Moto X ‘Pure Edition’ available through Moto Maker in the US – should you buy it?

Motorola has apparently decided not to launch their Moto-Maker handset customisation service in Australia for the second time. Instead we’ll get versions with a Black Resin or Bamboo Wood Grain rear cover. Happily, there’s an option out there for those who want to get a Moto X (2014) with a fully customised experience and a range of options for the back which won’t make it to Australia.

Motorola has announced the Moto X ‘Pure Edition’ (XT1095), which will be sold as a T-Mobile handset in the US, but will effectively be able to operate on a variety of networks. The handset is sold outright from $499.99 (more if you want leather back etc), with a T-Mobile SIM, but that will essentially be fairly useless to you, but can you use it in Australia?

Well, yes – with a but!! Thanks to broad leaps in 3G Broadband radio technology, the phone will work on all 3G bands in Australia, so it will work as a 3G phone because the Moto X ‘Pure Edition’ (XT1095) supports 850,900,1700,1900 and 2100MHz 3G bands. The LTE however is where the ‘but’ comes in. The LTE bands listed for the Moto X ‘Pure Edition’ available in the US include :

• Band 02 – 1900MHz
• Band 04 – 1700MHz
• Band 17 – 700MHz (b/c)

So, with that, we’re kinda not happy in Australia, it will work as a 3G phone, but not on our LTE networks. But wait, Forum Manager ‘Matt’ from the Motorola forums has announced ‘We’re now planning to enable Bands 3, 5 and 7 on the Moto X Pure, via a software update’, although he followed this up with ‘I can’t confirm the timing right now, but I’ll share more about that when I know more’. So, when (that’s a very uncertain ‘When’) this update arrives, there will be more compatibility, including :

• Band 03 – 1800MHz
• Band 05 – 850MHz
• Band 07 – 2600MHz

The current LTE bands available in Australia include :

• Band 03 – 1800MHz (Telstra, Optus and Vodafone)
• Band 05 – 850MHz (Vodafone)
• Band 07 – 2600MHz (Optus 4G Plus network)
• Band 28 – 700MHz (Optus and Telstra – limited trials and launching Jan 2015)
• Band 40 – 2300 (Optus)

So as you can see, there’s some pretty good support depending on which carrier and which network you need.

Of course Motorola won’t ship a phone directly to you, so you’ll need to arrange to have it shipped to a shipping forwarder such as ComGateway or Shipito. There’s also the issue which many Australians encountered when attempting to purchase the Moto 360 directly from Motorola in that Australian credit cards weren’t accepted (although American Express seemed to work).

So, there’s some barriers, including the fact that the software has yet to happen (and may never, remember this is a forum member saying this), but it’s a possibility. There’s also warranty etc to think about – you may have to return your phone to Motorola US for any warranty work required.

Now, if your heart is set on a Moto X with Cognac coloured Leather back, White Front, Metallic Bronze trim or any such combination then the Moto X Pure Edition is actually a good choice. Head over to the Motorola US Site and see get making.

Edit:
As pointed out below by Fiddle Castro, when it arrives sometime at the end of this month or beginning of next, the Australian Moto X will support Bands: 1,3,7 & 8 which gives you:

• Band 01 – 2100MHz
• Band 03 – 1800MHz
• Band 07 – 2600MHz
• Band 08 – 900MHz

Who knows if additional bands will be opened by software update in the future.