The quest for AWS 1700Mhz

[kode-niner]

I need to stick with my WWAN carrier "Videotron". Performance, price and coverage are my main reasons.

AWS 1700 or UMTS Band 4 has been marketed as 3.5G, 4G and even LTE. Setting that confusion aside, the theoretical limit is 21Mb/s downloads and have gotten close to 17 when using it in downtown Montreal. As I understand it, Wind mobile in western Canada and T-Mobile in the states also use band 4.

Mini PCIe WWAN cards that support AWS 1700 are frustratingly rare so I grabbed an Option GTM689W as soon as it showed up on ebay, with the understanding that I would have to find firmware to get it to work. This is essentially a Gobi3000, so I wonder if anybody has any experience with these modules.

If anyone has the Generic UMTS firmware files, specifically amss.mbn, apps.mbn and uqcn.mbn, PM me details. It might be best to not put any links to the files here. All three files are necessary for me to flash them with gobi_loader under Linux.

[kode-niner]

I've searched everywhere and have not been able to find Gobi 3000 firmware files. I've been able to extract most carrier-specific files which are useless for me. I was able to get the UQCN.mbn generic file but am missing the other two files that go with it.

[Shawn]

maybe????

http://www.panasonic.com/business/tough ... reless.asp
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/t ... n_XP_7.zip

OR

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/ht050584

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds015016

https://developer.qualcomm.com/download

https://developer.qualcomm.com/forums/q ... ivity-gobi

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-do ... group_id=6

[kode-niner]

Been through all those except for the Watcher software which I don't need. I even signed up on Qualcomm but they sure's hell ain't going to release proprietary carrier-agnostic firmware.

[Shawn]

Some of the Watcher software contains firmware updates.

[kode-niner]

A kind soul has helped me advance my quest with the Option card, but still missing some puzzle pieces there.


HOWEVER MY QUEST MAY WELL END with the Huawei EM820U.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Unlocked-HuaWei ... 0852350157

It is currently fully functional on AWS 1700. I know someone on NBR who would be interested. For anyone else reading this, I am on Linux Debian 7.5.0 LXDE with sid/jessie repositories and this card is working on Videotron AWS network and also worked with my Koodo/Telus sim card over HSPA+ and this WWAN module is installed in a Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 MK2 WWAN ready. I do NOT know where to find Windows software for this board, nor have I searched.

Edit: WWAN connection software and drivers for Windows 7 and XP are here:
http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds027690

[kode-niner]

GOODBYE USB DONGLE.