Would it be possible to enable AWS HSPA+ on an unlocked iPhone 5?

[mossme89]

I haven't heard much about this, but am curious. The AT&T and unlocked iphone models (A1428) support LTE on band 4 (LTE). Since LTE is backwards compatible with GSM and HSPA, it seems like Apple disabled this feature as the iPhone only gets EDGE on 1900 on T-Mobile. Would it be possible to enable AWS HSPA+ through a jailbreak tweak or a custom ipsw or something?

[AutoUnion39]

Nope. Not yet.

[CEmajr]

There is no possible way to use AWS HSPA+ on the iPhone. If you're using T-Mobile and want 3G then you must be in one of the areas where they have refarmed the 1900mhz band for HSPA+. If not then you are stuck with Edge until they refarm your area.

Unofficial map here:
www.airportal.de

[DerekRod]

Not until T-Mobile launches their iPhone even though the baseband chip supports those frequencies its not activated to do so

[mossme89]

I know it's not presently possible, I just was wondering if it's possible someone could make a jailbreak tweak to enable it, or that Apple could enable it via an update.

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by mossme89

I know it's not presently possible, I just was wondering if it's possible someone could make a jailbreak tweak to enable it, or that Apple could enable it via an update.

Apple may enable it but I doubt it.Baseband chips are highly secure so I dont think we will see a tweak that would turn it on

[mossme89]

Originally Posted by DerekRod

Apple may enable it but I doubt it.Baseband chips are highly secure so I dont think we will see a tweak that would turn it on

What about LTE. There's a way to get the toggle and enable it on T-Mobile, but does that mean you can get LTE on T-Mobile?

There's a thread here on another forum. A guy made a custom carrier bundle to enable the LTE toggle switch. Just wondering if LTE accessibility also falls under the baseband or if it is in fact possible to enable it via a carrier bundle. Or, if this is just a dead toggle switch.

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by mossme89

What about LTE. There's a way to get the toggle and enable it on T-Mobile, but does that mean you can get LTE on T-Mobile?

There's a thread here on another forum. A guy made a custom carrier bundle to enable the LTE toggle switch. Just wondering if LTE accessibility also falls under the baseband or if it is in fact possible to enable it via a carrier bundle. Or, if this is just a dead toggle switch.

LTE should be possible seeing as T-Mobile is launching it on the same frequencies as AT&T no tricks needed but they dont have LTE yet except for a few site in vegas

[mossme89]

Originally Posted by DerekRod

LTE should be possible seeing as T-Mobile is launching it on the same frequencies as AT&T no tricks needed but they dont have LTE yet except for a few site in vegas

Gotcha. Still might be worth waiting for.

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Gotcha. Still might be worth waiting for.

Once its launched it will work

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by mossme89

I know it's not presently possible, I just was wondering if it's possible someone could make a jailbreak tweak to enable it, or that Apple could enable it via an update.

There's no radio chip there with that band to enable anything.
That's like saying can you install a software hack to make your vcr play DVD's
The bands needed for the iphone to access Tmobile USA's are not present on any current iphone model. There's no hacking or a software update from Apple that will change that besides Apple releasing an iphone that will work on Tmobiles 3G bands.
Your type of question has been asked since the iphone 3G came out people thinking if you JB it you can make it get 3G on Tmobile.
To make a long story short answer is no.

[mossme89]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

There's no radio chip there with that band to enable anything.
That's like saying can you install a software hack to make your vcr play DVD's
The bands needed for the iphone to access Tmobile USA's are not present on any current iphone model. There's no hacking or a software update from Apple that will change that besides Apple releasing an iphone that will work on Tmobiles 3G bands.
Your type of question has been asked since the iphone 3G came out people thinking if you JB it you can make it get 3G on Tmobile.
To make a long story short answer is no.

Right, but it supports AWS LTE and since LTE is backwards compatible, makes me wonder if it supports AWS HSPA+ too.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Right, but it supports AWS LTE and since LTE is backwards compatible, makes me wonder if it supports AWS HSPA+ too.

Not in the bands needed though for tmobiles hspa+ it's the same bands as their tmobile 3G obviously.

[terraphantm]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Right, but it supports AWS LTE and since LTE is backwards compatible, makes me wonder if it supports AWS HSPA+ too.

Why do you think they're backwards compatible?

[alphaod]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Right, but it supports AWS LTE and since LTE is backwards compatible, makes me wonder if it supports AWS HSPA+ too.

The frequency is the same does not mean the signal encoding is the same.

LTE can fall back to HSPA, but it doesn't mean it has to the same frequency.

Cellular signals are not like tuning into your favorite radio channel. Think of it as your cable is using copper wiring and so is your home telephone. You can't plug one into the other and expect it it to just work. Sure someone could produce a piece of hardware that could do this conversion. This conversion requires hardware changes, which is not the same as a software change (tweak, firmware, etc.)

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

There's no radio chip there with that band to enable anything.
That's like saying can you install a software hack to make your vcr play DVD's
The bands needed for the iphone to access Tmobile USA's are not present on any current iphone model. There's no hacking or a software update from Apple that will change that besides Apple releasing an iphone that will work on Tmobiles 3G bands.
Your type of question has been asked since the iphone 3G came out people thinking if you JB it you can make it get 3G on Tmobile.
To make a long story short answer is no.

AJ the baseband of the 4S does have AWS support its just not active
http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/20...e-on-t-mobile/

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Originally Posted by DerekRod

AJ the baseband of the 4S does have AWS support its just not active
http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/20...e-on-t-mobile/

While the support for T-Mobile’s AWS band may exist at the hardware level, the software on the device must still be configured for the appropriate wireless bands. Fixing this isn’t as simple as jailbreaking your iPhone and flipping a setting, however. The configuration for the bands is most likely hard-coded into the firmware on the chip when the device is assembled at the factory....Hardware wise it does support the required bands

[chestvrg]

I'm using tmobile now and in my area I get 3G speeds. Do not know if these speeds count as HSPA+ but they are fast. Take a look at these crazy speeds on 3G.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by DerekRod

AJ the baseband of the 4S does have AWS support its just not active
http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/20...e-on-t-mobile/

----------


While the support for T-Mobile’s AWS band may exist at the hardware level, the software on the device must still be configured for the appropriate wireless bands. Fixing this isn’t as simple as jailbreaking your iPhone and flipping a setting, however. The configuration for the bands is most likely hard-coded into the firmware on the chip when the device is assembled at the factory....Hardware wise it does support the required bands

Interesting. That article talks about the 4S but even if its there on the i5 like you said its not something you can change or edit with a JB.

[yeah]

Originally Posted by DerekRod

LTE should be possible seeing as T-Mobile is launching it on the same frequencies as AT&T no tricks needed but they dont have LTE yet except for a few site in vegas

T-Mobile LTE: Band 4 AWS 1700/2100 MHz
T-Mobile's old 3G/4G: 1700/2100 MHz
T-Mobile's new 3G/4G: 1900 MHz
EDGE will stay at 1900 MHz

So from the iPhone 3G onward it can support T-Mobile's new 3G/4G and the iPhone 5 can and will support T-Mobile's LTE once they enable it via software.



(I'm a T-Mobile customer waiting for an iPhone 5 to fall into my hands)

[mossme89]

Wanted to bump this thread after today. The new A1428 is literally the same phone as the old one, but with a new firmware. Do you think jailbreakers will find a way to activate the dormant AWS HSPA+ on current A1428 iPhones?

[darricksailo]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Wanted to bump this thread after today. The new A1428 is literally the same phone as the old one, but with a new firmware. Do you think jailbreakers will find a way to activate the dormant AWS HSPA+ on current A1428 iPhones?

The new unlocked iPhone model WILL have support for AWS HSPA+ (1700/2100 MHz). Just look everywhere on this forum, other forums, news reporting sites and you'll see that both T-Mobile's CEO and apple has acknowledged this

edit: misread your question. And no, I doubt there will be a way to enable AWS HSPA+ on current unlocked iPhones. Not very optimistic about this happening. But I could be wrong and if proven wrong, that would be nice.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by mossme89

Wanted to bump this thread after today. The new A1428 is literally the same phone as the old one, but with a new firmware. Do you think jailbreakers will find a way to activate the dormant AWS HSPA+ on current A1428 iPhones?

No.
Its something that has to be hardcoded during production.
If it could be changed later Apple would have done it via a firmware update.
The JB cannot alter that deep/low level hardware on the device.

[mossme89]

Originally Posted by Applejuiced

No.
Its something that has to be hardcoded during production.
If it could be changed later Apple would have done it via a firmware update.
The JB cannot alter that deep/low level hardware on the device.

I wish they had some sort of trade-in program.

[Applejuiced]

Originally Posted by mossme89

I wish they had some sort of trade-in program.

I heard Tmobile will have something like that but the value you get with trade in programs like that is low. Then they sell it themselves for a profit.
You will get the most out of it if you sell it yourself. iPhones are hot items so shouldn't be that hard.

[denaliOnDubs]

I read somewhere that according to the new FCC Filing there was no hardware change on the A1428 just software that enabled 1700mhz aws for tmobile. The components are the same. Maybe a baseband update in the future?