Unlocked phone issues with T-mobiles "upgraded" network

[AC Question]

I purchases an HTC Desire 826 for my son's first phone. He likes the phone very much, but noticed the "e" at that top of his phone and very slow internet speeds. Talking to the representative at the local T-mobile store, she said they are upgrading their towers (she referred to it as the 700 upgrade) and that many customers who purchases unlocked android and iphones can only get the downgraded internet speeds, and that we should return the phone and get a T-mobile locked phone. Don't seem to get as much phone from T-mobile for the money......any way around this?

 

[Rukbat]

No, the phone just doesn't have 700MHz radios in it. (If it was bought recently - in the past year - they knew they were upgrading, so you should have been warned. Blame the store employee who sold you the phone.)

 

[James LaLiberte]

Thanks. I purchased the phone thru Daily Steals on a link from Android Central. I am migrating from a windows phone as well. My son now wants an Apple phone. I have not decided whether to go to Android or IOS. I am happy with T-mobile, so how do I know an unlocked phone has the 700mghz radio?