So I am looking to buy an international (or Latin) version of either the S10+ or the Note 10+.
I am on T-Mobile in the U.S.
1. How "bad" will it be if the phone has 3 out of T-Mobile's main bands? It only lacks 71, so what's the impact will be if I don't have band 71 on this phone with T-Mobile?
2. I read in the forum about flashing T-Mobile firmware on unlocked phones. How necessary is it? I prefer not to mess with flashing anything; done it in the past, I am not 'afraid' of it, but I just don't feel like going that route. Will I be missing anything from the T-Mobile network and services if I keep the phone in its stock ROM?
For example: Wifi Calling (important to me), VoLTE, etc. Will I have access to these features if I don't flash the carrier's firmware?
Thank you.
Band 71 is used only in rural areas where cell towers are very far apart . My phones have never used band 71. If you don't know what bands your phone typically is using you can download a free signal app from the Play Store that will show what band your phone is connected to. Unless you live in a very rural area or frequently find yourself in rural areas it's unlikely you need band 71.
Flashing T-Mobile firmware shouldn't be necessary. I don't have the international S10+ but rather the US unlocked model and I get both WiFi Calling and Volte fine without T-Mobile firmware.
I've used many different models of international unlocked phones from Xiaomi and Huawei on T-Mobile and always got both WiFi Calling and Volte to work with only one exception--the Mate 20 Pro. I had to get rid of that phone even though I really liked it because calls kept going to voicemail without the phone ever ringing first.
It turns out that on T-Mobile if your phone supports band 12 it also needs to support Volte or calls go straight to voicemail without ringing if the caller is using Volte . I never had that problem previously because in 5 years of using international unlocked phones the M20P was the first where Volte didn't work on T-Mobile.
There were lots of posts from T-Mobile customers in the XDA M20P threads about calls going straight to voicemail. I haven't read a single post about that issue with the S10+ so it's pretty safe to assume that the international S10+ works fine with Volte on T-Mobile.
Until the S8 Samsung didn't even sell a US unlocked model--everyone in the US with unlocked Samsung phones were using the international models with the Exynos chip and those phones always worked perfectly with T-Mobile which is very BYOP friendly (unlike AT&T).
The only thing you would be missing on the vanilla Samsung firmware is Visual Voicemail but last I checked you could just download the official T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app from the Play Store.
You would also receive your OTA updates from Samsung rather than T-Mobile but that's actually a plus because the unlocked Exynos models receive updates much more quickly than all of the US models including the unlocked Snapdragon models.
Sorry for the very long answer but I wanted to be thorough.
You should be fine with an international unlocked S10+ on T-Mobile. This is a much better phone than unlocked models from Google Pixel and One Plus so I would recommend going for it.
No manual flashing on your part will be necessary.
@jhs39 - Thank you for your extensive response. It is greatly appreciated!
OK, so I mostly use Band 4 with my current phone, which is one of TMB's main bands, so it seems like that indeed the lack of 71 won't be an issue.
However, how do I know if the Int. version will support VoLTE on the TMB network? I can't see anywhere any information about this phone even supports VoLTE (other than the carrier's model of course).
What about Video Calling?
Thanks again.
sbi1 said:
@jhs39 - Thank you for your extensive response. It is greatly appreciated!
OK, so I mostly use Band 4 with my current phone, which is one of TMB's main bands, so it seems like that indeed the lack of 71 won't be an issue.
However, how do I know if the Int. version will support VoLTE on the TMB network? I can't see anywhere any information about this phone even supports VoLTE (other than the carrier's model of course).
What about Video Calling?
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the international model didn't support Volte on T-Mobile there would be posts on XDA complaining about calls going straight to voicemail without the phone ringing. There were multiple threads about that issue in the M20P section but I haven't seen a single complaint about that happening with the S10+.
This phone has been out since early Spring so if there was a problem using the international model with T-Mobile somebody would have reported it by now.
I don’t know anything about video calling though because I use T-Mobile's network via an MVNO and my carrier doesn't offer video calling.
jhs39 said:
Band 71 is used only in rural areas where cell towers are very far apart . My phones have never used band 71. If you don't know what bands your phone typically is using you can download a free signal app from the Play Store that will show what band your phone is connected to. Unless you live in a very rural area or frequently find yourself in rural areas it's unlikely you need band 71.
Flashing T-Mobile firmware shouldn't be necessary. I don't have the international S10+ but rather the US unlocked model and I get both WiFi Calling and Volte fine without T-Mobile firmware.
I've used many different models of international unlocked phones from Xiaomi and Huawei on T-Mobile and always got both WiFi Calling and Volte to work with only one exception--the Mate 20 Pro. I had to get rid of that phone even though I really liked it because calls kept going to voicemail without the phone ever ringing first.
It turns out that on T-Mobile if your phone supports band 12 it also needs to support Volte or calls go straight to voicemail without ringing if the caller is using Volte . I never had that problem previously because in 5 years of using international unlocked phones the M20P was the first where Volte didn't work on T-Mobile.
There were lots of posts from T-Mobile customers in the XDA M20P threads about calls going straight to voicemail. I haven't read a single post about that issue with the S10+ so it's pretty safe to assume that the international S10+ works fine with Volte on T-Mobile.
Until the S8 Samsung didn't even sell a US unlocked model--everyone in the US with unlocked Samsung phones were using the international models with the Exynos chip and those phones always worked perfectly with T-Mobile which is very BYOP friendly (unlike AT&T).
The only thing you would be missing on the vanilla Samsung firmware is Visual Voicemail but last I checked you could just download the official T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app from the Play Store.
You would also receive your OTA updates from Samsung rather than T-Mobile but that's actually a plus because the unlocked Exynos models receive updates much more quickly than all of the US models including the unlocked Snapdragon models.
Sorry for the very long answer but I wanted to be thorough.
You should be fine with an international unlocked S10+ on T-Mobile. This is a much better phone than unlocked models from Google Pixel and One Plus so I would recommend going for it.
No manual flashing on your part will be necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd. I'm using a mate 20X and the although it lacks bands 66 and 71 I don't get calls going to voicemail. In fact when viewing my historical phone signal via gsam app, it shows that I always receive a better signal than even the S10+ that I'm currently using. Both devices on T-Mobile USA.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
sbi1 said:
So I am looking to buy an international (or Latin) version of either the S10+ or the Note 10+.
I am on T-Mobile in the U.S.
1. How "bad" will it be if the phone has 3 out of T-Mobile's main bands? It only lacks 71, so what's the impact will be if I don't have band 71 on this phone with T-Mobile?
2. I read in the forum about flashing T-Mobile firmware on unlocked phones. How necessary is it? I prefer not to mess with flashing anything; done it in the past, I am not 'afraid' of it, but I just don't feel like going that route. Will I be missing anything from the T-Mobile network and services if I keep the phone in its stock ROM?
For example: Wifi Calling (important to me), VoLTE, etc. Will I have access to these features if I don't flash the carrier's firmware?
Thank you.[/QUOTE
I have the Hong Kong variant SM-G975 with T-Mobile. No issues with bands, VoLTE. Wifi Calling or 4G, no impact. You won't need to flash the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
varcor said:
I have the Hong Kong variant SM-G975 with T-Mobile. No issues with bands, VoLTE. Wifi Calling or 4G, no impact. You won't need to flash the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks @varcor . What about Video calling?
BTW - is it 975F or something else?
I use Skype for Video Calling, it works fine. Mine is an SM-G9750, the best price I've seen is on Ebay. The only issue is when you first get the device you'll need to change the language since it's setup in Mandarin. A bit challenging but not a big deal. The Ebay vendor is in Houston which is where the device ships from, only takes a few days.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Ga...im-FACTORY-UNLOCKED-6-4-8GB-RAM-/192846270776
varcor said:
I use Skype for Video Calling, it works fine. Mine is an SM-G9750, the best I've seen is on Ebay. The only issue is when you first get the device you'll need to change the language since it's setup in Mandarin. A bit challenging but not a big deal. The Ebay vendor is in Houston which is where the device ships from, only takes a few days.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Ga...im-FACTORY-UNLOCKED-6-4-8GB-RAM-/192846270776
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah, the legendary Never MSRP.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Yep, I've bought a number of devices from them, won't use anyone else. Lowest prices, great customer service as well.
varcor said:
I use Skype for Video Calling, it works fine. Mine is an SM-G9750, the best price I've seen is on Ebay. The only issue is when you first get the device you'll need to change the language since it's setup in Mandarin. A bit challenging but not a big deal. The Ebay vendor is in Houston which is where the device ships from, only takes a few days.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Ga...im-FACTORY-UNLOCKED-6-4-8GB-RAM-/192846270776
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must the F model. I travel to Israel with a local SIM and they use the F model, and it's the only possibility I have to use their WiFi calling while there. I am not 100% sure it'll work because of firmware but better chances with F model.
Thanks.
Limeybastard said:
That's odd. I'm using a mate 20X and the although it lacks bands 66 and 71 I don't get calls going to voicemail. In fact when viewing my historical phone signal via gsam app, it shows that I always receive a better signal than even the S10+ that I'm currently using. Both devices on T-Mobile USA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not having bands 66 & 71 don't cause the problem with T-Mobile calls going straight to voicemail--if band 12 is supported on a phone T-Mobile assumes the phone also supports Volte and if it doesn't then you get calls going straight to voicemail.
I'm not familiar with the Mate 20X but before the M20P I had a P20 Pro, Mate 10 Pro and P10 Pro and none of those phones had an issue because T-Mobile Volte worked with all of them.
It's also possible the problem with the P20 Pro was fixed after I got rid of the phone since it was a firmware issue that was fixable in a software update . I kept mine for 6 months before throwing in the towel. The only workaround was to turn off 4G in the network settings. With 4G off you would receive all calls since Volte is a 4G function.
I personally love Huawei phones. Hopefully after Trump is gone all of the nonsense with Huawei being barred from using Google apps and bullied out of the US market will go away but they might decide selling their products here isn't worth the aggravation.
I've also used a bunch of unlocked Xiaomi phones on T-Mobile with no issues. A nice feature in MIUI is that if Volte doesn't work out of the box there's a dial code you can enter to manually enable it.
Band 66 is an offload for band 4 when band 4 traffic is high but if a phone doesn't have band 66 it just stays on 4 so not having 66 on an unlocked phone has never caused any problems for me.
Band 71 is only live in parts of the country and is relatively new. It can transmit a signal over unusually long distances and is used to provide cell coverage in rural areas where it would cost too much to build a full network of cell towers.
jhs39 said:
Not having bands 66 & 71 don't cause the problem with T-Mobile calls going straight to voicemail--if band 12 is supported on a phone T-Mobile assumes the phone also supports Volte and if it doesn't then you get calls going straight to voicemail.
I'm not familiar with the Mate 20X but before the M20P I had a P20 Pro, Mate 10 Pro and P10 Pro and none of those phones had an issue because T-Mobile Volte worked with all of them.
It's also possible the problem with the P20 Pro was fixed after I got rid of the phone since it was a firmware issue that was fixable in a software update . I kept mine for 6 months before throwing in the towel. The only workaround was to turn off 4G in the network settings. With 4G off you would receive all calls since Volte is a 4G function.
I personally love Huawei phones. Hopefully after Trump is gone all of the nonsense with Huawei being barred from using Google apps and bullied out of the US market will go away but they might decide selling their products here isn't worth the aggravation.
I've also used a bunch of unlocked Xiaomi phones on T-Mobile with no issues. A nice feature in MIUI is that if Volte doesn't work out of the box there's a dial code you can enter to manually enable it.
Band 66 is an offload for band 4 when band 4 traffic is high but if a phone doesn't have band 66 it just stays on 4 so not having 66 on an unlocked phone has never caused any problems for me.
Band 71 is only live in parts of the country and is relatively new. It can transmit a signal over unusually long distances and is used to provide cell coverage in rural areas where it would cost too much to build a full network of cell towers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
P20 pro was certified and worked fully on T-Mobile , most devices after that were not.
I don't think my mate 20x connected to band 12, but if it did, then yes it'll probably go straight to voicemail.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
sbi1 said:
I must the F model. I travel to Israel with a local SIM and they use the F model, and it's the only possibility I have to use their WiFi calling while there. I am not 100% sure it'll work because of firmware but better chances with F model.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SM-G975F is the Exynos SoC variant for Europe. The SM-G9750 has the Snapdragon SoC and dual SIM's as well. Wifi Calling will work on both devices in any region, including Israel as long as the service provider offers it. The only thing I would recommend is you do some research on Exynos vs Snapdragon SoC's in the S10. Good luck!
varcor said:
The SM-G975F is the Exynos SoC variant for Europe. The SM-G9750 has the Snapdragon SoC and dual SIM's as well. Wifi Calling will work on both devices in any region, including Israel as long as the service provider offers it. The only thing I would recommend is you do some research on Exynos vs Snapdragon SoC's in the S10. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am aware of the differences between the two chips.
In regards to WiFi Calling - I am a bit skeptical. This provider does have WiFi calling services, however they have a list of devices that are supported. Clearly they list devices and firmwares that they sell, not BYOD phones, and they sell the F version. I currently use ZTE Axon 7, I have WiFi calling on T-Mobile but it does not work on the Israeli network and when I try to 'register' it for this service through their app, it clearly says that the device is not supported.
That being said - I can't tell you if my phone doesn't work on their WF calling because it's not even sold in Israel. It could very well be that any version of Galaxy S10+ will be supported regardless of firmware. simply because it is sold there. Clearly there is no way to know this beforehand. I asked them, they of course can only guarantee phones that are sold by them and are on the list.
BTW - the Israeli version of the 975F is single SIM, they don't have the D/S, although I can't imagine this should have any impact of phone supporting or not supporting WF calling.
What's the difference between the F and the O, other than the region they are sold in?
Thanks.
Limeybastard said:
P20 pro was certified and worked fully on T-Mobile , most devices after that were not.
I don't think my mate 20x connected to band 12, but if it did, then yes it'll probably go straight to voicemail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Devices don't need to be certified by T-Mobile to work with Volte. All of my recent Xiaomi phones worked with Volte--none of the models were officially sold in the US or certified by T-Mobile. The P20 Pro was not sold in the US so there was zero reason for it to be certified by T-Mobile. The last Huawei phone officially sold here was the Mate 10 Pro. AT&T and Verizon require that devices be certified by them to work with Volte on their networks but T-Mobile does not. T-Mobile is very BYOP friendly.
jhs39 said:
Devices don't need to be certified by T-Mobile to work with Volte. All of my recent Xiaomi phones worked with Volte--none of the models were officially sold in the US or certified by T-Mobile. The P20 Pro was not sold in the US so there was zero reason for it to be certified by T-Mobile. The last Huawei phone officially sold here was the Mate 10 Pro. AT&T and Verizon require that devices be certified by them to work with Volte on their networks but T-Mobile does not. T-Mobile is very BYOP friendly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the clarification. So why is it then that same device , but using different sim card would show the Volte toggle or hide it from the user menu? Example, mate 20 does have Volte capabilities yet its missing the Volte toggle switch. I know on the Xioami devices one can enter a #*code to force it show that option. I think what makes it even more convulsing is that Huawei global versions have various region firmware via their Cust codes. Each one I noticed behaves slighly different using same T-Mobile SIM card. Cheers
You mentioned all calls went to VM on up 20pro, why do you think that was the case, you mentioned earlier that you thought possibly it may have been firmware related amongst other things.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
sbi1 said:
I am aware of the differences between the two chips.
In regards to WiFi Calling - I am a bit skeptical. This provider does have WiFi calling services, however they have a list of devices that are supported. Clearly they list devices and firmwares that they sell, not BYOD phones, and they sell the F version. I currently use ZTE Axon 7, I have WiFi calling on T-Mobile but it does not work on the Israeli network and when I try to 'register' it for this service through their app, it clearly says that the device is not supported.
That being said - I can't tell you if my phone doesn't work on their WF calling because it's not even sold in Israel. It could very well be that any version of Galaxy S10+ will be supported regardless of firmware. simply because it is sold there. Clearly there is no way to know this beforehand. I asked them, they of course can only guarantee phones that are sold by them and are on the list.
BTW - the Israeli version of the 975F is single SIM, they don't have the D/S, although I can't imagine this should have any impact of phone supporting or not supporting WF calling.
What's the difference between the F and the O, other than the region they are sold in?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're correct regarding Single SIM for the SM-G975F, the Dual SIM option is available in the SM-G975F/DS. I personally wouldn't consider obtaining a device in Israel if the majority of the time I'm the US. The major differences are SoC's, a minor difference in CPU Clock Speed and Cores. The SM-G975F has no FM Radio and offers fewer Primary Network capabilities. You can view a back-to-back comparison here.
https://www.phonemore.com/compare/p...gb-vs-galaxy-s10-plus-sm-g9750-128gb/10134260
This is quite different than your original question but with that being stated I would be confident enough in the SM-G9750's compatibility with the Israeli network for Wifi Calling. The worst case is not having Wifi Calling in Israel, which isn't an absolute necessity however you'll have the Snapdragon SoC which is a far better chipset with fewer bugs. For me it's the obvious choice if I were faced with your considerations.
You're most welcome
varcor said:
You're correct regarding Single SIM for the SM-G975F, the Dual SIM option is available in the SM-G975F/DS. I personally wouldn't consider obtaining a device in Israel if the majority of the time I'm the US. The major differences are SoC's, a minor difference in CPU Clock Speed and Cores. The SM-G975F has no FM Radio and offers fewer Primary Network capabilities. You can view a back-to-back comparison here.
https://www.phonemore.com/compare/p...gb-vs-galaxy-s10-plus-sm-g9750-128gb/10134260
This is quite different than your original question but with that being stated I would be confident enough in the SM-G9750's compatibility with the Israeli network for Wifi Calling. The worst case is not having Wifi Calling in Israel, which isn't an absolute necessity however you'll have the Snapdragon SoC which is a far better chipset with fewer bugs. For me it's the obvious choice if I were faced with your considerations.
You're most welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SoC, meaning the chip?
You see, your definition of "worst case not having Wifi calling" is important to me , simply because where I usually stay in Israel there is almost no reception at all (inside the house I am staying in), that's the main reason I want a device that will be able to use their Wifi calling.
Also, I looked at the eBay seller that you mention and I don't even think he carries the O model any more, all I see is the F model, unless of course I am missing something.
Thanks.
sbi1 said:
SoC, meaning the chip?
You see, your definition of "worst case not having Wifi calling" is important to me , simply because where I usually stay in Israel there is almost no reception at all (inside the house I am staying in), that's the main reason I want a device that will be able to use their Wifi calling.
Also, I looked at the eBay seller that you mention and I don't even think he carries the O model any more, all I see is the F model, unless of course I am missing something.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SoC is System on Chip, same as Chipset. If Wifi calling is a top priority buy the Exynos device to be certain but be advised there are numerous concerns over the chipset on XDA and other sites, plus Network Aggrigaton for Exynos in the US has issues with some T-Mobile clients. You may lose Wifi Calling or VoLTE in the US.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/s10-plus/help/exynos-att-t-mobile-t3920491
They still offer the SM-G9750, the link I shared is correct, not sure you missed something. The also sell the SM-G975F and SM-G975F/DS.
Related
Hey all,
I recently got my Note 4 through US Cellular SIM unlocked and when I insert another SIM from AT&T or Tmobile, the phone accepts the SIM but there isn't any setting to change the phone to global mode in the network settings area, nor is there a way to change APNs. I cannot place calls on either Tmobile or AT&T with it, which I find odd since the phone doesn't reject the SIM. Does this version not have support for GSM bands or is it something to do with US Cellular's software that prevents it from connecting to United States GSM carriers? Is there a hidden setting that I need to get into to enable GSM use? Thanks all!
Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 (US Cellular) using XDA Free mobile app
Here's a screenshot of what I get when I try to change the network type to Global or GSM.
Sent from my US Cellular Note 4 using XDA Free mobile app
Old thread but bumpin, any news on this?
I also have bought a US Cellular Note Edge (not arrived yet) to use it in European GSM Networks. Phone was really cheap, so i thought i'll give it a try. Anyone have news on how to unlock GSM capabilities on this ? Maybe with a Rom from a GSM Edge ?
sportsinger75 said:
Hey all,
I recently got my Note 4 through US Cellular SIM unlocked and when I insert another SIM from AT&T or Tmobile, the phone accepts the SIM but there isn't any setting to change the phone to global mode in the network settings area, nor is there a way to change APNs. I cannot place calls on either Tmobile or AT&T with it, which I find odd since the phone doesn't reject the SIM. Does this version not have support for GSM bands or is it something to do with US Cellular's software that prevents it from connecting to United States GSM carriers? Is there a hidden setting that I need to get into to enable GSM use? Thanks all!
Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 (US Cellular) using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you get your note 4 unlocked?
Thanks,
Shaun
mv-testarossa said:
I also have bought a US Cellular Note Edge (not arrived yet) to use it in European GSM Networks. Phone was really cheap, so i thought i'll give it a try. Anyone have news on how to unlock GSM capabilities on this ? Maybe with a Rom from a GSM Edge ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you let us know what your experience with the US Cellular Note Edge?
I am having the same problem
gd
kv
I recently spent some time on the phone with the executive assistant to the president uscellular and well I had no success in getting my phone unlocked if I understand correctly the phone is cable of gsm also. If anyone would like I can give you the number 4 this lady name Karen and you can bring her directly. I also spoke with several members of the presidents executive Support technical service and they all indicated that the machine would have to be taking it into the store to be unlocked. the weird thing was that the machine is not blacklisted, stolen nor gained in any ill gotten way but yet all with one accord further said that it would be refuse for unlocking without giving any good reason. I understand the company was sued in court and lost the battle to not unlock their phones and this seems to not affect them only one to one basis. I will find a solution to this and I will share it. I would be grateful for any help in doing meanwhile.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
Hey, everybody. I hope I'm able to help... and in turn, I hope someone is able to help me.
Supposedly... newer Qualcomm-powered Android phones are inherently capable of connecting to any CDMA or GSM network. However, the different bands are enabled/disabled per the carrier's specifications. For instance, I'm a Verizon customer, and I connect to bands 4 and 13 for LTE service. However, US Cellular devices do not have band 13 enabled by default.
All hope is not yet lost, though. There is a thread (which has since been closed due to trolling/bickering) that details a method to flash the Qualcomm chip to enable/disable bands as needed. See here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/general/how-to-add-rf-lte-frequency-bands-to-t2886059 According to the information there... it seems that I'd be able to flash the CPU chip to enable band 13, and then I'd have support for all 1x / 2G / 3G / LTE bands that I'd need for Verizon. Likewise for T-Mo, Sprint, ATT, etc.
Now for my problem...
I have recently purchased a USC Note 4 (N910R4) from Amazon, though it was listed as a N910F, International Edition. It was listed as having been unlocked for use on any CDMA network. Unfortunately, the phone does not recognize my Verizon SIM, Verizon couldn't give me any information about the device, and a US Cellular support chat representative said I'd have to visit a store to check if the phone is actually unlocked. The closes USC store is several hours away in another state. The phone came with a USC SIM still in it... and it recognizes that SIM without a problem. I can't make phone calls, though... and no mobile data, either.
I had intended to use the International Version (N910F) and enable the correct bands per the thread above... and then activate the phone on my Verizon account... but the USC version should be close enough in band support that I'd be able to at least activate the phone. The USC phone supports band 4 LTE, and I get band 4 service where I'm sitting right now. If not that, the 2G and 3G band support are identical, I believe. So, I'm just doubtful that I'll be able to activate the phone just yet.
Can anyone shed light on how to verify that my new phone is actually carrier/SIM unlocked? I was hoping I'd be able to get someone to query a database of unlocked MEIDs, but for some reason, I am supposed to go to a store. I can't even call.
Any help is appreciated.
DrPhant0m said:
Hey, everybody. I hope I'm able to help... and in turn, I hope someone is able to help me.
Supposedly... newer Qualcomm-powered Android phones are inherently capable of connecting to any CDMA or GSM network. However, the different bands are enabled/disabled per the carrier's specifications. For instance, I'm a Verizon customer, and I connect to bands 4 and 13 for LTE service. However, US Cellular devices do not have band 13 enabled by default.
All hope is not yet lost, though. There is a thread (which has since been closed due to trolling/bickering) that details a method to flash the Qualcomm chip to enable/disable bands as needed. See here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/general/how-to-add-rf-lte-frequency-bands-to-t2886059 According to the information there... it seems that I'd be able to flash the CPU chip to enable band 13, and then I'd have support for all 1x / 2G / 3G / LTE bands that I'd need for Verizon. Likewise for T-Mo, Sprint, ATT, etc.
Now for my problem...
I have recently purchased a USC Note 4 (N910R4) from Amazon, though it was listed as a N910F, International Edition. It was listed as having been unlocked for use on any CDMA network. Unfortunately, the phone does not recognize my Verizon SIM, Verizon couldn't give me any information about the device, and a US Cellular support chat representative said I'd have to visit a store to check if the phone is actually unlocked. The closes USC store is several hours away in another state. The phone came with a USC SIM still in it... and it recognizes that SIM without a problem. I can't make phone calls, though... and no mobile data, either.
I had intended to use the International Version (N910F) and enable the correct bands per the thread above... and then activate the phone on my Verizon account... but the USC version should be close enough in band support that I'd be able to at least activate the phone. The USC phone supports band 4 LTE, and I get band 4 service where I'm sitting right now. If not that, the 2G and 3G band support are identical, I believe. So, I'm just doubtful that I'll be able to activate the phone just yet.
Can anyone shed light on how to verify that my new phone is actually carrier/SIM unlocked? I was hoping I'd be able to get someone to query a database of unlocked MEIDs, but for some reason, I am supposed to go to a store. I can't even call.
Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I share all your concerns sir. I too have not learned yet how to determine if USC nope for exactly carrier locked or no but I am of the firmest belief based on what I've learned from USC at various levels up to the Presidents executive team that it is indeed carrier locked. I cannot answer for yours then I believe that all under phones come in one of the two varieties and I am convinced even after the court ruling against them that they I have no intent to unlock a phone by less than forcesure. Furthermore I have no confidence that the store they may send you to has any unlocking abilities. According to the executive team that does this work in reality you must in the machine into them and prove its worthwhile to be unlocked. In my case well they cannot prove there is any malfeasance, they still choose to err on the side of caution and refuse to accept any proof then I have of the machine purchased new complete and clean but from a second party. They furthermore refuse to contact the locals that originally sold the phone and truthfully are the first corporation that ever more me so thin that I chose to unlock the bang bang myself. I remain as giddy as a schoolboy hoping to hear more good news from this post. I'm confident then I currently have the knowledge to fix the phone but do not currently have the time. I will happily update I'll with my success be crying the Blues at my failure soon.
GH
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
Any updates, guys? Did flashing the ROM to allow access to additional channels work for anyone? Thinking of buying a USC Note 4 and then trying to unlock it for GSM usage.
Any news on unlocking or using on GSM networks? thx
kardeşim ne yaptın telefonu açabildin mi ?
aynı sorun bendede var
Has anyone got any further with this? I've just bought a US cellular note 4 and my APN settings are greyed out. I'm assuming that US cellular will be difficult to deal with to get the phone unlocked especially if it has been bought from a third party. Has anyone had any luck with getting there's unlocked?
Hi!i set my Note Edge to say on Network mode:GSM/WCDMA/LTE but i can't place calls etc...has anyone an idea to make it work?
use z3x box to unlock it
To whom might be concern;
Make things short, NO, you cant use USC Note 4 on any US carrier if u look at the spec. The phone support only some GSM850 and FDD LTE band 5 (850mzh). And att/tmobile 2g voice is on gsm1700/2100 and LTE band is not match....... So that being said you are buying note 4 as Samsung Player and only good with USC and somewhat Verizon(need to hack for it to work, and stillike not all feature will work). Hope answer most you guy question
Phone is cdma unlocked automatically on 6.0.1 roms
---------- Post added at 05:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 PM ----------
DrPhant0m said:
Hey, everybody. I hope I'm able to help... and in turn, I hope someone is able to help me.
Supposedly... newer Qualcomm-powered Android phones are inherently capable of connecting to any CDMA or GSM network. However, the different bands are enabled/disabled per the carrier's specifications. For instance, I'm a Verizon customer, and I connect to bands 4 and 13 for LTE service. However, US Cellular devices do not have band 13 enabled by default.
All hope is not yet lost, though. There is a thread (which has since been closed due to trolling/bickering) that details a method to flash the Qualcomm chip to enable/disable bands as needed. See here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s5/general/how-to-add-rf-lte-frequency-bands-to-t2886059 According to the information there... it seems that I'd be able to flash the CPU chip to enable band 13, and then I'd have support for all 1x / 2G / 3G / LTE bands that I'd need for Verizon. Likewise for T-Mo, Sprint, ATT, etc.
Now for my problem...
I have recently purchased a USC Note 4 (N910R4) from Amazon, though it was listed as a N910F, International Edition. It was listed as having been unlocked for use on any CDMA network. Unfortunately, the phone does not recognize my Verizon SIM, Verizon couldn't give me any information about the device, and a US Cellular support chat representative said I'd have to visit a store to check if the phone is actually unlocked. The closes USC store is several hours away in another state. The phone came with a USC SIM still in it... and it recognizes that SIM without a problem. I can't make phone calls, though... and no mobile data, either.
I had intended to use the International Version (N910F) and enable the correct bands per the thread above... and then activate the phone on my Verizon account... but the USC version should be close enough in band support that I'd be able to at least activate the phone. The USC phone supports band 4 LTE, and I get band 4 service where I'm sitting right now. If not that, the 2G and 3G band support are identical, I believe. So, I'm just doubtful that I'll be able to activate the phone just yet.
Can anyone shed light on how to verify that my new phone is actually carrier/SIM unlocked? I was hoping I'd be able to get someone to query a database of unlocked MEIDs, but for some reason, I am supposed to go to a store. I can't even call.
Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Though the phone is automatically cdma unlocked on android 6.0.1 roms, the bands are still disabled. I suggest following DrPhant0m's advice and look into the posted link above.
Deadbit said:
Phone is cdma unlocked automatically on 6.0.1 roms
---------- Post added at 05:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 PM ----------
Though the phone is automatically cdma unlocked on android 6.0.1 roms, the bands are still disabled. I suggest following DrPhant0m's advice and look into the posted link above.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've still got the USC Note 4. My son uses it on wifi and to watch videos that we load to local storage. In other words... no sim card installed.
If I manually update the phone to 6.0.1... what will I gain being that I'm a Verizon customer? Is the only difference that 1 band of LTE will be inaccessible? Would it actually start working for calls and some data with a verizon sim?
The whole "reprogram other-carrier Qualcomm phones to work on Verizon's bands" is frequently debunked as chasing a unicorn in the verizon forums.
Further... is the same applicable to newer phones? Could I get a newer (note 5/7) USC phone with android 6.x+ to work with verizon? (Unlocked bootloader would be my only reason to try)
Thanks!
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Can anyone tell me if this will work on verizon carrier ? Don't want the locked down verison
I'm pretty sure the International (GM935F) version does NOT support Verizon's CDMA.
Verizon and sprint are the only reason USA doesn't have the faster exynos processor.
Sent from my Star-Tac
Use the following site to check
http://willmyphonework.net
according to this site you should get 4g LTE, but does not work on 2G or 3G
full spec of samsung model is here
http://www.samsung.com/uk/business/business-products/smartphones/smartphones/SM-G935FZKABTU
also note the foot note at the bottom of the results from http://willmyphonework.net,
******
"How To Interpret The Results
When performing a search, you will be presented with three networks: 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE.
For the technical savvy, we have included the network frequencies that match between the mobile device and the network carrier. Also, we consider HSPA+ to be 3G.
Note: Will My Phone Work assumes that your device is unlocked or allowed to be run on the desired mobile network. Certain carriers such as Verizon USA have an "approved list" of devices. This means that although the phone is compatible with the carrier's network frequencies, the device is blocked. Also, some carriers make frequencies/bands available only to specific geographical regions."
********
Has anyone confirmed this?
5teve0 said:
Use the following site to check
http://willmyphonework.net
according to this site you should get 4g LTE, but does not work on 2G or 3G
full spec of samsung model is here
http://www.samsung.com/uk/business/business-products/smartphones/smartphones/SM-G935FZKABTU
also note the foot note at the bottom of the results from http://willmyphonework.net,
******
"How To Interpret The Results
When performing a search, you will be presented with three networks: 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE.
For the technical savvy, we have included the network frequencies that match between the mobile device and the network carrier. Also, we consider HSPA+ to be 3G.
Note: Will My Phone Work assumes that your device is unlocked or allowed to be run on the desired mobile network. Certain carriers such as Verizon USA have an "approved list" of devices. This means that although the phone is compatible with the carrier's network frequencies, the device is blocked. Also, some carriers make frequencies/bands available only to specific geographical regions."
********
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also interested in this. I'm thinking of buying a G935F so I can root and have complete control over the recovery and ROMs.
I assumed the international (global) variant would support everything. My Galaxy S5 works everywhere including the US and also drops to 3G if necessary on Verizon. The ultimate question is, if I buy a G935F, can I make/receive calls, texts/mms, and get data using a Verizon SIM card? If I'm in a fringe area and it drops 4G, what will happen? Will it just have no service? I have to think it would support 3G/2G. If a person from Europe comes to the US with the G935F and uses a verizon SIM or is in a verizon only area, they would be screwed.
Again, I would think it should just work, no?
It will not work on Verizon because
1. Verizon relies on using the outdated CDMA standard so you can't connect to their "3G" network.
2. Verizon uses non standard version of the VoLTE IMS (so does T-Mobile it seems), so you can't place calls over LTE even if you flash a VoLTE enabled firmware on your GS7
3. Verizon as a carrier is a control freak that doesn't let its costumers use devices that have not been "approved" by their services, therefore, your devices' IMEI have to be white-listed in order to connect to their network.
mathieulh said:
It will not work on Verizon because
1. Verizon relies on using the outdated CDMA standard so you can't connect to their "3G" network.
2. Verizon uses non standard version of the VoLTE IMS (so does T-Mobile it seems), so you can't place calls over LTE even if you flash a VoLTE enabled firmware on your GS7
3. Verizon as a carrier is a control freak that doesn't let its costumers use devices that have not been "approved" by their services, therefore, your devices' IMEI have to be white-listed in order to connect to their network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already started the process of moving to AT&T...waiting on my work to confirm it. I hope Verizon reads this. It would have been some much simpler if they just unlocked their bootloader and didn't put a ton of crap (bloat) on their stock ROM...then they would have retained this customer.
I was considering the G935FD (dual sim) since my personal phone is AT&T and my work phone is Verizon. I want to consolidate to a single phone. Honestly I only need Verizon for calls and text, not even data, since my AT&T is unlimited. Looks like the international S7 Edge support Verizon's primary LTE band 13 which would technically work for data, but won't connect to their CDMA calling network according to mathieulh.. Now here's the kicker.. the new ZTE Axon 7 is supposedly compatible with Sprint and Verizon, AND it's a dual SIM phone. I know Verizon has to give the final "okay" to have a device activate on their network, but looking at the specs between the Axon 7 and the G935FD (dual sim S7 Edge) on GSMArena, there are essentially NO DIFFERENCES between 2G/3G/4G(LTE) bands between the two devices. The only difference I really see is Cat 6 LTE (300/50Mbps) on the Axon 7 and Cat 9 LTE (450/50Mbps) on the S7 Edge.
Can anyone clear this up? ZTE is literally saying their Axon 7 will work on Verizon, with essentially the same network specs as the S7 Edge international... there MUST be some major defining issue with using the Exynos vs Qualcomm processor when it comes to CDMA connectivity, but I still can't see a spec difference online.
G930f won't work on Verizon
Hey guys so I see this last post is from almost 3 years ago but I like the s7 and I have verizon. I don't like the Verizon variant of the s7 and wanted to try this one, the g930f because it had the same bands for LTE that verizon uses. I thought I could just use Google voice and make calls with data. I've been messing around with it for a few days now and I'm using a pre-registered sim from a Motorola that I bought from Verizon. I cannot get it to register even with data alone. I've tried removing all AP names and then creating several different AP names using Verizon settings. It's a no-go. I'm getting the g930u.
Thank you for reading. Maybe you know a workaround?
I am considering upgrading to the S8. I like that the G950F has an unlocked bootloader on a phone that has (almost) everything I want.
But it seems like it's a bit of a hassle to get it to work fully on the T-Mobile network. It looks like I can flash the CSC to enable WiFi Calling and VoLTE on it, but is there any hope for 256QAM and 4x4 MIMO? There's hardly any information about this other than one or two threads. So I'd like to know:
If I go with the G950F over the T-Mobile or Unlocked US variants, what am I missing out on out of the box?
What will flashing the T-Mobile CSC not fix? (I currently think it does fix WiFi Calling and VoLTE.)
Can I flash the T-Mobile US modem on the G950F to fix this, or will that just brick my device? (Snapdragon image on Exynos terrifies me.)
Am I missing some other way (like a secret service mode or something) that would allow me to force 256QAM and/or 4x4 MIMO on the G950F?
I really hate that I can't just have a US model with an unlocked bootloader...
I think Galaxy S8 International variant maybe missing some bands and I would suggest you either get T-Mobile as you mentioned or US unlocked. With US unlocked which I already ordered from Samsung, should support all T-Mobile features: VoLTE, Band 12 and WiFi Calling. At the moment Samsung offers $200 off if you trade in any Android or iOS device. Just check their page for Trade-in details.
Charkatak said:
I think Galaxy S8 International variant maybe missing some bands and I would suggest you either get T-Mobile as you mentioned or US unlocked. With US unlocked which I already ordered from Samsung, should support all T-Mobile features: VoLTE, Band 12 and WiFi Calling. At the moment Samsung offers $200 off if you trade in any Android or iOS device. Just check their page for Trade-in details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I trade any device?
I got a one plus one somewhere.
borisb said:
Can I trade any device?
I got a one plus one somewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see why you can't. It said any Android/iOS device, but just has to be in good condition. Check it out: http://www.samsung.com/us/trade-in/terms-and-conditions/
I'm using an international S8 on Tmobile, works fine. I'm in the middle of nowhere and it actually gets better signal than a Tmobile Pixel and S6 Edge I had before.
sketron13 said:
I'm using an international S8 on Tmobile, works fine. I'm in the middle of nowhere and it actually gets better signal than a Tmobile Pixel and S6 Edge I had before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does you phone show 4G or 4G LTE?
It has 4G LTE shown
sketron13 said:
It has 4G LTE shown
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I don't remember which bands exactly and how many, but F model had some bands missing for T-Mobile.
Just one night frequency
The exynos variant lacks 4x4 mimo and 256qam from what I've read. It achieves 1gb down via 5xCA. But also only allows it to max upload at 150mb/s
So it would only be able to utilize the 3xCA from tmobile. And not get max possible downloads. But the F does support all 3 of t-mobile's used bands
Acoustichayes said:
The exynos variant lacks 4x4 mimo and 256qam from what I've read. It achieves 1gb down via 5xCA. But also only allows it to max upload at 150mb/s
So it would only be able to utilize the 3xCA from tmobile. And not get max possible downloads. But the F does support all 3 of t-mobile's used bands
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it. That's what I was looking for, thanks. My understanding is that it's a hardware issue that can't easily be fixed via service mode or flashing something, but it doesn't look like I'd miss out on much overall.
I am in a 4x4 MIMO service area though so maybe I'll just hold out for now and see what happens over the next few weeks/months.
Can someone point me to the thread for how to make a sm-g950f have volte and wifi calling on T-Mobile?
My searches turned up nothing concrete if this is possible but I found a Note 8 thread that sounded promising.
Does anyone know if I were to flash the latest Germany T-Mobile firmware (DTM) from Sammobile, would that enable VoLTE, WiFi Calling here in the US?
Currently my G950F S8 has the Australian (XSA) firmware installed and it doesn't have VoLTE or WiFi Calling. The WiFi Calling setting in Quicktiles is greyed out.
Yeah, I know it's been asked before but I don't feel confident enough to pull the trigger on it to test. I am on Verizon, I have a SIM card I could use in it that's already activated ( currently in a iPhone 6 Plus ) I see it does support CDMA and LTE bands, So does it really work fully with no drawbacks?
Thanks
Verizon/Mi Note 2 GLOBAL EDITION
2G: cdmaOne (IS-95)
3G: CDMA2000 (IMT‑MC), 1xEV-DO
4G: Band 2 (1900MHz), Band 4 (AWS), Band 13 (700MHz)
Verizon also offers LTE on
If you presently have any friends or family living/near where you would use the phone day-to-day with an Android phone on Verizon, I think this works best if you've rooted it, download the LTE Discovery app from the Play Store and use it to determine which 4G bands you are encountering primarily "in the wild" during your day. According to Wikipedia, Verizon only offers LTE on Bands 2, 4, and 13 in the US. So in theory the Mi Note 2 GLOBAL EDITION supports all of VZW's bands.
juchmis said:
Verizon/Mi Note 2 GLOBAL EDITION
2G: cdmaOne (IS-95)
3G: CDMA2000 (IMT‑MC), 1xEV-DO
4G: Band 2 (1900MHz), Band 4 (AWS), Band 13 (700MHz)
Verizon also offers LTE on
If you presently have any friends or family living/near where you would use the phone day-to-day with an Android phone on Verizon, I think this works best if you've rooted it, download the LTE Discovery app from the Play Store and use it to determine which 4G bands you are encountering primarily "in the wild" during your day. According to Wikipedia, Verizon only offers LTE on Bands 2, 4, and 13 in the US. So in theory the Mi Note 2 GLOBAL EDITION supports all of VZW's bands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Currently I have a iPhone 6 plus and established I use band 4 at my home and work, Global version supports all LTE bands I read. So yeah it should work right? Just pop my current sim in. I talked to another guy on this forum who posted a screen shot of it working on a pre paid Verizon sim and he said it's worked fine. There's just so little info on this phone working on Verizon and it make me nervous.
AtsuiPanda said:
Currently I have a iPhone 6 plus and established I use band 4 at my home and work, Global version supports all LTE bands I read. So yeah it should work right? Just pop my current sim in. I talked to another guy on this forum who posted a screen shot of it working on a pre paid Verizon sim and he said it's worked fine. There's just so little info on this phone working on Verizon and it make me nervous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are no reasons why it would not work. It supports all 4G LTE bands which Verizon uses, which means it should get the fastest 4G signal anywhere that Verizon's spectrum reaches. That represents the best case, as in phones sold by Verizon for use on their network can only be at most on par with it for 4G support.
It also appears to support all 3G protocols and voice protocols which Verizon uses.
Hard to say whether it will work immediately upon having your present SIM inserted. You may be required to make some kind of contact with Verizon to establish a change of handset, which may be as simple as having the phone's unique IMEI read to them over the phone (or even dialed in after phoning an automated system).
There's no need for any contact with Verizon. Just put the active SIM in and it works fine. I have my Mi Note 2 Global working just fine on Verizon including VoLTE. This required no contact with Verizon nor any inputs in the device info pages on my Verizon account online. In fact I would probably *not* provide an IMEI to Verizon as they will almost surely not allow activation with the Mi's IMEI...though I don't think they'd block it or anything.
I'm the "guy" the OP is referring to above...I've confirmed that all LTE bands including 2, 4, and 13...and CDMA 1X calls and EvDO data all work fine on this phone...not sure if it's CDMA BC0 or 1 in my area (I think it's 0) but both should work. VoLTE is also confirmed working perfectly right out of the box.
To the OP - what additional information are you looking for to determine whether or not this phone is right for you? I'm happy to help but I'm not understanding what else you might need to know as pretty much everything has been revealed vis-a-vis Verizon and the Mi Note 2 Global and it definitely works fine...if you're nervous about it I probably would suggest a different handset unless you really need the dual SIM functionality with Verizon...in which case it's either this phone or the ZTE Axon 7 that you'll be limited to...the Axon 7 is a better phone all in all IMO but is more finicky software-wise in my experience and takes a little more user tweaking to get Verizon to work as well as it should (some people have really struggled with the Axon 7 on Verizon but I had smooth sailing except that I had to use a GSM SIM for initial setup and also after OTAs to sort of "clear" the radio out). The Xiaomi Mi Note 2, on the other hand, has much better connectivity and has given me zero problems on Verizon...I'm actually really impressed with it in this respect.
But at the same time I find the screen on the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 to be grossly inferior to that of the ZTE...the speakers too. And MIUI is kind of meh but I know some people love it...but I guess that's kinda off topic!
flyer_andy said:
There's no need for any contact with Verizon. Just put the active SIM in and it works fine. I have my Mi Note 2 Global working just fine on Verizon including VoLTE. This required no contact with Verizon nor any inputs in the device info pages on my Verizon account online. In fact I would probably *not* provide an IMEI to Verizon as they will almost surely not allow activation with the Mi's IMEI...though I don't think they'd block it or anything.
I'm the "guy" the OP is referring to above...I've confirmed that all LTE bands including 2, 4, and 13...and CDMA 1X calls and EvDO data all work fine on this phone...not sure if it's CDMA BC0 or 1 in my area (I think it's 0) but both should work. VoLTE is also confirmed working perfectly right out of the box.
To the OP - what additional information are you looking for to determine whether or not this phone is right for you? I'm happy to help but I'm not understanding what else you might need to know as pretty much everything has been revealed vis-a-vis Verizon and the Mi Note 2 Global and it definitely works fine...if you're nervous about it I probably would suggest a different handset unless you really need the dual SIM functionality with Verizon...in which case it's either this phone or the ZTE Axon 7 that you'll be limited to...the Axon 7 is a better phone all in all IMO but is more finicky software-wise in my experience and takes a little more user tweaking to get Verizon to work as well as it should (some people have really struggled with the Axon 7 on Verizon but I had smooth sailing except that I had to use a GSM SIM for initial setup and also after OTAs to sort of "clear" the radio out). The Xiaomi Mi Note 2, on the other hand, has much better connectivity and has given me zero problems on Verizon...I'm actually really impressed with it in this respect.
But at the same time I find the screen on the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 to be grossly inferior to that of the ZTE...the speakers too. And MIUI is kind of meh but I know some people love it...but I guess that's kinda off topic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol you have been most helpful, I made this thread before I contacted you is all I will be ordering the note 2 soon. But if I have any questions after and if I do run into problems I'd PM ya. Thanks again, man.
flyer_andy said:
There's no need for any contact with Verizon. Just put the active SIM in and it works fine. I have my Mi Note 2 Global working just fine on Verizon including VoLTE. This required no contact with Verizon nor any inputs in the device info pages on my Verizon account online. In fact I would probably *not* provide an IMEI to Verizon as they will almost surely not allow activation with the Mi's IMEI...though I don't think they'd block it or anything.
I'm the "guy" the OP is referring to above...I've confirmed that all LTE bands including 2, 4, and 13...and CDMA 1X calls and EvDO data all work fine on this phone...not sure if it's CDMA BC0 or 1 in my area (I think it's 0) but both should work. VoLTE is also confirmed working perfectly right out of the box.
To the OP - what additional information are you looking for to determine whether or not this phone is right for you? I'm happy to help but I'm not understanding what else you might need to know as pretty much everything has been revealed vis-a-vis Verizon and the Mi Note 2 Global and it definitely works fine...if you're nervous about it I probably would suggest a different handset unless you really need the dual SIM functionality with Verizon...in which case it's either this phone or the ZTE Axon 7 that you'll be limited to...the Axon 7 is a better phone all in all IMO but is more finicky software-wise in my experience and takes a little more user tweaking to get Verizon to work as well as it should (some people have really struggled with the Axon 7 on Verizon but I had smooth sailing except that I had to use a GSM SIM for initial setup and also after OTAs to sort of "clear" the radio out). The Xiaomi Mi Note 2, on the other hand, has much better connectivity and has given me zero problems on Verizon...I'm actually really impressed with it in this respect.
But at the same time I find the screen on the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 to be grossly inferior to that of the ZTE...the speakers too. And MIUI is kind of meh but I know some people love it...but I guess that's kinda off topic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do wanna ask you something though, What's the point of using two SIMs? also whats vis a vis?
AtsuiPanda said:
I do wanna ask you something though, What's the point of using two SIMs? also whats vis a vis?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case it's to improve data coverage but for most people it's because they travel internationally and need a second operator in the other country or they do it so they can have a work-related phone number and personal number in the same device.
"Vis-a-vis" just means "in relation to" for all practical purposes.
Hi there. I live in Canada and use A2017G. How to switch it to USA bands and is it safe to do? Or should I wait for Oreo (seems like November)?
Thanks
I think you are stuck with whatever bands that are hardcoded into the G. Probably has something to do with the baseband/radio/modem. I did find an article on XDA awhile back that claims you can add bands to your phone, but it seemed mostly suited toward Samsung. In any case, it doesn't really matter, a G model should still receive a minimum of 4G with most US carriers, but maybe not LTE. I'd imagine Canadian carriers are similar. But I do have to wonder, you live in North America, so why buy a G. The U is the variant that is designed for this region. And U has better support, ROMs, etc.
Maybe you can just flash the A2017U modem
ttkian said:
Maybe you can just flash the A2017U modem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you can avoid suggesting things you clearly have no idea about.
While you're at it, why don't you flash a modem from another phone?
---------- Post added at 05:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:51 AM ----------
evilKabab said:
Hi there. I live in Canada and use A2017G. How to switch it to USA bands and is it safe to do? Or should I wait for Oreo (seems like November)?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't add bands that the phone doesn't have. By changing the daughterboard of an A2017U to an A2017's, a guy simply lost all connectivity, plain and simple. Antenna stuff is hardware stuff.
Oreo won't really add bands either
@Choose an username...: I have read other topics on XDA that say you can use QPST/QFIL to add basebands, on almost any device that has a Qualcomm CPU. But I havent tried this myself. It may just be a matter of placebo, or people wanting to believe that it works, when really nothing may be changing. You could also brick your phone during the attempt, which is part of the reason I havent tried yet.
I think that all A7s have nearly the same hardware, including the same (hardware) modem/radio, but with different basebands enabled/disabled depending on which model you have. But I have no proof of this. I will leave this to people that are willing to deeply dissect the hardware.
And then there are the modem files you can flash, which vary according to your model. I am not sure what would happen if you attempt to flash a A2017G/A2017 modem on a A2017U (or any other combo). I think the worst you will face is a loss of Internet/text/phone calls.
When I first bought my A7 I was going to get the Chinese version from AliExpress, because it has more RAM, storage, and ForceTouch. But then I realized that it doesn't have most of the basebands that my carrier (T-Mobile) supports. And you never know where most of the AE sellers get the hardware, they could be stolen, preowned, whatever. I have bought numerous 'new' items there before, but they ranged in quality, ranging from brand new to fair condition. So I thought better of it and bought a new A2017U from NewEgg, complete with ZTE's Passport warranty and 3 years SquareTrade insurance. And I'm glad I did, since a few months ago I had to make use of that warranty to get my A7 unbricked from DFU, before the tool was available.
I think only differences between A7 models are in processor i.e. bands. There are variants in SD 820.
AnonVendetta said:
... But then I realized that it doesn't have most of the basebands that my carrier (T-Mobile) supports.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We're in the same boat... My carrier using AWS bands just like T-MO. A2017G was working perfectly fine maybe missing just one band on LTE. And recently new band was introduced - LTE band 13 (700mhz), which supposed to improve indoor reception - big issue for Axon 7 and AWS. They call it 'Extended Rabge LTE.
So A2017U has that band, but A2017G doesnt. My assumption was that both phones are sharing the same hardware and bands available are controlled by software.
I clicked some numbers and got into some engineering menu where I see choices: USA Bands, Cellular 800. So I picked USA and restarted.
EPIC FAIL!
I lost 3g AWS on SIM1! Only 4G present, which is actually working fine. Just imagine phone with perfect 4G connectivity internet is flying, but you cannot place a phone call... (My carrier - Freedom Mobile doesnt have 2G GSM). I tried to switch it back - no luck
Solution - I use SIM2.
Oreo
Just installed it no OTA had to use sd card. That actually fixed SIM1 band problem. It doesnt seem I have band 13 (that is what I wanted), but connectivity seems better and switching between 3g and 4g is very fast...