[T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note II] Darkshado:
Hello everyone,

If you're using an SGH-T889V (originally from Vidéotron, Wind or Mobilicity) on a carrier that runs LTE on the AWS band, e.g.: Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin Mobile Canada, Koodo, AT&T or T-Mobile; this will allow you to enable LTE.

Note: Vidéotron has launched their LTE network in September 2014. As of writing this, it is unclear whether there will be a new T889V modem released with LTE enabled in the coming weeks, much like there was with T-Mobile USA when they launched their LTE network.

If you're using a T-Mobile USA SGH-T889, this guide isn't for you.

The usual disclaimers apply.

Actually, let me rephrase that: This mod permanently damages your phone, and irrevocably voids your warranty.

No one has been able to flash back to a T889V modem (be it ALJ4, BMA3, CMK4 or DNE7) without encountering bootloops afterwards.

Interestingly, T889VVLUDNH2 did not bootloop, it simply showed an "unknown" IMEI and baseband with no network connection.

Some background:

A rather lengthy post explaining what I did and what happened

TL;DR version of same

Additional relevant threads:

Getting LTE to work on fido

Need Help Please WIND 889V Borked

You'll need:

LTE - Coverage, known working microSIM, proper plan and system provisioning, etc...

Proper APN settings for your carriers on hand. (Better yet if you're running TouchWiz ROMs: proper CSC files and knowledge on how to modify and apply those.)

ADB

Clockworkmod/TWRP recovery

CWM/TWRP flashable I317M modem image. (I originally used the BMA3 modem, although the mod should work with any of them.)

Bell/Rogers/Telus I317M modem files

I317MVLALJ2 4.1.1 initial release (This one could be of interest for unlock purposes...)

I317MVLBMA3 4.1.2

I317MVLUCMK5 4.3

I317MVLUDNF1 4.4.2

I317MVLUDNF3 4.4.2 (I haven't downloaded the full Odin image and prepared a zip for this one.)

I317MVLUDNH2 4.4.2

Mobilicity/Vidéotron/Wind T889V modem files.

T889VVLALJ4 4.1.1 initial release - CAUTION: flashing this on top of a working ALJ4 modem installation has been known to cause bootloops and NV item corruption.

T889VVLBMA3 4.1.2

T889VVLUCMK4 4.3

T889VVLUDNE7 4.4.2

T889VVLUDNH2 4.4.2

Once you've downloaded the above files:

Backup your NV settings (in CDMA Workshop text format) as per this thread. You can also use the EFS Professional Tool (currently at version 2.1.61) almost identically to the older NV_reader_writer tool. (It also contains the IMEI NV item generator functions that Peoplearmy's tool had, apparently gone missing too.)

The only things I'll add are that:

RMNET + DM + MODEM is not available, you'll have to use RNDIS + DM + MODEM instead.

Finding the COM port can be done in device manager, you may need to refresh devices or disconnect and reconnect the USB port. If it's been properly detected, you can also click the Port text to the left of the droplist, there's an autodetect function there.

Also use this guide to backup (in QPST/QXDM .qcn format): http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1946915

Optional: Backup the raw mk9efs partitions too, as per [MENTION=1602851]connexion2005[/MENTION]'s suggestion: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2079705 (they're not necessary for the mod itself, and are only made as an additional precaution)

Optional: Backup the raw mk9efs and efs partitions with this CWM or TWRP "flashable" zip based on the Synergyrom team's work. It outputs the dumps in a ready-to-flash restore zip.

Consider backing up other files and data from your phone with the usual complement of Titanium Backup, nandroid and so on. Copy those off the phone.

If you're running an AT&T or T-Mobile ROM: you may have to flash another ROM as well. The stock T889V ROM has a "Network Mode" setting that lets you toggle between LTE/WCDMA/GSM, WCDMA only and GSM only. The I317M and N7105 ROMs also have this, while the I317 and T889 probably don't.

On the T889V ROMs: to see LTE become an option, you'll need to edit your CSC files and remove the <CscFeature_Setting_DisableNetworkMode>lte</CscFeature_Setting_DisableNetworkMode> line in /system/csc/others.xml. This setting is only cosmetic: the notification bar icon will show "4G" and you won't see LTE in the network mode settings. However, the phone will still use LTE, which can be confirmed by looking in Settings / About Phone / Status. (I've come across this while flashing ROMs with unaltered CSC files.)

Let's proceed with the actual modification:

Reboot to recovery, flash the 317M BMA3 modem. Wipe /cache and Dalvik cache for good measure.

Reboot phone. No bootloops? Good.

Check in Settings / About Phone that you still have a valid IMEI. (It's possible you still do at this point.)

Reboot the phone. This time the IMEI and service should be lost.

Using the same procedure you did to back them up, restore your NV items.

Reboot the phone.

Confirm your IMEI is correct and that you have service.

Check in Settings: Wireless and networks -> More settings -> Mobile Networks -> Network Mode that LTE/WCDMA/GSM is selected. Another menu worth mentioning here is the "Band Selection" menu accessed through the *#2263# dialer code. Note that if you force the phone onto the LTE bands, you will only have data service, and no voice calls or SMS.

I'd like to thank the following users for their help and feedback in writing this guide: [MENTION=4909256]Byangmang[/MENTION], [MENTION=2718324]deeznutz1977[/MENTION], [MENTION=5017101]dspkeff[/MENTION], [MENTION=2838852]hkfan[/MENTION], [MENTION=4254498]rail205[/MENTION], [MENTION=4107827]TEKHD[/MENTION]

Good luck,

Darkshado