I'm in the US, and I've never bought anything from overseas, so I'm a little unsure as to who I should go through(not sure who's very reputable internationally) to purchase the international version? And , just to me certain, the GT-I9300 will work with ANY GSM carrier(AT&T/T-Mobile, any of their MVNO's(Straighttalk, boost))?
EDIT: This goes in Q&A, reposted there. Delete this please.
Here's a list:
Expansys USA.
Negri electronics
Networkingrus
Or just amazon.com
If purchased from all of those and they ate all reliable and have very fast shipping. If you want you can also try eBay
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
and to add the international will only get edge speeds on TMO currently. It will get HSPA+ speeds once TMO converts to the 1900 band but that could be some time. I think there are only 5 markets converted so far.
It will give you HSPA+ on the other carriers though.
graffixnyc said:
and to add the international will only get edge speeds on TMO currently. It will get HSPA+ speeds once TMO converts to the 1900 band but that could be some time. I think there are only 5 markets converted so far.
It will give you HSPA+ on the other carriers though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I'm planning to go through AT&T with Straight Talk. $495/yr
Dailysteals.com eother on their website or on their ebay store, they got some good deals for this phone(biweekly)
It depends on how you feel about the warranty. No Exynos SGS3 is permitted by Samsung to be sold by anyone in the U.S. and it’s considered grey market and therefore has no warranty. Their strict and ask for a receipt from an authorized reseller and/or a credit card charge statement before doing any warranty work. There are no authorized resellers in the U.S. because Samsung doesn't sell unlocked devices here. Samsung U.S. will also not repair a phone purchased outside its country of intended sale so you'll have to ship it back at your expense to whatever country it came from for both warranty work and repairs you might pay for.
My former i9100 came from the UK and before I sold it I sent it to the UK to have its bezel replaced under warranty because it cracked. I enclosed my receipt from an authorized UK reseller and when they saw it was paid on a credit card they also asked for a copy of the statement. NewEgg, Amazon, Amazon Marketplace, and eBay sellers sometimes say the phone will come with a warranty. It doesn't and Samsung makes no exceptions.
Both Negri and Expansys-USA offer their customers support during the warranty period. If the phone needs service you ship it to them and they send it overseas to one of their affiliates who has it repaired at a Samsung service center. It still has no warranty; their skirting it somehow through their affiliates. But as long as your phone's repaired at no cost how the sausage is made is irrelevant.
SquareTrade also covers grey market phones. I strongly suggest people get a policy as a back stop to any warranty issues (denied claims) and to cover accidental damage. If the display alone on eBay is $250 you're probably looking at a $350 repair with labor if the screen replacement's done by Samsung should it break.
I always buy my imported devices from the UK. You know you're working with an authorized reseller, there are no warranty questions, and you'll also know the device you're receiving is a UK device. Both Negri and Expansys-USA frequently ship phones intended for sale in the Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, and Latin America. No big dealing if you're going to root and flash other ROMs; a big deal if you're not. They also ship carrier-branded phones that have been SIM unlocked.
To get a phone overnighted from Clove in the UK right now is $670 all-in. At Negri it's $645. You can decide whether the additional $25 is a worthwhile investment based on the above. Also, Clove has a service (http://www.clove.co.uk/smartphone-pre-shipping-testing-service) for 20 GBP ($31 USD) where they will pre-test your phone before it's shipped and make sure all the functions are working. With the display issues that pop-up on the SGS3 having a phone pre-screened can save you a lot of hassle and eliminate the possibility of having to do one or more exchanges. They'll also pay r/t shipping to and from the UK for the exchange if they missed anything in their testing. Handtec probably offers a similar service. I've purchased devices from both and they're incredibly easy to deal with.
Choosing which way to get a SGS3 is a lot like people's attitudes toward buying insurance. If you're one of those that think the odds are in your favor and you’ll end up fine, find the cheapest SGS3 and buy it. If you want the security of knowing no matter what happens that you're covered, some of the more expensive routes will give you piece of mind. As I said, I always buy my devices via the UK direct.
Good luck.
I know Amazon has a 30-day no questions asked return policy. Just return it if its defective
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
BarryH_GEG said:
It depends on how you feel about the warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, unless someone finds a way to root and flash roms without upping the flash counter on AT&T or verizon(they havent, have they?), I have no warranty anyway.
I'm been teetering on getting a new phone for a while and although dev for the att sgs2 has been good, we are always behind the international version. So I told myself I'd get the international version but am having a hard time justifying the cost lol. Especially since the nexus is down to 350 new and it'd be a straight up Google rom experience.
Sorry to thread jack lulz
sent from tapatalk app on GS2
Amazon.... that's where I got mine...put it one day shipping and been loving it every sense lol....
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Looks like I wont have to go the international route(was only going to if I wasn't going to have a warranty after rooting anyway.
Related
Hey Guys. I am planning on buying the Galaxy S3 I9300 international version instead of AT&T's version, but I was wondering what would be the best place to get the phone from? Also, what insurance does the international S3 have in the US? I've heard that since it's an international phone, it will not have a manufacturer's warranty in the US. Also, apparently you can't buy insurance through 3rd party companies because your phone is international. Any ideas? I guess the only place is through eBay and buy squaretrade's insurance but it does not cover accidental damage..... I'm perplexed
Worth Ave Group or Ensquared cover international phones. I'm using Worth Ave Group and they both cover pretty much all. You are correct on warranty. You can't get service from USA, usually you have to send it in Europe or have company you purchased the phone from do the warranty claim for you.
I think expansys-usa is popular site to buy. I would never buy from ebay since seller can't help you if anything goes wrong. Also I think I have heard squaretrade doesnt cover international phone but I'm not 100%
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
zen0s said:
Worth Ave Group or Ensquared cover international phones. I'm using Worth Ave Group and they both cover pretty much all. You are correct on warranty. You can't get service from USA, usually you have to send it in Europe or have company you purchased the phone from do the warranty claim for you.
I think expansys-usa is popular site to buy. I would never buy from ebay since seller can't help you if anything goes wrong. Also I think I have heard squaretrade doesnt cover international phone but I'm not 100%
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe Ensquared does not cover international phones:
EXCLUSIONS:
AB: Covered Products not readily available in the United States through Communication Service Providers (overseas unlocked phones).
Why don't you buy it from Negri electronics and buy the warranty for 2 years ( 95$ as I remember) it will cover everything, I pre-ordered the AT&T version with the warranty that covers everything even theft after contacting their online support and they said they cover Canada too.
I sent them an email and I am waiting for the reply to confirm that they cover Canada since there is no point of spending 95$ for a warranty that doesn't work in Canada, call their support and see if they cover it before buying tho
This place will give you a warranty on your international version.
Safeware Insurance Agency
jojo_angelov said:
I believe Ensquared does not cover international phones:
EXCLUSIONS:
AB: Covered Products not readily available in the United States through Communication Service Providers (overseas unlocked phones).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ran across this YouTube video she confirms Ensquared cover international phones.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Try Negri Electronics, they have great services although their prices are a bit steep. http://negrielectronics.com/
Negri's prices are quite steep, yes.... I am not sure if I will be able to afford it for that much...
I use Safeware. They have covered my phones for several years now, and never any hassles. Plus there is no deductible.
Expansys was the best on the preorders. Negri screwed everyone over. Look in the general preorder threads. My experience with Expansys was perfect.
Expansys are the worst to deal with, I had a Note that died, not only did they decline helping me with warranty, but they refused to give me the postal address of the Samsung they got it from so I could return it myself. I have a $800 paper weight because of them...
daoutlawz said:
Expansys are the worst to deal with, I had a Note that died, not only did they decline helping me with warranty, but they refused to give me the postal address of the Samsung they got it from so I could return it myself. I have a $800 paper weight because of them...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sucks... Sorry.. Could you tell me why did they decline to honor the warranty and was it accidental damage warranty or just parts
Well, Ordered my new samsung Galaxy S3 and waiting for it to come to me, but like many of you,since its my first 600+ investment on a Smartphone with no warranty in US, wanted to ask your views over is it really worth getting a warranty.
I have checked Squaretrade, and they informed me since Samsung US is not providing warranty over it, they will also not be providing any warranty on it.
Then I found this firm over internet, Ensquared, I talked to them and they said that they will be providing the warranty for this phone. Their deal looks too sweet to me, as replacing it with a brand new phone, world wide coverage is something too good to digest.
But havent heard of them much and dont know if it is good and reliable to get a warranty from them. Do you think is it worth taking it from them?
vikas51013 said:
Well, Ordered my new samsung Galaxy S3 and waiting for it to come to me, but like many of you,since its my first 600+ investment on a Smartphone with no warranty in US, wanted to ask your views over is it really worth getting a warranty.
I have checked Squaretrade, and they informed me since Samsung US is not providing warranty over it, they will also not be providing any warranty on it.
Then I found this firm over internet, Ensquared, I talked to them and they said that they will be providing the warranty for this phone. Their deal looks too sweet to me, as replacing it with a brand new phone, world wide coverage is something too good to digest.
But havent heard of them much and dont know if it is good and reliable to get a warranty from them. Do you think is it worth taking it from them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All this is not completely true. As long as you purchase your I9300 from an American store, and like Negri or Expanses USA then you can get a warranty and you already have a 1 year warranty. Expanses or Negri acts as the middleman for your warranty purposes and square and trade would work with them.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Ensquared is fine. They were the only ones to cover the Galaxy Nexus in the US when it first came out.
Unless like said above, you go through Negri or Expansys.
I Bought From Amazon through a US retailer
SlimJ87D said:
All this is not completely true. As long as you purchase your I9300 from an American store, and like Negri or Expanses USA then you can get a warranty and you already have a 1 year warranty. Expanses or Negri acts as the middleman for your warranty purposes and square and trade would work with them.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased it from Amazon US, Not by Expanses or Negri, They say that the warranty is applicable in country of Origion which is Korea and Hongkong ...
Hi guys,
I'm looking for a cheap deal for the phone for Christmas. After checking the usual mobile network deals I'm not convinced to pay £38/ month for 2 years.
Instead I saw new phones on ebay for £370 from a trusted seller.
Phones come from "outside UK" warehouse(I'm located in the UK) with 2 pin plug. I wonder if these are dodgy deals, or worth trying it?
The seller itself is providing the warranty for one year and they have very good feedback.
Here is one : LINK
I simply could not find a cheaper one around. DO you think I could go ahead with the buy?
Soniboy84 said:
Hi guys,
I'm looking for a cheap deal for the phone for Christmas. After checking the usual mobile network deals I'm not convinced to pay £38/ month for 2 years.
Instead I saw new phones on ebay for £370 from a trusted seller.
Phones come from "outside UK" warehouse(I'm located in the UK) with 2 pin plug. I wonder if these are dodgy deals, or worth trying it?
The seller itself is providing the warranty for one year and they have very good feedback.
Here is one : LINK
I simply could not find a cheaper one around. DO you think I could go ahead with the buy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There were recently a company called e_cell who were selling it in the uk, next day delivery, 4G for only £364, they ran out last night, i contacted them and they said if depends are high enough we will get more in BUT as of now, no
I WANT THIS PHONE SO BAD.
JackHanAnLG said:
There were recently a company called e_cell who were selling it in the uk, next day delivery, 4G for only £364, they ran out last night, i contacted them and they said if depends are high enough we will get more in BUT as of now, no
I WANT THIS PHONE SO BAD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
e_cell has absolutely no warranty on the phone. I asked them previously and here is the answer:
"Dear soniboy84,
We appreciated your email and thank you for showing interest with our item.
Please be advised that this item is sold without warranty, express or implied. Should you want to avail of a warranty for your item, you may purchase one separately from SquareTrade.
Should you have any other inquiries, please contact us again.
Kind regards,
Elise"
So no. No e_cell.
Soniboy84 said:
Hi guys,
I'm looking for a cheap deal for the phone for Christmas. After checking the usual mobile network deals I'm not convinced to pay £38/ month for 2 years.
Instead I saw new phones on ebay for £370 from a trusted seller.
Phones come from "outside UK" warehouse(I'm located in the UK) with 2 pin plug. I wonder if these are dodgy deals, or worth trying it?
The seller itself is providing the warranty for one year and they have very good feedback.
Here is one : LINK
I simply could not find a cheaper one around. DO you think I could go ahead with the buy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, I'm probably in the minority here but I'd beware. Their shipping them in from China and for that price I wouldn't be at all surprised if they're clones. They do have good feedback, but I just don't see how they could possibly sell the real article that cheap without it being dodgy. My guess is if you were able to get it on a network, it would get locked soon after. The other reason I think it's unsafe is that the warranty is with themselves, not an official Sony warranty, which basically means there isn't one.
I'd steer clear.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
SpyderTracks said:
Hmmm, I'm probably in the minority here but I'd beware. Their shipping them in from China and for that price I wouldn't be at all surprised if they're clones. They do have good feedback, but I just don't see how they could possibly sell the real article that cheap without it being dodgy. My guess is if you were able to get it on a network, it would get locked soon after. The other reason I think it's unsafe is that the warranty is with themselves, not an official Sony warranty, which basically means there isn't one.
I'd steer clear.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback, that's what I'm looking for.
I'm about 50-50% and I need some more either negative or positive feedback about it to decide.
The problem is that the next phone up on ebay is £419 which is quite high :S
I want to stay on 3 network, so most online phone shops(carphone, mobiles, etc) is out
Soniboy84 said:
e_cell has absolutely no warranty on the phone. I asked them previously and here is the answer:
"Dear soniboy84,
We appreciated your email and thank you for showing interest with our item.
Please be advised that this item is sold without warranty, express or implied. Should you want to avail of a warranty for your item, you may purchase one separately from SquareTrade.
Should you have any other inquiries, please contact us again.
Kind regards,
Elise"
So no. No e_cell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that you mention it, i cant see anywhere in there posts that say anything about warranty
This'll be my next bet, shame about the long delivery :/ only about a week but still http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121213772308?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Don't.
They're the same. Everything comes from China to the UK, then they post via Royal mail from the UK.
Pretty sure we can wipe our butt with the warranty!
Don't.
They're the same. Everything comes from China to the UK, then they post via Royal mail from the UK.
Pretty sure we can wipe our butt with the warranty!
Thus tablet looks very promising, but there isn't a lot of info out there on it. I currently have a nexus 7, but am looking at getting a 10". When is the z2 coming to the US and at what price? Am I the only one exited about this?
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
T-Keith said:
Thus tablet looks very promising, but there isn't a lot of info out there on it. I currently have a nexus 7, but am looking at getting a 10". When is the z2 coming to the US and at what price? Am I the only one exited about this?
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not entirely sure if it'll come with a carrier. But the wifi version will probably be available just like the Tablet Z was. Both in Sony Stores and in resellers like Amazon, Best Buy, etc...
Best guess is it'll run $499 for a wifi 16Gb just like the Tablet Z did, and $599 for a 32Gb model. Mobile connectivity versions a bit higher, depending on if you buy them straight up or on a contract.
Last I heard indicated either late April or early May for release in the US. Probably May is more likely I bet.
The cellular model looks like Sony made one model with every band in it.
So you could import and will work on Att and T-mobile.
It even has 1700/2100 band for t-mobile HSPA
spridell said:
The cellular model looks like Sony made one model with every band in it.
So you could import and will work on Att and T-mobile.
It even has 1700/2100 band for t-mobile HSPA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was thinking about buying one from eBay... Tropical mobile has them for 605...us dollars... What do you all think.
MB865/ST-ATT/4.4.2/BMM
ZLP- SM-N900W8/Att-ST/OxO/CWM/ViSiOn NC2_4.4.2,Snapkat 2.6
SMP600- ? brand new
amynjimmy said:
Was thinking about buying one from eBay... Tropical mobile has them for 605...us dollars... What do you all think.
MB865/ST-ATT/4.4.2/BMM
ZLP- SM-N900W8/Att-ST/OxO/CWM/ViSiOn NC2_4.4.2,Snapkat 2.6
SMP600- ? brand new
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered the LTE version from Tropical Mobile on Ebay.
Its shipped out and being delivered to my house tomorrow. I am planning on using it with T-mobile.
I will let u know how it is.
spridell said:
I ordered the LTE version from Tropical Mobile on Ebay.
Its shipped out and being delivered to my house tomorrow. I am planning on using it with T-mobile.
I will let u know how it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent... I'm excited.... Y'all lemme know how it is cause I'm gonna order as well her eyes shortly..
MB865/ST-ATT/4.4.2/BMM
ZLP- SM-N900W8/Att-ST/OxO/CWM/ViSiOn NC2_4.4.2,Snapkat 2.6
SMP600- ? brand new
I ordered from tropical mobile too, 16gb WiFi. Will be here tomorrow
Sent from my K00C using Tapatalk
zabih107 said:
I ordered from tropical mobile too, 16gb WiFi. Will be here tomorrow
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow! I'm not here to bash, or promote, any particular retailer. I'm just a guy who wants to buy one of these and am frustrated that Sony isn't selling them here the U.S. (Similar story with the Z1C phone which I ended up buying from the U.K.)
But ... Did you really pay $1500 at Tropical Mobile (price I see on eBay) for a device which retails around the world for $5-600?
If so, my hat's off to you for being bold and decisive. I'm still waiting, hoping for a good option from the U.K. or from Sony USA. The price from the U.K., when available, is forecast at about $590 with support from Sony UK and a two year warranty. There are apparently reputable U.S. eBay sellers offering no-support Europe versions for $510. The latter are promised to already be through customs and ready to ship; what I read at Tropical Mobile is ambiguous about where they actually are and if there might still be customs issues.
CAL7 said:
Wow! I'm not here to bash, or promote, any particular retailer. I'm just a guy who wants to buy one of these and am frustrated that Sony isn't selling them here the U.S. (Similar story with the Z1C phone which I ended up buying from the U.K.)
But ... Did you really pay $1500 at Tropical Mobile (price I see on eBay) for a device which retails around the world for $5-600?
If so, my hat's off to you for being bold and decisive. I'm still waiting, hoping for a good option from the U.K. or from Sony USA. The price from the U.K., when available, is forecast at about $590 with support from Sony UK and a two year warranty. There are apparently reputable U.S. eBay sellers offering no-support Europe versions for $510. The latter are promised to already be through customs and ready to ship; what I read at Tropical Mobile is ambiguous about where they actually are and if there might still be customs issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the WIFI+LTE version from Tropical on Ebay.
I purchased about 10 days ago and the price for the wifi+lte version was $690
I see he just recently raised the price to over $1,000
Mine came from Singapore. Left Singapore and was at JFK and cleared customs the next day. No problems at all
Mine left Singapore too. I paid $560. It wasn't $1000 or so like u said at that time. So no need to rage just simple ask...
Sent from my K00C using Tapatalk
Thanks for both answers. That all seems much more reasonable. The big question I struggle with on any of these imports is warranty. Sony typically warrants their products for two years (sometimes with an offer of a 3rd year for an extra penny). I may never need it, but I hate to give it up. Did you get any kind of warranty?
CAL7 said:
Thanks for both answers. That all seems much more reasonable. The big question I struggle with on any of these imports is warranty. Sony typically warrants their products for two years (sometimes with an offer of a 3rd year for an extra penny). I may never need it, but I hate to give it up. Did you get any kind of warranty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to know this too as I'm gonna get one too
MB865/ST-ATT/4.4.2/BMM
ZLP- SM-N900W8/Att-ST/OxO/CWM/ViSiOn NC2_4.4.2,Snapkat 3.1
When I was buying from tropical mobile on eBay, the description said 1 year manufacturer warranty. So I guess it doesn't matter where you bought it, Sony has the tab serial,identity, they would automatically cover you with 1 year warranty. Idk. That's my guess...
Sent from my SGP511 using Tapatalk
zabih107 said:
When I was buying from tropical mobile on eBay, the description said 1 year manufacturer warranty. So I guess it doesn't matter where you bought it, Sony has the tab serial,identity, they would automatically cover you with 1 year warranty. Idk. That's my guess...
Sent from my SGP511 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't assume that means anything. They may or may not be an authorized reseller, but if you take the device to Sony's repair facilities in another country, they may not cover it.
Sony USA for example has their own repair network. Their repair centers may not even have access to software or hardware for devices that aren't officially sold in the US market.
I'm not saying that the warranty is void, but unless you confirm it's valid with Sony and will be covered in your home country, I would not assume. I've got a lot of friends in the Philippines and they deal with that stuff all the time with items they have friends ship to them from the states. To the point where sometimes they ship items back to us for us to send in for repair, since the item is only covered under warranty in the US since that's where it was purchased. Similar circumstances may prove out for these.
That said, the prices are surprising. The SGP311 sold for $499 here in the states and I'd assumed the new Z2 Tablet 16GB wifi counterpart would sell for similar. I can buy that SGP511 model for $520-550 on Ebay. Even the LTE model is readily available in 16GB for $629. The cheapest I saw the TMobile complaint LTE Tablet Z was for about $650 in the states, without a subsidy.
I'm half tempted to buy a white 16GB LTE SGP521 just because I'm almost afraid prices will go up when the US model is available.
I may be overly pessimistic and completely wrong, but I both assume and expect that if I self-import an offshore Sony product that Sony USA week disavow any responsibility for it. Best case is that I would have to send it back to the country of export.
CAL7 said:
I may be overly pessimistic and completely wrong, but I both assume and expect that if I self-import an offshore Sony product that Sony USA week disavow any responsibility for it. Best case is that I would have to send it back to the country of export.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to get a 3rd party warranty... EBay and Amazon have them... The 32 gig Wi-Fi is 612 on Amazon right now
MB865/ST-ATT/4.4.2/BMM
ZLP- SM-N900W8/Att-ST/OxO/CWM/ViSiOn NC2_4.4.2,Snapkat 3.1
amynjimmy said:
I am going to get a 3rd party warranty... EBay and Amazon have them... The 32 gig Wi-Fi is 612 on Amazon right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm considering that option. You get 2 years of broader consumer protection against various maladies for $100-130. But, I still hate to give away that free manufacturer's warranty
tullnd said:
I'm half tempted to buy a white 16GB LTE SGP521 just because I'm almost afraid prices will go up when the US model is available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the White SGP521 model and I love it.
Really sleek looking and performance is awesome.
Using in on T-Mobile and I am getting LTE speeds in the 35mbps range in NYC.
I ordered this last week from eBay seller never-msrp. Black 16 gig WiFi model. It seems like its a euro model as its USB charger is euro prong. Price was fair. I wanted this bad. Think seller has more.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
bacon612 said:
I ordered this last week from eBay seller never-msrp. Black 16 gig WiFi model. It seems like its a euro model as its USB charger is euro prong. Price was fair. I wanted this bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was millimeters away from ordering the same model from the same seller - and may still. They were responsive to my inquiries and seemed like they would be reliable. They honestly answered my warranty question, which (to my shame) scared me away, or at least caused me pause. I'm not sure from your post... have you received it? Since they offered two-day delivery, I guessed they had the product in the U.S.A. already, which made me more comfortable about it not having to get through customs. How long did it take to arrive? It's supposed to have a U.S. plug; is it a satisfactory charger? Anyway, congratulations.
I've tried to grab two (G500T) now and both refuse to connect to T-Mobile unless I'm in their store. The reps figured it was a SIM issue and didn't bother to look up the IMEI. At home I tried my and my wife's sims from a rooted S3 and a rooted Core Prime and I get the same thing.... they won't attach to T-Mobile even though the other phones do.
So when I used TMo's IMEI tool both report as being overdue on accounts. So how are supposedly "Manufacturer refurbs" coming out with this flag? Is there any way to get these G500T's and know before purchase that the IMEI is clean and that it will just work on Tmo?
-gmolds
Am i missing something here... this Amazon post for the G900T even states that the device is only partially usable on TMo. Isn't that the Tmo variant? I mean the two I receieved booted to 4.4.2 or maybe 4.4.4 with the TMo graphinc and Jingle yet wouldn't grab a TMo tower outside of their store.
Add to that if I turned on WiFi calling I was recognized as the correct number and could send and receive calls/sms just fine.
gmolds said:
Am i missing something here... this Amazon post for the G900T even states that the device is only partially usable on TMo. Isn't that the Tmo variant? I mean the two I receieved booted to 4.4.2 or maybe 4.4.4 with the TMo graphinc and Jingle yet wouldn't grab a TMo tower outside of their store.
Add to that if I turned on WiFi calling I was recognized as the correct number and could send and receive calls/sms just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There has been tons and tons of rebranded att devices people are selling as unlocked g900f and g900t devices as att has locked bootloader and nobody wants them. Could be your problem.
I wouldn't trust amazon nor eBay. Try swappa.com 100% and guaranteed to not be black listed
ShinySide said:
There has been tons and tons of rebranded att devices people are selling as unlocked g900f and g900t devices as att has locked bootloader and nobody wants them. Could be your problem.
I wouldn't trust amazon nor eBay. Try swappa.com 100% and guaranteed to not be black listed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll look at swappa... but would AT&T locked ones root and take TMo kernels/ROMs becasue I was able to do exactly that and as stated, in the TMo store, it linked up instantly with full LTE (WiFi off) but outside of the stores reach it wouldn't connect. And again, the phone's IMEI according to TMo's lookup tool (both of them) had outstanding bills associated with them.
Isn't the Amazon link odd in that it is listed as a T but claims partial TMo functionality?
Or you could just buy straight from T-Mobile! I got two for $200 each. They're also eligible for T-Mobile's interest free credit system and come with a 90 day warranty which they will honour even if rooted.
invisiblewave said:
Or you could just buy straight from T-Mobile! I got two for $200 each. They're also eligible for T-Mobile's interest free credit system and come with a 90 day warranty which they will honour even if rooted.
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Currently showing $250... a bit high for this model used IMO.
Worth a bit extra for some peace of mind, imo. As the T-Mobile rep I spoke to pointed out, the CPO devices go through an 80 point check which the new phones don't, at least not by TM. Both ours look brand new, and I'm guessing that both the glass & battery, and probably the outer cover too, were replaced. There's a difference between used & CPO. And I'm guessing $250 is less than you paid for the two you bought that you can't use outside the store??
invisiblewave said:
Worth a bit extra for some peace of mind, imo. As the T-Mobile rep I spoke to pointed out, the CPO devices go through an 80 point check which the new phones don't, at least not by TM. Both ours look brand new, and I'm guessing that both the glass & battery, and probably the outer cover too, were replaced. There's a difference between used & CPO. And I'm guessing $250 is less than you paid for the two you bought that you can't use outside the store??
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Actually they were $140 apiece via Woot (Amazon subsidiary) and were listed as AT&T and T-Mobile friendly. One wouldn't charge and the other had the bad IMEI. I'd go as high as $200 I think. I'll keep an eye on Swappa and maybe call a TMo rep to see if they'll come down. I'm in no hurry... just getting ready for our next phones. I can't let Shiny get too far ahead or I'll miss out on all of his great work and their derivatives
As I said, when I bought ours they were $200, they'd previously been $250, so you may get lucky if you keep your eye on T-Mobile. I did their interest-free plan, so it's $8/month each, which seems like a hell of a deal now I've seen how good the phone is. Add a $10 wireless charging coil and you've got a phone that's indistinguishable from a $700 current model.
gmolds said:
Actually they were $140 apiece via Woot (Amazon subsidiary) and were listed as AT&T and T-Mobile friendly. One wouldn't charge and the other had the bad IMEI. I'd go as high as $200 I think. I'll keep an eye on Swappa and maybe call a TMo rep to see if they'll come down. I'm in no hurry... just getting ready for our next phones. I can't let Shiny get too far ahead or I'll miss out on all of his great work and their derivatives
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Those are TMo friendly phones, in that you can put a TMo SIM in them and they will work. However, that's not the same as a 900T. I bought a S5 through Woot back in January, and it was described as a 900T and it was a 900T.
rlichtefeld said:
Those are TMo friendly phones, in that you can put a TMo SIM in them and they will work. However, that's not the same as a 900T. I bought a S5 through Woot back in January, and it was described as a 900T and it was a 900T.
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It is/was (http://www.woot.com/offers/samsung-galaxy-s5-unlocked-16gb-sd-23) in fact a 900T. It reported as much. I've laid out pretty specifically what the problem was and got confirmation from TMo. The real problem is the resellers putting these phones out there as able to be used when the IMEI clearly reports as a phone in arrears on it's account.
If I had been willing to pay the account that the pay as you go phone had been bought on, it would have started working. TMo had taht IMEI blacklisted.
Maybe they're generic specs, but they don't list the AWS bands for T-Mobile, which is the usual problem with buying phones that may or may not be T-Mobile devices.
Readily admitting that I don't know what you're talking about but the fact that I connected to TMo with full bars when at the Tmo shop but dropped out as soon as I drove away and the fact that the phone is in Tmo's system seems to me to be a fairly clear indication that is was a proper model.
In any case.. got one off of swappa and watching for another in my price range and in a condition I will accept. Thanks all for the comments and pointers.
It's not an indication that it's a proper model. Speaking very generally, an AT&T phone will work on T-Mobile because they're both GSM/LTE phones. However, the GSM bands they use aren't identical. There's some overlap, but in some areas there are bands used on T-Mobile that AT&T phones can't use. What that means in practice is that in some places the AT&T phones won't get a signal on T-Mobile and may use 3G rather than LTE. AWS is GSM 1700/2100. It's the same reason why my T-Mobile phones work in the UK but the data over there is slow.
So in this case when the phone is reporting that knox hadn't been tripped and the phone info claimed to be a 900T is still may be an AT&T?
I just bought this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MF64PSK/ on Amazon. Clean IMEI and a 90 day money back guarantee. Looks brand new.
magdelaine said:
I just bought this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MF64PSK/ on Amazon. Clean IMEI and a 90 day money back guarantee. Looks brand new.
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Awesome to hear that real ones are out there... seems hit or miss on Amazon. I have gotten full refunds from W00T and now have two "good" condition phones from swappa and am happy with their conditions and the prices paid.
gmolds said:
Awesome to hear that real ones are out there... seems hit or miss on Amazon. I have gotten full refunds from W00T and now have two "good" condition phones from swappa and am happy with their conditions and the prices paid.
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I have really liked what I've purchased from Swappa too, but this time I went with Amazon. I read your post and was worried...I had to check the IMEI!