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I'm looking to buy a new phone but don't want/need the latest and greatest. I'm happy with the performance of my HTC One Mini, my work HTC One X/XL and my wife's S4 Active, all AT&T phones used in the U.S. My One Mini just suffered a horrible mountain bike crash which busted the screen up pretty bad, then too, my old eyes are tired of that tiny screen. I've also had bad luck with the built in battery and lack of SD card slot. So I was thinking S4 would be ok by me. Asking on the device forum I've gotten 50-11 answers some of which are conflicting answers. I was thinking the i9505 would be the right phone until someone piped up stating it wouldn't work on LTE here. From all I've seen it looks to me like that senior member don't know what they're talking about. Here's my criteria:
1. 4.5" to 5" screen
2. Unlocked/unlockable and can easily accept custom ROMs
3. Prefer to stick with a Kit Kat Rom as it gets along with my Do Not Disturb app better than Lollipop due to the built-in app on Lollipop
4. Removable battery
5. SD Slot
6. LTE service on AT&T/T-Mobile and Caribbean and South American Countries
7. Custom ROM must allow hotspot w/o AT&T controlling my use (I have unlimited internet on my plan and want to make use of it)
Background: I'm almost green having only installed a custom ROM on my work phone an HTC One X/XL from AT&T. Apparently it's one of the harder phones to unlock the bootloader and permanent Root is impossible I think. I 1st installed CM12.1 on the HTC ONE X and ran into conflicts and buggy operations. After a few weeks of testing I backed it up, wiped it and installed CM11 which I truly like. No experience or much understanding of KNOX, ODIN or ODEX. I only read bits and pieces on those while trying to figure out which S4 variant will fit my need. Lastly, were can I get a new phone off contract? Anybody purchased from www.Cell2Get.com? I was about to buy this phone prior to the member claiming it wouldn't work on AT&T.
http://www.cell2get.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-i9505-16gb-unlocked-gsm-android-cell-phone-p-5122.html
IRBent said:
I'm looking to buy a new phone but don't want/need the latest and greatest. I'm happy with the performance of my HTC One Mini, my work HTC One X/XL and my wife's S4 Active, all AT&T phones used in the U.S. My One Mini just suffered a horrible mountain bike crash which busted the screen up pretty bad, then too, my old eyes are tired of that tiny screen. I've also had bad luck with the built in battery and lack of SD card slot. So I was thinking S4 would be ok by me. Asking on the device forum I've gotten 50-11 answers some of which are conflicting answers. I was thinking the i9505 would be the right phone until someone piped up stating it wouldn't work on LTE here. From all I've seen it looks to me like that senior member don't know what they're talking about. Here's my criteria:
1. 4.5" to 5" screen
2. Unlocked/unlockable and can easily accept custom ROMs
3. Prefer to stick with a Kit Kat Rom as it gets along with my Do Not Disturb app better than Lollipop due to the built-in app on Lollipop
4. Removable battery
5. SD Slot
6. LTE service on AT&T/T-Mobile and Caribbean and South American Countries
7. Custom ROM must allow hotspot w/o AT&T controlling my use (I have unlimited internet on my plan and want to make use of it)
Background: I'm almost green having only installed a custom ROM on my work phone an HTC One X/XL from AT&T. Apparently it's one of the harder phones to unlock the bootloader and permanent Root is impossible I think. I 1st installed CM12.1 on the HTC ONE X and ran into conflicts and buggy operations. After a few weeks of testing I backed it up, wiped it and installed CM11 which I truly like. No experience or much understanding of KNOX, ODIN or ODEX. I only read bits and pieces on those while trying to figure out which S4 variant will fit my need. Lastly, were can I get a new phone off contract? Anybody purchased from www.Cell2Get.com? I was about to buy this phone prior to the member claiming it wouldn't work on AT&T.
http://www.cell2get.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-i9505-16gb-unlocked-gsm-android-cell-phone-p-5122.html
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- AT&T has it's own variant of the S4. It's called the "SGH-I337".
- The I9505 will not work with LTE on the AT&T network. It support different bands. So the member was correct. You can see it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S4#Model_variants
- The "SGH-I337" has a locked bootloader and cannot be unlocked. Only some old devices will have an unlocked bootloader because they never upgraded their software. Thus you cannot use custom roms like CM.
Lennyz1988 said:
- AT&T has it's own variant of the S4. It's called the "SGH-I337".
- The I9505 will not work with LTE on the AT&T network. It support different bands. So the member was correct. You can see it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S4#Model_variants
- The "SGH-I337" has a locked bootloader and cannot be unlocked. Only some old devices will have an unlocked bootloader because they never upgraded their software. Thus you cannot use custom roms like CM.
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So is the GT-I9505G the preferred phone to have and to mod and if so, can I buy new one without getting a fake?
"Google Play Edition
At the Google I/O 2013 keynote, Samsung and Google revealed that an edition of the U.S. S4 would be released on June 26, 2013 through Google Play, initially featuring stock Android 4.2.2, later updated to 4.4.4, with Samsung provided updates; it has an unlockable bootloader (similar to Nexus devices) and supports LTE on AT&T and T-Mobile's networks. The model number is GT-I9505G."
I'm likely "that member", because I have an I9505 (not I9505G) running on Straight Talk, which is a US MVNO that rents bandwidth from all the major US carriers. The I9505 will not work on LTE here in the US because the LTE frequencies used worldwide (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20) are not the frequencies used by the carriers here in the US. The I9505G is a different story. It has the LTE frequencies needed to work here in the US, and does not have Touchwiz as it uses stock Android.
You can't purchase one new because they've been discontinued for some time now. You may want to check out Swappa (link at the top of the page) and see if they have a used one you can purchase.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
I'm likely "that member", because I have an I9505 (not I9505G) running on Straight Talk, which is a US MVNO that rents bandwidth from all the major US carriers. The I9505 will not work on LTE here in the US because the LTE frequencies used worldwide (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20) are not the frequencies used by the carriers here in the US. The I9505G is a different story. It has the LTE frequencies needed to work here in the US, and does not have Touchwiz as it uses stock Android.
You can't purchase one new because they've been discontinued for some time now. You may want to check out Swappa (link at the top of the page) and see if they have a used one you can purchase.
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Really good and interesting reply. Being new to this stuff and having not kept up with cellphone technology, some of the things you guys just know, I'm having to try to understand. At first I assumed all 9505's were the same, but apparently I was wrong there. Then I also thought that since most cellphone review sites showed a plethora of Freq. and bands, with at least on or two being those that AT&T and most other North American GSM carriers use, I assume that meant I could get that model of phone. little did I know that those two lines of freqs and bands were for different versions of that same model, one for here and being a carrier locked phone and the other line being and international phone without the proper band for use here. So now after learning that difference it appears to me that there may be now way possible to purchase a new S4 and turn it into a custom ROM phone. So if I understand you and the carrier stuff correctly, you're using a plain 9505 and piggybacking off AT&T by way of StraightTalk like so many of us do. However since your phone is an international version you don't have LTE, is that right? One last thing I've yet to read or learn about but saw when I was putting CM11 and 12.1 on my HTC One X/XL (AT&T), I kept seeing stuff about "the radio". The way it read made me think they were NOT talking about an FM radio for music, but the freqs the phone itself uses. I think I recall them flashing "radios" which I assume they meant they were able to change the original freqs/bands that the model came with to one more useful here. Is that something that truly exists and can be done even on an S4 variant? My assumption is that it CANNOT be done or else you'd have done so already on your i9505.
IRBent said:
So if I understand you and the carrier stuff correctly, you're using a plain 9505 and piggybacking off AT&T by way of StraightTalk like so many of us do. However since your phone is an international version you don't have LTE, is that right?
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Correct.
IRBent said:
My assumption is that it CANNOT be done or else you'd have done so already on your i9505.
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Again correct. With Samsung, their firmware loading software, Odin, actually checks and makes sure the parts of the firmware match the model of the S4 connected to the PC. If they don't match, Odin will instantly fail. The only way to try and enable LTE on the I9505 is to delve into the low-level firmware for the LTE chip and attempt to rewrite it so it can see the added frequencies. However, I don't recommend it. Not only is it a very intricate process compared to something like rooting, it's also quite possible that you could render the LTE chip non-functional. I tried it, and nearly lost the ability to use my phone at all due to having my phone's SIM lock restored.
If you do decide to get an S4, an I9505G is likely your best bet. Not only does it have the AT&T frequencies, it's also got an unlocked bootloader (unlike the AT&T model) and is also carrier unlocked right out of the box. That last means you can use it on T-Mobile and carriers which use GSM SIM cards. Other choices would be the T-Mobile S4 (SGH-M919) or the North American S4 (SGH-I337M). All these phones include the AT&T frequencies and also have an unlocked bootloader so customization is easier.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
If you do decide to get an S4, an I9505G is likely your best bet. Not only does it have the AT&T frequencies, it's also got an unlocked bootloader (unlike the AT&T model) and is also carrier unlocked right out of the box. That last means you can use it on T-Mobile and carriers which use GSM SIM cards. Other choices would be the T-Mobile S4 (SGH-M919) or the North American S4 (SGH-I337M). All these phones include the AT&T frequencies and also have an unlocked bootloader so customization is easier.
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I thank you so much sir. This answer is direct and explains exactly what I wanted to know. I only wish it were possible to purchase one of those models new so I could ensure years of use void of glitches due to possible abuse by the previous owner. If I can't find one of the above models I will probably be looking for some other make/model, preferably a new phone not used. Do you know if it's possible to get a new phone that meets the criteria below?
1. Unlocked bootloader or one that can be unlocked
2. Removable battery
3. 4.7" - 5" screen
4. SD card
5. Capable of being used as a hotspot ( I have unlimited internet but need to thwart AT&T from controlling my use)
6. Rootable and custom ROM capable
7. Can be used in U.S, South America and Caribbean (I think most of those places all use the same freqs/bands as U.S.)
That is why on Swappa you search for the ones labeled Mint or New. My device was Mint off Swappa, and the main reasons were that it was always in a case, and had a tempered glass screen protector installed.
For a current flagship-level device, looking at your laundry list, I believe you need to adjust your expectations. Not because of the software, but because of the hardware. LG is perhaps the only manufacturer still offering both removable batteries and MicroSD card slots, but their flagship device has a larger screen than you want. Motorola doesn't have removable batteries. Google provides neither, just like Samsung. Sony is an unknown, but their devices are not common here in the US.
Your best option is to go with a larger screen size and get an LG G4. If you absolutely MUST have the smaller screen, then you want a used Galaxy S4 or S5, so long as they aren't AT&T devices.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
For a current flagship-level device, looking at your laundry list, I believe you need to adjust your expectations. Not because of the software, but because of the hardware. LG is perhaps the only manufacturer still offering both removable batteries and MicroSD card slots, but their flagship device has a larger screen than you want. Motorola doesn't have removable batteries. Google provides neither, just like Samsung. Sony is an unknown, but their devices are not common here in the US.
Your best option is to go with a larger screen size and get an LG G4. If you absolutely MUST have the smaller screen, then you want a used Galaxy S4 or S5, so long as they aren't AT&T devices.
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I guess I should have made it clear too that flagships, latest and greatest wasn't necessary. I'm happy with the speeds my older HTC ONE X and HTC ONE Mini supply. But closing in on 50 years old, my eyes and the Mini's screen don't get along so well anymore.
If you have bad eyesight, a bigger screen can be a godsend.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
If you have bad eyesight, a bigger screen can be a godsend.
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Exactly. I need a bigger screen but a smaller phone because my hands can't reach around my HTC ONE Mini. Sometimes it sucks being 5'4". LOL
IRBent said:
Exactly. I need a bigger screen but a smaller phone because my hands can't reach around my HTC ONE Mini. Sometimes it sucks being 5'4". LOL
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I would not recommend someone buying the S4 anymore. It was and still is a great phone, but newer models are just way better. The battery life is to short with the standard battery.
Based on your preferences I would recommend one of the following:
- LG Nexus 5
- Oneplus one
- Motorola X Play
But then again, maybe they are to big for you. The LG is the smallest but doesn't have a sd slot.
Lennyz1988 said:
Based on your preferences I would recommend one of the following:
- LG Nexus 5
- Oneplus one
- Motorola X Play
But then again, maybe they are to big for you. The LG is the smallest but doesn't have a sd slot.
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Amazing discovery by me just now. Yes, I've seen folks here talk about the brand OnePlus but I didn't know who or what OnePlus was until just now. I used to keep up with all things electronics related, reading review sites and forums like this. 10 years ago or so a DVD manufacturer named OPPO was the talk. Excellent brand but unheard of. I just learned that OnePlus is a company started by an OPPO founder. I'm so out of the loop.
Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
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None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
Tectas said:
None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
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I saw people importing note 4 sm-910c to USA because its compatible with US lte frequences Same model sold in Russia. I think device itself can support this frequnces though they are not used there.
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Beefheart said:
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Good point. I bother buying snapdragon mostly because of lower TDP and better 4g reception in past models. If exynos become equal in this areas i see no point in importing. And i dont wanna wait long cause if i preorder before 18 march i will get free gear vr though i dont need it xD
Tectas said:
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Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
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Yes, that's why I've removed the post, mixed the numbering, sorry.
But if you take a look, at least here aren't any of those bands supported at the U.S. variants.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/how-to/detailed-sm-g935-s7-info-t3326180
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
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Would be the first time I hear something like the browser replaced by a carrier, but maybe possible, in common they just add stuff though and make small changes (modem, bootscreen,...). And yes, carrier devices in common get updates later, because the carriers have to incorporate their changes (which can be a few days to months, depends on the carrier), but at the european variants we're lucky with stock roms at least (or at least have been). In most cases you simply can flash a unbranded rom there through odin without second thought.
From what I read about the Note 6 the device is going to be a beast. These are rumors but:
6-inch flexible display
Android 6.0.1
4K Resolution
16-Core processor
Exynos + Snapdragon Chipset
6 GB RAM
32, 64, 128 GB Internal Storage
Micro SD card support (200 GB)
20 MP Primary camera
4000 mAh Battery
Also I read it will come with a dock so this thing is going to replace some computers with these specs.
I need to get it when it comes out in August but obviously it's going to be locked down on Verizon. What do you guys think the best carrier to buy it from to have it work on the Verizon network, unlocked, and eventually rooted? I think Sprint is the only other carrier using CDMA technology so I'm thinking to buy the Note 6 from Sprint full price without a contract. Any thoughts?
Us Cellular os CDMA
jcip17 said:
From what I read about the Note 6 the device is going to be a beast. These are rumors but:
6-inch flexible display
Android 6.0.1
4K Resolution
16-Core processor
Exynos + Snapdragon Chipset
6 GB RAM
32, 64, 128 GB Internal Storage
Micro SD card support (200 GB)
20 MP Primary camera
4000 mAh Battery
Also I read it will come with a dock so this thing is going to replace some computers with these specs.
I need to get it when it comes out in August but obviously it's going to be locked down on Verizon. What do you guys think the best carrier to buy it from to have it work on the Verizon network, unlocked, and eventually rooted? I think Sprint is the only other carrier using CDMA technology so I'm thinking to buy the Note 6 from Sprint full price without a contract. Any thoughts?
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US Cellular is CDMA. I to am tired of Verizon, but I just read an article that the S7 and S7 edge are locked down on T-Mobile and Sprint just like our Verizon Note 4's. That just leaves US Cellular but they might be dm-verity locked down too for all I know. No more Samsung phones for me. Nexus looks like the only way to go anymore.
I bought a USC Note 4 with the intent of having it unlocked and using it on Verizon. I was prepared for the only band incompatibility being that USC doesn't broadcast on band 13 LTE, so the phone didn't support that band. Band 4 LTE is supported... which is verizon's "XLTE" (the fast one)... and in most places I go, band 4 is prevalent. So... you should install LTE Discovery and see what bands you connect to everywhere to make sure you'll get LTE when you need it. In short... you won't get the most thorough LTE coverage with US Cellular... but it may be a non-issue to you if Band 4 is prevalent where you need it.
As far as my experience with that Note 4... I never got far enough to try. Turned out that the device I bought on Amazon was essentially "stolen" from the carrier because the device was still on a payment plan... which wasn't being paid on. And surprise! They wouldn't unlock a blacklisted phone. I filed a claim with Amazon, and I got a full refund. Better yet... I got to keep the device. I ended up buying a Developer Edition Note 4, and now my 2yr old son and I have the same phone. (It can't be used on ANY carrier now that it's blacklisted... but it's great for playing non-internet-connected games and episodes of PAW Patrol.)
PM me if you have questions about anything from above this line.
If they sell a Dev Edition of the Note 6... I'm buying one, even if I have to sell a kidney. But, I don't think I'll have to make that difficult decision. There's about as much chance of Samsung making (or should I say Verizon allowing Samung to make) another Developer Edition phone as there is a chance that I'll grow a spare 3rd kidney to sell.
---------- Post added at 03:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:42 PM ----------
kerfex said:
US Cellular is CDMA. I to am tired of Verizon, but I just read an article that the S7 and S7 edge are locked down on T-Mobile and Sprint just like our Verizon Note 4's. That just leaves US Cellular but they might be dm-verity locked down too for all I know. No more Samsung phones for me. Nexus looks like the only way to go anymore.
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I didn't look into the other variants of the S7... but I'm saddened at the notion that even T-Mo has locked it down. I was in a T-Mo store a few months ago, hoping that the coverage was going to get better in my area. I asked if T-Mo would ever lock the bootloaders like Verizon insists upon, and he said no. If the S7 is bootloader-locked in all variants (from Samsung, not by the carrier)... it's got to be because they want to push Samsung Pay, which shouldn't work if the phone is rooted. Ugh... what a shame. They should just do it like Nexus phones... Android Pay just doesn't work if you're rooted. If you restore to stock, it works again. No need to lock the device down just to make sure one feature will always work.
Also... don't forget about Motorola phones in addition to Nexi. These are the only mainstream "carrier-agnostic" phones being produced, but there are more like the Nextbit Robin, which just got TWRP. By "carrier-agnostic" I mean they are sold direct from the manufacturer with all carrier bands enabled by default. CDMA, GSM, etc.
Sprint sold to T-Mobile and T-Mobile is selling off Sprint bands between now and Q1 2022 requiring a phone change to stay on their network. I like my V20 and am not impressed with the new Android phones on offer. (*)
Are there any US providers with whom a Sprint V20 will still work? Good 4G performance (1-10Mbps) is fine for my needs and I need to have reliable SMS. I don't want 5G, HD video, gaming performance, or anything like that. I've checked the usual AT&T, Verizon, etc. but unless I'm misreading something, their networks will not accept this phone.
(*) I just sent back a Pixel 5a/5g after preferring the V20 in a side-by-side comparison.
Verizon
I checked with the IMEI and Vzn says it is not comaptible?
Which V20 do you have? vs995 is the Verizon model, and will work on Verizon. us996 is the unlocked model, and will work on Verizon (that's what I use on verizon). Other models of the v20 will be tied to their particular carrier.
Mine says LS997 in one of the panels. As mentioned in the original post, I am currently with Sprint. The phone boots with a Sprint splash screen but should be unlocked. Hoping to find a compatible provider.
That is the Spring Model, apparently only compatible with Spring. Sorry. :-(
The Sprint V20 isn't configured to get VoLTE and doesn't pass any whitelist or IMEI compatibility check for the 3 U.S. carriers, so you'll have to switch to one of the other carrier-branded models, either the H918 for T-Mobile, H910 for AT&T, or VS995 for Verizon.
If your LS997 really is SIM-unlocked, and you can change APN settings (Sprint phones are notorious for having that option grayed out, regardless of whether they are SIM-unlocked or not), then you may still be able to get it to work on T-Mobile without VoLTE until they shut down both 3G and 2G networks next year. However, even before their shut downs, T-Mobile may start actively blocking phones at any time like AT&T do, so I wouldn't go with an LS997 as the only phone.
This blows so much in the wrong ways. Still have the ls997, but had get free a71 to keep service for TMobile. Tech waste at its finest. Forced to do unwanted.
Thanks, everyone. Looks like I am out of luck and have to get another phone regardless of cellular provider.
I am interested in recommendations something 2 or more years old that I could get refurbished to work with what's coming so I can trawl eBay. I'll look for other V20s per @C D but options would be good.
What I like about the V20 and would like to carry over in no particular order.
- Replaceable battery (hence older models)
- Notifications are fast (The Pixel 5a/5g I returned had issues)
- Camera with manual settings. Not an expert photographer but the manual mode has come in handy
- Runs the few apps I care about effortlessly (BlueMail, Newpipe, Berlin Philharmonic apps)
- Slot for a memory card
- Second screen
- Rock solid Bluetooth performance
Rich_Palermo said:
Thanks, everyone. Looks like I am out of luck and have to get another phone regardless of cellular provider.
I am interested in recommendations something 2 or more years old that I could get refurbished to work with what's coming so I can trawl eBay. I'll look for other V20s per @C D but options would be good.
What I like about the V20 and would like to carry over in no particular order.
- Replaceable battery (hence older models)
- Notifications are fast (The Pixel 5a/5g I returned had issues)
- Camera with manual settings. Not an expert photographer but the manual mode has come in handy
- Runs the few apps I care about effortlessly (BlueMail, Newpipe, Berlin Philharmonic apps)
- Slot for a memory card
- Second screen
- Rock solid Bluetooth performance
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Click to collapse
Based on that, I'd say if you can go with Verizon or its MVNOs, the Verizon LG V50 would fit most of these. It has roughly the same size as the V20 and still has the fingerprint scanner on the back, too. I guess you'd have to test the notifications and Bluetooth performance, but as long as whatever seller you go with has a good return policy, that shouldn't be a problem.
The second screen doesn't really exist in any phone other than the V10 and V20, and a removable battery only exists in phones (Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro and Teracube 2e) that are more of a sidegrade/downgrade to the V20 while missing many of its features.
If you need compatibility with all U.S. carriers and don't mind the bigger size and lower screen resolution, there is a carrier model of the V60 for each of the big 3 carriers.
Another notable older all-rounder that's easy to find renewed/refurbished on eBay would be the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 if you don't mind the curved screen and being stuck on Android 10.
I own both a Sprint V50 and a Note 9 (both rooted), and while they lack the removable battery and second screen, they both have an LED notification light (though the V50 has a weird one on the back that's also the 5G logo) and absolutely blow away the V20 in both performance and battery life. Unfortunately, I can't recommend the Sprint V50 yet since I can't seem to get a signal to stay on T-Mobile, and while it does work perfectly on an AT&T MVNO, AT&T could block it at any point since it's not on their whitelist.
You may be able to find most of these for around $300 or less in mint/refurbished/open box shape, and it's up to you to decide if those are worth over getting a different V20 at likely less than half the price.
I will chase all of these down! The Pixel 5a/5g I tried was Android 12 and I thought it was hard to use compared to prior versions. Lots of UI customization features I don't need/want at the expense of core capabilities. My V20 has Android 8 and it works just fine.
I think Sprint is out of the equation and whatever I get has to be for one or more of the other carriers/their resellers.
Hi guys,
I realize that the main carriers in the US will be dropping the old network protocols in 2022, which means my current V20 will no longer work for voice calls. From what I gather, I'd need to run a stock/stock-based ROM to get VoLTE working, which is a deal breaker for me. I need recent security updates and modern Android releases on my phones.
With that being said, any thoughts on a replacement device this coming year? I will certainly miss the replaceable battery the most. Is there a device you recommend that has a relatively easy battery to replace? Honestly, the phone is used for light browsing, email, etc. Pictures and movies are frequently taken from it, so a good camera is a must. The memory card is paramount today, but unsure how long this can last. A device with an active development history with root access, should it be needed, is required for this replacement.
I've been spoiled with the V20 for years now. I just don't know where to start replacing it. Your opinions are greatly appreciated!
The options in the U.S. for a proper replacement are slim to none, depending on your priorities. I don't know much about how easy it is to replace batteries for newer phones, but I can give you an overview for most of the other stuff:
- Phones with hand-removable batteries: Probably not worth going for at this point. Most have specs that are barely better than the V20 with lower screen resolutions, and spare batteries are much less common to find for them. And half of them are from Europe and therefore have almost zero usable LTE bands in the U.S.
- Phones with non-stock custom ROMs that have VoLTE working in the U.S.: Probably limited to the Google Pixels, Motorola, and OnePlus models. Forget about all LG and Samsung phones here since they both use closed-source proprietary files that makes it pretty much impossible for anyone to figure out how to get VoLTE and other stock features to work on AOSP or LineageOS-type ROMs. And unfortunately, Pixels and the higher end OnePlus phones have no microSD card slots, and Motorola phones haven't been known for top quality cameras in a long time.
- Others: There are also Sony phones, but their higher end models are so expensive that I never bothered looking far into any of them.
So, it looks like you'll have to decide which features are must-haves for you and which are OK to let go in order to widen your options a bit.
C D said:
The options in the U.S. for a proper replacement are slim to none, depending on your priorities. I don't know much about how easy it is to replace batteries for newer phones, but I can give you an overview for most of the other stuff:
- Phones with hand-removable batteries: Probably not worth going for at this point. Most have specs that are barely better than the V20 with lower screen resolutions, and spare batteries are much less common to find for them. And half of them are from Europe and therefore have almost zero usable LTE bands in the U.S.
- Phones with non-stock custom ROMs that have VoLTE working in the U.S.: Probably limited to the Google Pixels, Motorola, and OnePlus models. Forget about all LG and Samsung phones here since they both use closed-source proprietary files that makes it pretty much impossible for anyone to figure out how to get VoLTE and other stock features to work on AOSP or LineageOS-type ROMs. And unfortunately, Pixels and the higher end OnePlus phones have no microSD card slots, and Motorola phones haven't been known for top quality cameras in a long time.
- Others: There are also Sony phones, but their higher end models are so expensive that I never bothered looking far into any of them.
So, it looks like you'll have to decide which features are must-haves for you and which are OK to let go in order to widen your options a bit.
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Thanks for taking the time. I really appreciate the input. Yeah, this is pretty much what I expected. The reason I am leaving the V20, and also a Samsung Note 4 isn't because they no longer work for me, but because of the VoLTE push. It makes me sad. ;(
I have looked at the removable battery options, and to your point, the specs are horrible. I don't think a truly removable battery will work. However, if there's a phone with a non-removable battery that doesn't take an act of God to change, that would be an option.
I do not want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars every couple of years for a new device. Custom ROMs have made these devices last years and years. It's also better for the environment. I don't need 20 cores and a TB of RAM in a phone based on my use cases unlike everyone seems to think they do. Without the ability to custom ROM, once the manufacturer ditches the device, it forces one to spend again even though it could last many more years. It seems many aren't really too worried or informed about running a computer in your pocket missing critical security updates. These truths irk the **** out of me!
I wonder if a Pixel would suffice despite the lack of external storage... I know they get updates pretty quickly, are being supported for like 5 years by Google, etc. I think development is pretty active for them too, but I'll have to investigate. The Sony suggestion was a good one to mention, but yeah, ridiculous in price.
I guess I'll start there. If anyone else has other suggestions or advice, I greatly appreciate it. I haven't had to stay up with things because of these wonderful devices and the plethora of options over the years. All good things must come to an end...
I, too, would like to find a more current phone with an easily replaceable battery (pref. without using a heat gun). But it needs to be rootable.
The Galaxy Xcover Pro looked promising (replaceable battery), but isn't rooted.
Wish the Fairphone would come to the states.
Anyone else care to share?
From what I have read, any device that has 3g, phones or other devices - are screwed. All forced upgrade.
Mysticblaze347 said:
From what I have read, any device that has 3g, phones or other devices - are screwed. All forced upgrade.
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Yup, exactly. So, coming from a V20, and based on my loose requirements above, have you any suggestions for a new device?
DaCHeF36 said:
Yup, exactly. So, coming from a V20, and based on my loose requirements above, have you any suggestions for a new device?
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I wish I did. Removable battery and specs is key. Then features. All phones in the US are non removable battery that are 5G able which is required at most if not all carriers. I personally am with Sprint - well now Tmobile. I still have my V20 (out of service). Free downgrade was Samsung A71 5G. It sucks. Decent specs with no OEM Unlock. No current support anywhere to root.
I have been looking but no luck so far.
Mysticblaze347 said:
I wish I did. Removable battery and specs is key. Then features. All phones in the US are non removable battery that are 5G able which is required at most if not all carriers. I personally am with Sprint - well now Tmobile. I still have my V20 (out of service). Free downgrade was Samsung A71 5G. It sucks. Decent specs with no OEM Unlock. No current support anywhere to root.
I have been looking but no luck so far.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, North American Samsung phones have locked bootloaders. The only current way to get some of them rooted is if they haven't been updated past a certain date due to anti-rollback (Sounds awfully familiar to us LS997 owners, doesn't it?) and then go through a paid service like this one (you can see the supported devices and required software versions – bootloader version numbers are the 5th digit from the right in the baseband version – in the 2nd post).
My understanding is that our phones (V20) will continue to work for now since they have 4g. Yes, we can also access the 3g band, but my phone rarely switches to it. We should be fine for a while on the V20 on 4g.
PS - That's presuming our phones are stock or near-stock and still have functioning VoLTE / HD calls. Stock Android and A_O (Alpha Omega) ROM has this. I believe these phones are safe to use in 2022 and beyond when 3g drops.
baldybill said:
My understanding is that our phones (V20) will continue to work for now since they have 4g. Yes, we can also access the 3g band, but my phone rarely switches to it. We should be fine for a while on the V20 on 4g.
PS - That's presuming our phones are stock or near-stock and still have functioning VoLTE / HD calls. Stock Android and A_O (Alpha Omega) ROM has this. I believe these phones are safe to use in 2022 and beyond when 3g drops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, but it also depends on what the carrier supports as AT&T and Verizon use whitelists.
In the U.S., VoLTE support on the American V20 models goes something like this (and of course stock-based ROMs are a must for this):
- H910 gets VoLTE on AT&T and its MVNOs
- H918 gets VoLTE on T-Mobile and its MVNOs
- VS995 gets VoLTE on Verizon and its MVNOs
- US996 may get VoLTE on some of the above. I've gotten it to work on T-Mobile, 1 out of 2 T-Mobile MVNOs (worked on Tracfone's T-Mobile card but not Liberty Wireless), and an AT&T MVNO (Red Pocket's GSMA).
- LS997 is not configured to have VoLTE out of the box, so any LS997 that has been updated past May 2017 will for sure soon be useless in the U.S. for making and receiving phone calls. For the few of us who still have the older rooted LS997 models, I will soon look into installing Alpha Omega ROMs from the US996 to see if VoLTE can get enabled through there since the hardware is likely present, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
baldybill said:
My understanding is that our phones (V20) will continue to work for now since they have 4g. Yes, we can also access the 3g band, but my phone rarely switches to it. We should be fine for a while on the V20 on 4g.
PS - That's presuming our phones are stock or near-stock and still have functioning VoLTE / HD calls. Stock Android and A_O (Alpha Omega) ROM has this. I believe these phones are safe to use in 2022 and beyond when 3g drops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not 100% sure about the V20, but I know the Note 4 has 4G, but for data only. It requires calls over 3G on non-stock ROMs. I don't run stock LG ROMs because they are way behind on security updates. Just upgraded to LOS 18.1 giving me security updates from 12/2021. It's much safer.
If you mean that VoLTE will work on a stock-base ROM, you are probably correct. However, that's not an option for me, and in reality, it really shouldn't be for others too! Many, many people are either ignorant to or just don't care about security. There are so many vulnerabilities, including RCE ones, addressed constantly. This is a handheld computer, so it's just like leaving unpatched systems on your network. If you're running Windows 7 still, for example, you're asking to get owned. Bad idea.
Thanks for your feedback though. It is appreciated! If you have any replacement recommendations, I am all ears!
I'll be watching this thread to see where others land, as far as their next device.
Both my wife and I have US996's on Verizon. I'm on A-O Oreo with HD calling enabled. Hers is not on A-O Oreo, hd calling is enabled in the account, but I can't get the toggle in the settings to be "un-greyed". Tried the trick to turn it on and off online, but the page errors out everytime. Guess I'll have to make the time to get her phone flashed to see if that fixes it.
All that aside, I too have been facing the same dilemma as the OP. SD card, root, and straight forward disassembly would be my main needs. IR blaster would be nice. I don't mind replacing a non-removable battery, have disassembled many devices requiring heat.
pistacios said:
I'll be watching this thread to see where others land, as far as their next device.
Both my wife and I have US996's on Verizon. I'm on A-O Oreo with HD calling enabled. Hers is not on A-O Oreo, hd calling is enabled in the account, but I can't get the toggle in the settings to be "un-greyed". Tried the trick to turn it on and off online, but the page errors out everytime. Guess I'll have to make the time to get her phone flashed to see if that fixes it.
All that aside, I too have been facing the same dilemma as the OP. SD card, root, and straight forward disassembly would be my main needs. IR blaster would be nice. I don't mind replacing a non-removable battery, have disassembled many devices requiring heat.
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Sorry to hear you're in the same predicament...
I'm trying to justify my SD requirement these days. Why is it one for you exactly?
DaCHeF36 said:
Sorry to hear you're in the same predicament...
I'm trying to justify my SD requirement these days. Why is it one for you exactly?
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Mainly because if anything happens where I can't access internal phone storage due to hardware failure, at least I know I can salvage data from the SD card externally.
C D said:
Right, but it also depends on what the carrier supports as AT&T and Verizon use whitelists.
In the U.S., VoLTE support on the American V20 models goes something like this (and of course stock-based ROMs are a must for this):
- H910 gets VoLTE on AT&T and its MVNOs
- H918 gets VoLTE on T-Mobile and its MVNOs
- VS995 gets VoLTE on Verizon and its MVNOs
- US996 may get VoLTE on some of the above. I've gotten it to work on T-Mobile, 1 out of 2 T-Mobile MVNOs (worked on Tracfone's T-Mobile card but not Liberty Wireless), and an AT&T MVNO (Red Pocket's GSMA).
- LS997 is not configured to have VoLTE out of the box, so any LS997 that has been updated past May 2017 will for sure soon be useless in the U.S. for making and receiving phone calls. For the few of us who still have the older rooted LS997 models, I will soon look into installing Alpha Omega ROMs from the US996 to see if VoLTE can get enabled through there since the hardware is likely present, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
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Click to collapse
Crossing my fingers that my US996 (w/AO Rom) will work with Verizon. So far, I can toggle the "HD Calls" switch in the settings, so I'm hopeful.
If not, I'll prob. use the VS995.
pistacios said:
Mainly because if anything happens where I can't access internal phone storage due to hardware failure, at least I know I can salvage data from the SD card externally.
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That makes perfect sense. BTW, pistachios rock! lol..
baldybill said:
Crossing my fingers that my US996 (w/AO Rom) will work with Verizon. So far, I can toggle the "HD Calls" switch in the settings, so I'm hopeful.
If not, I'll prob. use the VS995.
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My US996 w/A-O on Verizon has made calls over 4gLTE. The only way I'm able to confirm that is if the recipient of the call is also "HD calling", it will show an "HD" icon in green during the call.
Really wish I could figure out WIFI calling. That would probably take flashing a VS995 ROM, and that still is a gamble.
Another wish would be if LG would have just released the propietary files to make it all work with a Lineage based ROM, since they are no longer in the mobile game and have closed the bootloader unlock service as of late November.
Does anyone share concerns over running stock-based software that hasn't been updated for years to continue using these devices? Are you aware of the critical vulnerabilities released monthly for Android OSes? I just want to make sure everyone understands the risks of such an approach.
pistacios said:
Really wish I could figure out WIFI calling. That would probably take flashing a VS995 ROM, and that still is a gamble.
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Wi-Fi calling is heavily carrier-based, and since there never was a universal all-carrier USA V20 model, you almost certainly have to be on VS995 firmware to get it. Another lesser-known thing to try would be changing your US996's IMEI number to another one that still passes Verizon's IMEI check if you happen to have a phone like that around. I cannot openly discuss the method here since it's illegal in some countries (but not the U.S. – more info here) but it's quite simple to do, and you can message me if you need some pointers. This can be done on my LS997 and US996 but not the H918.
DaCHeF36 said:
Does anyone share concerns over running stock-based software that hasn't been updated for years to continue using these devices? Are you aware of the critical vulnerabilities released monthly for Android OSes? I just want to make sure everyone understands the risks of such an approach.
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Click to collapse
To me, it mainly depends on what you do on your phone. My usage is likely quite different from yours. You can see my view on this and what my post-V20 daily driver phone has been since September in a similar topic thread on the V20 Subreddit from a few months ago.
And if you want to have a deeper look, you can see most of the stuff of what I've been running on my V20s over here.