A question about GSM androids

[androidfear93]

So when I was with verizon, I had the xperia play. I left verizon due to their high monthly fee and went to t-mobile. I did really like the xperia play and I found out there are GSM versions now. So since I have a gsm android phone with t-mobile, would I be able to just purchase the xperia, and put my sim card in it and everything would work?

 

[chanchan05]

As log as its unlocked, it should. That's sort of a normal thing to do outside the US. Just check with TMobile if the Play you are getting has the same bands.

 

[androidfear93]

Yea I'm planning to go to t mobile tommrow. Definitaly going to be looking at your post while I talk to a sales associate lol. Don't know about bands and such lol.

 

[androidfear93]

OK so I went to t mobile, the guy had a bit of an accent so I think he said something about quad or tri band phones. He said that if its unlocked and is GSM then its good to go. Does it also need to be tri band? Maybe that's what he said? So does it need to be triband to work also?

 

[mrsbelpit]

It needs to have the 1700 MHz band to get HSPA+ on T-Mobile currently. If it doesn't you will only get 2g. The good news is, that by the end of the year t-mo is refarming their 1900 MHz band to HSPA+, so basically any att/international phone will get 3G.

If you really want that phone, you will eventually get 3g/HSPA+. Be aware that setting for mms and data will have to probably be changed, but that's easy enough to find on the internet.

If you want a great pentaband phone for a great price, get the Galaxy Nexus from the Google play store. $400 and it's awesome on T-Mobile's network.

 

[androidfear93]

OK well I am looking at getting the international GSM version of the xperia play. Would that work on t mobiles network?

 

[androidfear93]

The nexus is a great phone but I wanted the xperia for the game controls. Pisses me off that one little thing about t mobile absolutely prevents me from using the xperia with 3g or 4g on their network.

 

[androidfear93]

The xperia was the only practical choice for me really. So if its not going to work well on t mobile then I guess ill just stick to my current phone.

 

[mrsbelpit]

Like I said, eventually it will work with T-Mo 3g (end of the year).

Another option is to use it with Straight Talk (ATT Sim, $45 per month) prepaid. You can dump them anytime and go back to T-mo once the network is refarmed if you like.

 

[androidfear93]

I came from straight talk recently. Their network is atrocious. Plus I really don't want to go to a new carrier. I've done that alot in my life lol. So I guess ill just have to wait.

 

[mrsbelpit]

^ I hear you. T-Mobile often gets a bad rap, but I love them, and can't imagine going to another carrier at this point. Anyway, once the refarming happens it will be big news, so hopefully you can get the phone you want soon.

 

[androidfear93]

I guess, t mobile is the best network I have had though . I normally get bad reception in my area but t mobile has been the best. Probably because there is a tower about a mile from me lol.