3G Hardware Locked

[antisocialchap]

Hi Guys,

I've been looking around regarding taking a UK HTC Desire to Canada, as I am emigrating. I found, much to my horror, that it appears the bands are locked by region (from reading other posts here and elsewhere).

My question, then, is whether unlocking or rooting would fix the problem, or whether it's baked into the hardware and therefore I'm stuck without 3G.

If I am stuck without 3G, if anybody knows what speeds are like without it (like EDGE or whatever) in Canada, I'd be interested to know. In the UK I usually end up with "H" rather then "3G" by my data signal - whatever that means.

 

[Frisco]

Welcome to the forums, antisocialchap. <---- great user name

Here's a website which gives a rundown on all things cell phone Canadian:

http://www.justlanded.com/english/Canada/Canada-Guide/Telephone-Internet/Cell-phones

And welcome to North America!

 

[antisocialchap]

Thanks for the link. So am I right in thinking I'll only get GSM (as the phone is quad-band, I believe) but not 3G (as it's dual-band), and should therefore go with GSM rather than CDMA carriers?

I had a play on the Telus compatibility checker (where you pop your IMEI number in) and it said no, go away. I was hoping this may be a software block and therefore work-around-able, rather than a hardware block...

I'm rapidly losing my electronics to the different standards in America (my TV, my consoles, my PSU, my speakers, now my phone...). =( Why isn't everything isn't quad-band, dual-voltage and standardised?