Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin Moto G, any takers?

[Joey tito]

Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

Hello everyone, i am really interested in the moto g 2015, and just wanted to make sure of those 2 points before buying one

1- can i buy the Virgin mobile one ( XT1548) and buy any 10$ code from "safeunlockcode" and such websites to unlock it and use it on any other carrier? or is it forever bounded to VM?

2- if it can't be unlocked, can't i just use it as a wifi only device? or will i get stuck in the boot-up in a step to activate the Virgin sim card? which i won't be able to do because iam in Egypt, no VM here.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rurocking]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

You can unlock with codes from anyone and yes the phone can be used on WI-FI only with no problem.

 

[acejavelin]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

The XT1548 is a CDMA device... Not GSM, so unlocking it will likely be of little or no use. However, there is no reason you cannot use it as a WiFi only device.

 

[Joey tito]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

The XT1548 is a CDMA device... Not GSM, so unlocking it will likely be of little or no use. However, there is no reason you cannot use it as a WiFi only device.

But it does have a slot for a sim card (and it's removable), doesn't that make it GSM?

 

[acejavelin]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

But it does have a slot for a sim card (and it's removable), doesn't that make it GSM?

No... LTE requires a SIM, not just GSM, not CDMA, it only requires a SIM for the LTE portion.

 

[jimt1029]

Pretty sure that the sim card is used for the LTE bands only..

 

[Joey tito]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

No... LTE requires a SIM, not just GSM, not CDMA, it only requires a SIM for the LTE portion.

oh,ok, Thank you for the clarification,

As for the wifi only option, when i first boot-up the device won't i get an UNskipable screen to activate my VM profile? or there is a way around it?

Also, in general, would you recommend it for me as a wifi only device? the Virgin mobile is 90$ on amazon now, while the unlocked is 180$, the price difference is huge for me, especially in my country where 1$ = 10 pounds, so almost 100$ difference is HUGE, and i searched little bit and didn't find any good device for 90$ unlocked, especially that i really like the Camera and the near stock android that this phone offers.

 

[Joey tito]

last question: is the Virgin one rootable?

 

[acejavelin]

last question: is the Virgin one rootable?

No, not at this time at least... the Virgin Mobile model is not eligible for bootloader unlocking through Moto, so there is no current way to root it today. The chances it will be rootable are slim to to near zero, since the changes in Lollipop and Marshmallow have made rooting without an unlocked bootloader virtually impossible.

 

[Joey tito]

No, not at this time at least... the Virgin Mobile model is not eligible for bootloader unlocking through Moto, so there is no current way to root it today. The chances it will be rootable are slim to to near zero, since the changes in Lollipop and Marshmallow have made rooting without an unlocked bootloader virtually impossible.

i found this on XDA saying he did root and unlock the bootlader on his VM moto g

XT1548 Virgin Mobile | Moto G 2015

 

[acejavelin]

OK, so it appears that I was incorrect in a few things, actually most things except the Marshmallow update part. It is unlockable from Moto and rootable, and has some limited GSM support according to Wikipedia's Moto G 3rd Gen page.

Sorry for the wrong information...

 

[riggerman]

OK, so it appears that I was incorrect in a few things, actually most things except the Marshmallow update part. It is unlockable from Moto and rootable, and has some limited GSM support according to Wikipedia's Moto G 3rd Gen page.

Sorry for the wrong information...

Read this post from another forum. Without being able to unlock the bootloader, you aren't going be able to do anything. No root, no custom ROMS, no enabling gsm bands, and Virgin Mobile is pretty bad about locking their phones to their network. I used them for years until I got tired of crappy signal and download speeds.

http://androidforums.com/index.php?posts/7251553

 

[acejavelin]

Read this post from another forum. Without being able to unlock the bootloader, you aren't going be able to do anything. No root, no custom ROMS, no enabling gsm bands, and Virgin Mobile is pretty bad about locking their phones to their network. I used them for years until I got tired of crappy signal and download speeds.

http://androidforums.com/index.php?posts/7251553

I don't even know anymore then, because a few posts back is a link from a VM customer who said they unlocked easily.

Could be this is a Virgin Mobile US vs Virgin Mobile Canada thing... Same name, separate companies. My understanding is VM Canada is more responsive and open about such things as root and updates.

 

[riggerman]

Re: Need to know some really simple answers to the XT1548 Virgin moto g

That may be it. They are actually two separate companies. VM USA is run by Sprint and has taken to locking down their phones recently and has always been bad about updating.