Enable GSM on Verizon Moto E 5.1

All credits go to this XDA thread.



Follow exactly the following steps as showing in above video:

• Connect your Moto E on WiFi and open a web browser.
• Click on this link to install the Network app.
• Insert a GSM SIM card.
• Open Settings, More under Wireless & networks, Cellular networks and now you're in the "Cellular network settings" page. Don't touch the back button; instead, touch the home button so later you can easily return to this page.
• Turn on Airplane mode.
• Open the Network app, switch to LTE/GSM auto (PRL), then touch on "TURN ON RADIO" - just once and ignore what happens afterward.
• Return to the early "Cellular network settings" page by touching the square button at the right side. Touch "Preferred network type" and you have the 4G/3G/2G options that you've been dreaming for.
• Turn off Airplane mode and you're in. You don't need to redo it after a reboot or power cycle, but you do after a SIM swap. Thank jet360 on mitbbs.

Alternative methods

1. adb method

This method is the best if you have a PC around. Like above method, you don't need to redo it after a reboot or power cycle.

• Install the USB drivers for Moto E.
• Enable adb USB on Moto E.
• Download a root package that has adb included, such as this one. Unzip it into a folder, say, c:\adb.
• Connect your phone to the PC, run the following commands from c:\adb:

adb shell "pm clear com.android.providers.telephony"
adb shell "settings put global preferred_network_mode 9"
adb shell "settings put global preferred_network_mode1 9"
adb shell "settings put global preferred_network_mode2 9"

Obviously, you can make a DOS batch file to run these commands.

2.  No PC required

This method is handy when you need to swap to a GSM SIM card while no PC available, but you need to redo it after a reboot or SIM swap.

• Install the Network app and open it after a GSM SIM inserted.
• Under "Set preferred network type", select the third from the bottom, i.e.:

TD-SCDMA, GSM/WCDMA,CDMA AND EvDo

•  Then select immediately the second from the bottom, i.e.:

TD-SCDMA,GSM/WCDMA and LTE

[update] If the phone still cannot pick up a GSM service after the 4G option checked: open the Network app, enter the menu at the top right corner and select radio band to "USA Band". Thank Supergo.