V20 990ds in the UK - LG V20 Questions & Answers

Hi all,
Just acquired my V20 and its the 990DS variant with a TWN build on it.
Only question I have is, can I even get a EUR build for it, a UK build? I want stock but can't seem to find anything.
Also, is there any downside to using a TWN based Rom in the UK?
TIA

Hi, congrats on a great choice of a phone! I just got mine too; eglobalcentral's delivery times should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt
Mine has a TWN ROM.
the V20 has never been sold in the UK, so you'll not find a UK-specific one, with or without carrier branding.
the first thing I'll be doing is rooting/bootloader-unlocking my phone, and then I'll be looking for an EU variant ROM. However, I don't think it will matter too much the 990DS is clearly designed to be a true international phone, as it seems to have a very good selection of frequency bands.
I've not had much chance to play with it, but so far I've not had any problems with any non-English menus or apps. There again, I tend to avoid using branded apps, as I don't want my data stuck in proprietary apps which I can't migrate between phones.

I'm also in the UK and using the same model. I'm on stock for now, I flashed the Singapore firmware a while ago as the Taiwan model was on outdated Security Patches but went back to the Taiwan image when that was updated. I'm counting down the days for the Lineage tree to be updated to support our variant now that the bootloader unlock has been achieved.

Thanks for the quick replies. Eglobal central delivery time was excellent for me. 4 days in total I think.
So far so good for me, granted I've only been using it for about 6 hours!
I came from a blackberry keyone before this and a pixel before that. I've had my fair share of top shelf android phones and often end up rooting and flashing other custom roms but I've got to the point now where I wanna stock with stock for the most part.
I wonder how the wide angle lenses works in third party apps, as that feature appeals to me quite a bit.
I must say I'm quite impressed with LGs launcher, last time I experienced it it was on a lg g2 and its certainly come on a long way.
In intrigued to see if the battery is fairly good but that said, doesnt matter anyway as we can carry a spare!
As the price on Eglobal for the v20 and g6 was like £70 difference I was a little torn, but i have missed having an IR blaster for a long time (cue my childish moments in restaurants turning their tv's off).
Ill have to keep an eye out for lineage as the read up seems good!

Hello.
Just wondering does the 5GHz wi-fi work for you?
Got mine recently and it wouldn't see any %Hz signals as all.
If it does work perfectly then who is it that you brought it from, the exact one please as I see a fair few on there?
Thanks Ben

I tend to stick to mostly stock ROMs but rooted - so I can backup with Titanium/Root, and also if needed tweak build.props etc, or run Xposed.
I just finished rooting my phone. worth paying emdroidle $20+ for that.
@Madbullbenen I got 5GHz working on mine, all I know is that it worked this afternoon after I'd transferred over my SIM, before I rooted.

Alright thanks. I've had 2 replacements of the phone and both had the issue.

Madbullben said:
Hello.
Just wondering does the 5GHz wi-fi work for you?
Got mine recently and it wouldn't see any %Hz signals as all.
If it does work perfectly then who is it that you brought it from, the exact one please as I see a fair few on there?
Thanks Ben
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont have a 5ghz router i'm afraid so unable to test..

Just got my LG V20 9990 DS from a seller on UK ebay.
5GHz works fine for me on stock rom.

jacko5 said:
Just got my LG V20 9990 DS from a seller on UK ebay.
5GHz works fine for me on stock rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks guys for working out what I was saying lol, didn't realize I held down the shift button when pressing the 5 button.
Just wondering who did you buy it from? I managed to get mine working like the other person did by inserting a sim card, but unfortunately it was a lot slower than what it should have been and is a really inconstant as well.
Mine goes from anywhere between 25 to 70 average is around 30-40 and that's within a few minutes of each other, while my other devices get a constant speed of 120 or 200. My internet speed is 200 so only getting 30-40 on average is a bit frustrating.
Thanks Ben

Ben,
I got mine from here,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LG-V20-H9...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Took 4 days to arrive from Ireland to Cornwall.
We have 72mb broadband and i tested wifi on my LG V20 5GHz and it runs at 68mb.
Also got these yesterday, they fit the LG V20 perfectly, no bubbles etc and covers the full screen.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/2-Pack-Pro...9137598&sr=8-7&keywords=lg+v20+tempered+glass

Related

New update from EE UK but still no MM.

Just received this OTA - v10m-234-30... I'm wondering what the hold off is for releasing MM. I'm really not the fussed as I've tried all available Mm firmware but always come back to LP. I just feel it has less bugs and much better battery. I will post an update to this release in a few days.
Received and OTA - V10l
It's 394.71 MB
I was expecting an MM update.
Can you sniff the KDZ using the instructions I put here? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64612430&postcount=4
It's so that those of us who bought a European unlocked G4 can use the EE wifi calling.
sniff kdz please
Smells good.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
I've tried but doesn't come up with any thing regarding update link, may only work when there is an available update but because i've already installed it, its saying I'm up to date...sorry pal.
I do love the G4 and I know most people probably think this is crazy so late in the game and with the G5 or V10 just around the corner but I ditched my EE branded G4, sold it.. and used what cash I had to put towards a new Unbranded one. Heres why:
I felt the EE bloat and bootloader were causing issues.. Where I live in Newcastle UK, I would get 1 or 2 bars 4G signal on my EE branded G4.. my Unbranded G4 a constant 3-5 bars, My Wifi, would often drop out on EE. now is solid, even on my old 54g extender. Sometimes I would recieve a txt to say Ide missed a call.. but the phone hadnt rang at all (that could be EE though), very rarely when someone called me.. the EE G4 would ring as normal but say "dialer has stopped working" then cancel the call and EE G4 would sometimes crash as well.... and to top it off when I was in my EE store a few weeks a go.. the sales guy said.. EE UK are no longer supporting the G4.. as all their units come from another EU country and they do not have certain bands that the UK use..
However, my new G4 is one of the newer hardware Region: GBR v1.1 S/N: 511 builds.. and its running really great under MM v20d, LG seem to have (so far) sorted the battery issues and app crashes..
Just a Tip folks
I picked mine up from ARGOS on my Argos store card and got it on 12 months interest free in the Argos SALE at £340 so Ive sold my EE G4 to Grainger Games or wherever for £150..
So Im very pleased with it as its running alot better... Ill Never buy a branded device.
NightOrchid said:
I do love the G4 and I know most people probably think this is crazy so late in the game and with the G5 or V10 just around the corner but I ditched my EE branded G4, sold it.. and used what cash I had to put towards a new Unbranded one. Heres why:
I felt the EE bloat and bootloader were causing issues.. Where I live in Newcastle UK, I would get 1 or 2 bars 4G signal on my EE branded G4.. my Unbranded G4 a constant 3-5 bars, My Wifi, would often drop out on EE. now is solid, even on my old 54g extender. Sometimes I would recieve a txt to say Ide missed a call.. but the phone hadnt rang at all (that could be EE though), very rarely when someone called me.. the EE G4 would ring as normal but say "dialer has stopped working" then cancel the call and EE G4 would sometimes crash as well.... and to top it off when I was in my EE store a few weeks a go.. the sales guy said.. EE UK are no longer supporting the G4.. as all their units come from another EU country and they do not have certain bands that the UK use..
However, my new G4 is one of the newer hardware Region: GBR v1.1 S/N: 511 builds.. and its running really great under MM v20d, LG seem to have (so far) sorted the battery issues and app crashes..
Just a Tip folks
I picked mine up from ARGOS on my Argos store card and got it on 12 months interest free in the Argos SALE at £340 so Ive sold my EE G4 to Grainger Games or wherever for £150..
So Im very pleased with it as its running alot better... Ill Never buy a branded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just bought my red leather from Vodafone for £225 and unlocked for £2.99 on ebay. It's standard 815 eu model.
cupidstunt said:
Just bought my red leather from Vodafone for £225 and unlocked for £2.99 on ebay. It's standard 815 eu model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice.. that was actually a good move because VODA tend use British deivces and they update them on a regualr basis and are uptodate with Firmwares.. but for some reason.. EE are really bad. Ive been with them for a year now and had a few EE branded phones which Ive bought pre-owned from ebay, Grainger Games, CEX.. etc.. and for some reason.. theyve all had a few things in common.. terrible 3G / 4G reception. and awful Wifi issues.. even on my old Lumia 930.. and they take weeks to release an update.
Check the Ident sticker on the end of the box of your G4. (IMEI, S/N... etc). My phone actually says "GBR" Great Britian.. and I know this because the Radio / Cell / GPS reception is great, so Im not sure where EE got theirs from
NightOrchid said:
I do love the G4 and I know most people probably think this is crazy so late in the game and with the G5 or V10 just around the corner but I ditched my EE branded G4, sold it.. and used what cash I had to put towards a new Unbranded one. Heres why:
I felt the EE bloat and bootloader were causing issues.. Where I live in Newcastle UK, I would get 1 or 2 bars 4G signal on my EE branded G4.. my Unbranded G4 a constant 3-5 bars, My Wifi, would often drop out on EE. now is solid, even on my old 54g extender. Sometimes I would recieve a txt to say Ide missed a call.. but the phone hadnt rang at all (that could be EE though), very rarely when someone called me.. the EE G4 would ring as normal but say "dialer has stopped working" then cancel the call and EE G4 would sometimes crash as well.... and to top it off when I was in my EE store a few weeks a go.. the sales guy said.. EE UK are no longer supporting the G4.. as all their units come from another EU country and they do not have certain bands that the UK use..
However, my new G4 is one of the newer hardware Region: GBR v1.1 S/N: 511 builds.. and its running really great under MM v20d, LG seem to have (so far) sorted the battery issues and app crashes..
Just a Tip folks
I picked mine up from ARGOS on my Argos store card and got it on 12 months interest free in the Argos SALE at £340 so Ive sold my EE G4 to Grainger Games or wherever for £150..
So Im very pleased with it as its running alot better... Ill Never buy a branded device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is good to know, I'm on EE and have just purchased a G4 from Amazon which comes today, I'm coming from the Dark Side (iPhone 6S Plus) back to Android.
My main concern was losing WiFi Calling but after reading your post I feel I won't have an issue.
It's also my first LG device, I can't wait to get it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
maverick1103 said:
This is good to know, I'm on EE and have just purchased a G4 from Amazon which comes today, I'm coming from the Dark Side (iPhone 6S Plus) back to Android.
My main concern was losing WiFi Calling but after reading your post I feel I won't have an issue.
It's also my first LG device, I can't wait to get it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash an EE rom and you'll get EE Wifi Calling on any H815, the only problem is they're always many months behind and still don't have 6.0.
Hopefully someone will figure out a way to port the Wifi Calling settings into other roms.
srw985 said:
Flash an EE rom and you'll get EE Wifi Calling on any H815, the only problem is they're always many months behind and still don't have 6.0.
Hopefully someone will figure out a way to port the Wifi Calling settings into other roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's what I was contemplating on doing, though I think I'll see what the signal is like first on stock rom for now.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
link
Hey guys. I got a H815, EE variant, and I'm so pissed off because still no 6.0 update, even the bootloader is non-unlockable. :/
Any news about the MM OTA update, or how to "convert" and EE to non-EE, or anyway to manually install official MM (or even custom)?
Thanks in advance.
tupacan said:
Hey guys. I got a H815, EE variant, and I'm so pissed off because still no 6.0 update, even the bootloader is non-unlockable. :/
Any news about the MM OTA update, or how to "convert" and EE to non-EE, or anyway to manually install official MM (or even custom)?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure that your bootloader is not-unlockable? Check This!
I really didn't know that people still bought carrier locked/contract phones anymore in the UK. I stopped doing that well over 10 years ago. Fancy that.
lept_2014 said:
Are you sure that your bootloader is not-unlockable? Check This!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just tried and it worked. Bootloader unlocked, thanks.
daglesj said:
I really didn't know that people still bought carrier locked/contract phones anymore in the UK. I stopped doing that well over 10 years ago. Fancy that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not carrier locked or branded. I'm not sure, but i guess it's just bought from EE and they delivered it with their software.
I bought it from a local private store, which only resell the phone.
Anyway, I have another question. Can I now flash an EU non-branded official firmware and get all the official updates? And, which custom rom do you recommend? I see the Genisys one is most popular..
Thanks in advance.
LG Bridge showing new update now for EE branded G4
download link:
Code:
http://pkg03.lime.gdms.lge.com/dn/downloader.dev?fileKey=FW62O17552O4A1O48C04757/H81520a_00_0321.kdz&e=1460422983&h=bd3ca0110096f45a408cabbd263e73c2
Yup I can now confirm that Android 6 Marshmellow has been released OTA for UK EE.
Bout blooming time.
awes0me1 said:
Yup I can now confirm that Android 6 Marshmellow has been released OTA for UK EE.
Bout blooming time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you using it? if so how it is, worth upgrading?
i used MM on International G4 and though battery was worse than on 5.1

UK Users Thread

Figured it would be nice for all us Brits to have a thread discussing how the U11 is on UK networks.
EE - VoLTE and WIFI Calling work out of the box on unlocked model from Very.co.uk
got mine from Carphone Warehouse on an EE contract and although unlocked it did have WiFI calling enabled, although in theory , this should not be the case as its not EE branded. Not complaining though I do not know how VoLTE works so i don't know how to check it. Might be the case that all unlocked UK CID models can support wifi calling, regardless of carrier branding. So nordic or others might not be able to do that.
Only gripe , and I have created a separate thread for that, is that Galileo support is not enabled on my phone which is strange and kinda stupid.
mclnnm said:
got mine from Carphone Warehouse on an EE contract and although unlocked it did have WiFI calling enabled, although in theory , this should not be the case as its not EE branded. Not complaining though I do not know how VoLTE works so i don't know how to check it. Might be the case that all unlocked UK CID models can support wifi calling, regardless of carrier branding. So nordic or others might not be able to do that.
Only gripe , and I have created a separate thread for that, is that Galileo support is not enabled on my phone which is strange and kinda stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ring someone (or 150). If your phone stays on 4g you have VoLTE.
Hi guys,
Do you think it's worth an upgrade over the HTC 10 which is my current driver? I have joined HTC Club and the price has dropped to £584 via HTC website which is very tempting...
wilpang said:
Hi guys,
Do you think it's worth an upgrade over the HTC 10 which is my current driver? I have joined HTC Club and the price has dropped to £584 via HTC website which is very tempting...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmmm I probably would. Better everything apart from audio volume from headphones.
The only concern is the durability and smashing if I manage to drop it especially after coming from the HTC 1 0 all metal. I'll see how the Oneplus 5 does as that is also very tempting.
I have a u11 coming from O2 but unlocked. I use it with EE but I can't find a way to have 4g calling and Wi-Fi calling.
Someone could help?
Sounds like it probably has O2 firmware on it which means you're SOL for the time being until S-OFF arrives.
My device is unlocked unbranded stock firmware and 4g VoLTE calling and WiFi calling worked from day one. The phone actually asked if I wished to enable them.
Do you have the option in settings for WiFi calling (4g calling is in phone settings).
I'm on O2. You have to request it through the O2 app. Scroll down to 'Device details' and you will see Wifi and 4G calling. Click on it and it will send a request to O2, takes 24 hours.
wilpang said:
Hi guys,
Do you think it's worth an upgrade over the HTC 10 which is my current driver? I have joined HTC Club and the price has dropped to £584 via HTC website which is very tempting...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I did as my 10 still in contract with Vodafone for a year more but I really wanted an upgraded. Loving the u11 so far it has fixed the issues I had with my 10 like bad wifi/mobile signal problems with Bluetooth to my car system (weird micro cuts every so often)
The first device I got was faulty rebooted/shut down all the time couldn't even get through the setup wizard, got a refund and ordered a new one that is now working great.
Do wish Vodafone would enable WiFi and 4G calling but heck knows when/if that will happen unless you have a business account which I believe have it.
Edit: Seems vodafone does have this option now, can be enabled from your account it seems.
The single SIM model sold directly by the HTC has the LTE Cat. 16 modem?
Roberti3 said:
The single SIM model sold directly by the HTC has the LTE Cat. 16 modem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cat. 16 downlink, uplink limited to Cat. 15.
Has anyone in the UK single sim received the Oreo update yet?
I am with EE , CID EVE__001 and still on Nougat 7.1.1 and firmware 1.27.91.10 with security patch October.
I am a bit disappointed by their lack of updates and support regarding updates.
Dannyboy525 said:
Has anyone in the UK single sim received the Oreo update yet?
I am with EE , CID EVE__001 and still on Nougat 7.1.1 and firmware 1.27.91.10 with security patch October.
I am a bit disappointed by their lack of updates and support regarding updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Oreo update was released today. Currently having trouble updating mine, it downloads the update but then reboots into TWRP recovery then can't go any futher.
You have to return to stock before updating via OTA, with stock firmware, no root etc.
Bootloader can stay unlocked though.
grentuu said:
I'm on O2. You have to request it through the O2 app. Scroll down to 'Device details' and you will see Wifi and 4G calling. Click on it and it will send a request to O2, takes 24 hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did this actually work? o2 say that the only compatible devices are iPhone's, Samsung's and some Sony's.
marko68 said:
I have a u11 coming from O2 but unlocked. I use it with EE but I can't find a way to have 4g calling and Wi-Fi calling.
Someone could help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you ever get this to work?
I'm happy with the phone apart from 2 issues:
- Still on the November security patch, and considering it's nearly March I don't think this is acceptable. America has December.
- Google Assistant does not work. Voice activation does not work and all the settings are greyed out. Have looked online and cannot find a fix. Have read even a restore won't fix it!
If these issues were addressed then this would be the best phone I've had.
Just to add to this. I have an unlocked / unbranded u11 from CPW UK. O2 sim pay monthly account. I've enabled the option in the app as above but still no toggles etc in my settings menu. I called htc UK just now and they said that a bug in the oreo update has removed this option, it's a known bug and the next update will address it... Seriously? Also no idea when the update will roll out...
Had mine since January after an unplanned upgrade and I'm really glad my HTC 10 got mullered by my friend's kid. Carphone Warehouse piled on extras and I eventually started pushing back to stop the freebies getting out of hand - had to move to EE from Vodafone for some reason I can't remember - not an issue. Rooted while on the wine 2 nights later so as to increase the suspense and the chance of bricking it - I went at it half cut basically and nearly trashed it, which is so much fun.
Can't grumble in Manchester city about signal or service although EE has a website that suggests they are delaying any move into the post 90's era and I'm sure they have a reason we'll one day marvel at when they suddenly replace a web presence so **** it must be deliberate digital art or summat - like Tracey Emin and Banksy making a collaborative statement about Google ruining everything - that is to be replaced by the tech from the movie War Games to make it more modern. At least the customer service is accessible if needed and don't annoy me with 'suggestions' like an app. that tells me things I know already but in a different way which makes it exciting and utterly essential.
The u11 is a top phone and if someone gave me a Samsung I'd curse the fool who did so. There's a list of superior spec's that the recent Samsung phones possess and yet on benchmark tests they mostly squeeze into a slight lead and can't manage to avoid being made by Samsung which means that it has lots of stuff but none of it is connected right and it will eventually make you feel angry because it slowly reveals its nature as a piece of crap with buttons like a phone.
I just wish HTC would explore an alternative to the Android system because Google are getting a bit shifty and I don't like the way they are more powerful than God but get all hissy with developers - they come at you like an all-powerful bastard when they're pissed but always do a great job of being really rubbish at maintaining a standpoint and eventually they go away - still, Stalin was bit annoying and no one would have thought he'd end up killing 10 million people before the War even started but he had the tools and then the bad mood - if Google don't do evil it's only cos they haven't seen the projections from Wall Street that show the profit they can make. If any company can shake Google surely HTC can - Samsung may do so but totally unintentionally and probably due to the distraction caused by phones that set aflame like a crappy transformer that is a phone AND a firework - then neither.

Axon 7 roaming support and other questions. (also Axon 7 Max)

I'm looking for a new phone and the Axon 7 was looking like the clear choice but I'm starting to have serious doubts. The phone works perfectly with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, it takes a process to get it to work with Verizon and doesn't work at all with Sprint. This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
If you can answer ANY of the following, please do so.
1. How do I make sure I get the "A2017U" model? I see lots of Axon 7s for sale and the model is never specified.
2. How big of a deal are the slow updates? What will you do when they inevitably top updating at all?
3. IF I get this phone I will likely keep the stock ROM to keep double tap to wake, shake for light etc. plus it doesn't seem like it's worth it according to Axon 7 owners. Is rooting, bootloader and recovery to stock reliable at this point?
4. Do you think the 128GB/6GB RAM models are worth it? It seems that some have sold for as low as $400 used but they tend to be over $500.
5. Are there "A2017U" models with this enhanced storage and RAM? How do I tell?
6. What native ways are there to unlock the screen? Of course there is pass, pin and fingerprint, any others?
7. What is your batter life like?
My last couple of questions are perhaps a bit off topic, do any of you happen to know details about the Axon 7 Max? I'm wondering what the speaker setup is. Honestly, I don't like the fact that is has a "3d" display which is really gimmicky and supposedly is old tech. Does anyone here have experience with this tech? I wish they were going with a nice screen like the one in the regular Axon 7. I will probably stick to the regular Axon 7, the 5.5" screen is still bigger than my LG G2's screen and it's cheaper.
7th1rt3en said:
I'm looking for a new phone and the Axon 7 was looking like the clear choice but I'm starting to have serious doubts. The phone works perfectly with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, it takes a process to get it to work with Verizon and doesn't work at all with Sprint. This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
1. How do I make sure I get the "A2017U" model? I see lots of Axon 7s for sale and the model is never specified.
2. How big of a deal are the slow updates? What will you do when they inevitably top updating at all?
3. IF I get this phone I will likely keep the stock ROM to keep double tap to wake, shake for light etc. plus it doesn't seem like it's worth it according to Axon 7 owners. Is rooting, bootloader and recovery to stock reliable at this point?
4. Do you think the 128GB/6GB RAM models are worth it? It seems that some have sold for as low as $400 used but they tend to be over $500.
5. Are there "A2017U" models with this enhanced storage and RAM? How do I tell?
6. What native ways are there to unlock the screen? Of course there is pass, pin and fingerprint, any others?
7. What is your batter life like?
My last couple of questions is perhaps a bit off topic, do any of you happen to know details about the Axon 7 Max? I'm wondering what the speaker setup is. Honestly, I don't like the fact that is has a "3d" display which is really gimmicky and supposedly is old tech. Does anyone here have experience with this tech? I wish they were going with a nice screen like the one in the regular Axon 7. I will probably stick to the regular Axon 7, the 5.5" screen is still bigger than my LG G2's screen and it's cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You get the A2017U by buying it in the USA. Not through Aliexpress for example. Getting another model is not the end of the world anyways... the modem is very much alike, it only differs from others on specific places like Japan and I think Spain.
Slow updates? We got Nougat before the Oneplus 3T. The real problem is that ZTE's updates add one feature and break 3 other things that are totally unrelated, then they release an update with fixes and break other things... But at this moment everything is working just fine. And even the S8 had similar problems, e.g. not working SD card, so there is no safe bet on the software department regarding OEMs
All the unlock and root stuff is dangerous on this device. If you fucc up too much you can still get an RMA and pretend like you woke up and the device didn't... otherwise you can pay a fee to get it reflashed. Also some ROMs have the shake to turn the flashlight on and dt2w thing, for example Resurrection Remix. But the stock ROM is really good especially if you slap a launcher on top of it, and there is no real reason to root besides apps and maybe some specific Xposed modules you would want to have
6 GB ram and 128 GB storage, plus force touch... your judgement. I literally NEVER use more than 3 GB of RAM even while gaming intensive stuff. Repeat, NEVER. There are some people who might be mining bitcoin with their phones or whatever, and fill up the RAM, so if you're one of them then go ahead and buy an A2017. Also so much storage for what? Use an SD card, and if you need dual SIM support, do that guide where you stick the SIM's guts to the SD card. And force touch might be interesting, but I'm not sure whether it is utilized on Android's apps... may be useless
No enhanced A2017Us AFAIK. I'm almost 100% sure that there aren't enhanced A2017U's, only A2017s.
Pass, PIN, pattern, fingerprint. Wouldn't know why you'd want any more. The fingerprint sensor placement is really comfortable despite the huge skepticism.
Battery life... Most people are reporting ~5 hrs SOT. I can get that on stock Android N. And if you feel adventurous and install a custom LOS based ROM, a full black theme, a kernel, and AKT profiles, you can easily double or sometimes triple that, depending on your usage.
Right now I'm using stock A2017G Android 6.0.1 with AKT profiles. I usually put it on Extreme battery saving and the phone still behaves like a flagship should (with the occasional ¼ second freeze every half a minute). some people (especially A2017 people) reported hideous drain, mostly on standby. But those are just isolated cases...
And the last couple of questions, no idea. Is the 3d screen they want to use like the one in the 3DS (2 pixel arrays with different angle of view)? I'm pretty courious...
Choose an username... said:
Getting another model is not the end of the world anyways... the modem is very much alike, it only differs from others on specific places like Japan and I think Spain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The U model is very much different from the rest. It has 3 CDMA bands (global has 0), and LTE bands that are only used in North America (absent from global model).
Choose an username... said:
No enhanced A2017Us AFAIK. I'm almost 100% sure that there aren't enhanced A2017U's, only A2017s.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ZTE USA did offer the enhanced model, dubbed the "Limited Edition", for a short period of time. It's no longer on their website, but you can google "zteusa.com Axon 7 Limited Edition" for more info.
xtermmin said:
The U model is very much different from the rest. It has 3 CDMA bands (global has 0), and LTE bands that are only used in North America (absent from global model).
ZTE USA did offer the enhanced model, dubbed the "Limited Edition", for a short period of time. It's no longer on their website, but you can google "zteusa.com Axon 7 Limited Edition" for more info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the Limited Edition phones, are you sure they weren't just A2017s?
7th1rt3en said:
This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The A2017U has all the major bands used by all US carriers. The roaming will be determined by the provider that you use the phone on. All phones try to stick to the native network as long as possible, and will only roam when there is no native signal, and even then the roaming is based off your carrier's agreements. Some carriers have regional roaming agreements (for example, in some areas, T-Mobile customers can roam onto AT&T), while some carriers have no roaming agreements at all (ex: if you're on T-Mobile, you can't connect to Verizon towers at all except for E911).
---------- Post added at 01:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:57 AM ----------
Choose an username... said:
Regarding the Limited Edition phones, are you sure they weren't just A2017s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes because zteusa.com wouldn't sell the Chinese model in the US. The Chinese model doesn't have the majority of bands used in the US.
Choose an username... said:
You get the A2017U by buying it in the USA. Not through Aliexpress for example.
All the unlock and root stuff is dangerous on this device.
6 GB ram and 128 GB storage, plus force touch... your judgement.
Pass, PIN, pattern, fingerprint. Wouldn't know why you'd want any more. The fingerprint sensor placement is really comfortable despite the huge skepticism.
Battery life... Most people are reporting ~5 hrs SOT. I can get that on stock Android N. And if you feel adventurous and install a custom LOS based ROM, a full black theme, a kernel, and AKT profiles, you can easily double or sometimes triple that, depending on your usage.
And the last couple of questions, no idea. Is the 3d screen they want to use like the one in the 3DS (2 pixel arrays with different angle of view)? I'm pretty courious...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
7th1rt3en said:
So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh shoot sorry I forgot about like 4 other unlocking methods... You can use Voice recognition either from ZTE's own implementation or Google's. Also you have Google's On body detection to keep it unlocked when you have it with you, and Trusted places and Trusted Devices
Also there is a high sensitivity mode for gloves, never tried it myself though.
Also I said that the battery is even better on some select custom ROMs, but I never said it was bad... 5 hours of screen on time is a crapton! Imagine 10.
xtermmin said:
The A2017U has all the major bands used by all US carriers. The roaming will be determined by the provider that you use the phone on. All phones try to stick to the native network as long as possible, and will only roam when there is no native signal, and even then the roaming is based off your carrier's agreements. Some carriers have regional roaming agreements (for example, in some areas, T-Mobile customers can roam onto AT&T), while some carriers have no roaming agreements at all (ex: if you're on T-Mobile, you can't connect to Verizon towers at all except for E911).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, in the case of Sprint lot allowing Axon 7s on their network, this would change if it is using their network as part of a roaming agreement? In the case of Verizon not even working without a special procedure after a recent update, this problem goes away if one is just roaming on their network? What you are describing is just a normal roaming situation with a phone that works on all networks involved but I thought that the Axon 7 has unique problems with 2 networks. I even see it advertised on Amazon as not working with Verizon or Sprint AT ALL! This despite the fact that it has the necessary reception to do so. I just want to know for sure if it will roam on those networks given these problems.
xtermmin said:
Yes because zteusa.com wouldn't sell the Chinese model in the US. The Chinese model doesn't have the majority of bands used in the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that they are all on the secondary market at this point and there is no way to know for sure what one is getting.
Choose an username... said:
Oh shoot sorry I forgot about like 4 other unlocking methods... You can use Voice recognition either from ZTE's own implementation or Google's. Also you have Google's On body detection to keep it unlocked when you have it with you, and Trusted places and Trusted Devices
Also there is a high sensitivity mode for gloves, never tried it myself though.
Also I said that the battery is even better on some select custom ROMs, but I never said it was bad... 5 hours of screen on time is a crapton! Imagine 10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, that's perfect! I didn't realize the on body was a google thing. No, the battery life is fine, it just sucks knowing it's capable of more but too risky to attempt. Do you happen to knows the details of the warranty? Does it matter who I buy from or if I buy used?
7th1rt3en said:
Oh, that's perfect! I didn't realize the on body was a google thing. No, the battery life is fine, it just sucks knowing it's capable of more but too risky to attempt. Do you happen to knows the details of the warranty? Does it matter who I buy from or if I buy used?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about the warranty from USA, I have an A2017G. With this model they give you one year of warranty and an additional year of VIP warranty which includes a free screen replacement for the first 6 months and water damage stuff...
I'm sending a couple of pics of the warranty. Just be advised: the warranty explicitly doesn't cover acts of God!
7th1rt3en said:
So, in the case of Sprint lot allowing Axon 7s on their network, this would change if it is using their network as part of a roaming agreement? In the case of Verizon not even working without a special procedure after a recent update, this problem goes away if one is just roaming on their network? What you are describing is just a normal roaming situation with a phone that works on all networks involved but I thought that the Axon 7 has unique problems with 2 networks. I even see it advertised on Amazon as not working with Verizon or Sprint AT ALL! This despite the fact that it has the necessary reception to do so. I just want to know for sure if it will roam on those networks given these problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Roaming is separate from Sprint's device activation policy. You'll hardly ever roam onto Sprint though, as they have the worst coverage of the big 4.
Special procedure is not needed to get it working on Verizon. You just need to have an already-activated SIM card.
The problem is not unique to the Axon 7. It's the same as any other phone. For example, the Nexus 5 was not compatible with Verizon, yet Sprint users were able to load a custom PRL that allowed them to only connect to Verizon's towers (roaming, of course. Sprint has a roaming agreement with Verizon).
It's not advertised as being compatible with Verizon because it's not officially approved by Verizon and you need an already-activated SIM card in order to use it.
Yes, you should be able to roam onto them but that requires your carrier to have a roaming agreement with those other carriers.
What carrier are you on?
I completely misunderstood the Verizon issue, that isn't a big deal at all. I also didn't know that the sprint issue was just a matter of activation. ZTE is coming out with a Sprint phone so perhaps Sprint might reconsider. I'm currently using T-Mobile pre-paid, so no roaming and my phone does not receive band 12 so my reception sucks. I'm not sure what carrier I will end up on. I'm looking at all but sprint, including MVNOs.
7th1rt3en said:
So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can definitely buy used ones without problems. Just make sure your buying the U.S version. Most, if not all, the 7s on Swappa are U.S. Swappa is much better for buying phones than eBay, and you can negotiate price. I bought mint condition for $280 last week (which I wish I waited, because now they're being sold at 260.
I asked my seller if he would provide original receipt for warranty, and I was able to register the device in my name (he hadn't registered it). Apparently all you need is receipt for proof of purchase date, so as long as you make that a term for the sale, transferring or using the warranty is no problem at all. Once again, this is also what makes Swappa great.
If you want a full 2 years, Newegg has open box deal for $315. I wouldn't think twice about that, and was considering it, but the phone I got was almost brand new and in mint condition for $35 less. Newegg open box items are always mint condition in my experience, and they were devices owned for less than 2 weeks.
5 hours of SOT to me is great. I'd say it's above average,, especially compared to my iPhone 7.
JoRocker said:
You can definitely buy used ones without problems. Just make sure your buying the U.S version. Most, if not all, the 7s on Swappa are U.S. Swappa is much better for buying phones than eBay, and you can negotiate price. I bought mint condition for $280 last week (which I wish I waited, because now they're being sold at 260.
I asked my seller if he would provide original receipt for warranty, and I was able to register the device in my name (he hadn't registered it). Apparently all you need is receipt for proof of purchase date, so as long as you make that a term for the sale, transferring or using the warranty is no problem at all. Once again, this is also what makes Swappa great.
If you want a full 2 years, Newegg has open box deal for $315. I wouldn't think twice about that, and was considering it, but the phone I got was almost brand new and in mint condition for $35 less. Newegg open box items are always mint condition in my experience, and they were devices owned for less than 2 weeks.
5 hours of SOT to me is great. I'd say it's above average,, especially compared to my iPhone 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've purchased 3 items through Swappa and never on ebay, if I buy used that is likely the route I will take. It seems that most of my concerns were unfounded and there were feature that I was not aware of, so that's great. I will take your advice on the warranty and receipt. Are you saying that you can transfer the warranty even if it HAD been previously registered?
7th1rt3en said:
I've purchased 3 items through Swappa and never on ebay, if I buy used that is likely the route I will take. It seems that most of my concerns were unfounded and there were feature that I was not aware of, so that's great. I will take your advice on the warranty and receipt. Are you saying that you can transfer the warranty even if it HAD been previously registered?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All they want is phone IMEI and receipt. Registering isn't even important it just skips the steps of proving purchase every time you want to use the warranty. I was able to register in my name, because previous owner never used the warranty, but even if they had used it, you can still use the warranty with the original receipt, and update the address that they have in their system for the phone. Just don't tell them you aren't the original owner, because technically it's not supposed to be transferable.
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
7th1rt3en said:
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not bad at all for me. I get four bars at home when my iPhone 7 gets 2. I don't know why people say it's bad. Maybe I just got lucky.
7th1rt3en said:
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, your mileage may vary... I have OK signal, but a lot of people complain about it. Go to the signal reception thread over at Real life review
Choose an username... said:
Well, your mileage may vary... I have OK signal, but a lot of people complain about it. Go to the signal reception thread over at Real life review
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing is that a lot of people do not state their location, their model or their build so it's hard to know exactly what the implications are. There is at least one guy in Europe who stated that he tested both the A2017G and A2017U and that the A2017U did considerably better. His idea is that if one has the A2017U and has a bad signal in the states that they should do an RMA. That phone had the B27 update which supposedly boosts performance according to multiple comments I've read. I guess what I could do is figure out when B27 came out and only pay attention to the comments of USA based users after that date, I'll do that and report back.
-----------------------------------------------B27 update-----------------------------------------------
-10dBm worse than my Nexus 6p
First time owning the phone that I noticed I got full bars
TMobile in NYC and no cellular reception issues so far
Dallas on T-mobile and reception/data speeds are not as consistent or fast as they were on my Galaxy S5
So b27 update made signal WAY better for me!
Tmobile here in south florida, i can tell you signal on this phone suxs
Signal strength improved drastically with the b27 update for US version
-----------------------------------------------B29 update-----------------------------------------------
I just recently got the phone, and I haven't noticed any reception issues
So far I've had comparable coverage & speeds as my LG G4.
The A7 just flat out had lower throughput. Mobile data wasn't the only area of weakness. Wifi too. (B29)
it has better signal in my house than a iPhone6 and my OPO (both using T-Mobile)
The US version I pulled out of the box has a production date of Nov 14. Around two months after the first update addressing the antenna. I have no issues.
When I went to update the software, the newest build was already installed. cell signal bar on my stats is all orange and broken. HTC 10, the signal bar is all green
B27 = 3 negative, 3 positive and 1 ambiguous
B29 = 2 negative, 4 positive
Anyway, thanks for the help guys.

Rs988 New update rs98821b available

This update has just became available today it is only 200mb so I would say it is mainly just android security updates. I have not installed it yet because I will have to factory reset first just wanted to let others know that might be stock and not rooted.
I'm on 21a and downloading 21b now.
Was on 11d, but did the 10b Brightpoint KDZ last month that messed up the LTE. So had to root and reflash the 11c, to then update to 11d and then 21a.
Got 21b installed. May 1 2017 Security update. Everything else says the same (baseband, kernel, and build).
Maybe they at least fixed the network switching so we will receive more of our calls. That is really the only bug i have noticed since upgrading to Nougat. I think you pointed that out as well.
FAUguy said:
Got 21b installed. May 1 2017 Security update. Everything else says the same (baseband, kernel, and build).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
firenemesis7 said:
Maybe they at least fixed the network switching so we will receive more of our calls. That is really the only bug i have noticed since upgrading to Nougat. I think you pointed that out as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the past two weeks with 21a, the main issue has been that the RS988 is missing about half of the incoming class (will stay on LTE and not change to HSPA), or when placing a call about 25-30% of them will not go through on the first try (shows it change from LTE to HSPA and sit there for 30 seconds, and then go back to LTE without placing th call).
Unfortunately, 21b seems to have the same issue.
Over the weekend, I was debating on going with the HTC U11 or an S8/S8+ in the upcoming weeks, was going to wait for people on here to try out the U11 for a while. But the yesterday the Samsung Mobile EBay page had the S8+ listed for $699 and with 24mo payment with PqyPal Credit. So I figured fro $50 more than the U11, go with th S8+, not that I'm a fan of curved screens, but at least there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, has SamsungPay, and the screen is AMOLED (which is miss). But the draws of the U11 was the camera, non-curved screed (though LCD), and fingerprint scanner on the front. But the lack of headphone jack means it can't be charged while connected via AUX input to my cars audio, and I saw posts on here about HTC got rid of all their apps (gallery, mms, dialer, calendar) and opted for the Google ones that aren't as good. So at this point I sould have the S8+ later this week. If I like it, then I'll sell my G5 with all the accessories that came with it (Cam mod, 4 batteries, charging pack, VR headset).
Hi! If I have root and TWRP then how do I install the update?
spinoza_web said:
Hi! If I have root and TWRP then how do I install the update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know, OTA updates will only install if you are 100%stock. So that means removing TWRP, unrooting, and relocking the bootloader.
How I did it. I just factory reset and wiped everything in twrp then flashed the complete rs98821a zip that autoprime put together for us and then was able to install the OTA update. You will have to reinstall Twrp and root but you do not have to mess with the bootloader.
spinoza_web said:
Hi! If I have root and TWRP then how do I install the update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got in the S8+ yesterday. After using it for a day and setting it up, I'm not 100% sure that I'll keep it. The regular S8 was out of stock and I'm not a big fan of curved screens. But I figured I'd give it a try.
But regarding the calling issue with the G5 (21a/21b), the S8+ is much faster between changing modes between LTE Data and HSPA Calls. So that right there proves the issue isn't related to the GoPhone service, as I never had any issue on the G5 before the Nougat update.
Too bad I still can get the S8+ to work with the K-9 Mail LED Notifications. Must be an issue with that app and Android 7.
FAUguy said:
I got in the S8+ yesterday. After using it for a day and setting it up, I'm not 100% sure that I'll keep it. The regular S8 was out of stock and I'm not a big fan of curved screens. But I figured I'd give it a try.
But regarding the calling issue with the G5 (21a/21b), the S8+ is much faster between changing modes between LTE Data and HSPA Calls. So that right there proves the issue isn't related to the GoPhone service, as I never had any issue on the G5 before the Nougat update.
Too bad I still can get the S8+ to work with the K-9 Mail LED Notifications. Must be an issue with that app and Android 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you got S8+, so, which version did you get? G955U or G955F? And how is Samsung pay? Does the Spay rewards and deals work?
justnewbee said:
Looks like you got S8+, so, which version did you get? G955U or G955F? And how is Samsung pay? Does the Spay rewards and deals work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Samsung eBay page had the S8 G950U for $599 and the S8+ G955U for $699, along with a 24 month PayPal Credit financing. I has intended to go with the S8, but after I got home that night, only the S8+ was still available.
After using it for a few days now, it is really too tall for comfort, and a bit more heavy than I like (actually the weight of the phone is mostly at the top, so when used in landscape mode I can feel more of the weight on the left hand), keep in mind the Note 4 is about the same weight, but feels more comfortable to hold than the S8+.
From what I've read, the US Unlocked "U" models work with Samsung Pay and Rewards. I have it installed and all setup on the phone, but haven't tried it in a store yet. The "F" International models I read don't work with Samsung Pay in the US unless you do some flashing and tricking it out, but can still have issues. So I decided not to go with the F model, but would rather have the exynos processor than the 835.
Right now, Samsung.com has the S8 (and S8+) with a $200 trade in offer, so I'm going to go that route and get the S8 and sent in my old Note 2 (since they sell for less than $200 on eBay and Swappa) and hold on to my Note 3 and 4 for now. Also thinking about ordering the U11 from Amazon. Once I get those in, I can compare the U11, S8 and S8+ and decide which one to keep and return the others.
Normally I would do all this in a store, but Sprint don't have the U11 on display locally.
Once all that get done, then I'll see about selling my G5, do a factory reset on it (21b).
FAUguy said:
The Samsung eBay page had the S8 G950U for $599 and the S8+ G955U for $699, along with a 24 month PayPal Credit financing. I has intended to go with the S8, but after I got home that night, only the S8+ was still available.
After using it for a few days now, it is really too tall for comfort, and a bit more heavy than I like (actually the weight of the phone is mostly at the top, so when used in landscape mode I can feel more of the weight on the left hand), keep in mind the Note 4 is about the same weight, but feels more comfortable to hold than the S8+.
From what I've read, the US Unlocked "U" models work with Samsung Pay and Rewards. I have it installed and all setup on the phone, but haven't tried it in a store yet. The "F" International models I read don't work with Samsung Pay in the US unless you do some flashing and tricking it out, but can still have issues. So I decided not to go with the F model, but would rather have the exynos processor than the 835.
Right now, Samsung.com has the S8 (and S8+) with a $200 trade in offer, so I'm going to go that route and get the S8 and sent in my old Note 2 (since they sell for less than $200 on eBay and Swappa) and hold on to my Note 3 and 4 for now. Also thinking about ordering the U11 from Amazon. Once I get those in, I can compare the U11, S8 and S8+ and decide which one to keep and return the others.
Normally I would do all this in a store, but Sprint don't have the U11 on display locally.
Once all that get done, then I'll see about selling my G5, do a factory reset on it (21b).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for your detailed info. I am going to buy US Unlocked "U" model, though I am interested in exynos processor.
justnewbee said:
Thanks a lot for your detailed info. I am going to buy US Unlocked "U" model, though I am interested in exynos processor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ended up buying the S8 from the Samsung site ($624) then take off $200 for a trade-in (will send my old Verizon Note 2 since they only sell for about $100...though would like to keep it), and add tax and $0 for 2-day shipping, and was $450 total. Did the Samsung Credit (24 month).
Going to send the S8+ back (Samsung's eBay page) for $742 credit. So that's a savings of $300 ($100 less for the S8 ad $200 for the trade-in).
The S8+ isn't a bad phone, just a bit too tall and more heavy than I like, so I'm sure the S8 will fit better.
Been using the S8 for a week now, sent the S8+ back.
No calling issues with either one (GoPhone) and I noticed they change much quicker between LTE for data and HSPA for calls than the G5 (21a/b).
FAUguy,
Hi, I have recently found to be in the same issue with LTE BRIGHTPOINT and LTE problems. Can you please read my post and see if you know something I don't?
Thanks
https://forum.xda-developers.com/u/...e-connectivity-problems-t3649465/post73300658
Skimpypimp said:
FAUguy,
Hi, I have recently found to be in the same issue with LTE BRIGHTPOINT and LTE problems. Can you please read my post and see if you know something I don't?
Thanks
https://forum.xda-developers.com/u/...e-connectivity-problems-t3649465/post73300658
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read the post. Where did you buy the phone from?
Look at my post on this thread from Page 6 onward:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g5/help/calling-rs988-users-nougat-t3608345/page6
I had to do the Bootload Unlock via the LG web site, to then allow rooting of the phone.
Then had to do all the flashing in steps. I wouldn't say it was difficult, but took quite some time to get it all done.
FAUguy said:
I read the post. Where did you buy the phone from?
Look at my post on this thread from Page 6 onward:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g5/help/calling-rs988-users-nougat-t3608345/page6
I had to do the Bootload Unlock via the LG web site, to then allow rooting of the phone.
Then had to do all the flashing in steps. I wouldn't say it was difficult, but took quite some time to get it all done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I guess I'm screwed because even though I have the RS988, when I request the unlock boot loader code from LG it says I can't get it. I got my phone off eBay. Ugh.
Skimpypimp said:
Well I guess I'm screwed because even though I have the RS988, when I request the unlock boot loader code from LG it says I can't get it. I got my phone off eBay. Ugh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See if you can do eBay or PayPal buyer protection.
I'd file a claim on it with them if the seller refuses to offer a refund. I'd state that it is not compatible with your carrier (MetroPCS T-Mobile).
FAUguy said:
See if you can do eBay or PayPal buyer protection.
I'd file a claim on it with them if the seller refuses to offer a refund. I'd state that it is not compatible with your carrier (MetroPCS T-Mobile).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would hate to go through all that.
Through your adventure did you get any stock firmware flashed without root and not the BRIGHTPOINT version of it?
I think it has something to do with BRIGHTPOINT firmware.
Skimpypimp said:
I would hate to go through all that.
Through your adventure did you get any stock firmware flashed without root and not the BRIGHTPOINT version of it?
I think it has something to do with BRIGHTPOINT firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue is that I didn't know the firmware I flashed on my rs988 was for Brightpoint. After I flashed it , I had 0 LTE on the phone.
So it was a few weeks later when I decided to go though the process. Did the the LG Bootloader unlock, and flashed one of the kdz files that was Android 6 that I had been using. Then worked the phones firmware update from there.
After it was all done, the RS988 with the 21b firmware has full LTE connectivity. The only issue is that if I place a call, and it changes over to HSPA, that it then can take a few minutes to return back to LTE.
I've now been using an S8 for two months, and it changes between LTE, HSPA, and back to LTE within a few seconds.

Which G6 is Amazon Prime offering? Missing any features?

I'm sure by now anyone with an Amazon Prime account has seen the advertisements for the $399.99 LG G6 and G6+ which is a great deal, and it's enough of one that I'm getting ready to retire my iPhone SE and make the switch over...especially since I can lengthen the warranty to two years total. What I cannot find out is which version Amazon is selling when it's released November 9th, 2017 and if T-Mobile and/or AT&T users will still have the normal functions like WiFi calling (which I rely upon) and VoLTE on each respective carrier. I'd rather not buy a Prime device only to discover that it doesn't have the same features as a carrier-specific device has and this has me worried. Buying a brand new unlocked G6 would give me the two years of full warranty on the device and hopefully all of the T-Mobile features offered on the carrier-specific model even if the bootloader isn't unlocked. Heck, I'd attempt a FlashFire to get new firmware onto the phone if it were made possible just to regain WiFi Calling/VoLTE but wanted input from others before I decide to go this route. I'm also not opposed to grabbing something like the LG V20 from BHPhotoVideo as well since this is the route I want to go. If you guys have any knowledge that I haven't been able to figure out in the last week of research I'd appreciate it very much. Cheers.
They go in depth with this story,not sure if it helps at all.
That's one of the articles I managed to find, and it did help out in figuring out which phone I wanted to invest in but I didn't get much more info on the device itself. Because it's an Amazon device we already know that it's not going to be able to have an unlocked bootloader which really stinks but that's the cost of buying a subsidized phone through Amazon. I considered just buying the LG V20 through BHPhotoVideo for cheaper so there are no integrated Amazon advertisements and it has a better internal camera (as far as specs go) but having 12MP+12MP vs 16MP is a little too close of a call to make any kind of speculation, although having 64GB of storage with the V20 would be nicer than the included 32GB in the LG G6. At least we have a micro-SD slot to have more storage in both models, which means that if we can get the phone rooted then App2SD won't be a problem.
I just know I'm ready to retire and sell this crappy iPhone SE and move away from the insane Apple prices to get a better device with a less restrictive environment. My only hope is that the LG G6 has the same characteristics as my iPhone SE, such as WiFi calling and VoLTE. I know it has all of the right LTE bands so that won't be an issue, and later on I'll probably just give Amazon more money to ditch the advertisements. I just wish that I could find a $450 LG G6 brand new that I could unlock the bootloader on, and that's my conundrum. It seems that if you want the subsized Prime version it's only $399 but if you want an subside-free G6 you still have to shell out $200 more.
P.S. Thanks for the quick response.
im already planning on getting this but i wont be able till at least black friday at the earliest. it fills all my needs now that the U11+ wont be available in the US. the model number for the 6+ is LGUS997U so im hoping that rooting will be possible along with custom ROMs. l hope someone else takes the plunge first.
droidbot1337 said:
im already planning on getting this but i wont be able till at least black friday at the earliest. it fills all my needs now that the U11+ wont be available in the US. the model number for the 6+ is LGUS997U so im hoping that rooting will be possible along with custom ROMs. l hope someone else takes the plunge first.
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I'm taking the plunge and it'll be here the day of release. Knowing Amazon's history with locking bootloaders it's already pretty apparent that unlocking it will not be a possibility but will still check irregardless in hopes that I'm wrong. At least I hope it can be rooted some how and figure out how to ditch all of the bogus Amazon advertisements without paying them another $50 to remove them from my device, and will report all of that information that I can find out on my own as well. The LG V20 directly from T-Mobile was my original go-to replacement but for the same amount of money I'd rather have the slightly faster LG G6 even if it is hampered by Amazon's crap. Considering I'm moving up from an iPhone SE this thing is going to be a massive upgrade.
EDIT: I've independently confirmed it will indeed have T-Mobile WiFi calling and VoLTE built into the firmware because Amazon did the same thing with the Moto G5s firmware that they molested. They might have injected it with Amazon bloatware but they did also include WiFi calling and VoLTE from each of the providers so there's a very strong chance anyone who uses this device on their home network will still have those features included with the LG line of phones.
bmurphr1 said:
I'm taking the plunge and it'll be here the day of release...........
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YES!!!! im so envious of you!! i hope that they can be unlocked as the price is just far too tempting. im going to try and contact LG USA and see what i can get from them. good luck and please keep us informed, cheers!!
I'm looking at the LG G6 also. I've been a Nexus user and am still using the N5X. Now that Google has went overboard with their pricing and are no longer making any devices that are good values, I'm looking elsewhere. I've always been an LG fan. I'm looking at the LG G6 as the price on it is excellent. There are a good number of carrier unlocked devices available for just over $400 and I think we will see some good sales between Black Friday and New Year's.
I was also considering the Amazon version but I'm not sure how difficult it will be to get rid of them afterwards.
gorilla p said:
....I was also considering the Amazon version but I'm not sure how difficult it will be to get rid of them afterwards.
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?? all it has is a few bloat apps but all you would need to do is flash another ROM. thats considering it can be rooted. im still debating on the 6+ or waiting for the HTC U12 which should be better than the U11+ or at least i hope.
Phone has arrived, is model US966, and even though is the international model still has VoLTE and WiFi Calling baked into the ROM. I've verified that it does indeed work as it should for T-Mobile as I have the Hanset + WiFi logo in my top left notification tray. So far it seems Amazon really did make this device into the most universal of all of the LG G6 devices that exist (aside from being unable to unlock the bootloader.
Amazon really put this firmware through the ringer..it does have mountains of bloatware that we can work around, but it works with T-Mobile WiFi Calling, VoLTE, and HD Voice (all confirmed by moving a dead zone in my house where I received full WiFI but could not obtain any indoor signal of any kind. I had several conversations that all sounded like I was standing right next to the person, and I had no cellular service at the time the call was made. Just as I suspected, they molested the G6 just like they did the Moto G5s into forcing it to support T-Mobile's feature sets and most likely the same for the other three providers as well.
bmurphr1 said:
Phone has arrived, is model US966, and even though is the international model still has VoLTE and WiFi Calling baked into the ROM. I've verified that it does indeed work as it should for T-Mobile as I have the Hanset + WiFi logo in my top left notification tray. So far it seems Amazon really did make this device into the most universal of all of the LG G6 devices that exist (aside from being unable to unlock the bootloader.
Amazon really put this firmware through the ringer..it does have mountains of bloatware that we can work around, but it works with T-Mobile WiFi Calling, VoLTE, and HD Voice (all confirmed by moving a dead zone in my house where I received full WiFI but could not obtain any indoor signal of any kind. I had several conversations that all sounded like I was standing right next to the person, and I had no cellular service at the time the call was made. Just as I suspected, they molested the G6 just like they did the Moto G5s into forcing it to support T-Mobile's feature sets and most likely the same for the other three providers as well.
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Do you know if it's possible to pay to remove the lockscreen ads? Also, are the ads just on the lockscreen or do they show up in other places?
I know you can pay to remove Kindle ads at https://www.amazon.com/mn/dcw/myx.html
Joe USer said:
Do you know if it's possible to pay to remove the lockscreen ads? Also, are the ads just on the lockscreen or do they show up in other places?
I know you can pay to remove Kindle ads at https://www.amazon.com/mn/dcw/myx.html
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Ads are on lockscreen and on the desktop, but the desktop widget no problem. When you unlock the device using your fingerprint though you never see the advertisements so it's not bothering me that much. I have yet to figure out if we can purchase the removal of advertisements though as I've only had these few short hours with the device, but every T-Mo function that you'd find on a carrier-branded device works on the Amazon Prime variant. If I can pay an extra $50 or so to get rid of the advertisements I probably will do just that.
In the mean time I tried to sign up for the second year of the LG G6 free warranty program, and since the phone is a US996 model device you can't complete the registration page. I e-mailed the help desk to see if we'll be able to register for the free second year of service as an Amazon agent said that there should be no reason that it shouldn't work. I will respond back once I get word from the LG team regarding the additional free year of warranty coverage.
EDIT: You can legitimately remove ads from the phone through Amazon but they want an extra $100 to just remove them. I'll wait on someone else to figure out how to hack the ads away from the firmware. I dig the LG interface though as it's similar to the iPhone layout and makes it easier for me to understand rather than having an app drawer like my Fire tablet does. The phone is definitely worth $399...not $499 though once you buy the removal of advertisements.
congrats @bmurphr1!! im happy it works well since like you i too am a tmo user. also, the model number is listed as 997U but you said its US996, is that right? anyway, i hope the bootloader can soon be unlocked because that would make this phone an amazing device.
droidbot1337 said:
congrats @bmurphr1!! im happy it works well since like you i too am a tmo user. also, the model number is listed as 997U but you said its US996, is that right? anyway, i hope the bootloader can soon be unlocked because that would make this phone an amazing device.
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I did, but it's actually US997 according to what I'm looking at right now on the Hardware info screen. My initial statement was a typo because I was in a rush to get this phone up and running since I'm moving over from the iOS world. Model number is confirmed US997 and the bootloader from what I've been able to ascertain so far is that LG is not unlocking the bootloader for the phone because they were strong-armed by Amazon to lock it down so that it couldn't be altered in any way - thus making people pay the $100 just to have advertisements removed from the device.
bmurphr1 said:
I did, but it's actually US997 according to what I'm looking at right now on the Hardware info screen. My initial statement was a typo because I was in a rush to get this phone up and running since I'm moving over from the iOS world. Model number is confirmed US997 and the bootloader from what I've been able to ascertain so far is that LG is not unlocking the bootloader for the phone because they were strong-armed by Amazon to lock it down so that it couldn't be altered in any way - thus making people pay the $100 just to have advertisements removed from the device.
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ugh!!... so its useless for those of us that want custom ROMs then? that sucks! i really hope someone finds a way to unlock it. i might just wait to see what the HTC u12 looks like. thanks for the info.
Just figured out how Amazon neutered this phone from being tampered with by individuals like us...they went and jacked around with the bootloader so that it freezes as soon as you boot into it. I'm very experienced when it comes to using fastboot on Android devices and I can tell you this bootloader has been tampered with. What happens is when you run "adb reboot bootloader" it reboots into the neutered bootloader and just freezes so that no commands can be sent or received from the device. If we could get the device-id then we could put it through the LG database, but Amazon found a way to mess with it just enough so that it crashes every single time you try to boot into it using the Android debugging bridge. That's how they crippled this phone so that no one would be able to flash new firmwares to the device or jack with it and remove their new found glory in LG devices. I'd love to be able to flash a non-Amazon bootloader only over to this phone to see if I could unlock it and catch on to something new but I'm too afraid to jeopardize my only working cell phone at the moment so I'd be worried about doing that. If the bootloader would unfreeze though and give us the code for a full bootloader unlock we could say byebye to the entire firmware OS and switch over to something like Lineage or better...assuming somebody has a kitchen that would work on an Amazon-molested US997 LG G6.
droidbot1337 said:
ugh!!... so its useless for those of us that want custom ROMs then? that sucks! i really hope someone finds a way to unlock it. i might just wait to see what the HTC u12 looks like. thanks for the info.
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I saw this on the latest Amazon Fire tablet and that's why I returned it. Now you see why I was hesitant.
I'm having a hard time deciding now, but I'm going there will be some solid $399 deals between Black Friday and Christmas. Otherwise, I might just get a OnePlus 3T.
gorilla p said:
I saw this on the latest Amazon Fire tablet and that's why I returned it. Now you see why I was hesitant.
I'm having a hard time deciding now, but I'm going there will be some solid $399 deals between Black Friday and Christmas. Otherwise, I might just get a OnePlus 3T.
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Click to collapse
Amazon got smart and neutered all of their Prime-branded devices so that they can't be bootloader unlocked any longer. The only hope we have of actually achieving custom firmware on this device is by using something like FlashFire to perform a hot-flash on the device to move it to a non-Amazon firmware, which is what I did on my Fire 2015 (Ford) tablet that I still use occasionally at the gym to watch Netflix and YouTube when I steal their WiFi. If you wanted to buy the phone just to unlock the bootloader unfortunately you're SOL, but there's still a chance something could be in the works for this device.
Honestly, I'd rather see either a complete removal of the advertisements from the stock US997 Amazon Prime G6 or someone who was able to successfully flash a ZIP file using FlashFire to the G6 without completely killing it along with WiFi Calling/VoLTE/HD Voice. The first one isn't out of the realm of possibility, but the second one is just a pipe dream since I essentially require WiFi calling and VoLTE. We're gonna need to find a way to root this firmware and I haven't found a way to do so as of yet, though it is running Nougat 7.0 with the September security update.
gorilla p said:
I saw this on the latest Amazon Fire tablet and that's why I returned it. Now you see why I was hesitant.
I'm having a hard time deciding now, but I'm going there will be some solid $399 deals between Black Friday and Christmas. Otherwise, I might just get a OnePlus 3T.
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Click to collapse
why the 3T and not the 5T? my brother has the 5 and loves it. i refuse to buy a device without expandable storage so that leaves me with few options....... well, few good options. im just gonna wait till leaks of the HTC U12 start to circulate. if that sucks ill just buy the regular G6.
droidbot1337 said:
why the 3T and not the 5T? my brother has the 5 and loves it. i refuse to buy a device without expandable storage so that leaves me with few options....... well, few good options. im just gonna wait till leaks of the HTC U12 start to circulate. if that sucks ill just buy the regular G6.
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Just the cost. OnePlus is upping the price with every release and I don't think the OP5 is that much better than the OP3T. Especially since I don't use my phone for anything crazy. My N5X still performs more than good enough for me. I have the GPU underclock and touchboost disabled to improve battery and still no lag at all. I really wish there was another affordable Nexus device. They should've come out with an Android One premium line featuring The 820 or 822 chipset.
I also received my Amazon us997 G6 yesterday. As mentioned earlier, the lock screen ads aren't very intrusive unless there are no other notifications at the time. If there are personal notifications like email, text message, missed phone call, etc. then the Amazon ad takes up about 15% of the lock screen. If no notifications are present, the entire lock screen is an ad. However, also as mentioned before, the double press of the finger print button makes the ads visible for the amount of time it takes to double press.
I run nova launcher and have not been bothered with any ads either.
Coming from big red on their lg g4 and having that special old plan, I did a SIM card chop with some cutlery scissors and made it a nano. Without getting too involved, an app like Foxfi is not needed on this phone. I will be keeping this phone primarily because of this. The price point, limited intrusive ads, 2 year warranty and not needing a special app previously mentioned have made this my newest phone.
Now i just hope lg has rid themselves of the nightmare Bootloop plague that has hit every lg phone that my family has owned.

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