Sprint Essential, unlock bootloader? - Essential Phone Questions & Answers

Can the Sprint essential be bootloader unlocked?
Looking to take advantage of the Sprint deal for $5/mo but only if I can unlock the bootloader.

Yep, it's the same procedure. There's no "Sprint" version. All guides/procedures/roms/etc can be used on the Sprint variant

Bootloader, yes. But if you use a Sprint SIM it will be carrier-locked until you pay the phone off and get the code from Sprint.

*EDIT* Just realized that the OP was asking about Unlocking the Bootloader, which of course is absolutely possible., regardless of the Unlocked version or the Sprint version.

Do u get essential software updates after unlocking the bootloader.

Related

[Q] Unlocked bootloader?

I have read that all Note 3 have locked boot loader. If I purchased an unlocked Note 3 from i.e. Negri Electronics, would these come with an unlocked boot loader?
Are there any reseller that sells a Note 3 that is has both sim and boot loader unlocked?
Samsung does not sell locked bootloader like HTC
sim locked is something else, and yes u can buy ig sim free (unlocked) or just buy the unlock code
Only Verizon and ATT have locked bootloader I think, as post above states, all are unlocked by default.
AT&T's Note 3 bootloader is locked, Verizon's is too, but Verizon does offer developer edition, which has unlocked bootloader. T-Mobile's Note 3 bootloader is not locked. I'm not sure about Sprint, but you dont want to be Sprint customer anyway.
Disregard posts from people, who don't understand the difference between locked bootloader and network carrier lock and make posts about unlocking and unlock codes.

[Q] is the bootloader going to be unlocked?

Has samsung announced that they will unlock the bootloader? was the s4 with locked bootloader also?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Verizon may be the only one with a locked bootloader.
I actually don't know... if it's only verizon then that's cool.. i am going to buy the unlocked carrier version.
edit: seeing no custom rom, I thought the bootloader was locked
Yea, I'm pretty sure it's just the Verizon model. Every other model has plenty of roms.
yeahman45 said:
Has samsung announced that they will unlock the bootloader? was the s4 with locked bootloader also?
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The bootloader is already unlocked. On my phone and most other S5's as well. You are apparently making some assumption about some particular S5 variant. A minority of carriers do lock bootloaders, but you didn't even tell us what model of S5 you have or are referring to. You should give some context so that we know what you are talking about.
edit: I see that you implied in a follow up post that you meant Verizon. The bootloader on a Verizon S5 is locked at the behest of Verizon, not Samsung. Samsung doesn't lock the bootloader for TMobile, Bell, Rogers, Telus or hundreds of other carriers. Pretty much just Verizon and ATT and a few sundry CDMA carriers that are that restrictive.
There are tons of custom ROMs for carriers that are more reasonable. You can use Safestrap to emulate a limited number of ROMs on Verizon but it's your choice of carrier that is hampering you here.
.
ok thx guys I am getting the unlocked/carrier free version .. so should not be a problem thx

Software updates after the unlock?

Hi bought the essential phone from Sprint and paid off the next day. I want to unlock the bootloader to be used on att. I want to know if the phone gets updates or not once it is unlocked. Please advice.
Ronyar said:
Hi bought the essential phone from Sprint and paid off the next day. I want to unlock the bootloader to be used on att. I want to know if the phone gets updates or not once it is unlocked. Please advice.
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Bootloader and carrier phone unlocks are 2 different things. Unlock bootloader to install custom roms. Unlock phone to use other carriers networks. Even if you unlock your bootloader but your phone is still locked to Sprint then you can't use it on AT&T network. You need Sprint to unlock your phone first but your phone has to be active with them for 50 days to be eligible for unlocking your phone.

Version 5 Boot Loader G-390P S7 - Moving to Another Carrier

I have a question. If I bought this phone outright, and sprint basically locked rooting it via boot loader version 5+, could another carrier flash it with "something special" to get it on the carriers firmware? If I own this, and Sprint locked a feature on me, wouldn't that make them liable for damages?
tonysak said:
I have a question. If I bought this phone outright, and sprint basically locked rooting it via boot loader version 5+, could another carrier flash it with "something special" to get it on the carriers firmware? If I own this, and Sprint locked a feature on me, wouldn't that make them liable for damages?
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Not really. You bought the phone to use specially on Sprint as a Sprint phone. When it came out, no one knew about the u firmware or using it on other carriers. There is a post on here about unlocking additional lte bands. If the phone is carrier unlocked, you will get some service on all carriers, but not all the bands will be unlocked.

Unlockboot expensive, but do you recommend?

Hi,
I found that "unlockboot" can help me to unlock my S10+ SMG-G975U, that previusly UnlockUnit identify my device as Unavailable - CDMA and something like that topic.
Do you recommend unlockboot to unlock by 99USD?
Thank in advance!
Are you wanting to carrier unlock it or bootloader unlock it? The phone is already carrier unlocked, just insert your SIM. The bootloader cannot be unlocked on the G975U.
StoneyJSG said:
Are you wanting to carrier unlock it or bootloader unlock it? The phone is already carrier unlocked, just insert your SIM. The bootloader cannot be unlocked on the G975U.
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Hi,
No, there is a message that said "Sorry, your device canĀ“t be activated on another carrier's..."
What carrier are you on? If you flash the U1 unlocked firmware and insert a SIM, it should work. If you don't want to flash then it looks like you need an unlock code, which is odd because from what I have read the G975U is already carrier unlocked.
StoneyJSG said:
What carrier are you on? If you flash the U1 unlocked firmware and insert a SIM, it should work. If you don't want to flash then it looks like you need an unlock code, which is odd because from what I have read the G975U is already carrier unlocked.
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Thanks, I will try to flash U1 fw. The cellphone is Verizon, and I am looking to move to Movistar (Telefonica) of Mexico.
StoneyJSG said:
What carrier are you on? If you flash the U1 unlocked firmware and insert a SIM, it should work. If you don't want to flash then it looks like you need an unlock code, which is odd because from what I have read the G975U is already carrier unlocked.
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Wait wait. So you're saying my Sprint S10+ is already unlocked? Just need to flash the U1 software?
If you purchased a carrier branded model new it doesn't normally come unlocked. You need to own the phone outright before a carrier will unlock it and some carriers require that the phone be used on their network for a minimum period of time (usually 1 or 2 months) even if you did purchase it outright from them.
You cannot flash U1 firmware on an S10+ unless it's carrier unlocked.
Hello,
I flashed this one: https://forum.xda-developers.com/s10-plus/how-to/sm-g975u-firmware-downloads-tmo-spr-att-t3908657. Everything goes ok, and the message of unlocking appears, requesting me the unlock code.
Any suggestion?
Thank you!
jhs39 said:
If you purchased a carrier branded model new it doesn't normally come unlocked. You need to own the phone outright before a carrier will unlock it and some carriers require that the phone be used on their network for a minimum period of time (usually 1 or 2 months) even if you did purchase it outright from them.
You cannot flash U1 firmware on an S10+ unless it's carrier unlocked.
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Actually you can flash U1 firmware anyway, but it will still be locked to the same carrier without the unlock code. Carrier locking is IMEI based, not software or device based.
Sent from my SM-G975U1 using XDA Labs
Have you tried calling the carrier and asking them to unlock it? Most carriers will unlock your phone once you've had it for 3 months.
Psedog said:
Have you tried calling the carrier and asking them to unlock it? Most carriers will unlock your phone once you've had it for 3 months.
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I cannot get contact with agent support, I need to have a Verizon number get into the call
jwarrior319 said:
Actually you can flash U1 firmware anyway, but it will still be locked to the same carrier without the unlock code. Carrier locking is IMEI based, not software or device based.
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Recently the firmware for the S10+ became all-inclusive like on the S9 models so I'm not sure if flashing U1 firmware over carrier firmware will get rid of the carrier apps anymore. They seem to get installed now automatically as part of the provisioning for the installed SIM card. If you have a network unlocked Verizon phone and insert a T-mobile SIM you end up with the T-mobile boot animation and T-mobile apps and all the Verizon stuff is gone. Maybe the U1 firmware doesn't work the same way.
I read in a different thread that you have to activate the phone with Verizon and wait 3 days. After that just put in another carrier SIM and the phone should auto unlock.
jhs39 said:
If you purchased a carrier branded model new it doesn't normally come unlocked. You need to own the phone outright before a carrier will unlock it and some carriers require that the phone be used on their network for a minimum period of time (usually 1 or 2 months) even if you did purchase it outright from them.
You cannot flash U1 firmware on an S10+ unless it's carrier unlocked.
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this is incomplete and some is inaccurate..
his vzw device doesnt need to be paid off but does need to wait 60 days from activating on the verizon network before they unlock it..
also you can absolutely flash u1 firmware on a u device, it has literally nothing to do with the sim lock.. and no, flashing u1 on u doesnt magically unlock the sim..
pretty sure on U firmware vzw device will say message cannot be used on another carrier yet.. on u1 will i believe prompt for unlock code when a dif. carrier sim is inserted
https://www.verizon.com/about/consumer-safety/device-unlocking-policy
sprint however needs to be fully paid off and active at least 50 days and account needs to be in good standing to be eligible for sim unlock
StoneyJSG said:
I read in a different thread that you have to activate the phone with Verizon and wait 3 days. After that just put in another carrier SIM and the phone should auto unlock.
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its a 60 day period, not 3 days lmao
hackerjj22 said:
Hi,
I found that "unlockboot" can help me to unlock my S10+ SMG-G975U, that previusly UnlockUnit identify my device as Unavailable - CDMA and something like that topic.
Do you recommend unlockboot to unlock by 99USD?
Thank in advance!
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Click to collapse
are you trying to unlock the Sim or the bootloader? i have the same phone and was disappointed to find out i couldn't unlock my bootloader. no root no custom rom smh. but it's because Samsung removed the developer option to "oem unlock" which must be enabled to unlock. so done online service claiming to be able to do so is crap and waste of money. also if you're trying to unlock the Sim which I think that's what the site is claiming to be able to do because Sprint is a CDMA network if you unlock the SIM the only other service you can put it onto would be boost or Virgin Mobile which just use Sprint's towers. they're the only network still using CDMA. so pointless all the way around sorry buddy.
kw69747 said:
are you trying to unlock the Sim or the bootloader? i have the same phone and was disappointed to find out i couldn't unlock my bootloader. no root no custom rom smh. but it's because Samsung removed the developer option to "oem unlock" which must be enabled to unlock. so done online service claiming to be able to do so is crap and waste of money. also if you're trying to unlock the Sim which I think that's what the site is claiming to be able to do because Sprint is a CDMA network if you unlock the SIM the only other service you can put it onto would be boost or Virgin Mobile which just use Sprint's towers. they're the only network still using CDMA. so pointless all the way around sorry buddy.
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Thanks for your reply!
I am trying to unlock the sim, the cellphone was Verizon US, (refurbished by asurion). And wanted to use Movistar (Telefonica, from Mexico just GSM). I am searching to do a root and try to follow this guide: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1693491. So what I understand, the site "Unlockboot" could do a CDMA unlock, and after 3 days of chatting with the person that is on service there, sounds that are possible, also is possible that I can continue using my GSM provider of Mexico. But it is very expensive 99$ USD is 2000$ MXN... Also, I do not trust a web service, also if there isn't a reference on this forum.
So that's the update...
kw69747 said:
are you trying to unlock the Sim or the bootloader? i have the same phone and was disappointed to find out i couldn't unlock my bootloader. no root no custom rom smh. but it's because Samsung removed the developer option to "oem unlock" which must be enabled to unlock. so done online service claiming to be able to do so is crap and waste of money. also if you're trying to unlock the Sim which I think that's what the site is claiming to be able to do because Sprint is a CDMA network if you unlock the SIM the only other service you can put it onto would be boost or Virgin Mobile which just use Sprint's towers. they're the only network still using CDMA. so pointless all the way around sorry buddy.
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you are wrong.. U variants will work on all us carriers once sim unlocked.. its been this way a few years now..
also, i can get oem unlock but youre still not missing anything because bl unlock doesnt work still lol
I think ibowtoandroid who maintains multiple Samsung device threads on XDA has an unlock service but I'm not sure what he charges.
---------- Post added at 01:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------
Where I live there are multiple independent phone shops that sell SIM cards and phones and are not affiliated with a single carrier and also phone repair shops that offer to SIM unlock a phone as a walk in service. You can probably find a shop to do it if you don't trust an online service.
jhs39 said:
I think ibowtoandroid who maintains multiple Samsung device threads on XDA has an unlock service but I'm not sure what he charges.
---------- Post added at 01:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------
Where I live there are multiple independent phone shops that sell SIM cards and phones and are not affiliated with a single carrier and also phone repair shops that offer to SIM unlock a phone as a walk in service. You can probably find a shop to do it if you don't trust an online service.
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Let me contact him, thanks!

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