Every country is different, and I'm not referring to the British having steering wheels on the right side of their cars. Sometimes, you might go to another country and find that your phone does not work. This is often caused by OEMs blocking the available or usable frequencies on the device. So called bands differ in every part of the world. For example in North America, GSM operates on the primary communication bands 850 MHz and 1900 MHz, while in Canada 1900 MHz is primary and 850 MHz is a backup. In Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia the bands providers use 900 MHz and 1800 MHz. Sometimes it's really hard to figure whether your device will work or not.

Some OEMs decide to release devices that work only with a limited bands. Many times, these limitations are implemented in the software layer and can be lifted relatively easy. If you are using a Qualcomm device with such arbitrary software limitations, you can now make your phone work throughout the world. Thanks to XDA Senior Member BlackSoulxxx and XDA Recognized Contributor olokos, you can enhance the list of supported bands in just few minutes. The whole process is carefully described in a guide with 36 simple steps. After following them, your phone should work without any issues everywhere.

The only requirement to use this method is a rooted device because you have to modify some system files. Olokos' guide explain the process for Sony devices, but this method should work with the majority of Qualcomm devices available on the market--assuming the radio hardware is physically up to the task. Before playing with your phone, be sure to backup your data in the event of unforseen complications. In addition, keep in mind that messing with the radio hardware on many devices is a one-way ticket to irrecoverable device bricking. So before you try this on your device (even if others have had success with your particular model), be sure to read every step carefully and be prepared for the worst.

Don't let your phone be arbitrarily limited to certain regions or carriers. Unlock it to support all the available bands. Head over to band restrictions removal guide thread to learn more.