[Q] Buying a Verizon Moto X.

RenSoAbrupt

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2013
120
29
0
Nassau
Hello everyone,
First time signing up to XDA (I love this site). I've been waiting to buy a new phone for a while now. And I did have my eyes set on a Nexus 5. But I'm ultimately deciding to get a Moto X. Cause it would be the best for me at the moment due to pricing.

I plan on buying it on the extended Cyber Monday sale day(s) through MotoMaker, fully customized and so forth. And I was wondering if I buy the Verizon version of the Moto X. Will it be GSM Unlocked worldwide? I've seen threads and I'm not to clear on it. Do take note I do not live in the US but in the Caribbean. My carrier bands support GSM 850 and 1900 MHz frequency & HSPA+ 850MHz for mobile data. Just wanting to know if I can pop in my GSM sim and everything will work fine and dandy?

Or will I have to buy a carrier locked Moto X from either AT&T or T-Mobile from MotoMaker and buy an unlock code from an unlocking website?
(If this is my only option, do you suggest any unlocking website that would be best?)

Thank you for taking the time to read and help.
Have a nice day.
 

FSXv13

Senior Member
Mar 15, 2012
66
8
0
Hello everyone,
First time signing up to XDA (I love this site). I've been waiting to buy a new phone for a while now. And I did have my eyes set on a Nexus 5. But I'm ultimately deciding to get a Moto X. Cause it would be the best for me at the moment due to pricing.

I plan on buying it on the extended Cyber Monday sale day(s) through MotoMaker, fully customized and so forth. And I was wondering if I buy the Verizon version of the Moto X. Will it be GSM Unlocked worldwide? I've seen threads and I'm not to clear on it. Do take note I do not live in the US but in the Caribbean. My carrier bands support GSM 850 and 1900 MHz frequency & HSPA+ 850MHz for mobile data. Just wanting to know if I can pop in my GSM sim and everything will work fine and dandy?

Or will I have to buy a carrier locked Moto X from either AT&T or T-Mobile from MotoMaker and buy an unlock code from an unlocking website?
(If this is my only option, do you suggest any unlocking website that would be best?)

Thank you for taking the time to read and help.
Have a nice day.
I don't know if the Verizon version will do GSM, I'd assume not. You also cannot unlock a Verizon Moto x unless it is the dev edition.

The T-Mobile one is the one that you can unlock for free on the motorola website, so if that is what you want, I'd suggest that.
 

lowvolt1

Senior Member
Feb 29, 2012
886
189
73
Hello everyone,
First time signing up to XDA (I love this site). I've been waiting to buy a new phone for a while now. And I did have my eyes set on a Nexus 5. But I'm ultimately deciding to get a Moto X. Cause it would be the best for me at the moment due to pricing.

I plan on buying it on the extended Cyber Monday sale day(s) through MotoMaker, fully customized and so forth. And I was wondering if I buy the Verizon version of the Moto X. Will it be GSM Unlocked worldwide? I've seen threads and I'm not to clear on it. Do take note I do not live in the US but in the Caribbean. My carrier bands support GSM 850 and 1900 MHz frequency & HSPA+ 850MHz for mobile data. Just wanting to know if I can pop in my GSM sim and everything will work fine and dandy?

Or will I have to buy a carrier locked Moto X from either AT&T or T-Mobile from MotoMaker and buy an unlock code from an unlocking website?
(If this is my only option, do you suggest any unlocking website that would be best?)

Thank you for taking the time to read and help.
Have a nice day.
Verizon uses the CDMA network.

via my slapped KIT KAT moto X
 

KidJoe

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Aug 23, 2008
3,208
1,560
0
Thorndale/Romansville, PA
All Verizon 4G LTE phones are Sim unlocked. That includes the VZW Moto X. While you can put a non-Verizon GSM sim in there, the phone will tell you the sim is unsupported, and you'll need to enter your carrier's APN settings manually in order to get data, sms, and mms.

Per Moto's web site, the Verizon version supports...

GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
3G UMTS/HSPA: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 42 Mbps (B5/B8/B2/B1)
LTE: 750Mhz (B13)... 700 Mhz Band 4 is supposed to be supported too.

IF your carrier is GSM and supports those bands, the VZW Moto X will work after you put the APN settings in manually.

That being said... since the Moto Maker Verizon Moto X has a locked boot loader, and supports CDMA bands that your GSM carrier likely wont use, I have to question why you would want the Verizon version of the phone.

The T-Mobile or GSM Developer Edition would be better suited for your needs if you have a GSM carrier. They are both SIM unlocked, and both can have their boot loaders unlocked. Unfortunately, if you buy the T-Mobile version unlocking the boot loader does void the warranty, where as unlocking the boot loader on the Dev Edition doesn't.

The ATT version is also an option as it supports two LTE bands which are not used in the USA. Not sure if those bands will be helpful for you or not. The ATT version also doesn't support HSPA on AWS(1700mhz) that T-Mobile uses in the USA, the boot loader can not be unlocked, and I believe it is sim locked out of the box. The only reason to go with the ATT version over the T-Mobile is IF you need those two LTE bands the ATT model has, that the T-Mobile model lacks, and your carrier doesn't do 3G on AWS(1700).
 
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RenSoAbrupt

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2013
120
29
0
Nassau
Thank you so much for your input. The reason I initially wanted to get the VZW X because I've read I would of been able to put my sim in and it would work. Defeating the purpose of buying an unlock code.

But I did not know Tmobile MotoMaker X comes sim unlocked.

I will customise and purchase the Tmobile version. You saved me. Really appreciated kind sir.

Sent from my SGH-I927 using xda app-developers app
 
Last edited:

KidJoe

Inactive Recognized Contributor
Aug 23, 2008
3,208
1,560
0
Thorndale/Romansville, PA
There is some additional info on the ATT version vs T-Mo version vs GSM DE version in this thread -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2546466

In short, similar to what I said, the T-Mo and GSM Dev Edition are the same, both SIM unlocked and unbranded, except unlocking the bootloader on the T-Mo version voids the warranty, where as it doesn't on the Dev Edition.

The ATT version is like the T-Mo version, EXCEPT it is sim locked, includes carrier branding and bloat, can not unlock the boot loader. While the ATT X includes LTE bands 5 & 7 (which are not used in USA), it lacks support for 1700mhz(aws) HSPA support which T-Mobile USA uses.
 

RenSoAbrupt

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2013
120
29
0
Nassau
There is some additional info on the ATT version vs T-Mo version vs GSM DE version in this thread -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2546466

In short, similar to what I said, the T-Mo and GSM Dev Edition are the same, both SIM unlocked and unbranded, except unlocking the bootloader on the T-Mo version voids the warranty, where as it doesn't on the Dev Edition.

The ATT version is like the T-Mo version, EXCEPT it is sim locked, includes carrier branding and bloat, can not unlock the boot loader. While the ATT X includes LTE bands 5 & 7 (which are not used in USA), it lacks support for 1700mhz(aws) HSPA support which T-Mobile USA uses.
Ah thank you. I'll get the TMob X. My country is launching LTE this month, I'll contact asking which bands they are going to use. But I don't really mind for it. Thank you again KidJoe.
 

SOMFW

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2010
53
6
0
Hello everyone,
First time signing up to XDA (I love this site). I've been waiting to buy a new phone for a while now. And I did have my eyes set on a Nexus 5. But I'm ultimately deciding to get a Moto X. Cause it would be the best for me at the moment due to pricing.

I plan on buying it on the extended Cyber Monday sale day(s) through MotoMaker, fully customized and so forth. And I was wondering if I buy the Verizon version of the Moto X. Will it be GSM Unlocked worldwide? I've seen threads and I'm not to clear on it. Do take note I do not live in the US but in the Caribbean. My carrier bands support GSM 850 and 1900 MHz frequency & HSPA+ 850MHz for mobile data. Just wanting to know if I can pop in my GSM sim and everything will work fine and dandy?

Or will I have to buy a carrier locked Moto X from either AT&T or T-Mobile from MotoMaker and buy an unlock code from an unlocking website?
(If this is my only option, do you suggest any unlocking website that would be best?)

Thank you for taking the time to read and help.
Have a nice day.
I put a T-mobile SIM in my stock 16GB Verizon Moto x. Here is what works and doesn't.

First off, 4G works! in the South Jersey area and it is Blistering fast, I have exceeded 40MB speed test downloads twice, Several in the high 30s and I am avg in mid 20s. Uploads are averaging 20+/- . Compared to Verizon this is like comparing Fios to 1999 era dial up. the best I ever got on Verizon 4G was 14 download but average between 4 and 9 !
The Network notification switches a lot between 4G, "H" mode, whatever that is, just bars and another which I didn't catch quick enough to read ?
Battery has been amazing compared to my galaxy Nexus, I got 7.5 hours of Actual "Screen on Time" which included some GPS use and an hour of music streaming total phone up time was 34+ hours. How long it will perform like this is anyone's guess, today i got about 6.5 of Screen on time. I hope this inst a trend

Now for the bad news - Using it as a Phone. Incoming calls are fine but, making outgoing is a Pain in the A$$.
When I dial a number, (which is a hassle on this KitKat dialer) it often goes to the home screen or back to the dialer. The Call Fails. I am not sure if my dialer is buggy or its a compatibility problem. the KitKat Dialer on the Moto X is an exorcise in futility. Google are you listening? Why reinvent the wheel. All I want in my Dialer is a Number Pad! and a phone book.

When I Open dialer I see Recent calls up top, the whole middle section says all contacts and is otherwise blank, the bottom has the number pad icon, History and settings dots.
Clicking the number pad icon enlarges the bottom section, which then goes all white and removes the three icons. I have to then click the back arrow and re-click the number pad icon to bring it up the actual dialer. .
At this time I can dial. and then the call always fails on the first attempt. Sometimes it takes several attempts to go through.
When I click send on the dialer the 4G disappears and I am left with just the bars. they come back when call is done but sometimes take a few minutes to do so.
If you Kill the dialer app or swipe it away, coming back to it you will have the same issues when trying to get the number pad (two attempts) if you dont, the number pad will open on first attempt. but the calls will still fail on the first try.

I also cant use the internet when in a call, whether WiFi is on or off. Is this a T-mobile problem? I could use the net in Verizon when in a call when on 4G or WiFi

The Data is set to global mode but I have tried both the other settings. On boot up I get a warning saying the SIM is not recognized which I just swipe away.
I am also having this problem. After making a call, the music player and the phones "volume" aspects cease to work., Meaning, I get no sound out of the phone, Music, notifications alarms etc.. This happens almost every time and the only fix is a reboot

I disabled all Verizon Bloat and a lot of Moto Bloat as well This could be causing some of the bugs? But i have tested several different configurations all with the same outcomes.

Hope this helps and puts an end to the - Will it work or not questions. There seem to be a lot of Net Know it all's that flat out say a Verizon Moto x wont work with a T-Mobile SIM or some other undocumented "fact"
 
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