American SGH-T479 and Canadian 3G networks

[quidquid]

I never liked smart phones. So I had been using a Samsung Gravity 3 (SGH-T479) for ever, until it recently broke. I live in Canada and I ordered the same model from a US based seller on eBay. It was locked to the T-Mobile network, but I successfully unlocked it.

I then realized that the US model of that phone cannot connect to the 3G Canadian networks, which I really need.

Looking in the debug menu, I found out that the Canadian version I have lists the following networks:

GSM_850
EGSM_900
PGSM_900
GSM_DCS_1800
GSM_PCS_1900
WCDMA_II_PCS_1900
WCDMA_V_850

While the US model lists these ones

GSM_850
EGSM_900
PGSM_900
GSM_DCS_1800
GSM_PCS_1900
WCDMA_2100
WCDMA_IV_1700

So my questions are:

- Are the network capabilities differences between the US and Canadian models hardware or software based?
- If they are software based can I copy the firmware from my Canadian model to my US model so it can connect to Canadian 3G networks?
- If that is indeed a possibility, is there any way I can do this from home, or do I have to go to cell phone repair store?

Thanks and happy New Year to you all!

 

[hang-the-9]

You can't modify that phone for use on the service if you can't connect to the band you need. You should look for one of the "feature" phones locally. Not sure why they call the old design phones "feature" phones since they have much less features LOL

Or try out a new phone again, at some point you won't be able to find any decent working old devices and the networks they run on may be shut off by the carriers. This phone is older but still run on Android and has a physical keyboard https/www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_relay_4g_t699-4914.php

 

[quidquid]

Thanks for replying to my post.

I was hoping since they are the same model that I could just change the firmware, but you are most probably right.