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For anybody else who may be interested...

I was able to unlock my bootloader and obtain root access to my Japanese 1m8.

While unlocked and rooted, I modified the modem policy files to enable LTE and 5G bands that were disabled due to geofencing/region blocking.

I decided to relock my bootloader in order to have access to financial apps and tap to pay features.

The process is quite simple so if anybody believes they are being region blocked for LTE/5G bands, it may be a solution for you.

That being said, a carrier is capable of blocking you regardless of what the modem policy files say. I am currently being denied 5G access by AT&T in the US. But I'm confident if I were to swap SIM cards to Tmobile or an MVNO, I would have 5G access. I will probably be switching up soon enough, but for now, I'm just sticking with AT&T for a bit since everything is working and I am not reliant on 5G speeds.

If anybody has any questions, let me know. But I essentially followed the guides over on xda in the 1m7 and 1m8 sections.

So far, very much enjoying my 1m8. One thing I have noticed is with the sony style case on, side sense is difficult to activate with any consistency. I try to use it but end up activating navigation gestures instead of the side sense menus. Anybody figure out a good way to use it? Maybe it's not that popular but I enjoy using it to create multi-task windows and quick activation of apps/settings, and one handed use.

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Posted: 2026-08-04 16:20:34
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You should first insert your sim into a certified 5G ATT phone and then move it to the Xperia... You'll then get a message along the way saying that your phone is not compatible, just ignore it and you'll be good to go.
That's how it worked with the VII when I got it last year, using the sim straight on the Sony and even toggling dsds didn't access 5G unless it was into a certified phone first.
Give it a go and see 😉✌️
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Posted: 2026-08-06 07:09:49
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@funkadopest - Unfortunately, it doesn't work.

That's how I got my SIM activated in the first place. I used my 1m2 to activate a new 5G capable sim. My original SIM i had been using wasn't even 5G capable because the 1m2 barely supported any 5G bands.

Toggling DSDS on the 1m8 doesn't work and the latest 1m7 update apparently killed it there too. So, make sure you don't do the OTA update.

The phone information says my 5G is available but restricted. I also have the cheapest plan with 5G access. I've seen some anecdotal evidence that people have gotten their 5G working (on the 1m7 not the 1m8) when they switched to the more expensive plans. Seems like ATT just playing games!

No worries though. I'm not that reliant on 5G and eventually, I am planning to move to T-Mobile. AT&T loses another customer because of their stupid policies! (I'm sure they don't care).
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Posted: 2026-08-06 13:16:59
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@moogoo
A bit too late for that as I updated as soon as the ota was available back then and at the time no one was aware of the problem... So got screwed 🙃🙂
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Posted: 2026-08-07 08:39:29
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I checked the secret diagnostic code *#*#4636#*#* and noticed that type of data network is LTE. Prefered network type is set to NR/LTE/GSM/WCDMA.

Prefered network type when I check the SIM is set to 5G.

When I run SignalCheck it shows 5G-NR 3700 and band n77.

Just curious why type of data network is LTE even though I have a 5G icon.
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Posted: 2026-08-07 12:47:30
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Doh! that sucks dude. At least you can still go in and re-enable but it would mean wiping your phone. Even with a back-up, it is a pain to get back to where you wanted it.



There are two types of 5G used depending on the provider and their network capability. 5GSA and 5GNSA. 5G SA is "Stand Alone" which means it is entirely 5G technology. NSA is "Non-Stand Alone" means it relies on 4G LTE technology as a foundation network.

In your case, it sounds like you're using 5G NSA because your data network type is still LTE. The "NR" in the preferred network type stands for "New Radio" which is 5G. Your provider may be utilizing both SA and NSA on the same network, which is common as they transition and upgrade.
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Posted: 2026-08-07 14:11:43
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Thanks!
Now I understand.
My provider is using 5GNSA. They have not yet launched a public commercial 5G SA service. And that goes for the other providers.

It´s kind of misleading, as it´s not "real" 5G.

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Posted: 2026-08-07 16:29:32
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I have a question about 5G bands and unlock the bootloader

Did you see all the 5G bands available on the phone and which ones were enabled or disabled? If so, do you remember which n bands were disabled?

My Swedish carrier might switch to different bands down the line. I’m not sure which ones right now, but from what I’ve heard, they could be bands the phone doesn't support—at least according to the specifications from Sony Japan.

If I were to unlock the bootloader, would the phone be factory reset and all my settings wiped?
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Posted: 2026-08-09 10:12:22
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Yes, once you unlock the bootloader and gain root access, you can view the modem policy files that are on the phone. I did not look at the stock files to compare and simply overwrote them with modified ones. I probably should have, but eh, whatever

When I say "disabled" it means they were not listed in the modem policy files despite the hardware supporting them. Sony does not sell in the US, so my problem was essentially overriding the region block that's in the policy files. Essentially, they did not have enable 5G bands if the location detected was in the US.

From my brief comparison, there are some differences in band support between the Japanese and European model. Based on spec sheet, these are the bands supported by each model where the other does not:

4G:
Japan - 11, 18, 21, 42
Europe - 20, 25, 32, 34

5G:
Japan - 66, 257
Europe - 7, 8, 20, 38, 40, 75

The european model supports more 5G bands overall. Based on this site, the Japanese model supports all but one 4G band and all but one 5G band currently being used on carriers in Sweden. I would not worry too much about unlocking and rooting until you find out your carrier is intending to switch up all their bands completely to unsupported bands.

To answer your question about factory reset, yes. Unlocking the bootloader alone does not do a factory reset, but gaining root access does and you need root access to modify the policy files. Once you are done doing what you want/need to do, then you can relock the bootloader so you can utilize financial apps and tap to pay, which use the locked status of the bootloader as a security integrity check.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I hope I explained well enough.



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Posted: 2026-08-09 15:33:59
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I have the Hong Kong model XQ-GE74. I live in Italy and the 5G bands that work are: N1 - N3 - N7 - N28 - N78. The others you mentioned are not available in Italy, they are for other European countries.
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Posted: 2026-08-10 15:24:47
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