Accessing T-Mobile's LTE Network using an unlocked Lumia 900

By George Ponder
last updated

If you've made the switch from AT&T to T-Mobile with your Windows Phone and are having trouble access T-Mobile's LTE Network take a look at your APN settings.

Windows Phone Central member MikeSo made the switch with his Nokia Lumia 900 and had trouble accessing the LTE network. He could see the network, just not connect to it.

Apparently the Lumia 900 wasn't set up for T-Mobile's LTE and the solution was to add an APN with the address fast.t-mobile.com in the Windows Phone Settings. After doing so LTE worked like a charm.

It's a fairly easy fix if you're Windows Phone is seeing T-Mobile's LTE network but won't connect. You can find the full forums discussion on the T-Mobile LTE settings here in the Windows Phone Central Forums (opens in new tab).

Thanks, gp0777, for the tip!

George Ponder
George Ponder

George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.

22 Comments
  • Great info. Thank you guys.
  • I assume it only works on international Lumia versions?
  • No...the article just said if you've made the switch from AT&T...so why would it work only on international Lumia phones?
  • I believe AT&T version doesn't have T-Mob's LTE bands.
  • Incorrect: AT&T has a small segment of Band 4 in some of their markets, so the 900 supports it. Bottom line: Any AT&T LTE phone, if unlocked, will work with T-Mobile's LTE network.
  • Nope, it works also on AT&T unlocked cellphone. I have one, so I can say so.
  • Not working for me, it just says edge which is 2g ugh!! About to sell it to grab a 925. Sucks because mine is yellow.
  • I'm about to switch to T-mobile and try this...while I wait for the 925 to come out!! But I have an 820 from AT&T...
  • It will work if there is LTE in your market. ALL AT&T LTE phones support LTE bands 4 and 17. T-Mobile uses just LTE band 4.
    The AT&T 820 will only get 3G in refarmed markets.
    The AT&T 920 will also only get 3G in refarmed markets unless you flash its ROM with a different one, which will enable pentaband 3G and allow you to connect to 100% of T-Mobile's network.
  • Now if somebody could figure out how to get our 810's to run on the T-mobile LTE network.. (rolls eyes)
  • Is that before or after we figure out how to get the firmware on it for the Storage Check option?
  • Oooo! Good point! Im officially out of space because my "other" folder is 2GB.
  • So does this work the other way around? Could you use a Lumia 925 on AT&T when it comes out? And use LTE?
  • GSMArena is quoting that the US varaint is Band 4 and Band 17, so yes it should work on AT&T if you can unlock it. 
  • I would also like to know with these LTE frequencies. Are TMobile and ATT LTE frequencies compatible with each other or not. Not that it maters to me now as neither Network has LTE in my area, but for the future referencies. 
  • The lte phones support both frequencies
  • T-Mobile uses LTE Band 4 (AWS) only, AT&T is a mix of mostlty Band 17 (700 Mhz) and some Band 4 (AWS). 
    My Samsing ATIV S SGH-T899M shows me that in my area, LTE has been turned on.   Any unlocked AT&T phone with LTE support should work on T-Mobile due to AT&T's required support of Band 4 and Band 17.
  • Will this work with the 720 then? Hoping I will get more than the 1900 band in refarmed areas.
  • Will it work on the Tmob 8X?
  • I've been using the Lumia 900 with T-mobile for a few weeks now and it seems that if I set up the phone to work with LTE, then the picture messaging will not work but if I disable LTE (HSPA+ only) then the picture messaging works fine. T-mobile offered me no help with this on the 3 occasions that I contacted them.
  • T mobile, & AT&T are both rip offs if you ask me, but hey I get paid to say that. I am a HTC hd7 user from T mobile & I actually have 4g UNLIMITED! Unlimited talk and text, and I pay 52.11$ every single month. Oh yea, and if 3 people I know sign up, pay their bill on time I get 20$. If those 3 get 3 I get 10$. Every single month for the rest of my life. So figure, people you know, 90/3=30(groups of 3=20$)30x20=600. You still with me? Now those 90 get 3 people each & they get 1/3 of their bill each month paid for(20$)! You will get 10$ for all groups of 3 that they sign up. 90x10=900$. 900+600=. I dont really have to do the math do I? Any way its brand new company so there's a lot of money to be made, and I have a windows phone running on 7 and I still get the live tiles, updates, and goodies. The only catch is has to be unlocked phone unless its t mobile even then you should unlock in order to sideload. My email address is Travis.bracken@yahoo.com for more info. I always wanted to be a cell phone dealer when I grew up. Who knew that using a cell phone(windows phone actually, truly a bad ass phone stomping the crap out of isuck & trashoid) would bring me to being a dealer. The irony of the story is that a drug addict almost never becomes a drug dealer! Or does he/she?
  • No Verizon either has to be GSM no cdma