Got the Merge!

[sc32valve]

I have been following this thread and have to give my two cents since I've had some experience with what you're trying to do.

I have SIM unlocked both the HTC Touch Pro2 and the HTC Ozone on Verizon. I travel to Europe quite frequently so I only really buy global devices. Having said that I believe your experiment is in vain.

I called Verizon both times and received unlock codes for the devices. And have placed both T-mobile and ATT SIMS in them. Neither was able to use 3G data here in the US. Both were limited to EDGE or GPRS.

I believe that IF you do find an unlock code, which might have to be through one of the HTC unlocking sites or Ebay, not Verizon since you have not been a customer in good standing for 6 months, you still will not have 3G on ATT.

It is a very simple reason, while the phone IS GSM compatible. It costs more for manufacturers to put capable antennas in the phone. Since your Merge was not designed to operate on 3G in the US, the antenna simply won't be compatible for US frequencies. I am 90% certain on this since both devices I have dealt with had the same antenna issue.

This practice saves Verizon on manufacturing costs AND prevents their devices from going to their competitors while still offering full service abroad. Just to confirm, both of my HTC devices do function on 3G aboard, but as soon as I'm in the states, I'm back to EDGE.

So, I'd like to offer to help you. I can activate it on my account and attempt to get a SIM unlock code (which I've had 100% success with but never a phone not actually released). I also have ATT sims to try and can prove there will be no 3G here. If I'm wrong, I'd be more than willing to return the phone to you.

So after all this is over, I'd like to purchase the phone from you which is actually a risk because of the obvious fact that there will be no insurance replacements should I lose or damage it during my travels.

Let me know, but I think you're wasting your time. I'm sorry for the long reply, but feel free to PM me if I can elaborate on anything. Obviously, should you send me the phone to try to unlock, I will pay in full as a deposit. My only real reason for wanting this phone is that I have the same keyboard on my TP2 and would just like a global implementation of Android.

 

[sc32valve]

I have two additional questions for you. Did the phone come with a SIM preinstalled? Was it the Vodaphone/Verizon type?

2nd, When you inserted the ATT SIM and booted, did it prompt you for a SIM unlock code or your SIM pin?

 

[mputtr]

the phone did come with a SIM card, but the original owner said he wanted it back. it is a verizon sim.
on the 2nd one, i did not prompt me for the unlock code, but will refuse to make any kind of call through gsm. it directs me straight to the verizon activation line. Apart from all that it's pretty much a completly clean phone.
I was able to find to location to input the unlock code, but that's about it.

 

[sc32valve]

The most likely way of unlocking the phone is to use one of the HTC unlocking sites on the web. They usually charge about $20. Ill try and find the last site I used to unlock my friends Aria.

Just make sure that its a site that guarantees an unlock or your money back. They usually generate the unlock code based on MEID. If they ask what kind of phone, I would just enter G2.

Hope that helps and I wish you luck. Please keep me in mind when you move on.

I should add that the HTC imagio I had for a couple months behaved the same way as the TP2, no capable antenna.

 

[mputtr]

I looked at HTC Merge Unlock - HTC IMEI UNLOCK
but they've already said that they dont have the code for the imei.
They apparently dont work with MEID (the site doesn't)
if you do happen to find a reliable place that would be awesome.

 

[sc32valve]

You are right, I mistyped. Only Verizon can provide an unlock code by using the MEID because they have the database that can cross reference the IMEI.

The site I used to unlock is here: HTC SIM Unlock | Unlock ANY HTC phone with our genuine HTC unlock codes. Money Back Guarantee!

They say they can unlock virtually any HTC phone and they have a 100% guarantee which I think is a must in your case. Like I said, I would just say its a G2 and never mention its a Merge, but that's up to you.

 

[JonK]

I have been following this thread and have to give my two cents since I've had some experience with what you're trying to do.

I have SIM unlocked both the HTC Touch Pro2 and the HTC Ozone on Verizon. I travel to Europe quite frequently so I only really buy global devices. Having said that I believe your experiment is in vain.

I called Verizon both times and received unlock codes for the devices. And have placed both T-mobile and ATT SIMS in them. Neither was able to use 3G data here in the US. Both were limited to EDGE or GPRS.

I believe that IF you do find an unlock code, which might have to be through one of the HTC unlocking sites or Ebay, not Verizon since you have not been a customer in good standing for 6 months, you still will not have 3G on ATT.

It is a very simple reason, while the phone IS GSM compatible. It costs more for manufacturers to put capable antennas in the phone. Since your Merge was not designed to operate on 3G in the US, the antenna simply won't be compatible for US frequencies. I am 90% certain on this since both devices I have dealt with had the same antenna issue.

This practice saves Verizon on manufacturing costs AND prevents their devices from going to their competitors while still offering full service abroad. Just to confirm, both of my HTC devices do function on 3G aboard, but as soon as I'm in the states, I'm back to EDGE.

So, I'd like to offer to help you. I can activate it on my account and attempt to get a SIM unlock code (which I've had 100% success with but never a phone not actually released). I also have ATT sims to try and can prove there will be no 3G here. If I'm wrong, I'd be more than willing to return the phone to you.

So after all this is over, I'd like to purchase the phone from you which is actually a risk because of the obvious fact that there will be no insurance replacements should I lose or damage it during my travels.

Let me know, but I think you're wasting your time. I'm sorry for the long reply, but feel free to PM me if I can elaborate on anything. Obviously, should you send me the phone to try to unlock, I will pay in full as a deposit. My only real reason for wanting this phone is that I have the same keyboard on my TP2 and would just like a global implementation of Android.

I agree that even with the unlock code he will not get 3G from ATT, but not for the reason you suggest. I think in hardware the phone does support ATT 3G bands but the capability will remain locked in software even after a SIM unlock. To get arround it custom radio firmware must be developed to remove the restriction. This is my theory because this is the case with the other VZW worldphone that has just been released, the Droid pro. See this thread:

Verizon Motorola DROID Pro XT610 Release Thread - Keep all phone discussion here

The phone has been proven to work on ATT 3G by someone who is probably a Moto/VZW engineer. He doesnt give details on how to do it because obviously he could loose his job and probably worse. But he just wanted to prove and show it could be done for the community. The incredibly smart people on XDA devs will figure out how to do it soon enough just like they did for the VZW touch pro 2. Therein lies the problem with this merge. There will be no interest in it from the developer community since it will not be released in this form. While in hardware the potential for full ATT 3G support may be there, without the unrestricted radio firmware it wont be possible.

 

[mputtr]

JonK, I believe you just hit the nail on the head so damn hard it went through several steel blocks.

 

[sc32valve]

Thanks for the link. This is the first I've seen of this. Does the Droid Pro in the first pic actually have a 3G icon? I zoomed in but became too pixelated.

As for the Touch Pro 2, the devs were never able to enable 3G in the US. All they were able to do was allow Sprint TP2 (which came SIM unlocked, but didn't recognize US sims) to actually use ATT and T-mo SIMS. They were still locked out of 3G because the antenna couldn't handle it.

Regardless, I hope that the Droid Pro story is true. It would be a great day when every carrier stopped crippling their phones.

Also, I agree that the Qualcomm chip supports the US bands, but it must actually have an antenna that's capable as well.

 

[Blahshed]

Pm me or gmail blahshed if you want to sell it or trade for a heavily modded moto milestone that works on att 3.5G i paid $700 for

 

[mputtr]

Unfortunately, Since I ran into the issue with being unable to even unlock the phone in the first place (yeah, screw you verizon), I sold it off already to another member here. He does have Verizon, so I do hope to see it be in the hands of someone who will use it to its full potential.