Features that will not work work T-mobile?

JAJameson2010 · Aug 28, 2015

This will be my first unlocked, unbranded device. I just read a very confusing article about band 12 not being included? I think that may have been only on the t-mobile branded phone?

I have a t-mobile branded Note 4 right now. What features will I be missing when I switch? Wifi calling? Tethering? Will I still have the same antennas? Same LTE coverage and voice coverage? Same roaming data coverage?

Thanks for any insight ya'll can provide!

EarlyMon · Aug 29, 2015

T-Mobile has areas where there is only LTE Band 12 coverage. NOTHING ELSE. Unless the device is certified by T-Mobile, they cannot guarantee working 911 service. And they have to guarantee 911 service for everything qualified on their network. Manufacturers have the choice of either being T-Mobile certified and branded, or removing Band12 support.

LTE only service means that calls must be VoLTE by definition (VOIP over LTE basically) and even if a phone can make calls (of course it can, make a Google Voice call from Hangouts on Band 12 before all of this, it worked just fine), without certification for 911 services, it doesn't count.

So, the genius move here is - rather than allow you to make emergency contact with others by means of your own choosing in a Band 12 only area - you're allowed to have nothing.

I can sympathize with T-Mobile from a liability perspective but I think that this is the most idiotic thing I've heard of yet. But the law backs it up.

Otherwise, your phone and services are just fine.

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

I think I understood that! Thank you! Less confusing, but more idiotic... The laws hand to keep updating with technology!

Since the Moto X Pure isn't t-mobile branded, it won't have the LTE Band 12? That sucks! I thought it was only dropped from the t-mobile branded devices.

So I guess I have to look for a map to see which areas only have the band 12 to see if it will have any impact.

EarlyMon · Aug 29, 2015

Yeah, I know for a fact (and it's been confirmed in print in a story at Android Police) that various carrier-unlocked phones that had Band 12 support baked in are getting updates to turn off that radio band.

Nuts, but there it is.

Anyway, Android Police has had really good coverage on this this past week.

Definitely confusing!

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

http://www.spectrumgateway.com/t-mobile-700a-spectrum

I live in Delaware and spend a lot of time in NJ.... So buying this phone would not make any logical sense. I'm so sad right now....

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

http://www.tmonews.com/2015/05/list-all-current-t-mobile-700mhz-band-12-lte-compatible-smartphones/

This whole band 12 thing now makes sense! My Note 4 had a huge spike in signal strength a few months ago. BFs S5 did not.

EarlyMon · Aug 29, 2015

What a mess.

Thanks for the links!!

Crashdamage · Aug 29, 2015

The coverage on Android Police has been OK. Here's a pretty good thread debating the issue.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/t-mobile/572426-t-mobile-asking-oems-remove-band-12-support.html

As for me, I think there's blame to be found on both sides. Whatever, it makes for a poor, confusing situation.

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

Thanks! I'll go read through this conversation today. I think blame is on both sides. I'm stuck in the middle and am not happy!

Unforgiven · Aug 29, 2015

Being a recent convert to unlocked phones, this is a mess.

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

I guess I'm stuck with the Note 4. Should factory wipe again this weekend to get the auto dim and music issues to stop again. :-\

EarlyMon · Aug 29, 2015

JAJameson2010 said:
I guess I'm stuck with the Note 4. Should factory wipe again this weekend to get the auto dim and music issues to stop again. :-\

See if you can get through the trouble by going halfway - boot into recovery and wipe the cache partition. Look for the Lollipop for dummies thread at the top of our S5 forum, paragraph 1.3, for details if you've never tried it. No data or apps will be lost.

JAJameson2010 · Aug 29, 2015

I've tried that back in June. I've had this phone since May and have already had to do 2 factory wipes. I know I use it heavily, but for $700 it should work flawlessly! My Note 2 had the same music issues. Just a pain in the butt! Not a hard fix. But enough to make me grumbly.

Maybe Motorola and T-mobile will find a way to play nice in the next few months?

EarlyMon · Aug 29, 2015

Let's hope that they all do, but remember what it says in the first entry -

Anyone talented could build an app fairly quickly that would go on your desktop with an icon that says - 911.

It would detect your location, see if you're on T-Mobile Band 12, and if so, place a VOIP or VoLTE 911 call and feed your location and id per the emergency call protocols.

Except - you'd be able to remove it and that's not how the emergency call system can work. Neither is allowing just anyone to make a 911 app.

I think it's a technical issue that could be solved with enough UWTB - Universal Will To Become. (Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut)

Features that will not work work T-mobile?

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