X220T - How To Change Mobile Broadband Carriers?

I posted this in the Lenovo Community Forums with no response. Maybe I'll do better here.

I have the Sierra Wireless MC8355-Gobi 3000 WWAN Mobile Broadband Card factory installed in my X220T. It came with an ATT SIM card installed in the slot, although I have not activated the account.

For coverage reasons and the fact that a prepaid month to month data plan is available from Verizon, I would prefer to use Verizon.

What do I need to do to change to Verizon? Is it a simple matter of replacing the ATT SIM card with a Verizon SIM; and then activating the service?

Newbie to this, and need some guidance. TIA!

 

Should be, unless your thinkpad has am IMEI number that is locked to ATT.

 

I don't think it's locked to ATT. The software for the WWAN Card gives me the option of ATT, Sprint or Verizon. The Gobi is supposed to be a universal radio. I'm hoping all I have to do is change the SIM card from ATT to Verizon, since I have never activated an account for ATT.

I guess I just need to stop at a Verizon store and ask. Hopefully, someone there will know.

 

I have the GOBI 3000 installed in my X220 (purchased from Lenovo.com) and it's 100% unlocked.

I have used it with international carriers (UMTS networks) SIM card and it works perfectly.

However, I don't think that Verizon uses SIM cards to begin with. Verizon uses its CDMA network for 3G.

I also don't know what band Verizon is using and I don't know if Gobi 3000 supports CDMA in the first place.

Here is what you should do:
Find out what CDMA bands Verizon is using. Then, find out if Gobi 3000 supports CDMA networks. If it does, check if the supported bands match with Verizon's.

Good luck!

P.S. Doing some search online, I found that Dell started offering Gobi 4000 (newer version) with its business machines. It is compatible with Verizon's 4G LTE if I got it right. So, Lenovo might jump in and offer them soon.

 

Thanks aljebreensh. The laptop software already has an activation screen for Verizon, and you are correct about the no-SIM for Verizon. Thanks again, for your reply.

 

Since the Gobi 3000 doesn't support 4G LTE on Verizon, you will be using the CDMA EVDO 3G service instead. This does not use a SIM.