GSM and CDMA are the 2 technologies used in the USA and are they are not compatible with each other. Solavei uses GSM based technology and therefore, CDMA phones will not work on our network. You can think of it this way: CDMA phones speak a language the Solavei network does not understand.

Each wireless carrier owns a certain set of radio frequencies that their cell phones work on. This means that if a phone uses a different set of radio frequencies than Solavei does, that phone won’t be able to use the Solavei network.

You can think of this in terms of radio stations. When you change the dial on the radio in your car, you receive a signal from different radio stations. Mobile phones usually can only pick up a few different frequencies. If your radio station could only pick up 3 radio frequencies, you would only get those 3 stations. A friend’s radio that picked up 3 different frequencies would get 3 different radio stations. This means that your friend can’t get the same stations as you. In phone terms, a phone that works on AT&T uses different frequencies than a phone on T-Mobile does.

The reason we have you input your IMEI from your phone during the enrollment process is to make it as easy as possible to see if your phone is compatible with the Solavei network. Current members can also go to Solavei.com to use the IMEI check, which is labeled “Prequalify Phone” at the top of the screen.

Currently, the frequency landscape is complicated. Solavei has recently started changing how it uses its frequencies in some markets.

The Solavei frequency map Summer 2012 and before:

• 850 MHz - 2G and voice (roaming only)
• 1900 MHz - 2G and voice not roaming
• 1700 MHz - 3G/4G Uplink Only
• 2100 MHz - 3G/4G Downlink Only

The reason that the Solavei 1900 MHz frequency is not compatible with the AT&T phones at this point is because Solavei phones use it for 2G technologies while AT&T phones use it for 3G/4G technologies. Also, phones with just 2100 MHz or just 1700 MHz frequencies won’t work with Solavei because you need both to make a complete data loop (uplink and downlink both required).

Solavei's evolving frequency map Summer 2012-Future:

• 850 MHz – Solavei can now use this as non-roaming in some markets
• 1900 MHz – Now transitioning to 3G in markets where Solavei owns 850 MHz
• 1700 MHz 3G/4G Uplink Only (Also for future LTE rollout)
• 2100 MHz 3G/4G Downlink Only (Also for future LTE rollout)

There are some important changes from the summer of 2012 forward. The transition to 3G technology using 1900 MHz frequency in some markets means that unlocked AT&T phones will get 3G data speeds in those markets. This leads to opening up parts of Solavei's network to 3G speeds for unlocked iPhones. Solavei can do this in those markets because it can move its 2G traffic over the 850 MHz frequency, which its phones were already capable of.