Hello All,
Just recently came across a T8282 for sale, At a local thrift store of all places (lol).
Aside from some screen scratches (I assume these did not come with a factory protector/layer I can just peel off?) and missing the stylus + SIM card, But It works perfectly.
Anyway,
This is my first "Real" cell phone or "Modern" I guess you would say.
I've always used Prepaid service and Phones provided by the Prepaid Carrier, As has my family.
We all use Virgin Mobile, And I already have an established account with funds on it for them.
Also, They just added a very reasonable monthly Data Package Plan that seems to be the best deal around in prepaid.
Would there be any possible way to use Virgin Mobile Service with my new T8282?
I'm aware Virgin does not ussualy use SIM cards (or at all) in there phones, But, I've seen some Virgin Sim cards up for sale on auctions sites that appear to be available from outside the US.
Would I be able to make one of these "Foreign" SIM Cards work properly inside the US?
And if not~
What is a good Prepaid Service Provider that uses SIM cards I could switch over to?
I'm aware prepaid is not really the way to go with a phone like this, But I'm not really a hardcore user, And Non-Contract has always got me through just fine.
Sorry if this is in the wrong area.
Oh, And does this phone come already unlocked? Or will I need to do that also?
Bad news I'm afraid
The T8282 is a European GSM/UMTS handset and as such won't work on Virgin Mobile in the US (which uses the Sprint CDMA network)
You'll need to switch to a US carrier which uses GSM - AT&T and T-Mobile are the two big networks which do. In addition, you'll only get voice and GPRS data as the phone can't use the 3G frequences used in the US (the T8285 was the version with US bands)
Virgin Mobile is a global brand, but each country runs its network seperatly. You won't be able to pick up a SIM card and expect it to work on the US Virgin network.
As ther T8282 wasn't sold officially in the US, it will already have been unlocked if it has been used with a US network.
There's other people here which have used a T8282 in the US, it's worth searching the forums.
*Facedesk*
Thanks for all the info handsomedog.
I kinda figured Virgin wouldnt work out, But had to ask.
I dont mind switching Carriers as long as its a prepaid service, But did not count on the phone not being able to "Fully" function... That really sucks.
I've got a Sprint Samsung Epic 4G but I plan on doing some international travel next year (2012, and I don't know where yet). I've never had to figure out the phone situation before.
I have a business to run so I'll need voice, text, and data for checking email.
Is it easier just to buy an unlocked GSM Android-based phone and do the SIM swapping thing from country to country? How do I go about unlocking a phone? Will I be able to keep my old number? Or do I just go for an international phone that can do both GSM and CDMA?
Any recommendations?
*sigh*
If the GSM providers in the US weren't so crappy I wouldn't be having such a hard time, heh.
,
Thread moved to Q&A due to it being a question. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.
The only way you can keep your same phone number when traveling abroad is to keep using Sprint and then do international roaming. Unfortunately, that can be incredibly expensive, especially for data. For instance in many countries, Verizon charges up to $20.48 per megabyte!
If you buy an unlocked phone and get a prepaid sim in the country you are traveling, the local rates will be far cheaper than roaming with your carrier, but you will get another phone number with that new sim card. You may be able to activate call forwarding so the calls go from your Sprint number to your international sim card. I'm not sure of all the details on that, if there are extra costs, etc.
Sprint has a recent phone, the Motorola Photon that comes with a GSM radio so you could use Sprint's CDMA service here and then use a local sim when you travel abroad. That phone is unlocked for international sims, but locked to domestic sims such as from ATT and T-Mobile.
You can find most phones sold in Europe and elsewhere are unlocked from the start, but keep in mind you'd pay the off-contract price which can be $500+. If you want, maybe you will be eligible to upgrade to the Photon or a newer GSM+CDMA model next year for a contract price.
Also, Europe is strictly GSM. So even if you brought your CDMA-only Epic there, it would not work at all, not even for roaming.
I am not sure if operators allow call forwarding to international numbers .... It can be done only to local numbers no matter GSM or CDMA.
I suggest you purchase a pre paid GSM number and activate your call forwarding onto it and use the GSM number for international roaming. But as we all know DATA will cost you a BOM!
I remember losing some 10+ euros in Paris just by consuming some 300 KB data on a LOCAL SIM !
At the end what best i suggest is set up a voice mail on your sprint number and purchase a Uni Connect or Tricon card (both GSM) which works through Europe. You can then inform every one via your voice message about your new number for the duration of time you are roaming.
Hi guys.. So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 from Best Buy Mobile last month. I had to use sprint because at&t (my fav. carrier) would not finance me on the phone. I was told if I paid off the phone I could switch carriers. So that's what I did. Sprint even unlocked it. Now people are telling me I can't use this certain phone on at&t, or even verizon because it is a cdma phone. No one told me this when buying the phone.
Is it true that I am stuck with sprint?! I have horrible coverage in my area and I can't even use the internet and such unless I'm on a wireless connection. What can I do? Please help!
Did you try putting in a non sprint sim?
If it is SIM unlocked, just flash the unlocked (G950U1) firmware on it.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/how-to/snap-guide-flashing-standard-fw-carrier-t3625817
KARVEGA79 said:
Hi guys.. So I bought a Samsung Galaxy S8 from Best Buy Mobile last month. I had to use sprint because at&t (my fav. carrier) would not finance me on the phone. I was told if I paid off the phone I could switch carriers. So that's what I did. Sprint even unlocked it. Now people are telling me I can't use this certain phone on at&t, or even verizon because it is a cdma phone. No one told me this when buying the phone.
Is it true that I am stuck with sprint?! I have horrible coverage in my area and I can't even use the internet and such unless I'm on a wireless connection. What can I do? Please help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the Sprint unlocked your phone, then it won't hurt inserting another sim in it. Theoretically speaking it should work and if it won't, then flashing is another way of making it work.
KARVEGA79 said:
Now people are telling me I can't use this certain phone on at&t, or even verizon because it is a cdma phone. No one told me this when buying the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who are these ignorant people telling you this and why are you listening to them?
1) Verizon also uses CDMA, so having CDMA is the reason it WOULD work with Verizon.
2) All the carriers in the U.S. get the same phone. All the bands needed for a specific carrier are activated when the SIM card is installed. The only reason it wouldn't work is if Sprint had not unlocked the phone after you paid it off. It would be locked to Sprint to prevent you from not honoring the purchase agreement. And even then it would be blacklisted on Sprint network, if you didn't honor the purchase agreement.
3) if inserting the SIM card for another carrier doesn't automatically change the firmware, then do what this guy said:
lancemoreland said:
If it is SIM unlocked, just flash the unlocked (G950U1) firmware on it.
Guide for Flashing Standard Firmware, Carrier Switching, and Flashing Unlocked Firmware
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/how-to/snap-guide-flashing-standard-fw-carrier-t3625817
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint, at&t and even verizon said my phone wasn't compatible even after I told them sprint unlocked it. I had no idea about all this cdma, gsm crap when buying the phone. I have never had a decent phone like an S8. All my phones have been cheap prepaid phones since now due to the fact no one would ever finance me for one. I was SOO freakin surprised and happy when someone actually agreed to finance me, I figured I could pay off the phone and then switch. After paying off the phone is when these companies said it was incompatible. Weird thing is I went to IMEI.info and it says it IS compatible and IS unlocked for sure. I then went to at&t online and after typing in my imei number it also said it was compatible. I'm so confused. I am going to take it up to at&t tomorrow and see what happens when I buy and insert a sim card. If it turns out to be sim locked is there a way to bypass this? I truly have paid the phone off and after doing so I asked sprint (on the phone) to sim unlock it, they said they did.
Please do not listen to the idiots at the mobile companies. There is ZERO difference in the S8, ZERO!!!!! If It's not sim locked it will work on ALL carriers, both cdma and gsm.
If It's still sim locked, some people have had success paying a third party to provide a code. But I would try sprint first since They said it should be unlocked.
My guess is that it will work fine with another sim card.
I would either flash the att firmware or the unlocked firmware on it.
Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
Should I flash the att firmware before inserting the sim or only if the sim does not work? Also is there a way and should I back up my sprint firmware or should I be ok? Thanks.
KARVEGA79 said:
Should I flash the att firmware before inserting the sim or only if the sim does not work? Also is there a way and should I back up my sprint firmware or should I be ok? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would flash the unlocked firmware on the phone. Will get rid of bloatware. No reason to backup sprint firmware, Its everywhere.
Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
ChazzMatt said:
Who are these ignorant people telling you this and why are you listening to them?
1) Verizon also uses CDMA, so having CDMA is the reason it WOULD work with Verizon.
2) All the carriers in the U.S. get the same phone. All the bands needed for a specific carrier are activated when the SIM card is installed. The only reason it wouldn't work is if Sprint had not unlocked the phone after you paid it off. It would be locked to Sprint to prevent you from not honoring the purchase agreement. And even then it would be blacklisted on Sprint network, if you didn't honor the purchase agreement.
3) if inserting the SIM card for another carrier doesn't automatically change the firmware, then do what this guy said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It says this guide is only for snapdragon S8's I have an exynos S8. Is there another guide for that one? Nevermind, IMEI.info said I has an exynos, I guess it was wrong info. CPU-Z says it's a snapdragon 835. I'm assuming the CPU-Z info is the correct info?
KARVEGA79 said:
It says this guide is only for snapdragon S8's I have an exynos S8. Is there another guide for that one? Nevermind, IMEI.info said I has an exynos, I guess it was wrong info. CPU-Z says it's a snapdragon 835. I'm assuming the CPU-Z info is the correct info?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You said you purchased that phone from Sprint directly. It's a snapdragon. Exynos is in the international version, which Sprint does not sell.
rkennison said:
You said you purchased that phone from Sprint directly. It's a snapdragon. Exynos is in the international version, which Sprint does not sell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased it from Best Buy Mobile, had to sign with sprint because no other carrier would finance me.
KARVEGA79 said:
It says this guide is only for snapdragon S8's I have an exynos S8. Is there another guide for that one? Nevermind, IMEI.info said I has an exynos, I guess it was wrong info. CPU-Z says it's a snapdragon 835. I'm assuming the CPU-Z info is the correct info?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you bought it from Sprint (or even just used it on Sprint), then you have a Snapdragon 835 S8. Only the Snapdragon variants have CDMA bands for Sprint and Verizon. Only the Snapdragon S8/S8+ variants are sold by carriers in North America -- so they can be cross compatible with Sprint/Verizon/AT&T/T-mobile/Canadian carriers. That's why whoever told you this nonsense is so ignorant.
If you had IMPORTED an Exynos variant from like England, then you would be limited to AT&T or T-mobile. But you have the "universal" Snapdragon model. Now the Exynos variant has an easily unlocked bootloader, which is a reason people import them, but that's another topic altogether.
As long as your Snapdragon 835 S8 is SIM unlocked (you have paid for it in full, and Sprint says they have unlocked it), you can take it to any other carrier or even an MVNO (like Straight Talk) and use it.
---------- Post added at 08:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 AM ----------
KARVEGA79 said:
I purchased it from Best Buy Mobile, had to sign with sprint because no other carrier would finance me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you used it on Sprint, you have Snapdragon 835. Only the Snapdragon S8/S8+ variants have CDMA bands for Sprint and Verizon, in addition to LTE bands.
---------- Post added at 08:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:04 AM ----------
KARVEGA79 said:
Should I flash the att firmware before inserting the sim or only if the sim does not work? Also is there a way and should I back up my sprint firmware or should I be ok? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thor2j said:
Please do not listen to the idiots at the mobile companies. There is ZERO difference in the S8, ZERO!!!!! If It's not sim locked it will work on ALL carriers, both cdma and gsm.
If It's still sim locked, some people have had success paying a third party to provide a code. But I would try sprint first since They said it should be unlocked.
My guess is that it will work fine with another sim card.
I would either flash the att firmware or the unlocked firmware on it.
Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you phone is paid off, when you go to AT&T, try AT&T Prepaid (formerly called GoPhone). It's really for people who already own their phones.
Same high speed data off the same low-lag data servers used by "contract"/postpaid AT&T customers (with one exception, which I'll warn you about),
same in-store AT&T customer service as contract/postpaid AT&T customers,
same AT&T SIM card as contract/pospaid service. (The store may have SIM cards labelled "AT&T Prepaid", but underneath it's the same AT&T SIM card. If they try to charge you for one, tell them you want the FREE AT&T SIM card. It's the exact same thing.)
Make sure you go to an AT&T corporate store, not a "franchise" store. At the AT&T corporate store they will even give you free AT&T SIM card to use for AT&T Prepaid. (Franchise stores will try to sell you SIM cards.)
The advantage is AT&T Prepaid is much less expensive service than "postpaid" AT&T (contract service). Since you already own your phone in full, all you need to pay for is monthly service. You don't need to pay extra each month so you can get a "free" upgrade to a new phone in 2 or 3 years. (Not free, you are really paying for it with extra fees each month.)
You would want the $45/6GB plan on AT&T Prepaid. Do not fall for the $60 "unlimited" plan. The $45/6GB plan gives you plenty of UNCAPPED high speed data/unlimited calls/unlimited texts. Whereas the $60 plan caps your data speeds at 3mbps to compensate for it being "unlimited". AT&T Prepaid uses same data servers as their AT&T postpaid customers and I get ping speeds often less than 30ms, most often 26-29ms, which is fantastic low lag speed. (Lower pings are better, lower ping speed = less lag). If you go to even a service like Cricket (owned by AT&T, but you won't see any AT&T logos anywhere), they use proxy server farms and you often get triple digit ping speeds (high lag). This is also why Cricket has to use a DIFFERENT SIM card from regular AT&T. Higher ping speeds make it seems like your download speeds are much slower than they are.. due to LAG. Plus Cricket caps ALL download speeds at 8mbps. Until AT&T Prepaid (formerly called GoPhone) introduced their $60 "unlimited" plan, ALL their plans were uncapped high speed data. They didn't cap download speed at all. But now they have started capping speeds with the $60 "unlimited" plan. So STAY AWAY FROM THAT.
With the $45/6GB plan, if you autopay each month, you can save $5 and only pay $40 per month. So, $40 per month for 6GB data, with UNCAPPED low lag data straight from AT&T. Don't let them charge you for a SIM card! AT&T Prepaid uses the exact same SIM card as "regular' AT&T.
If you decide you don't like it, for whatever reason, you can switch to "regular" postpaid AT&T. But since I always pay for our phones in full, I like to save on monthly service. Although there are tons of MNVOs with prepaid service, they all use proxy servers with high lag (high ping speeds). Even AT&T's own Cricket is configured as an MVNO, to compete with MNVOs like Straight Talk. But AT&T Prepaid is not. It's "pure" AT&T, but at budget prices -- which AT&T uses to compete with actual carriers like T-mobile and Sprint.
You can "bring your own phone" , which in this case is your fully paid for Galaxy S8.
How do I know which ones are the corporate stores and which are the franchise stores? I'm looking at the St. Louis map now. Some say at&t authorized retailer and then some just say at&t.
I have a sprint model and I unlocked it.
It works with T-Mobile and gets LTE
It works with att and gets LTE
It works with Verizon my current carrier now and also gets LTE
Highly recommend flashing the unlocked software if you go this route the sprint software with non sprint SIM cards is very annoying.
Sheon849 said:
I have a sprint model and I unlocked it.
It works with T-Mobile and gets LTE
It works with att and gets LTE
It works with Verizon my current carrier now and also gets LTE
Highly recommend flashing the unlocked software if you go this route the sprint software with non sprint SIM cards is very annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It worked! Thank GOD! In my room now I get -90/-100 with att and had -100/-125 with sprint. It is using HSPA and I can't find LTE on here to switch over. It stays on 3g, it never goes to 4g or LTE, how can I fix that?
So please tell me what I need to do to delete the sprint crap on here and put att on it. Thanks guys.
Not being rude, but you've been told many times on here What to do , reread the posts.
Follow the directions, we can't spoon feed every little thing.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3625817
Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
Ok, so I want to do the prerequisites - check.
Then just do the carrier switching part and I'm done right?
Do I do all this with the sim card installed or not installed?
Sorry, this is my first time doing this.
Ok, I did what the guide said. During the flashing standard firmware part after clicking start is said FAIL! SHA256 is invalid. I ended up going back into ADB, rebooting and trying a different att firmware download and now the phone works. Weird thing is, I don't see alot of the apps that I had on an old phone with go phone and 4g LTE is not working, it's not even an option. What should I do if I want to wipe clean the phone to stock samsung android, not stock sprint as I bought it. Then I could insert the new go phone sim and it will install those apps and turn on 4g LTE? I'm learning guys, slowly but surely. I love this kinda stuff, so please bear with me here.
KARVEGA79 said:
How do I know which ones are the corporate stores and which are the franchise stores? I'm looking at the St. Louis map now. Some say at&t authorized retailer and then some just say at&t.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.att.com/maps/store-locator.html
Authorized retailers are code for "franchise stores". They are not owned by AT&T nor run by AT&T. They do not have actual AT&T employees and they will nickel and dime you for every little item, like SIM cards. Whereas "corporate" AT&T stores will give you free AT&T SIM cards.
When AT&T Prepaid was called GoPhone, event the AT&T stores sold a GoPhone SIM card "kit" that had various sizes SIM cards with plastic shims for $15 -- which was totally unnecessary. I just told them, "NO, I want a FREE AT&T SIM card which fits my phone." And at the corporate stores they have to give it to you. AT&T and AT&T Prepaid (formerly branded as GoPhone) uses the EXACT same SIM cards. It's just they had some "labelled" as GoPhone but underneath it was the exact same thing.
3or 4 years ago, I had a friend buy a brand new Samsung Galaxy phone "on contract" INSIDE an AT&T corporate store, then immediately paid it off with his credit card, and switched to GoPhone -- all in the same visit -- and they did NOT even touch his AT&T SIM card inside his phone. It's just an internal AT&T accounting change. Now GoPhone has been re-branded as AT&T Prepaid to make it less confusing.