phone compatibility

[Kozak]

Does anyone know if the acer Z410 (available at COSTCO) works on Telus’s system?  I would like to buy one, but the last time I checked with Public Mobile they said my Samsung Galaxy ace would work, but it didn’t (it was bought in Europe).  I have sent an email to Public Mobile, but I must admit I think the community is a better information source.  If anyone can tell me about the acer Z410 +s and -s.  I use a phone mostly for calling and texting mostly (I know I am an old fart, but in my day that’s what we did with a phone: OK not the texting thing), and use my tablet for internet and apps things.  Small unobtrusive size is important.  Thanks for any help you can send me.

[7789849803]

@kav2001c Definitely not too soon, since I mic drop all the time. It's fun!

[kav2001c]

Haha oh taboo. I thought after the whole Google Minion thing that would be too soon 778 🙂

[7789849803]

Alright boys and girls! Please allow me to wrap up and summarize the conversation in saying the following:

Please do your research on the bands and network technologies a device supports, before you buy it. It's insufficient to consider the network carrier that the device was originally designed for - whether or not that was a North American carrier.

*drops mic*

*bows out*

[kav2001c]

Martin - Sorry this post you made is totally wrong. Rogers is the ONLY Canadian carrier who supports the GSM standard. Both Bell & Telus (Public) will ONLY work with an HSPA / LTE device. If you try to activate a slower device on Public you will have no service, even if proper frequencies are used. Also T-Mobile does support GSM / LTE but many of their older devices use AWS and as such will only work on Rogers or Wind, not on Public. And to make it even more complicated, AT&T devices can be incompatible at high speed as they can use a totally different LTE band (so phone works, but data speed will be terrible with a Canadian carrier). You should always see which bands a phone supports, regardless of which other carriers sell them.

[srlawren]

Actually @Martin, some phones that work on Verizon and Sprint carry two 3G modems, one CDMA 2000 and one HSPA, and both those carriers also use LTE for their 4G data.  An example phone would be the Moto Droid Maxx 2 from Verizon.  If you look at its specs http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_droid_maxx_2-7712.php, you'll see what I mean.  It has the right HSPA and LTE bands to work on PM.  

This is just an example phone, there are others.  But *in general* your point does stand that Verizon and Sprint compatibility won't help... unless the modem also has HSPA and in the correct frequencies.

[Martin]

Hi @zmh1175,

A clarification is in order regarding your March 31 post.

In the USA, 2 carriers use GSM technology, and they are AT&T and T-Mobile. Two others use CDMA; they are Verizon and Sprint. GSM and CDMA are not interchangeable. The Big 3 in Canada use GSM only. As a result, if a potential purchaser of a phone is reviewing a US site, it's best to see if the unit is compatible with AT&T, as compatibility with Verizon and Sprint is irrelevant.

FYI.

[Martin]

Hi @Kozak,

Your assumption is correct; any modern phone locked to Koodo or Telus does not require unlocking to function on PM because all 3 carriers use the same network, namely, Telus'.

I have two 2013 Moto G units and one 2015 Moto G device. Aside from a battery problem with the 2015's Lollipop 5.1.1 operating system, I enjoy both models immensely. I hope you do too.

Cheers.

[Kozak]

Thank you everyone.  I now have a Motorola Moto g (my sons old phone, he had with Koodo) and I did not even have to get it unlocked (I guess because it is all Telus) and it seems to be working fine. Thank you all again for your help.  

[zmh1175]

yes. it will work. most phones from usa and canada work for big three companies.

[kav2001c]

Kozak- the European model is far worse for many reasons. That is the reason only Rogers did support it. Telus/Bell/most US carriers model has far less billing issues, much easier deployment and far better speeds. The old Euro model is being torn down in legislature as we speak after years of public complaints.

[7789849803]

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@clogan2 wrote:

Don't buy it, the only way you could use it in Canada is with Rogers with slow 2G coverage, or rely on a single band of lte (band 7) on Rogers/Bell. By the way, as far as I can tell, Telus (and by extension Public Mobile) does not use Band 7 (that's coming from Wikipedia, so it may not be entirely correct).

I find it amazing that Costco is even selling these phones in Canada. I suppose that a handfull of people might buy them to travel, but I personally would rather buy a phone with bands that are in use in here too...

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The North American version of the Acer Liquid Z410 (which is presumably the one sold in Costco) supports HSPA on both 850 and 1900 MHz. It also supports LTE on Bands 2, 4, 7, and 17. Specs here: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_liquid_z410-6912.php

Also, according to my post in the following thread, Telus does use Band 7 as well - but you're right in saying that using a phone that would only support that band would be unwise. http://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardware/Telus-using-LTE-Band-2-4-5-amp-7-in-BC...

[clogan2]

Don't buy it, the only way you could use it in Canada is with Rogers with slow 2G coverage, or rely on a single band of lte (band 7) on Rogers/Bell. By the way, as far as I can tell, Telus (and by extension Public Mobile) does not use Band 7 (that's coming from Wikipedia, so it may not be entirely correct).

I find it amazing that Costco is even selling these phones in Canada. I suppose that a handfull of people might buy them to travel, but I personally would rather buy a phone with bands that are in use in here too...

[7789849803]

I couldn't agree more with everything you've just said, @Kozak.

[Kozak]

Yes sadly, there is a lot of room for improvement, and I am certain my great great great grandchildren will still have a lot of work to do.  But we must recognize that throughout the world we have made a great deal of progress and we should be thankful, because we live in a time that is better than any humanity has seen before.

[7789849803]

Thank you for clarifying, @Kozak. You're right - irony/sarcasm sometimes isn't expressed as well in writing, especially to those who are unfamiliar with your style.

I find that countries, like people, have their own strengths and weaknesses. It is unfair to pit them against each other in a simplistic, black-versus-white comparison. This applies equally to countries in the so called "developing world" (a term that I'm not too fond of because of its association with institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and other Multilateral Development Banks).

[Kozak]

It appears the IRONY and SARCASM in my statement was not as obvious as I thought.  I too am of European descent (in fact I have spent over 5 months in Europe in the last 3 years) and have a great deal of respect for European ingenuity.  I am saddened by the arrogant attitude here (and we can’t just blame it on the Americans, although some of them can be more vehement than Canadians).

[7789849803]

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@Kozak wrote:

Yes when I first went with FIDO (before they were taken over by Rogers), it was because they were GSM and that seemed to be a much better idea to me (but of course we in the “Americas” couldn’t believe someone out of Europe could actually do something better then we could).

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@Kozak Your post is offensive to those of us of European origin or descent. Please consider editing it. And going forward, please try to make your posts more welcoming towards people of all origins.

[Kozak]

Yes when I first went with FIDO (before they were taken over by Rogers), it was because they were GSM and that seemed to be a much better idea to me (but of course we in the “Americas” couldn’t believe someone out of Europe could actually do something better then we could).

[Kozak]

Thanks  I will check it out.  It may be less phone than I want (OK I confess I do use some apps) but it gives me some place to start.

[kav2001c]

Check for HSPA bands to confirm phone will work. GSM is NOT supported at all on Telus (Rogers is only Canadian carrier).

[vrance]

Hi @Kozak, the smartphones are more popular than dumb phone, but if using app if not your priority, and size is your concern, pls try this phone in bestbuy.ca

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/telus-telus-onetouch-a392a-1gb-smartphone-black-prepaid-a392a/10...

I think the battery will be much better than smart phone.  I still recalled the old days of charging the phone once a week.  It seems nowadays, charging every night is a must for almost all smart phones.

[Luddite]

Moto E as well I believe. Telus has a prepaid Moto E for $100; not sure which generation. My grandchildren have unlocked 1st gen models from Staples; 1 on Koodo, 1 on Fido.

[defence5]

Buy an unlocked Moto G (from somewhere like Staples) - any of the three versions (it comes in Moto G / Moto G 2nd / Moto G 3rd) would meet your needs and they'll all work with PM.

[Luddite]

For a phone guaranteed to work on PM just buy one in your price range from Koodo, Telus or Orchard PM. Also check out unlocked phones at Staples.

[Kozak]

Thanks. 

Who knew getting a phone to work could be this hard.  (I am still looking for the silver lining).  Any suggestions as to compatible phones that would at least meet some of my criteria and not spend mega booko bucks on.

[imm1304]

This phone has only one compatible band.. the Band 7, 2600MHz

This band is being used sparsely for 4G/LTE coverage in urban areas. The primary LTE coverage on PM is Band 4 (1700/2100).  

I would strongly recommend you NOT to buy this phone... you will suffer frequent signal loss as the majority of standard band frequencies needed for PM are missing.  

[Kozak]

Crud.  It is one phone that at least came close to working for me. 

What does it mean when it says it will work on the 4G network? Does this limit where the phone will work (this is what the site said when I went on it).

[McLaren]

According to http://willmyphonework.net/ doesn't look like its supported.  LIQUID z410 model?