Possible to get CDMA iPhone to work on HSPA...?

[nateo200]

Is it possible to get the CDMA iPhone to work on HSPA? As allot of you know the chipset is in addition to being rated for CDMA2000 800/1900 it is also rated for quad band UMTS with support for HSPA 14.4MB/s...The only constraint is their is no SIM slot or signaling for the SIM....that and there is like zero space...
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4163/verizon-iphone-4-review/2
Just curious could you theoretically add these parts and code them into the CDMA iPhone? I think its possible but I haven't heard anyone trying it. Would be a great modification. I mean hell you don't even need to add a SIM slot with the ease of getting the back of the iPhone off. Discuss! I'm eager for answers and possibilities!

 

[patp]

Why don't you try it on your phone an let us know how it is?

 

[DirtySocks85]

Why don't you try it on your phone an let us know how it is?

I would assume because the OP thinks it might be possible in theory, but has no idea how to implement it, so they came here to see if anyone more knowledgeable in the area could add some extra input.

That being said, I highly doubt that something like this would be possible and someone hasn't at least made an attempt at it since the CDMA iPhone came out several months ago.

 

[nateo200]

I would assume because the OP thinks it might be possible in theory, but has no idea how to implement it, so they came here to see if anyone more knowledgeable in the area could add some extra input.

That being said, I highly doubt that something like this would be possible and someone hasn't at least made an attempt at it since the CDMA iPhone came out several months ago.

The thing is though no one has posted about an attempt or stated why its 99% impossible...

 

[Applejuiced]

Theoretically add these parts inside the Verizon phone and code the whole phone to use a different wireless tech?
Where would that fit and how would you reprogram everything?
And why would you even try?

 

[wordoflife]

Well, it would be a lot less stressful to just buy a GSM iPhone. Not sure how'd you manage to fit in extra parts, rewrite the software, and get the phone approved on AT&T's side ... and not end up wasting money/time. The phone would probably break in the process too.

The problem is that GSM networks would have no idea how to confirm or activate the device. You can't just throw in a SIM card reader and get it to work. There is a list of IEMIs (something that the Verizon iPhone does not have) that AT&T has for basically making the phone work on their network. They'd have no idea what the heck you are using and you can't just make up an IEMI either.

It's almost like trying to put a quad core into my MacBook.

 

[patp]

I would assume because the OP thinks it might be possible in theory, but has no idea how to implement it, so they came here to see if anyone more knowledgeable in the area could add some extra input.

That being said, I highly doubt that something like this would be possible and someone hasn't at least made an attempt at it since the CDMA iPhone came out several months ago.

give me a break. I was being sarcastic.

If somebody could figure out how to make this happen, do you really think it's going to be as easy as jailbreaking? It's going to require a lot of time, money and resources. Somebody will have to take a phone and potentially damage it.

What if we could wire our iPhones directly to our brains?

What if?

 

[DirtySocks85]

give me a break. I was being sarcastic.

If somebody could figure out how to make this happen, do you really think it's going to be as easy as jailbreaking? It's going to require a lot of time, money and resources. Somebody will have to take a phone and potentially damage it.

What if we could wire our iPhones directly to our brains?

What if?

I was just pointing out that there was no need to be sarcastic. The OP didn't appear to be trolling, and had clearly put some thought into this and wanted to see what others thought. Sure the idea may have been a bit out there, but isn't that at least partially what these kinds of discussion boards are for? I've seen a lot more harebrained stuff on MacRumors and people go along with it all the time.

 

[nateo200]

I'm not sure how on God greens earth anyone could think I was trolling with this thread unless they've just gone out and just finished smoking a crack pipe...its a legitimate question and the technology is in the phone albeit a few parts. Its not like I just asked if I could take a phone with no GSM chip and convert it or I asked if I could turn my iPhone into a space ship. The matter of the fact is the chip in the phone is a dual mode chip...I'm not looking for a way to "cheap out" just a discussion, I mean isn't that what we do on mac rumors? Discuss things?

I mean hell people have done some pretty damn cool things to their iPhones and some of the posters in here are just writing this idea off as stupid...anyone ever think creatively...?

http://www.tombom.co.uk/blog/?p=144
Also if your curious look up OpenBTS. That's what creativity can lead to.

 

[wordoflife]

I'm not sure how on God greens earth anyone could think I was trolling with this thread unless they've just gone out and just finished smoking a crack pipe...its a legitimate question and the technology is in the phone albeit a few parts. Its not like I just asked if I could take a phone with no GSM chip and convert it or I asked if I could turn my iPhone into a space ship. The matter of the fact is the chip in the phone is a dual mode chip...I'm not looking for a way to "cheap out" just a discussion, I mean isn't that what we do on mac rumors? Discuss things?

I mean hell people have done some pretty damn cool things to their iPhones and some of the posters in here are just writing this idea off as stupid...anyone ever think creatively...?

http://www.tombom.co.uk/blog/?p=144
Also if your curious look up OpenBTS. That's what creativity can lead to.

I don't think you are trolling, but I think you aren't thinking this out through all the way. Sure it would be interesting to some to make the Verizon iPhone a GSM/AT&T iPhone but why would you want to do that considering you can just buy an AT&T iPhone?

 

[nateo200]

but why

Morbid curiosity that hasn't been explored. Though I'm sure someone else would have more reasons than that.

 

[jenzjen]

Morbid curiosity that hasn't been explored. Though I'm sure someone else would have more reasons than that.

Problem is it is purely an academic exercise, there's no practical purpose hence why no one else has tried unlike jailbreaking etc where there's both an unserved need and a low barrier.

 

[kdarling]

Is it possible to get the CDMA iPhone to work on HSPA? As allot of you know the chipset is in addition to being rated for CDMA2000 800/1900 it is also rated for quad band UMTS with support for HSPA 14.4MB/s...The only constraint is their is no SIM slot ...

Besides the missing SIM and UMTS baseband software...

... there's also no WCDMA filters and power amps.

In other words, the UMTS side of the radio outside of the chip is missing.

 

[scaredpoet]

And even if the radios were actually there, HSPA/UMTS/GMS requires at least three other things:

- an IMEI
- an IMSI
- a SIM card

All of which the CDMA iPhone either does not have or is incapable of taking.

Hopefully these things will happen with the iPhone 5. But the CDMA iPhone 4 was a quick kludge to appease those who wanted an iPhone now but were unwilling or unable to switch from Verizon.

 

[droidlover78]

No it is not possible.

 

[nateo200]

Problem is it is purely an academic exercise, there's no practical purpose hence why no one else has tried unlike jailbreaking etc where there's both an unserved need and a low barrier.

No practical purpose? I'm going to Europe this summer as are two of my friends...all of us have CDMA2000 iPhone 4's if it was possible to do some external rig to get at the very least GSM or UMTS on one frequency that would be totally cool.

Besides the missing SIM and UMTS baseband software...

... there's also no WCDMA filters and power amps.

In other words, the UMTS side of the radio outside of the chip is missing.

Was waiting for your response lmao. I figured you would have the most experience with this. Didn't think of the WCDMA filters and power amps at all....

 

[jenzjen]

No practical purpose? I'm going to Europe this summer as are two of my friends...all of us have CDMA2000 iPhone 4's if it was possible to do some external rig to get at the very least GSM or UMTS on one frequency that would be totally cool.

Was waiting for your response lmao. I figured you would have the most experience with this. Didn't think of the WCDMA filters and power amps at all....

Correct, no practical purpose as you suggested doing it ... the practical solution would be to get a GSM iPhone and a local SIM card.

The cost and just lack of ease of use (where are you going to put all the additional filters, amps, etc in a sidecar device) means it is easier to just get a GSM iPhone.

 

[eastercat]

ROFLMAO. You're going to Europe with CDMA phones?! Have fun using them as ipod touches.

No practical purpose? I'm going to Europe this summer as are two of my friends...all of us have CDMA2000 iPhone 4's if it was possible to do some external rig to get at the very least GSM or UMTS on one frequency that would be totally cool.