Hello all. this is my first post so please bare with me.I recently got my hands on a damaged Verizon Droid Bionic where I work and managed to fix it back to useable status (all for less than 30 dollars). I am currently using a Samsung Presedent from Straight Talk but I want to use the Bionic instead since it is a much better phone then the one I have. I have been searching for about a week (using google) to try and get this CDMA phone to be able to use as a GSM phone but I can not find a detailed guide on how to do this. I know it is possible since I have found people who have done it but they do not explain as to how. I have visited the XDA forum and found some stuff that has been somewhat useful but nothing detailed enough that I myself (not an expert by far) can get this to be done. What I am asking is there a guide for dummies like me to make this possible. Please help if you can, and I do thank you if you can. I have done a hard factory reset on the phone but there is no sim card in it so I can not access anything except for the emergency dialer or language select. I do have the latest version of RadioComm but I can not find any instructions on what needs to be changed in order to make this phone work on Straight Talk. Again Please help if you can.
-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Want to use Droid Bionic on Straight Talk
- Thread starter Omikse
- Start date
Rukbat
Extreme Android User
That's like getting a cow to be a Chevy - you can't without removing the insides of the phone and replacing them with the insides of a GSM phone.
Probably because it can't be done.
Because it's a CDMA phone, not a GSM phone.
You get a Straight Talk CDMA kit from Walmart. Then it becomes a CDMA phone, using Verizon's towers, on Straight Talk.
Two provisos:
1) The phone can't have been used on one of Verizon's no-contract plans. They won't accept those phones on their network.
2) Since it's a 4G LTE phone, they currently won't allow you to use it on their network. This may change in the future, but I'd suggest that first you check with Verizon to make sure that the phone has a clean ESN (if it doesn't, sell it on eBay for parts) and if it does, sell it and buy a phone you can use on the towers you want.
Oh, and tell those "friends" who have converted CDMA phones to GSM to start writing for fantasy magazines - they have vivid imaginations.
insink71
Well-Known Member
Last suggest was helpful... Agree.. you'll have to use StraightTalk cdma. Only "cdma phones" that can be converted to gsm plans/service are called worldphones. Worldphones carry both cdma&gsm radios from the get-go. But a pure cdma phone [w/o that dual-purpose radio] won't get gsm. They lack the gsm antenna internals typically, and as long as I've been around, I've never seen a custom radio some dev made [in usa this would have to go through fcc testing which would be a $20k minimum pricetag] w/o the antenna internals, entertaining the notion is pointless. But cdma phones [that are worldphones] ie dinc2, evo design 4g, etc have been dual purposed before.. or even used solely on gsm [i did it w/ dinc2]. Hope that helps.
Regards,
Rob
Regards,
Rob
Ok I should have said that they have change it into a phone that could be used at either AT&T or T-Mobile which phones from both companies can be used at Straight Talk so this is why I said it could be done. Also I have made it past the No Sim Card screen and have updated the phone to the last updates including Android version 4.1.2, System version 98.72.22.XT875.Version.en.US, Kernel Version 308-g462d00, Baseband Version CDMA_N_05.22.00R LTEDC_U_09.1D.00, and Build Version 9.8.20-72_VZW-22. Although I do thank you for replying , I still think it is possible to get this to work on Straight Talk. I just do not know how.
insink71
Well-Known Member
StraightTalk has cdma service [they actually service verizon phones [[as well]] which this is]. Yes, you can get it working with that service quite easily. With no sim, you won't get tmo or at&t service. Worldphones have sim [in previous post].
Rob
P.S PcMag states "The Motorola Droid Bionic is a CDMA EVDO phone with LTE. It isn't a world phone..." in 4th paragraph of their review http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2392502,00.asp ; so, not possible for this device.
Rob
P.S PcMag states "The Motorola Droid Bionic is a CDMA EVDO phone with LTE. It isn't a world phone..." in 4th paragraph of their review http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2392502,00.asp ; so, not possible for this device.
I know this because the phone I am using right now is through Straight Talk and runs off the Verizon Towers. I also know that Straight Talk gives AT&T and T-Mobile phone users the ability to use thier services through sim cards which I can get through Straight talk but does not work for verzion phones. I know that this Verizon phone can be unlocked as would be said too be able to use on AT&T or T-Mobile which then I can get a sim card from Straight Talk and should be able to use it through the Straight Talk network. This is why I am asking based on the info I have found around the net, mostly at the XDA forums who are supposed to be experts at this but do not explin it fully.
insink71
Well-Known Member
Ok.. so I did some digging. Apparently droid bionic does have the hardware to be a worldphone. Initially fcc didn't approve the gsm-side & VZW released lte only radio [for sim]. Did find a thread & post #1167 seemed to be popular over on XDA http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42437715 Hope that helps.
Rob
Rob
Thank you for finding that for me. I knew it was out there somewhere but I did not have the time to go through 117 page of stuff to find it. I will make a desktop shortcut to it because I have to wait for a new battery to show up since the other new battery copped out on me. But thanks again.
Droid bionic cannot be activated as a CDMA on Straight Talk as it is an LTE device and Straight Talk does not support LTE devices. The Bionic can however be converted to a GSM compatible phone with a little bit of work. You need a linux emulator, radiocomm and RSD lite in case you soft brick your phone and need to restore it. I know this because I am now using my bionic on straight talk with an AT&T sim in place where the verizon LTE sim went. I have full calling, messaging and data capabilities, although my data is limited to 3g I can still stream youtube. If your still interested I can try to put together a step by step guide directing you to the root, build.prop edits, radicomm edits and RSD lite interface for flashing. I am by no means a tech expert, but I know how to follow instructions. If you can follow directions, you'll be fine.
Could you idiot proof this for me and send me some help. I too have a Verizon bionic 4g lte and I want to use it on straight talk. I typed in myphones imei number into the straight talk page and it says my phone is compatible but I fear it will not work with the Verizon towers on straight talk unless I am misunderstanding. I just want to use their towers on straight talk on my Bionic but you have to convert your bionic to gsm to do so correct? If this is true, this is what I need help on!
Thank you so much for your time.
BRAINZ2013
Extreme Android User
I can prove it works on gsm . straighttalk at&t and also the new byod gsm for at&t . but it's not simple you need to edit the build.prop and also use the radiocomm . now I did the edit and radio com and put a custom ROM on the bionic . now have a cm11 stable snapshot . . I seen in the threads that the factory is would work it doesn't I been told cause its to much Verizon junk on it .
BRAINZ2013
Extreme Android User
new optimus
Android Expert
Very cool, this is something I did not know at all.
Though I have to ask why bother with this phone if (as posted^) you can only get hspa? Att has LTE in many areas and so just getting a cheap att lte phone you can pop that straight talk sim in and have a better experience.
BRAINZ2013
Extreme Android User
Well see I brought the 25.00 plan cause I only needed to see it work the hspa is because the data isn't working
goop factory
Newbie
OK I want to report that this is by far the easiest swap of phones I've ever done. I received the Verizon Droid Bionic from a family member who was done with it. I already had a Straight Talk BYOD account for my Sprint HTC Evo 4G phone. I called them up and told them I wanted to transfer my account to the Bionic device and they sent me a new sim card. I received the card and called them to activate the card, within 10 minutes they got it switched over. I have 4glte service, everything that the phone could do with Verizon, now with straight talk. I didn't have to use the GSM bands or this or that. just that freaking easy...