I realized that the S3 is micro sim and the 5S is nano sim anyways so I figured I'd need to call regardless.

Anyone have experience with calling them to do a BYOD? Is it pretty quick and painless or does it take a while?

 

[Kid09]

Yeah I realized that the S3 is micro sim and the 5S is nano sim anyways so I figured I'd need to call regardless.

Anyone have experience with calling them to do a BYOD? Is it pretty quick and painless or does it take a while?

It's pretty quick. 5-6 min tops.

 

[Kid09]

If your reference is meant to have someone activate a phone online, that only works with Metro branded phones. BYOD needs a phone call or a visit to a store. The phone calls have only taken about 5 minutes. Super easy.

Lol yea I forgot I had to do that with my one.

 

[xlxmusic]

Hopefully you guys can help, I was wondering if the Samsung Galaxy S6 SM-G920F works with MetroPcs?

I know that MetroPCS is offering the Sm-G920T version which is the Tmobile version for $649+Taxes, but if I can save some money I rather go with the G920F off of Ebay, any help will be much appreciated!

G920F :
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B4(1700/2100AWS), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B12(700), B17(700), B18(800), B19(800), B20(800), B26(800)

 

[kate]

Hopefully you guys can help, I was wondering if the Samsung Galaxy S6 SM-G920F works with MetroPcs?

Looks like you'll get talk, text, and LTE. It doesn't have the 1700/2100 AWS 3G/HSPA band so you'll only get 3G if your area has 1900 3G coverage.

 

[xlxmusic]

Looks like you'll get talk, text, and LTE. It doesn't have the 1700/2100 AWS 3G/HSPA band so you'll only get 3G if your area has 1900 3G coverage.

To clarify if it did have that band what benefit would it have? Thanks very much

 

[Kid09]

To clarify if it did have that band what benefit would it have? Thanks very much

you would fall back on HSPA if LTE wasn't available (I think). In terms of LTE bands, you pretty much have all of T-Mobiles covered.

 

[kate]

To clarify if it did have that band what benefit would it have? Thanks very much

You'd get a 3G/HSPA signal in more areas without LTE, but as Kid09 mentioned the phone has all the T-Mobile LTE bands so you should be OK for data assuming your area has LTE coverage.

 

[xlxmusic]

Great, thank you both I'll be saving approximately $104 getting the G920F !

Anyone else with some experience with this SM for MetroPcs feel free to chime in!

On eBay there is also the G920i
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE700 (B17), 850 (B5), 1700/2100 (B4 AWS),
1900 (B2), 700 (B12), 800 (B26)