Being Deployed to Germany - Can I Keep US T-Mobile Plan? - G1 General

Hey guys,
So I'm being deployed to Germany for 2 years, and I would like to know if I can keep my US T-Mobile service and use it over there. The dude at T-Mobile said that my G1 will not work in germany. He said I would have to get a new, German G1 and get a new service plan with the provider over there.
My phone is currently rooted and I use Cyanogen's roms. I have no idea who the provider is over there.
Guessing I would be roaming?
G1 not a world phone?
Would tethering still work?
Any information or help is greatly appreciated. I leave next Tuesday and need to get things squared away before I go.
Thanks!
EDIT: Maybe this needs to be moved to Q&A, my bad. If so, mod please move it. Sorry

lol the provider over there is T-Mobile.... they're a german company
as for the phone I think (but not 100%) it will work.
Your plan is with T-Mobile US and thus you will be in roaming when in Germany, will cost you a heck of a lot of money, would be cheaper to cancel it maybe?

T-Mobile originated in Germany.
A quick google search shows that T-Mobile 3G operates on the 1700/2100 frequency in both the US and in Germany. So looks like your phone will have all its features in both countries.

you can call tmobile and tell them that you are being deployed, and you may be able to suspend but as mentioned above, you will be roaming and it will cost a ton, you can get a prepaid sim with service in germany and get your phone unlocked? may be an option, check the carrier in germany's website and see if they say what radio bands they use.

thanks for the replies. The d-bag at the t-mobile kiosk is obviously unaware the history of the company he works for.
He did mention though that it would cost a ton to stay on my US plan and use the phone over there. He said it can be done if the phone is unlocked. I'm not sure what that means, but, like I said, it is rooted.
Also, I don't want to suspend my plan, cause I'll still get to use it a lot. I'm not going into combat, just a medical station in Heidelberg, so I'll have off duty hours and would like to use sms.
Maybe did he mean I'd have to carrier unlock it, like I did to my old Dash? I dunno...god I'm a noob.

d0m1n0 said:
thanks for the replies. The d-bag at the t-mobile kiosk is obviously unaware the history of the company he works for.
He did mention though that it would cost a ton to stay on my US plan and use the phone over there. He said it can be done if the phone is unlocked. I'm not sure what that means, but, like I said, it is rooted.
Also, I don't want to suspend my plan, cause I'll still get to use it a lot. I'm not going into combat, just a medical station in Heidelberg, so I'll have off duty hours and would like to use sms.
Maybe did he mean I'd have to carrier unlock it, like I did to my old Dash? I dunno...god I'm a noob.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you go to Germany and use a prepaid SIM, your phone will prompt you for the unlock code. Your phone comes locked to T-Mobile US, and SIM cards from any other providers (including T-Mobile Germany) will prompt for the unlock code.
You can get the unlock code by calling T-Mobile, if you've been a customer for longer than 90 days. As for root, it's unrelated to lock/unlock.

cigar3tte said:
When you go to Germany and use a prepaid SIM, your phone will prompt you for the unlock code. Your phone comes locked to T-Mobile US, and SIM cards from any other providers (including T-Mobile Germany) will prompt for the unlock code.
You can get the unlock code by calling T-Mobile, if you've been a customer for longer than 90 days. As for root, it's unrelated to lock/unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I understand. maybe I'll just get rid of the G1 plan and go back to my Dash, that's completely unlocked. Or maybe I'll just say F it and buy a new device when I get over there. Like I said, the only reason I'll be using it is for sms to my buddies, and an occasional call back to the US. But I might get an internet service for phone calls, I dunno.
I appreciate all the quick replies. I'll get it figured out. Probably just change to a German plan and get a new phone when I get there. Get a pretty good cost of living pay that I can buy a new phone with

d0m1n0 said:
Ok, I understand. maybe I'll just get rid of the G1 plan and go back to my Dash, that's completely unlocked. Or maybe I'll just say F it and buy a new device when I get over there. Like I said, the only reason I'll be using it is for sms to my buddies, and an occasional call back to the US. But I might get an internet service for phone calls, I dunno.
I appreciate all the quick replies. I'll get it figured out. Probably just change to a German plan and get a new phone when I get there. Get a pretty good cost of living pay that I can buy a new phone with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, keep your phone, it costs nothing but time to get it unlocked with T-Mobile, just tell them you need to use the phone overseas. I think it took 2 or 3 days to get the code after I made the request.

I agree. Tmobile unlocked my G1 when I traveled no problem. So call them and ask for an unlock code. Then just sign up with T-Mobile Germany when you get there. All will be well and you get to keep the g1

d0m1n0 said:
Hey guys,
So I'm being deployed to Germany for 2 years, and I would like to know if I can keep my US T-Mobile service and use it over there. The dude at T-Mobile said that my G1 will not work in germany. He said I would have to get a new, German G1 and get a new service plan with the provider over there.
My phone is currently rooted and I use Cyanogen's roms. I have no idea who the provider is over there.
Guessing I would be roaming?
G1 not a world phone?
Would tethering still work?
Any information or help is greatly appreciated. I leave next Tuesday and need to get things squared away before I go.
Thanks!
EDIT: Maybe this needs to be moved to Q&A, my bad. If so, mod please move it. Sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you move outside T-Mobile USA's calling area (out of the country counts) and you can show them you did (call 800-937-8997) they will let you pass on the early termination fee.
Just ask a customer care rep know what you need to provided them to show you moved out of their coverage area to get your ETF fee waved.
Also if you have had TMO for more then 90 days you can reqeust a SIM unlock code. I would do this before you cancel service...

Related

HTC Hero130 (Telus Version)

First off - I Private Messaged a couple of people about this, but realized that I should have just posted this in the forum. So, my apologies for anyone seeing this a second time.
I've been getting all sort of conflicting information about the Hero 130 (The Telus one) and which UMTS bands it supports.
Most of the information I see at places like PDADB says that it's UMTS enabled for 850/1900 only, which are the North American bands. FCC reports and the Telus user manual show testing for WCDMA (UMTS) 850/1900 only.
However, HTC's Canada Hero website (http://www.htc.com/ca/product/herotelus/specification.html) says "Dual Mode UMTS" and lists frequencies for US (850/1900), EU/Asia (900/2100) and Telstra (850/2100). Two HTC support techs from their website also confirm that the Hero 130 supports UMTS for US EU/Asia and Telstra, but it feels like they are just regurgitating information from the extremely vague website.
The device is a quad-band worldwide device. These are the bands the device is capable of using:
Europe/Asia
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (900/2100MHz for EU/Asia)
North America
850/1900
Telestra
850/2100
GSM/GPRS/EDGE (Quad-band 850/900/1800/1900Mhz)
If the bands you are needing are any of these then the device should work.
Kay
HTC Technical Support
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone with a HERO130 actually gone overseas and seen if you get UMTS/3G to work overseas - or has seen anything that conclusively and definitively proves if it does or does not work?
Thanks!
I'm wondering the same thing. I'd like to get the Telus one and use it here on AT&T 3g in the states... anyone know if that is possible?
The Telus version of the HTC Hero (aka HERO130 or A6265) definitely supports ATT's 3G bands. It's been confirmed via the FCC documentation as well that 850/2100 is supported. T-Mobile's 1700MHz is not supported.
My question is specifically in regards to the European/Asian (900/1900MHz) bands. HTC's confirmed that it does support by phone, but I'm still a little dubious. However, I'm ordering one and am going to give it a test!
Stay Tuned!
itpromike said:
I'm wondering the same thing. I'd like to get the Telus one and use it here on AT&T 3g in the states... anyone know if that is possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. It is possible. I've got the Telus Hero, unlocked and running on the Rogers network. HSDPA/3G works fine on Rogers. North American radio bands for 3G are supported with this hardware.
BlueHawk said:
Yes. It is possible. I've got the Telus Hero, unlocked and running on the Rogers network. HSDPA/3G works fine on Rogers. North American radio bands for 3G are supported with this hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! How difficult is the unlocking process?
I just thought about something. I'm used to the iPhone where you have to root your phone to unlock it for other carriers. Is the way it work with the HTC Hero and the like is that you just pay full price for the phone ($499) and it comes unlocked already? No tinkering needed?
itpromike said:
Awesome! How difficult is the unlocking process?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The unlocking process is not painful at all, but it costs you $20-25. When you insert a non-Telus sim into the device and power it up, it will tell you that you are using the wrong sim and ask you to enter the unlock code. The unlock code is specific to the IMEI of you phone, so they can't be shared. They can be purchased on eBay for slightly more than $20.
Note that you cannot unlock your phone by flashing a custom ROM. So unless you figured out the magic formula for generating these unlocking code (different for each device and different for each carrier), you have to pay for it one way or another.
tsekh501 said:
The unlocking process is not painful at all, but it costs you $20-25. When you insert a non-Telus sim into the device and power it up, it will tell you that you are using the wrong sim and ask you to enter the unlock code. The unlock code is specific to the IMEI of you phone, so they can't be shared. They can be purchased on eBay for slightly more than $20.
Note that you cannot unlock your phone by flashing a custom ROM. So unless you figured out the magic formula for generating these unlocking code (different for each device and different for each carrier), you have to pay for it one way or another.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I buy the full priced ($499) phone from Telus, then I have to buy the unlock code from Ebay? Hmm... I feel leery about buying something like this from Ebay. Is there an official channel I can buy an unlock code from?
itpromike said:
So I buy the full priced ($499) phone from Telus, then I have to buy the unlock code from Ebay? Hmm... I feel leery about buying something like this from Ebay. Is there an official channel I can buy an unlock code from?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I paid mine for the full price too, but this doesn't make the phone automatically unlocked. Telus enters an exclusive contract with HTC to be the sole carrier of this phone in Canada (at least for now), and they have every right to make sure that an average-joe, who knows nothing about unlocking, who wants this phone have to go to them, with or without contract. Exclusive dealings are extremely common in cell phone industry, and they are not free for the carrier.
I doubt Telus would unlock the phone for you. In the US, T-Mobile will unlock their phones for you a few months into the 2-year contract, may be Telus will do the same, if you signed a contract with them that is.
I just went to eBay and notice that there are now many sellers selling Telus Hero unlock code, and some are selling for as low as $13. I bought mine from a seller called cellfservices, it is not the cheapest but it worked (and it took them about an hour after the sales to send me the code).
mobileincanada.ca seems to be one that is very popular for unlocking, $20cdn, and they usually send unlock code very fast (within 5 minutes)
all right people.
I am here to bust the myth.
Telus hero does not have asian HSPA band.
I have two heros: GSM and Telus.
Tested location: Taiwan.
Telus hero with Taiwan sim card = GPRS only, no 3G connection.
GSM hero = 3G connection.
Telus hero does not have dual model 3G, period.
So which do I get for AT&T
Ok so I'd like one of these WITH 3G connection on AT&T so which one would I get to make this happen? I'm leaning toward the Telus model from what I've been reading but if anyone can confirm or deny this, that would be great. Also once I have it and it's been unlocked, then what do I tell AT&T? Just order a second line with a data plan? Won't they ask me what type of phone is this for or how should I do this?
itpromike said:
Ok so I'd like one of these WITH 3G connection on AT&T so which one would I get to make this happen? I'm leaning toward the Telus model from what I've been reading but if anyone can confirm or deny this, that would be great. Also once I have it and it's been unlocked, then what do I tell AT&T? Just order a second line with a data plan? Won't they ask me what type of phone is this for or how should I do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Telus Hero is the only current Hero model that will work with 3G/HSDPA in North America. The European Hero will only use Edge for Data - it doesn't support the North American radio bands. The Sprint model only supports CDMA.
Do you need a second line? Are you planning to run two cell phones? If not, just switch your current AT&T SIM into the Hero and get a data plan for that SIM/line.
I do plan on running a second line yes. I have an iPhone 3GS as my main phone and I am planning on using the Hero to play around with as my second phone. The hero is a decent phone and fun to flash and play around with etc... but I couldn't ever really use it as my main phone. I definitely couldn't give up my iPhone 3GS for an Android phone just yet there are still some refinements that Android as a mobile OS needs to undergo and still some refinements that HTC needs to bring to the SenseUI as well. I rely too heavily my phone and it doing what I need it to do as fast as possible. I did have the Sprint Hero for a month before I took it back, I just didn't like it... it was slow, laggy, and some of the things I wanted to do with the phone that I was just so used to doing on my iPhone either couldn't be done OR had to be done in a way that didn't make very much logical or design sense. I had a lot of those 'why can't I just press this to make it do that?' moments or 'why the heck would they put this menu under here?' moments. Anyhow with that being said, Hero and Android are still fun platforms to play with and flash and try different settings and home screens and different ROMS etc so I'm going to get another one but this time on AT&T so I can use voice and data at the same time (one of the things I hated about having the Hero on spring was the inability to use data and voice at the same time as well as how slow sprints data was compared to AT&T)... but I wouldn't want a phone that I flashed and played around with so much to be a phone I relied on for mission critical work.
So what's the best way of going about this? What type of line should I order from AT&T? What should I ask for when i call or go into the store to get another line? Any suggestions?
I just got my Telus Hero last week, and coming from a 3G iphone, this blows it away. Not sure about the 3GS as it is a faster processor..... Also better than the Tilt 2. Love it. Just waiting on Eclair to get Google Navigation and other goodies...
Broken said:
I just got my Telus Hero last week, and coming from a 3G iphone, this blows it away. Not sure about the 3GS as it is a faster processor..... Also better than the Tilt 2. Love it. Just waiting on Eclair to get Google Navigation and other goodies...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the iPhone 3G (I have both a 3G and 3Gs) and the Hero are pretty comparable. Browsing the web (which I do a lot) is faster on the 3G but the loading of applications etc... are pretty much the same. This is stock to stock so no modding on either phone. The scrolling on the 3G is much smoother than a stock Hero. I know that there are ROMS that make the device faster which is the only reason I'm even rethinking about getting one. The 3GS however is just no contest. But I've pretty much had all the fun I can out of the iPhone; not talking about the the apps as there are so many apps to choose from and a lot of them are awesome and fun to use, but with modding the phone itself and playing around with the OS etc I've done all I can do with the iPhone and want something new to play with...
itpromike said:
So what's the best way of going about this? What type of line should I order from AT&T? What should I ask for when i call or go into the store to get another line? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just tell them you have an existing phone so you want a new SIM and to purchase a plan for a smartphone (data and voice plan) - they can advise you on deals and packages then. The carrier should never care about the phone - it's not like they make money on it - they usually subsidize the manufacturer for a unit anyway, in a profit sharing deal. The only thing the carrier is really interested in is the data and voice carriage charges.
i would just tell them you want to add a line for regular phone with unlimited data. that way you dont have to pay extra for the smart phone data. unless of course its cheaper and you can just for like ten dollars make your smart phone data plan you have now a family unlimited
BlueHawk said:
Just tell them you have an existing phone so you want a new SIM and to purchase a plan for a smartphone (data and voice plan) - they can advise you on deals and packages then. The carrier should never care about the phone - it's not like they make money on it - they usually subsidize the manufacturer for a unit anyway, in a profit sharing deal. The only thing the carrier is really interested in is the data and voice carriage charges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would not be the best option. If you are going to add a line, figure out which phone they are giving away for free they you can get the biggest profit by flipping on eBay. Most likely the Solstice.
This way you can get away with the cheaper non-smart phone data plan and get about $200 back by selling the "free" phone they give you.
Can anyone confirm if the telus hero ships with the updated faster firmware? Thanks.

Explain locked vs. unlocked

Hi. I'm new to these devices and have a question regarding the 2 phone options. I come from the iphone. I have a factory unlocked iphone that I use a tmobile sim in. I ordered the nexus one with the plan today. My question is are these phones like iphones where the one through tmobile is locked to tmobile. In my situation att sucks. I would never use them and do not plan on switching carriers. And these phones won't work on any other carriers until the spring. So, I like tmobile and went that route. My iphone takes any sim so I can hopefully swap the tmobile one out. If I am wrong please let me know. Anyway, are the tmobile ones locked to them so popping in a att sim won't work or is the phone not locked and they just want the contract?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock
If you bought the phone at $180 with the Tmobile plan then it is locked, meaning you can only use it with Tmobile. After a certain period of time though, you can call tmobile and ask to unlock your phone and they will walk you through it.
A locked phone means you can only use it on the carrier's service you bought the phone from. An unlocked phone is a phone you can use on any carrier.
Locked and unlocked phones have to do with GSM phones or phones that take SIM cards like Tmobile and ATT. Verizon and Sprint use CDMA phones, which do not have SIM cards.
When buying an unlocked phone, you need to make sure the phone will be compatible with your wireless service's 3G band or you will be stuck using their slower data offerings.
I found this out the hard way back when I bought an unlocked Nokia n95 with my Tmobile service. The Nokia n95 operates on ATT's 3G frequency and not Tmobiles...I had super slow internet on tmo's EDGE network. Fail.
If you do buy a phone from a carrier and it is locked, you can unlock it by calling the phone carrier and telling them you want to unlock your phone. Most carriers allow you to do that after you've had your phone for a certain period of time.
Thanks for the reply. Looks to be locked to tmobile which is fine for my situation. Sorry to be such a bother, but do you think it will work in my unlocked iphone then. I just want to be able to switch the sim between my N1 and iphone. Thanks again.
fdxgnd said:
Thanks for the reply. Looks to be locked to tmobile which is fine for my situation. Sorry to be such a bother, but do you think it will work in my unlocked iphone then. I just want to be able to switch the sim between my N1 and iphone. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. You WILL be able to switch between GSM phones
That makes more sense to me. Also, my question is answered now. I don't mind tmobile as they are the premiere carrier here. Att doesn't even have 3g here and tmobile does. So, I made the right choice then. I wouldn't ever use an unlocked N1 on att for that reason. Now if it will work in my iphone life will be grand. Just to put this out there. I have no favorite software or phone. I usually get what works for what I need. I have far too many apps on my iphone to give it up. Probably upwards of $500 worth. I literally run my business on it. I am just sick of the fact that this phone was $1000 and I can't even do anything to it. I am making my way the android for that reason. Once the apps I do need come available bye bye iphone. Thanks for the great forum everyone and all willing to help out with answers. Much appreciated.
BTW. Ever try getting and iphone unlocked from apple or att. It would be easier to root the droid eris. Wife has one and I'm waiting. LOL
no if you get it for 180$ its STILL UNLOCKED!
see here:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Mobile/thread?tid=6864cbe91ce938f6&hl=en
Never realized how controlling apple was until that comment melterX12. I'm getting a phone that is not locked on a plan I do want.
very true... hence the subsidized pricing and what not. the phone is unlocked which is why you have to pay more for it if you want to break your contract before the *so many days...
i'm pretty sure thats a good hint as to it coming unlocked through the t-mobile offer
All my past ppc's have been unlocked. It the best way, and it going to now (thanks to google) be the wave of the future in the States!

T-Mobile G1 in Europe?

I live in the US and I have a trip planned to London, Paris and Rome in May. I own a T-mobile G1 and was wondering what my best option was for using my G1 in those cities. I know there are a lot of European users here on XDA so I was hoping somebody could give me some advise from experience. I do realize that the 3G won't work over there no matter what I do.
Thanks for any and all help!
NickPDX said:
I live in the US and I have a trip planned to London, Paris and Rome in May. I own a T-mobile G1 and was wondering what my best option was for using my G1 in those cities. I know there are a lot of European users here on XDA so I was hoping somebody could give me some advise from experience. I do realize that the 3G won't work over there no matter what I do.
Thanks for any and all help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3G should work fine. When you get there, buy a local prepaid simcard.
You need to unlock it first, call T-Mo and tell them what you just posted and they will give you the unlock code.
Your best bet for London (once you've got the phone unlocked) is a "pay as you go" sim from three. Just put £10 credit on it and you'll get a 150mb, 90day internet allowance. If you need to top it up again you get that allowance renewed every time.
Unless I am mistaking, the phone is rooted and is running a non stock rom, thus it is unlocked. I will look into the prepaid sim cards. Will I have to get a different one for each of the countries/cities?
@lbcoder: are you sure about the 3G? since this is a t-mobile phone I was under the impression that the bands it uses for 3G are only the N. American Bands and would only work over here.
Not unlocked for other networks, you need to get it unlocked to use other networks.
NickPDX said:
Unless I am mistaking, the phone is rooted and is running a non stock rom, thus it is unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sim unlock isn't the same thing as root.. You need a code from t-mobile for that. They'll give you one if you tell them what you've told us.
NickPDX said:
I will look into the prepaid sim cards. Will I have to get a different one for each of the countries/cities?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's going to be the cheapest way to do it.. You'll get brutally raped for roaming charges otherwise. In the UK the cards are usually free, you just have to buy the calling credit.
TMO will give you your SIM unlock code for free if your account has been paid up for 90 days or longer. They take up to 7 days. I had to get this from TMO via my American friend when I bought my G1 off him. There are places online where you can pay $25 or so and get an unlock code within hours. SIM unlock is not the same thing as root.
I'm also just about to go to Europe! Vodafone turned on global roaming for free (I just pay for calls) and they sells packs of roaming data, I got 25Mb for $50, which is way cheaper than their usual rate of $10 per 1Mb! For me this is easier than stuffing round with pre-paid SIM cards, changing number and whatever, I also don't know if a pre-paid SIM gives mobile data access? Give TMO a call and see what they offer.
I will turn off Sync and use DroidWall to make sure stuff doesn't update in the background and use all my allowance. It's really only to update Facebook to let people know I am still alive
Your G1 will most definitely work and use 3G in London. You can grab a T-Mo prepaid SIM from the multiple vending machines in the airport when you arrive in London, and swap it in and start using it immediately. I did exactly this at both Gatwick and Heathrow. Do like the other posters said and call T-Mobile in the US and get the unlock code before you fly. It's free that way. I did that too, and they are cool about it. It took about 24 hours after my request and it was emailed to me. The one thing that confused me at first was my G1 kept asking for a "SIM unlock code" or something like that after I had unlocked it using the T-Mobile code. Turns out it was a security setting that I could disable, to prevent someone from using the phone if they stole it. Two totally different "SIM unlocks". Now I know.

At&t sim unlock help

Is there any way I can sim unlock this phone without At&t? I got this phone as a birthday gift from my dad (who got it second hand from a friend) but when I try to unlock it for use with Sprint (I flashed the international ROM) I get something about not being able to unlock because the finances haven't been paid. Is there any way I can get past this? Or any way I can connect to Sprint either way? Or am I stuck with a bricked phone?
Have you tried a 3rd party unlocking service through Google or ebay? I think XDA maintained a list at one point...no idea if they still do.
You can try on a service like [URMod Edit
But, note that even if you unlock it, you will not be able to use it with a Sprint card because att devices are GSM whereas Sprint is a CDMA one.
GSM phones can be unlocked and switch carriers, whereas CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch CDMA phones with your carrier’s permission.
RossTeagan said:
You can try on a service like https://www.unlockunit.com/
But, note that even if you unlock it, you will not be able to use it with a Sprint card because att devices are GSM whereas Sprint is a CDMA one.
GSM phones can be unlocked and switch carriers, whereas CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch CDMA phones with your carrier’s permission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But are there any free services? I can pay but I mean it would be more convenient to have it done free
savagevegeta said:
But are there any free services? I can pay but I mean it would be more convenient to have it done free
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's always more convenient to have it for free. I would take that anytime! But I am not sure you can find any free services. And if you find any, they might be limited in their ability to unlock it.
The only free way I can imagine a free method is to try to 'hack' your device. But you must be tech savvy and know what your doing.
RossTeagan said:
It's always more convenient to have it for free. I would take that anytime! But I am not sure you can find any free services. And if you find any, they might be limited in their ability to unlock it.
The only free way I can imagine a free method is to try to 'hack' your device. But you must be tech savvy and know what your doing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm not willing to mess with this otherwise perfectly good S7! Do you know any cheaper yet functional services? I wouldn't want to throw the last bit of cash at scammers
savagevegeta said:
Yeah, I'm not willing to mess with this otherwise perfectly good S7! Do you know any cheaper yet functional services? I wouldn't want to throw the last bit of cash at scammers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hacking and playing with its software or OS is an option. Not the best one tho :laugh:
You can try on a service like the one I mentioned above. give it a try
RossTeagan said:
hacking and playing with its software or OS is an option. Not the best one tho :laugh:
You can try on a service like the one I mentioned above. give it a try
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe, but that service is 30 dollars. 30. For a phone my dad spent around 400 dollars for, I doubt he'd lend me the money for the service if it's 30... I'll search for one that's around 20 or 10, maybe a physical unlock service so I'm sure. Now, tell me more about playing with the OS. Do you think I can unlock it like that?
I don't know of any free ways to sim unlock.
savagevegeta said:
Now, tell me more about playing with the OS. Do you think I can unlock it like that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't get into technical details. But if you start playing with the OS without knowing what you're doing, you risk making your device unusable.
So, regardless of what unlocking service or repair service you use, make sure they are pros.
There's no free services other that having att unlock it themselves. And Att will only do it if your out of contract and fully paid up on you bill.
I recently just unlocked my att s7 a couple days ago using "Android Sim Unlock" for only 18.90. That was the cheapest i found and got my unlock code the next day(even though they said it can take up to 5 business days)
Worked perfectly. Im not using my att s7 with a tmobile sim card.
Phillyrider807 said:
There's no free services other that having att unlock it themselves. And Att will only do it if your out of contract and fully paid up on you bill.
I recently just unlocked my att s7 a couple days ago using "Android Sim Unlock" for only 18.90. That was the cheapest i found and got my unlock code the next day(even though they said it can take up to 5 business days)
Worked perfectly. Im not using my att s7 with a tmobile sim card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that a website? If you had success then looks like I can give it a try at least
RossTeagan said:
I can't get into technical details. But if you start playing with the OS without knowing what you're doing, you risk making your device unusable.
So, regardless of what unlocking service or repair service you use, make sure they are pros.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A remote unlock with a code is always your best bet.
andykit said:
A remote unlock with a code is always your best bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks bro. Even the best technical guys can screw up a phone's OS, and if you're not "familiar" of the complexity of the device. Leave it to the experts/websites who know what they are doing.
FWIW AT&T lets you use sim locked phones through MVNO carriers as long as they're on ATT's network. For instance a locked Galaxy S7 from ATT will work with Cricket Wireless, H20 etc, since they use ATT towers.

Desperate: Is there any way to unlock a blacklisted Samsung S7 from T-Mobile?

Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Blacklisted phone
victoriaa22 said:
Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be able to resell the phone with a *disclaimer* that it is blacklisted, I would recommend Swappa over Ebay though, (I got a really decent chunk of change for my Galaxy S Blaze that I sold on there), and then use the proceeds from that to acquire a phone that isn't stolen.
I got mine unlocked in a repair shop at gaffar market,delhi,india for rs 3200 inr and it was blacklisted on tmobile's website, when bought it was unlocked but after few days it automatically got locked to tmobile.
I mean to say if i can get it done in india you guys can also get it done in your countries.
You would have to do a firmware swap - which you could do yourself - you just won't be able to use it on that particular carrier, even via an MVNO on that carrier. My own S7 is ex-VZW (network locked); but I could take it to T-Mobile (and did) via firmware swap. My carrier (Tracfone) uses both VZW and T-Mobile towers ; while VZW was out, T-Mobile, however, works fine. If you sell the phone post-swap, include documentation that a firmware swap was done, so the buyer does not try to take it to T-M by mistake - some folks insist on following the labelling unless expressly told not to. (My S7 still has VZW labelling.)
PGHammer said:
You would have to do a firmware swap - which you could do yourself - you just won't be able to use it on that particular carrier, even via an MVNO on that carrier. My own S7 is ex-VZW (network locked); but I could take it to T-Mobile (and did) via firmware swap. My carrier (Tracfone) uses both VZW and T-Mobile towers ; while VZW was out, T-Mobile, however, works fine. If you sell the phone post-swap, include documentation that a firmware swap was done, so the buyer does not try to take it to T-M by mistake - some folks insist on following the labelling unless expressly told not to. (My S7 still has VZW labelling.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Indeed You Can
Anthonyx82x said:
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A blacklisted IMEI only affects the blacklisted carrier in question - it does not affect ALL carriers. (I cannot take my Snapdragon S7 to Verizon or that side of Tracfone due the IMEI being Verizon-blacklisted; however, it does not affect T-Mobile or the T-Mobile side of Tracfone - which is a separate network/carrier - which is why I was able to take the phone there.
. In your case, your Note 4 has a T-Mobile blacklisted IMEI; therefore, you can take it to AT&T Mobility, Verizon, the Verizon half of Tracfone, or Sprint - you simply need the apropos firmware and SIM. If the phone itself has T-Mobile labeling/branding, and you are trying to sell it, you should include documentation indicating what was done, and why (honesty). The biggest issue is sellers that DON'T do that (document what was done) or worse - don't do a firmware/ROM change for a phone with a blacklisted IMEI. So you can actually use it as a phone - you just can't take it to the original carrier.
victoriaa22 said:
Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try https://www.gsmzambia.com/.
You need a Windows PC with Teamviewer.
Anthonyx82x said:
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I am saying - that and a SIM from a carrier other than the one that blacklisted the IMEI - I took my own phone from VZW to T-Mobile (Tracfone supports both carrier networks). Because it was an internal swap (same MVNO), it cost me nothing.

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