Will phone work on Sprint/ATT

**xyzxyz11** · 11-06-2012, 02:43 PM

I'm thinking about buying this phone - full price.

Will this phone work on Sprint/ATT (will Verizon have to unlock it - or all i need
to do is insert the sim-card and it should work).

Also, using it overseas, do i need to get Verizon to unlock it - or should work
fine.

Thanks.

**Subsound** · 11-06-2012, 02:49 PM

Verizon doesn't use SIM cards, so no to AT&T

Most Verizon phones work on a different signal all together. Verizons signal is strong because their signals run underground not above ground, so weather doesn't effect them. Plus, they have their above ground towers as well. Sprint doesn't. I'm almost positive that Sprint won't do it.

**whoover** · 11-06-2012, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Subsound

Verizon doesn't use SIM cards, so no to AT&T

Most Verizon phones work on a different signal all together. Verizons signal is strong because their signals run underground not above ground, so weather doesn't effect them. Plus, they have their above ground towers as well. Sprint doesn't. I'm almost positive that Sprint won't do it.

I truly don't understand a thing in this answer.

Anyway, the GSM and SIM card in this phone is only for use outside the US. Verizon would have to unlock the phone for it to work on US GSM networks. Any they won't.

**xyzxyz11** · 11-06-2012, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by whoover

I truly don't understand a thing in this answer.

Anyway, the GSM and SIM card in this phone is only for use outside the US. Verizon would have to unlock the phone for it to work on US GSM networks. Any they won't.

What if you bought the phone at full price - wouldn't it come unlocked or verizon would have to.

Also, I can buy the developer edition (not the MAXX) straight from Motorola - I would think that's unlocked.

Here's my situation. I'm with Verizon right now. I'd like to use the phone on V. - but getting tired with their
shenanigans - so most probably will move to Sprint sometime next year and would like this phone to
work there also. Also - work overseas on GSM networks.

**whoover** · 11-06-2012, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by xyzxyz11

What if you bought the phone at full price - wouldn't it come unlocked or verizon would have to.

Also, I can buy the developer edition (not the MAXX) straight from Motorola - I would think that's unlocked.

Here's my situation. I'm with Verizon right now. I'd like to use the phone on V. - but getting tired with their
shenanigans - so most probably will move to Sprint sometime next year and would like this phone to
work there also. Also - work overseas on GSM networks.

Even if you pay full-price and/or buy the phone from Motorola, you're buying a Verizon phone. I don't know for sure about the developer's version, but I'd say the odd are it's locked too.

**Subsound** · 11-07-2012, 08:40 AM

Like I previously said Verizon uses a CDMA network. If the phone is for Verizon Sprint wont let you use it. AT&T uses a GSM network.

**whoover** · 11-07-2012, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Subsound

Like I previously said Verizon uses a CDMA network. If the phone is for Verizon Sprint wont let you use it. AT&T uses a GSM network.

These phones have GSM capability as well as CDMA. You seem to be unaware of that. They come with a SIM that allows them to work on GSM networks outside of the US. That is what a "world phone" is. The question is reasonable: if the phones work on European GSM networks why can't they work on a US GSM network like AT&T? The answer is that they those networks are disabled by Verizon in software. This thread is about the possibility of unlocking the disabling, which Verizon will not do.

**migs54** · 01-03-2013, 01:57 PM

I have the exact same thought. Did you ever get a decent answer to this? I want to buy the Razr M retail price and move to AT&T at the end of the year. I wont buy the phone unless I know it can work on the new network. If not, I'll just buy a phone that can, Droid DNA perhaps!

**DickLewis** · 01-03-2013, 05:40 PM

Will specs on Motorola.com page help?

**jtruchon** · 01-03-2013, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by whoover

These phones have GSM capability as well as CDMA. You seem to be unaware of that. They come with a SIM that allows them to work on GSM networks outside of the US. That is what a "world phone" is. The question is reasonable: if the phones work on European GSM networks why can't they work on a US GSM network like AT&T? The answer is that they those networks are disabled by Verizon in software. This thread is about the possibility of unlocking the disabling, which Verizon will not do.

Actually, the way I understand it is that Verizon's 4G (LTE) network runs on the GSM, so it's not just a capability, it's a requirement for 4G in the US.

**pblakk** · 01-04-2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by jtruchon

Actually, the way I understand it is that Verizon's 4G (LTE) network runs on the GSM, so it's not just a capability, it's a requirement for 4G in the US.

Yes 4G is a GSM based technology.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

**whoover** · 01-04-2013, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by jtruchon

Actually, the way I understand it is that Verizon's 4G (LTE) network runs on the GSM, so it's not just a capability, it's a requirement for 4G in the US.

GSM is a 2G standard. LTE uses different technology than either GSM or the CDMA systems like EV-DO that Verizon uses for 2G and 3G networks. It has nothing to do with the earlier GSM networks used by AT&T and T-Mobile. It doesn't use SIM cards. You can think of it as a next-generation merging of the CDMA-based and GSM standards, but a legacy GSM network is in no way a requirement of LTE.

You also need to consider that, for now, LTE is data-only. These phones use CDMA or UMTS for voice while an AT&T phone needs to use GSM, UMTS or HSPDA. Depending on the local network, you may not have the right radio standard for a phone call, or you might be running on the wrong frequency.

**juststart** · 01-06-2013, 01:31 AM

Pretty sure they have sim cards. Or micro sim in them.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Android Central Forums

**whoover** · 01-06-2013, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by juststart

Pretty sure they have sim cards. Or micro sim in them.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Android Central Forums

Yes, but it's for use with the GSM radio in the phone, which is intended only for use when in other countries that lack CDMA networks. Use of the GSM radio in the US (on AT&T, for example) is blocked, which is the topic of this thread.

The SIM will start to serve other purposes, such as secure identification of credit card for wallets, but it's not used to enable communication on any US Verizon network except for LTE data access.