Moto G6 missing one LTE/4G frequency Band - how to enable it?

[dowtchaboy]

Bought a Moto G6 from a "European" supplier - but I reckon it came from their base in HongKong.
I'm fairly sure it is lacking Band 20 (800 MHz) since I can get 4G in urban areas but not in rural areas, even when standing beside the LTE/4G cell tower. I can get excellent 4G speeds (15+Mbps up/down) in Cork, Midleton, New Ross, Kilkenny, so I guess the APN etc is OK. My 3G data is very good in rural areas. Vodafone confirm the 4G signal should be strong in my area.

In Ireland 4G/LTE is carried on Band 3 (1800MHz) and Band 20 (800 MHz). AFAIK 800 MHz is used here in rural areas because it has better propagation. I can't get an answer from Vodafone about my local cell frequencies.

I'm guessing these frequency bands are software or firmware defined but I want to know if they can be added or enabled by the user, or by the service provider? Is this something that is set by the PRL, which I believe is what the service provider periodically sends out to the phone to tell it what frequency to use.

Part number is XT1925-7, and the IMEI seems to indicate it is from HongKong.

Advice/education welcomed!

 

[itic]

The various G6 variants have firmware thats baked into the phone depending on its "region" kind of like DVD players. So youd need to install the firmware for the US on top the Chinese firmware to see if that activates that particular LTE band or not. Id try talking to motorola and sourcing the firmware, if its available from them...good luck and do tell us it went..

 

[dowtchaboy]

Thanks for the reply. Your answer is what I didn't want to hear but is probably correct! I did speak to Motorola in Europe and they were the ones who told me that the IMEI indicated it was from HongKong, but she was unable to say what frequency bands were installed/enabled. The suppliers website today shows B3 and B20 for this phone but who knows where they got the data.
I will try to get a definitive answer from Motorola, and ask them directly if I can get the firmware updated for the local market.
I have come across a thread about changing LTE bands on some phones, but this seems quite complex, involves getting a working identical phone with the desired firmware in it , and a lot of rooting and so on. This is outside my comfort level and I'd prefer to just carry on with H/3G perhaps until the Moto G7 comes out

 

[itic]

I did alot of research on variants and LTE bands when i was thinking of buying a So. american variant of the g6 plus. I decided against it and got a vanilla g6 instead. I found some good info on xda and the motorola forum. Good luck..