Will this phone work on any American carrier?

[Dari]

It's the KDDI version of the HTC One S (HTC J ISW13HT). It was given to me and I'd like to use it as a daily phone. Is it possible to connect it to any pre-paid network?

http://www.htc.com/jp/smartphones/isw13ht/#specs

 

[pm]

http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3493&c=kddi_htc_j_isw13ht_htc_nippon

Neither of the two CDMA networks are used in the US, but it says it supports GSM900/1800/1900 for GPRS & EDGE. If so then, yes, you can get basic GSM service (no 3G) on either T-Mobile or AT&T or their prepaid clients on the GSM 1900 band. So StraightTalk, GoPhone, T-Mobile Prepaid.

Before you buy a prepaid SIM, I'd recommend popping into either a T-Mobile or AT&T store and asking if they can check the phone will work by putting in a SIM just to make sure that the datasheet that I read isn't wrong, and also that the phone is unlocked.

 

[Dari]

I noticed that too (that the phone supports both CDMA and GSM). I did not think that was even possible.

 

[kaerflog]

If it has a sim card slot it will work.
Has to be unlocked though and you might get only 2G.

 

[Dari]

If it has a sim card slot it will work.
Has to be unlocked though and you might get only 2G.

I don't think it has a sim card slot. Does that mean it is impossible to use in America? I was checking online and it appears that KDDI allows you to unlock the phone for 3000 Yen (roughly $35). Would it be possible to use it on an American carrier if I went that route?

 

[vshah]

I noticed that too (that the phone supports both CDMA and GSM). I did not think that was even possible.

...iphone 4s does, as well as several motorola phones for the past few years.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

KDDI is a Japanese phone carrier.

I don't think phones bought in japan is not capable of being used in america?

 

[shortylickens]

I noticed that too (that the phone supports both CDMA and GSM). I did not think that was even possible.

Anything is possible. They're just radios. You already have like 5 in your phone right now.

2g
3g
possibly 4g
GPS (receive only)
bluetooth
Wifi
possibly NFC
Some folks also have infrared but I think thats mostly on Laptops. And its not radio anyway. But it is a form of electromagnetic radiation and it does transmit and receive.

The reason they ship phones in America with limited bands is the carriers want absolute control over their product, which is also the reason for locking them to one service, even though CDMA is used by two carriers and GSM is used by two carries and you should be able to hop back and forth between them at your discretion.
In fact thats part of the reason Verizon and Sprint both decided to forgo SIM's in their 3g phones. They wanted to to have to bring the device itself in for actual programming rather than just using whatever you wanted. With 4g either they were required by policy to go back to SIM's, or the market demands made them do it against their will.

Europe doesnt have that problem. Corporations are bloodthirsty yes, but not controlling. They let you hop back and forth at your discretion and dont give you shit. And the hardware that sells there is normally multi-band.