Regarding 3G/4G hotspot vs. T-mobile issue

[Martin F]

Hi all,

We're trying to help support some end users that utilize below unlocked 3G/4G hotspot with a T mobile SIM card:
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Wireless-usb-router-with-dual-sim_62410461672.html?spm=a2700.12243863.0.0.5d773e5fUgsjiZ

The users are unable to get it to work, despite trying different APNs and settings. Do some of you have experience with this type of thing, i.e. a sourced hotspot from China being used in the US? And specifically can some of you spot some issues in regards to e.g. frequency bands or similar that would explain why the T mobile user has issues?

The bands look OK to me and the same T mobile SIM works just fine when the end user plugs it into his phone - but in the hotspot it doesn't work. We've had no issues with the hotspot in Europe markets, so we're unsure what might be the case.

Any suggestions on what to try out would be appreciated!

[Lord of nothing]

I guess in the US the Look Up the ID of the Device where you put the Simcard in.
If its in there Mind the Wrong the refuse to Register it.

Here in Europe we have mostly 2 different Contracts:
1) Voice (with SMS, Data)
2) Data "only"
But here the Operator (by Law?) dont Care where you use the Simcard who.
In the US (and Canada?) its maybe different. A "Data" can only use in a Modem where a "Voice" can use only in a Phone.

[bw2341]

From the Alibaba page, it looks like the working frequency bands are grouped into five different regions. I suspect that there are five different versions of this product, each tailored to a specific region.

Check your sales receipt to see if a particular version is specified. If not, they may have simply used your mailing address to select the appropriate region. Contact the seller again for clarification.

The last time I was searching for a cheap USB 4G stick on eBay, I found that most of them only support a few bands. This meant that a cheap foreign market 4G stick would be useless to me. I guess cheap 4G device manufacturers can’t afford to support the twenty or so bands that an iPhone can.

Even iPhones have region specific models. This means that an iPhone can roam, but to get the best speeds and the full choice of mobile carriers, you still need to buy the correct region specific model.

[Martin F]

I tried reviewing all the USB 3G/4G unlocked hotspots on Amazon US that I could find, but it seems like none have consistent success with AT&T and T mobile based on the reviews. It's surprising to me that it is so difficult to find a USB WiFi router with good, broad coverage in the US.

If anyone has had success with a specific unlocked USB hotspot in the US, we'd be really happy to learn.

Best,
Martin