[julesagogo]

I'm thinking about buying a TMo 9700 and using it on AT&T - I'm long past contract expiration with them and don't want to renew (freedom ain't free). When I called AT&T they said a hard reset might unlock it but that they could probably unlock it if that didn't work, and that the TMo 9700 will give me 3G on AT&T, but I've read stories that conflict. I realize I can also get free or paid unlock codes and enter them in the SIM options on the phone.

So will I get 3G on AT&T with the TMo 9700?

Thanks in advance!

[Pi Guy 3.14]

You will never get at&t 3G on your tmobile phone or vice versa.

[Laura Knotek]

T-Mobile and AT&T use different frequencies for their 3G. That is why you cannot get 3G on T-Mobile with an AT&T phone and vice versa.

[fatboy97]

Pi is correct... No 3G.

[dsdawson]

I'm going to respectfully disagree here. A 9700 is a 9700. It supports the 3G bands used by both AT&T and by T-Mo. O/P, you should be just fine with the phone proposed.

BlackBerry - Bold Specs - Specifications for BlackBerry Bold 9650, 9700, 9000

Doug

[Phill_UK]

...and a hard reset won't unlock your phone either

[Phill_UK]

I'm going to respectfully disagree here. A 9700 is a 9700. It supports the 3G bands used by both AT&T and by T-Mo. O/P, you should be just fine with the phone proposed.

Doug

You can respectfully disagree all you like Doug... you're still wrong

A TMO 9700 only supports 3G bands used by TMO, and an AT&T 9700 only supports 3G bands used by AT&T

[dsdawson]

...and a hard reset won't unlock your phone either

To clarify my first post, I'm agreeing with this. An unlock code will be required.

Doug

[Pi Guy 3.14]

I'm going to respectfully disagree here. A 9700 is a 9700. It supports the 3G bands used by both AT&T and by T-Mo. O/P, you should be just fine with the phone proposed.

BlackBerry - Bold Specs - Specifications for BlackBerry Bold 9650, 9700, 9000

Doug

You're wrong tho.... And if the OP were to listen to your advice, I think he would be pretty po'ed when he realizes it wont get 3G.... EVER.

[shawnOST]

The 3G bands are not compatible as a few have said. Here is an entry on Wiki that explains T-Mobile USA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here's the relevant excerpt:
"..3G service in the form of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is available in a few cities and is being expanded to cover most major markets. 3G (UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+) service by T-Mobile exclusively uses the AWS 1700/2100 MHz frequency-band, making it incompatible with other existing 3G UMTS/HSPA networks already established in the United States..."

[powerhousevolley]

I'm going to respectfully disagree here. A 9700 is a 9700. It supports the 3G bands used by both AT&T and by T-Mo. O/P, you should be just fine with the phone proposed.

BlackBerry - Bold Specs - Specifications for BlackBerry Bold 9650, 9700, 9000

Doug

I work for t-mobile, and you will never get the 9700 tmo version to work on 3g for at&t or at&t 9700 to work on 3g on tmo. its different bands as stated above by other members. If you going to at&t i would recommend buying their version. The phone is a great phone but if your going to try and use a tmo version on at&t your gonna miss out on the speed of the phone.

just my 2 cents.

[julesagogo]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! So it sounds like ALL the specs Doug posted are NOT available on ALL 9700s, but certain specs are for certain networks - bummer. There are a lot of TMo 9700s out there.

BlackBerry Bold 9700 Specs:
Tri-band 3G HSDPA networks: 2100MHz/1900MHz/850MHz
Tri-band UMTS networks: 2100/1900/850/800 MHz and 2100/1700/900 MHz
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks: 850/900/1800/1900MHz

Wiki T-Mobile info:
3G service in the form of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is available in a few cities and is being expanded to cover most major markets. 3G (UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+) service by T-Mobile exclusively uses the AWS 1700/2100 MHz frequency-band, making it incompatible with other existing 3G UMTS/HSPA networks already established in the United States. On the 5th of January 2010, T-Mobile announced that it has upgraded its entire 3G network to HSPA 7.2Mbps which is an improvement from its previous peak of 3.6Mbps. T-Mobile also said that it plans to be the first U.S. carrier to deploy HSPA+ across its network by mid 2010.

Wiki AT&T info:
Radio Frequency Summary
The following is a list of known frequencies which AT&T employs in the United States:
Frequencies used on the AT&T Network
Frequency Protocol Class
850 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 2G
850 MHz UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ 3G
1900 MHz UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ 3G

[DarthHideous]

The device is CAPABLE of different bands but when they are made for the specific carrier the phone will NOT receive the 3G bands of a different carrier. There are TONS of threads on this VERY subject. Unlocking the phone does NOT unlock its capabilities to do ALL 3G bands. It just allows it to FUNCTION (EDGE/2/) on another carrier.

Doug is WRONG.

But, if you don't believe me, or the other kind people that have told you otherwise, by all means, get the T-Mo 9700, go to AT&T, and waste time and money finding out for yourself.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dictoresno]

yea i dont know Doug is talking about. there are hardware differences between the two devices. a t-mobile 9700 uses 1700 Mhz 3G, which at&t does NOT use. the phones would work, but on EDGE only. you will never see 3G unless you use the proper phone.

[c_86]

technically the 9700 has all bands in it... the radio chip can support all those bands... its the firmware that is hardcoded into the device that prevents it... a AT&T 9700 is hardcoded to only use those frequencies... the Tmo 9700 is hardcoded to only use their frequencies...

at this time there is no way to change those hardcodes... you can with older devices using illegal software and such (aka debranding etc etc) but the 9700 cannot be debranded at this time...

so what i am saying is the 9700 has all frequencies bands in the chip... but its the hardcoding that prevents it...

so an AT&T 9700 will work on the TMO network BUT you will not have 3G

[julesagogo]

Very nice answer C_86, thank you so much for explaining it fully. I found an AT&T model, just waiting for it to arrive.

[lazer53]

I have seen an option in the engineer screen (Help Me) to switch between the 3G bands of TMO 1,4,8 and ATT 1,2,5,6





http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/...0eb2f2b5b2.jpg

[c_86]

Julesagogo

tho please be aware that is you use an AT&T device on Tmo and vice versa you will NOT have 3G, only EDGE... i hope you know this before you go out and buy one... dont want you to think that 3G will work... because it will not

[julesagogo]

Thanks C_86, I am waiting for my AT&T 9700 to get here...I was hoping someone would post that they'd tried changing the setting Lazer mentioned and whether or not they had success, but just out of curiosity.

[sfjon918]

lol just because it's unlock doesn't mean it will work with all carriers

[DarthHideous]

^^^^ THAT added to the discussion. Lol.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com