Which phones can I use on T-Mobile?

By July of this year, T-Mobile had launched LTE in 116 metro areas. The availability of LTE combined with re-farming spectrum to support HSPA+ on PCS over the last year opens up a new range of devices for T-Mobile customers. This along with the recent “un-carrier” plans are making T-Mobile an attractive option to AT&T subscribers looking to jump ship for a better deal.

There is no definitive list of what phones will or will not work on T-Mobile so you have to look for yourself to see what device will work. Determining the frequencies used on each device is complicated by specifications for referring to either frequency it self, common name, the operating band or even the protocol used on that frequency.

As an example, PCS is the common name for 1900Mhz spectrum. It is also called out as GSM-1900 or EDGE 1900Mhz when used for 2G service. 1900Mhz is called LTE Band 2 when used by the carriers for LTE. A device supporting GSM-1900 will not always support HSPA service on PCS or LTE on LTE Band 2 even though physical antennas are present and it could potentially be supported by the chipset.

Radio frequency spectrum bands used for T-Mobile
Frequency Band	Band number	Protocol	Class
1900 MHz	N/A	GSM/GPRS/EDGE	2G
1700 / 2100 MHz AWS	4	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+	3G
1900 MHz PCS	2	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+	3G
1700 / 2100 MHz AWS	4	LTE	4G

Source

GSM/GPRS/EDGE

In order to bring an AT&T (or any other unlocked GSM device) to T-Mobile, here is what you need to know. Voice service, GPRS (G in the status bar) and EDGE (2G in the status bar) data is carried on GSM-1900. AT&T also uses GSM-1900 so all their devices are technically compatible with T-Mobile across the whole network. You will see this listed in phone specifications along with a few other supported GSM bands typically as GSM 800/850/1900. If you see 1900 in there you can make a phone call.

UMTS/HSPA/HPSA+

AWS is the common name for a 1700MHz download link paired with a 2100 MHz for upload. All current T-Mobile phones from the T-Mobile G1 forward support this pair of frequencies for UMTS/HSPA/HPSA+ data. If you are bringing a device from another carrier to T-Mobile, having AWS bands supported for UMTS will give you the greatest HSPA+ data coverage. You will see this listed in specifications as several combinations of UMTS (or HSPA+) AWS or 1700/2100MHz or UMTS band IV.

While we are talking about UMTS and HSPA+ data, T-Mobile has “double re-farmed” their GSM-1900 service to provide HSPA+ service on PCS and allows additional room on AWS for LTE (see info-graphic below.) This will be listed in device specifications as UMTS (or HSPA/HSPA+/3G/4G) 1900Mhz. Unfortunately, not all markets for T-Mobile have support HSPA+ on 1900Mhz during this transition but markets that do support most if not all North American GSM devices.

Source

LTE

T-Mobile is deploying LTE on their AWS spectrum made available from shifting HSPA+ service to PCS and in the near future will deploy service on AWS gained from their merger with MetroPCS. Several carriers, AT&T included, chose to deploy their LTE networks on AWS as well so most phones actually will work nicely on T-Mobile. Specifications have this listed as LTE Band 4 or LTE Band IV or LTE AWS.

Let’s give it a try

So for a practical example let’s take the LG Optimus G Pro and see if it will work on T-Mobile.

LG Optimus G Pro Specifications
Frequencies	LTE CAT 3 Band 4, and 17, HSPA+ 21 Mbps, UMTS 850/1900/2100 MHz, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Data Transmission	EDGE, GPRS Class 10, UMTS (W-CDMA), HSDPA, LTE Bands 4/17

GSM

Looking at the above table we see “GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz” and 1900Mhz is supported on GSM so we can use this on T-Mobile.

UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+

“HSPA+ 21 Mbps” is listed as a separate list item but will be on the same frequency as UMTS. The Optimus G Pro supports “UMTS 850/1900/2100 MHz” but not the 1700Mhz frequency to pair with 2100Mhz for AWS support. As 1900Mhz is supported on UMTS this will work in select markets that have been re-farmed.

LTE: “LTE CAT 3 Band 4, and 17″ is supported and T-Mobile uses LTE Band 4 so it will work.

Now that we have matched up the frequency specifications for the Optimus G Pro we can state that it does work on T-Mobile with some exceptions. If you are in a market with LTE deployed, not having AWS support is less of an issue. If your market does not have LTE, the fall back is T-Mobile’s solid HSPA+ on either PCS or AWS.

By understanding that frequency specifications for a device can be listed in several different ways you can determine like we did here if you device will work or not. Armed with this knowledge, feel free to visit our friends over at Cell Trader Online so you can shop for a new “bring your own device” and snag a cheaper plan.