changing band frequencies possible?

[ninjajim4]

i've seen around that it's possible to change band frequencies on a phone with smart clip, and a flash of firmware from a phone that already uses the frequencies you want to switch.

having read that gives me a small measure of hope.. i'm assuming it would be difficult, but i wonder if it's possible at all to get a phone like the z8/10 using wcdma 2100 to work on wcdma 1700 now that tmo is rolling out 3g. i think it would be REALLY neat to have a phone that nobody else would use on a network without some work done to it. make it truly one of a kind.

does anyone have an idea where to even start going about this? or is this a lost cause

[spikejones]

i believe it would have to be a hardware issue rather than a software thing.
for instance on an AM/FM radio, you are tuning the frequency at which the radio is operating on. Its a bit easier to notice/realize this fact when you are using one of the old manual tuner radios that has a knob rather than buttons.

when you turn the knob, it manually tunes the radio to operate on a specific frequency. There is a tuner coil that depending upon where abouts on that coil a listening device is place, you will be tuned to a different frequency. Not sure if you have ever messed with making a crystal diode radio, but for starters of messing with frequencies, it would be a good idea to play with making one of those and see if you can figure out the math of how to force the thing onto a specific frequency of the radio station you are trying to receive. FYI: the stations numbers are its frequency in terms of MHz.

heres a little how-to for creating a crystal diode radio in about 10 minutes. should get you rolling on understanding how the hardware works:
http://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/radio/radio.html

[ninjajim4]

thats somewhere in the ballpark of what i was thinking.. i wondered if it would be as simple as just changing out the crystal for one at a different frequency. ie off a tmo 3g phone

[spikejones]

question is WOULD it be as simple as that indeed.

personally, I doubt that it would, as there is the possibility that there are other hardware aspects in play here that could affect further what the frequency is.

if i was you i would seek some in depth knowledge of circuitry in general, especially radio technology.

[chaser_xsnes9x]

You could not change the radio. It would violate communication laws, the Software would not see the new radio, and without proper knowledge od the advanced airwaves, you could not do it.

Actually, the UMTS 2100MHZ Frequency in Europe is actually 2 Frequencies. 2100MHz is the Uplink and 1900MHz is the Downlink. Its just called 2100MHz because the frequencies are so close together.

AWS 2100MHz / 1700MHz however is similar. the 2100MHz is the Uplink which is 95% the same as the European 2100MHz, but the Downlink is 1700MHz. It is as simple as adding another radio, the 1700MHz one.

[Frontierjustice]

1. i've seen around that it's possible to change band frequencies on a phone with smart clip, and a flash of firmware from a phone that already uses the frequencies you want to switch.

2. i wonder if it's possible at all to get a phone like the z8/10 using wcdma 2100 to work on wcdma 1700...

3. does anyone have an idea where to even start going about this? or is this a lost cause

One of my favorite topics! Specifically,

1. There may be a phone like this - where the carrier has turned off a feature or a band. If the z8/10 already has 1700 - what exactly is your purpose?
2. If it's possible, the factory will do it soon enough.
3. You can do anything ... how difficult, expensive and time-consuming remains to be seen. How legal is up for grabs as well.
Have fun!
Regards

[ninjajim4]

One of my favorite topics! Specifically,

1. There may be a phone like this - where the carrier has turned off a feature or a band. If the z8/10 already has 1700 - what exactly is your purpose?
2. If it's possible, the factory will do it soon enough.
3. You can do anything ... how difficult, expensive and time-consuming remains to be seen. How legal is up for grabs as well.
Have fun!
Regards

1) that's what i was hoping would be the case... i think i've stated my purpose, which is to get NA tmobile's 3g working on my z10. the reason behind that is i have some symbian uiq apps i'd like to use on a fast connection, but there arent any uiq phones that work on tmobile's 3g band, so far as i'm aware.

2) i would hope they will, but motorola is not the fastest moving company i've seen...

3) yea, i realize i could rig this up to fly around the room on my command, but i meant within reason. particularly with relation to 1), for example, if there were already a pre-exisiting but de-activated method of hooking into 1700/2100, i wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel to get this thing to work. so far as legality, i'm not much concerned about that... i don't have any bad intent here.