Hello,
Has anyone in the U.S. gotten their hands on an unlocked and unbranded Lumia 920? I'm looking to make a purchase now. If so, could you please share your purchase experience?
Based on my experience with the Lumia 800 that I purchased off of Amazon, quality is sometimes hit and miss. The first Lumia 800 I got was DOA. The battery was drained so much that it couldn't be revived. The second one had dust under the buttons so they wouldn't light up correctly. The third one was good (finally).
To ensure that I will be able to return the device for a new one like I did on Amazon, I've done some research on return policies. Here are my findings:
Negri Electronics http://negrielectronics.com/policies#2_2
Defective items may be returned for repair within 25 days of purchase date. If repair is not possible, a refurbished replacement is provided. In addition, Negri Electronics considers a device to be defective "when the total number of dead pixels exceeds five." They also "do not consider dust under the screen to be indicative of a defective device". Shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer.
Devices that are unopened can be returned within 7 days for a refund. There is a 5% restocking fee. After 7 days, opened unused items will have a 15% restocking fee. After 7 days, opened used items will have a 15%-45% restocking fee.
I feel like that's a fairly stringent policy, and if I run into issues like I did with my Lumia 800, I won't be able to get a new replacement and I'd also have to pay a restocking fee...
GSM Nation http://www.gsmnation.com/help-center/warranty.html
GSM Nation will "repair the product or replace the product for a new one if the product is not repairable within 10 business days of receipt." If you receive defective or incorrect merchandise, GSM Nation will cover shipping charges up to a maximum of $12.00 USD when sending the the item back to them for repair or exchange. However they will not cover shipping charges for returns.
A defective product can be refunded within 10 days of receipt. There are no specifics on what is considered "defective" except that the phone "cannot place phone calls" or "cannot send text messages". No specifics are given on dead pixels, dust under the screen or battery life. It does state that the device will not be considered as defective for network issues like dropped calls or low signal.
Some thoughts
At this point, it's a bit off-putting to purchase from Negri since it doesn't look like I will be able to do much if the device has minor defects like dust under the screen. GSM Nation costs quite a bit more though, yet their policies are vague enough that I'm not sure what to make of it.
Does anyone have experiences with these two companies?
http://www.welectronics.com
And
http://www.expansys-usa.com
bmstrong said:
http://www.welectronics.com
And
http://www.expansys-usa.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like Expansys-USA doesn't have the unbranded unlocked Lumia 920 in stock yet. Is welectronics legit?
Those sites are legit. The different between them is price and their policy. Sometimes you can talk to them to get over the policy, but it will be a slim chance. Right now, only GSMNation and Welectronics have stock, but for the international model. Negri had stock last few days but went out so quickly and they expect to get more at the end of this month. They're also the only one that sell Rogers 920. So it's all up to you where you want to buy. However, if you feel something would be wrong or you may end up getting defective device, pay a little more fee to get a warranty. Or if you want to try, contact Nokia customer service if anything happen and they might ship you a new free of charge phone. A few people had done that and they are so lucky that they got a free phone directly from Nokia.
I see that you are in Bellevue WA. I'd say you drive up to Canada and buy 920 from MS (holiday popup) stores at full price. They will sell them to you no problem (as long as they have them. Call ahead). There are 2 in Vancouver area.
Then you go to Rogers store and get pay as you go SIM. Make sure you put enough credit there to cover for unlock fee ($50). Once you have all these, call their support line and get the unlock code.
that's what I did and my 920 works great with TMO SIM now.
tokuro said:
I see that you are in Bellevue WA. I'd say you drive up to Canada and buy 920 from MS (holiday popup) stores at full price. They will sell them to you no problem (as long as they have them. Call ahead). There are 2 in Vancouver area.
Then you go to Rogers store and get pay as you go SIM. Make sure you put enough credit there to cover for unlock fee ($50). Once you have all these, call their support line and get the unlock code.
that's what I did and my 920 works great with TMO SIM now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello fellow eastsider!
My concern with the Rogers model is that once I get it unlocked, there is no more warranty (as far as I know). According to Negri, unlocking a carrier branded phone will void the warranty. Does that apply if I buy it myself from Rogers?
And also, is there a way to debrand a Rogers model yet?
hawc1506 said:
Hello fellow eastsider!
My concern with the Rogers model is that once I get it unlocked, there is no more warranty (as far as I know). According to Negri, unlocking a carrier branded phone will void the warranty. Does that apply if I buy it myself from Rogers?
And also, is there a way to debrand a Rogers model yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How come there is no more warranty? You buy a phone outright that means you can use it without any restriction from carrier, which they have to unlock it for you. You still have the manufacturer warranty even if your phone is unlocked.
About the debranding, as far as I know, there is no way at this point to access register to change some keys or flashing a firmware from different variant to one particular. Your best is to wait until more people have the phone and the devs will figure it somehow. It's just a matter of time.
spincel said:
How come there is no more warranty? You buy a phone outright that means you can use it without any restriction from carrier, which they have to unlock it for you. You still have the manufacturer warranty even if your phone is unlocked.
About the debranding, as far as I know, there is no way at this point to access register to change some keys or flashing a firmware from different variant to one particular. Your best is to wait until more people have the phone and the devs will figure it somehow. It's just a matter of time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea. This is from Negri:
"Unlocking carrier-branded devices voids any warranty that previously existed. For this reason, there is no warranty associated with these devices. We know of rare instances where these items have still found success filing a warranty claim with the carrier. But, this would be uncommon and does not involve Negri Electronics, although we are happy to help you if this applies to your device."
hawc1506 said:
I have no idea. This is from Negri:
"Unlocking carrier-branded devices voids any warranty that previously existed. For this reason, there is no warranty associated with these devices. We know of rare instances where these items have still found success filing a warranty claim with the carrier. But, this would be uncommon and does not involve Negri Electronics, although we are happy to help you if this applies to your device."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. The reason they state that because if you ask some carriers, they will say the same thing. Negri only bases on the information from the carrier. However, unlock one device won't void any warranty except that you open the phone to modify. Most unlocking method require to enter the code, not have to modify any inside the phone.
tokuro said:
I see that you are in Bellevue WA. I'd say you drive up to Canada and buy 920 from MS (holiday popup) stores at full price. They will sell them to you no problem (as long as they have them. Call ahead). There are 2 in Vancouver area.
Then you go to Rogers store and get pay as you go SIM. Make sure you put enough credit there to cover for unlock fee ($50). Once you have all these, call their support line and get the unlock code.
that's what I did and my 920 works great with TMO SIM now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did everything work correctly(MMS, internet sharing, etc) with TMO sim? What was the total price of 920 at full price, tax, and ten unlock fee? I'm considering this option rather than go with 8X on TMO. Thx.
pilot04 said:
Did everything work correctly(MMS, internet sharing, etc) with TMO sim? What was the total price of 920 at full price, tax, and ten unlock fee? I'm considering this option rather than go with 8X on TMO. Thx.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MMS do work on my device (i can send pictures via message). it was $549.99 for the device, $50 for unlocking from Rogers.
tokuro said:
MMS do work on my device (i can send pictures via message). it was $549.99 for the device, $50 for unlocking from Rogers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plus $40 petrol to drive up there and back.
tokuro said:
MMS do work on my device (i can send pictures via message). it was $549.99 for the device, $50 for unlocking from Rogers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about tetherig(internet sharing) on tmo?
pilot04 said:
What about tetherig(internet sharing) on tmo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have yet to use it with a device but setting seems to work. I also have Lumia 810 from TMO. When I turn on "internet sharing", it tells me that I need to add $15 (14?) option to my plan. Lumia 920 did not complain and it appeared to work.
UPDATE:
it works. I just used it.
tokuro said:
I have yet to use it with a device but setting seems to work. I also have Lumia 810 from TMO. When I turn on "internet sharing", it tells me that I need to add $15 (14?) option to my plan. Lumia 920 did not complain and it appeared to work.
UPDATE:
it works. I just used it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for confirming that the internet sharing works on your unlocked Rogers lumia 920. I've seen other posts where it would work initially and stop working afterwards so hope your unit works consistently. I tried the 8x from TMO and it displays the $15 option before internet sharing will work so am now looking at Rogers 920 as option. Happy thanksgiving.
tokuro said:
I have yet to use it with a device but setting seems to work. I also have Lumia 810 from TMO. When I turn on "internet sharing", it tells me that I need to add $15 (14?) option to my plan. Lumia 920 did not complain and it appeared to work.
UPDATE:
it works. I just used it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be cautious when using the tethering to not stream videos or download large files. Internet sharing worked on my unlocked Lumia 800 on T-Mobile for a while. Until I decided to download some civil drawings that were 104 mb combined. Halfway through the download, T-Mobile's system detected the high usage amount and blocked the tethering...
I'm still looking for ways around this.
tokuro said:
MMS do work on my device (i can send pictures via message). it was $549.99 for the device, $50 for unlocking from Rogers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you get the unlock code from Rogers? I am thinking of doing the same thing you did.
Thanks in advance.
baritoneguy said:
How did you get the unlock code from Rogers? I am thinking of doing the same thing you did.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call up Rogers directly and be prepared to pay $50 + taxes. Note that you must have an active Rogers account (post or pre paid) in order for them to have somewhere to charge $50 to.
What are the best sites selling the Rogers and Dev 920's?
spincel said:
Those sites are legit. The different between them is price and their policy. Sometimes you can talk to them to get over the policy, but it will be a slim chance. Right now, only GSMNation and Welectronics have stock, but for the international model. Negri had stock last few days but went out so quickly and they expect to get more at the end of this month. They're also the only one that sell Rogers 920. So it's all up to you where you want to buy. However, if you feel something would be wrong or you may end up getting defective device, pay a little more fee to get a warranty. Or if you want to try, contact Nokia customer service if anything happen and they might ship you a new free of charge phone. A few people had done that and they are so lucky that they got a free phone directly from Nokia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone bought from GSM Nation yet? They seem to be getting new stock tomorrow. Should I buy from them or not?
Related
Hi
So I see a few threads containing info on shipping to other countries, and very limited with specific info with regards to Canadian interests. I am in the Toronto area of Ontario, Canada.
Questions:
1. Can the UK version work without issues with the Rogers network? Based on what other folks are saying it seems like it should be able to.
2. Who would be the best online reseller to go through to get an unlocked sim version to be shipped to Canada? What would be the best shipping option, assuming several options are available? Would buying through a US online retailer make sense?
3. Warranty? Should something go wrong, what are my options? Would Samsung only look at it if the unit is sent back to the UK for warranty? Can I buy extended warranty of some sort?
4. Costs? What's the general cost for unit, shipping and other taxes as I know we can't get the 'gift' label scenario going.
5. Any other info worth mentioning?
SGSII and Canada
QAM said:
Questions:
1. Can the UK version work without issues with the Rogers network? Based on what other folks are saying it seems like it should be able to.
2. Who would be the best online reseller to go through to get an unlocked sim version to be shipped to Canada? What would be the best shipping option, assuming several options are available? Would buying through a US online retailer make sense?
3. Warranty? Should something go wrong, what are my options? Would Samsung only look at it if the unit is sent back to the UK for warranty? Can I buy extended warranty of some sort?
4. Costs? What's the general cost for unit, shipping and other taxes as I know we can't get the 'gift' label scenario going.
5. Any other info worth mentioning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. In theory the phone should work on Bell Mobility, Telus, and Rogers 3g network (850 MHz and 1900 MHz) as the SGSII has HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100.
2. Clove.co.uk, Handtec.co.uk, mobilecityonline.com (US), etc..
3. Warranty is Samsung only, so you have to send it back to samsung in uk. In terms of extended warranty there are third party options like SquareTrade.
4. Its around $700 CAD (clove and handtec), $730 US for mobilecityonline. Both are with shipping costs. However, the kicker is the import fees. You have to pay taxes (13% HST) on the original price of the phone when the phone arrives in Canada. so you will end up paying something around $800 CAD in total.
Edit: It is confirmed that you will be charged tax (region specific, 13%HST in Ontario). No brokerage fees, apparently FexEx Express doesn't charge any fess for clearing customs. So no import fees other than the tax.
5. There is an option with imports where if the product is a gift worth less than $60 then there is no import fees charged. However, all three retailers listed above have refused to declare the product as a gift or worth lower than actual price.
At this point it seems like it might be a smart idea to wait but then again you never know how much the phone will cost when it arrives in Canada. The atrix is selling for $600 without contract so Im guessing SGSII will cost more.
I am going nuts trying to decide if I should preorder or not. As you can tell Im with Windmobile and today they announced new voice and data plans. Basically, now I am paying $35 for unlimited everything including data and voice. Now, if I buy the SGSII then I will have to move to Bell, Rogers, or Telus and I will have to pay atleast $50 for a smartphone plan. I keep asking myself, is the SGSII worth paying $800, changing your carrier, and paying more every month on your phone plan?
Hope this helps.
I'm in Richmond Hill myself : )
I had pre -order from clove and handtec (both UK companies) but cancelled from handtec even though it was cheaper... they were changing dates way too much and doing it quietly too as in on their website only while Clove would send me emails every few days with any updates regarding my order and the phone itself AND if there's any changes at all they always ask if I want to cancel my order or not. That's worth the extra 15 pounds to me.
As for buying through US retailer, well... you can't cause this phone isn't out in US either. You are correct as it will work with AT&T in US and in Canada it'll work on Rogers/Telus/Bell/Fido/Virgin/Koodoo (all the subsidiaries of the big companies). it'll work on other bands too like wind mobile and such I think however, no 3G coverage there because of the band difference. Cost wise its around $750 incl. shipping.
If i were you i'd be in a very tough situation as well haha. But... I get the exact same plan for the same price (a little less actually) through rogers minus the unlimited Data. i have 500 mb and i never seem to go over 150 in a month so thats never close to being an issue. plan inclues unlimited text / voicemail / evenings starting at 5pm and unlimited evenings and weekends too.
np231 said:
1. In theory the phone should work on Bell Mobility, Telus, and Rogers 3g network (850 MHz and 1900 MHz) as the SGSII has HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100.
2. Clove.co.uk, Handtec.co.uk, mobilecityonline.com (US), etc..
3. Warranty is Samsung only, so you have to send it back to samsung in uk. In terms of extended warranty there are third party options like SquareTrade.
4. Its around $700 CAD (clove and handtec), $730 US for mobilecityonline. Both are with shipping costs. However, the kicker is the import fees. You have to pay taxes (13% HST) on the original price of the phone when the phone arrives in Canada. so you will end up paying something around $800 CAD in total.
5. There is an option with imports where if the product is a gift worth less than $60 then there is no import fees charged. However, all three retailers listed above have refused to declare the product as a gift or worth lower than actual price.
At this point it seems like it might be a smart idea to wait but then again you never know how much the phone will cost when it arrives in Canada. The atrix is selling for $600 without contract so Im guessing SGSII will cost more.
I am going nuts trying to decide if I should preorder or not. As you can tell Im with Windmobile and today they announced new voice and data plans. Basically, now I am paying $35 for unlimited everything including data and voice. Now, if I buy the SGSII then I will have to move to Bell, Rogers, or Telus and I will have to pay atleast $50 for a smartphone plan. I keep asking myself, is the SGSII worth paying $800, changing your carrier, and paying more every month on your phone plan?
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shabs52 said:
If i were you i'd be in a very tough situation as well haha. But... I get the exact same plan for the same price (a little less actually) through rogers minus the unlimited Data. i have 500 mb and i never seem to go over 150 in a month so thats never close to being an issue. plan inclues unlimited text / voicemail / evenings starting at 5pm and unlimited evenings and weekends too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you are saying that you get 500mb Data, unlimited text / voicemail / evenings starting at 5pm and unlimited evenings and weekends for around $35?
wow thats news to me, I actually dont mind 500mb data but I was under the impression that the minimum that you have to pay is $50 for smartphone plans with rogers. Please elaborate more on how much you actually pay.
If what you say is possible then that eliminates one of my worries. I dont mind changing carriers as rogers has better signal than wind. As far as the money for the actual phone, I can sell my current phone that will help me out.
well if i was to go with rogers' regular price for the closest plan its about $85 maybe a month. but even with that cant get 5pm evenings (earliest they have is 6pm) also for some of this they require you to activate a 3 year plan.
I get special rates from rogers thats why i end up paying under half the regular price which is why... im happy with them and didnt bother going to wind or any others
edit: also a few other things i get... enchaned text messaging and enhanced voicemail (whatever those are) and also super caller id.. whatever that is
I'd love to get this phone in Canada but I'd also hate to give up Wind... and waiting for an AWS version will probably take forever.
Just can't find a plan that comes even close to $40/mo unlimited EVERYTHING (even US calling which I use a lot) =(
youre not going to find one and also just so you know Wind Mobile I believe works on the same band as T mobile USA, i have the vibrant from T mobile and it works on wind.. 3g and everything. other than that if you dont need super fast internet access this will still work with Wind on Edge i believe.
$800 is really steep for a phone... but this one makes my mouth water. It probably won't be coming onto any of the big three until Q2-Q3. That's a lot of waiting... Yeah screw it I'm going to preorder this bad boy.
gstar_raw said:
$800 is really steep for a phone... but this one makes my mouth water. It probably won't be coming onto any of the big three until Q2-Q3. That's a lot of waiting... Yeah screw it I'm going to preorder this bad boy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll probably end up pre-ordering as soon as I get payment for the phone I'm selling. I'm really afraid of the import charges, we know about the duties and HST but I heard that FedEx charges handling fees (Brokerage and Disbursement) so I think I'll end up paying even more than $800.
Hola
I will be going ahead and ordering my S2 via Handtech hopefully sometime tomorrow (Tuesday). I'll be watching this forum closely to ensure those folks who ordered in the UK received their phones without issue/delay.
One other question:
Who should I use for shipping and handling? FedEx, UPS or DHL?
Thanks.
I live in SWO. Pre-ordered from Clove yesterday. Then Handtec posted the fact that they actually have stock. I'm expecting that it may take 1-2 weeks before I actually have it in my hands, so a day or two difference isn't going to kill me (though the anticipation anxiety hasn't kicked into overdrive yet Just hoping I don't have to wait for a 2nd batch to arrive before my order gets fulfilled!
Also looking forward to the first person that confirms 3G on Rogers with an actual handset! :-D
i ordered mine from gum. Should ship tomorrow ups express.
I cound't help it... I ordered from clove too. hope I still make the first shipment. don't wanna wait too long, the anticipation is crazy!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I see everyone is talking about ordering from Handtec / Clove..but has anyone tried Expansys?
Expansys charges 5% premium but does anyone know if they suffer from the same duty/import charges as Handtec / Clove?
Elythor said:
Expansys charges 5% premium but does anyone know if they suffer from the same duty/import charges as Handtec / Clove?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That 5% turns into 7.5% at checkout page. Strange, what kind of "tax" is this?
ptscon said:
That 5% turns into 7.5% at checkout page. Strange, what kind of "tax" is this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I added the Galaxy S II into the cart on Expansys.ca website...it shows this:
$709.51
* Tax 5%35.48
* Shipping Information 24.95
* CDN $769.94
So the 709.51 is basically 430 GBP (price from Clove/Handtec) converted to CAD...then Expansys adds a ~5% premium on top.
If you go back to the beginning of the thread, np231 says there may be import fees in addition to handling charges from FedEx/UPS etc. That's why I want to know if anyone had experience with Expansys and how much more I should expect to pay at the end of the day...
Wind doesn't have an EDGE network so I don't see how it would work at all on wind. They only have a 3G 1700/2100mhz network so basically you can only use this phone on the big 3 with their ****ty plans. Not sure how long it will be before a T-mobile variant of the SGS2 will hit the US, only then could it be possible for Wind users to get it.
shabs52 said:
youre not going to find one and also just so you know
Wind Mobile I believe works on the same band as T mobile USA, i have the vibrant from T mobile and it works on wind.. 3g and everything. other than that if you dont need super fast internet access this will still work with Wind on Edge i believe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll let you all know just how badly I get bilked by Fedex/Canada Customs. My SGS II has shipped from Handtec and apparently due tomorrow in the Great White North via Fedex (though NOT holding my breath!). I'll be happy if it arrives by Friday (travelling next week and would love to have it!).
I generally only order from the US via USPS to avoid the brokerage/customs nightmare (rape!). In this case obviously not yet an option.
Considering you are in Montreal....I won't be surprised if you are slapped with the 13% GST+QST.
Glad I'm in Alberta
But yes, please keep us updated regarding import duties / handling charges.
mickliq said:
I'll let you all know just how badly I get bilked by Fedex/Canada Customs. My SGS II has shipped from Handtec and apparently due tomorrow in the Great White North via Fedex (though NOT holding my breath!). I'll be happy if it arrives by Friday (travelling next week and would love to have it!).
I generally only order from the US via USPS to avoid the brokerage/customs nightmare (rape!). In this case obviously not yet an option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Does anyone know if is there anyway to buy an unlocked lumia 920 here in Canada?
Cheers
denispage said:
Does anyone know if is there anyway to buy an unlocked lumia 920 here in Canada?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Expansys.ca offers several unlocked Lumia 920's at various prices. I am trying to determine if there will be any problems if I order the AT&T unlocked version.
Nebulaeus said:
Expansys.ca offers several unlocked Lumia 920's at various prices. I am trying to determine if there will be any problems if I order the AT&T unlocked version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aren't the Rogers ones supposedly unlocked?
rajeshr said:
Aren't the Rogers ones supposedly unlocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently the initial batch were in fact unlocked. However that may have been an oversight? The Rogers 920 "launch" was today, and new phones could be locked. In any event, when they did have an unlocked 920 in Calgary here they wouldn't sell it to me without signing up to a plan
Nebulaeus said:
Apparently the initial batch were in fact unlocked. However that may have been an oversight? The Rogers 920 "launch" was today, and new phones could be locked. In any event, when they did have an unlocked 920 in Calgary here they wouldn't sell it to me without signing up to a plan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been in 3 strores. There is no Lumia 920 model yet, and they said that will be locked only for Rogers.
Nebulaeus said:
Expansys.ca offers several unlocked Lumia 920's at various prices. I am trying to determine if there will be any problems if I order the AT&T unlocked version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a contact in Expansys. I've sent an email asking the availability here.
I could buy one locked from Rogers (they said that will receive the shipments tomorrow), and try to get an unlock code.
With Lumia 900, was easy to unlock Rogers lumia phones. Maybe the 920 will follow the same path.
denispage said:
I have a contact in Expansys. I've sent an email asking the availability here.
I could buy one locked from Rogers (they said that will receive the shipments tomorrow), and try to get an unlock code.
With Lumia 900, was easy to unlock Rogers lumia phones. Maybe the 920 will follow the same path.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me know how that works out. I didn't think Rogers was selling them without a monthly plan. I've emailed expansys as well...
A guy said that $599 for a phone off contract plus 50 for unlock and then tax.
Nebulaeus said:
Let me know how that works out. I didn't think Rogers was selling them without a monthly plan. I've emailed expansys as well...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might as well sign up for a monthly plan and then cancel the next day. The typical difference between a hardware purchase vs month to month purchase is $50 (h/w purchase costs more). Sign up for the cheapest plan ($27) and you'll still be ahead.
rajeshr said:
You might as well sign up for a monthly plan and then cancel the next day. The typical difference between a hardware purchase vs month to month purchase is $50 (h/w purchase costs more). Sign up for the cheapest plan ($27) and you'll still be ahead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dunno what about the AT&T Lumia 920 from Expansys? It is also available in *gasp* color! $654 unlocked right now...
denispage said:
I've been in 3 strores. There is no Lumia 920 model yet, and they said that will be locked only for Rogers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a rule of thumb assume that the people in the store have no idea what they're talking about.
When the initial batch was released I went looking for one in the Rogers store; the woman in the store repeatedly told me it was locked and reports to the contrary were incorrect.
Nebulaeus said:
Dunno what about the AT&T Lumia 920 from Expansys? It is also available in *gasp* color! $654 unlocked right now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think there is an unlock code available for the AT&T 920 as yet, is there?
The other option is to pick up one from Clove in the UK. About $630 for the unlocked white version. Add shipping, GST/PST/HST and brokerage to that and you are probably looking at close to the $750 mark.
rajeshr said:
Don't think there is an unlock code available for the AT&T 920 as yet, is there?
The other option is to pick up one from Clove in the UK. About $630 for the unlocked white version. Add shipping, GST/PST/HST and brokerage to that and you are probably looking at close to the $750 mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Expansys only sells unlocked phones. Also, Negri has the AT&T 920 up for pre-order as well. Of course, MMS and tethering could be a problem with an unlocked AT&T device on someone else's network. Grrrr I really wish Nokia had a clue. Great phone but it is almost as if they are deliberately trying to anger early adopters and enthusiasts, especially here in Canada.
Nebulaeus said:
Expansys only sells unlocked phones. Also, Negri has the AT&T 920 up for pre-order as well. Of course, MMS and tethering could be a problem with an unlocked AT&T device on someone else's network. Grrrr I really wish Nokia had a clue. Great phone but it is almost as if they are deliberately trying to anger early adopters and enthusiasts, especially here in Canada.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow! Expansys Canada is asking $800 for an unlocked, white 920. As for Negri, all of the AT&T will be locked and presumably will be difficult to get unlock codes for a few months. The only option is Rogers (and hope it's unlocked) or Clove (and pay the premium price).
rajeshr said:
Wow! Expansys Canada is asking $800 for an unlocked, white 920. As for Negri, all of the AT&T will be locked and presumably will be difficult to get unlock codes for a few months. The only option is Rogers (and hope it's unlocked) or Clove (and pay the premium price).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So Expansys is selling the AT&T phones locked for $654.99? Are you sure. What would be the point? The more I think about this the more I am starting to despise Nokia...
geoken said:
As a rule of thumb assume that the people in the store have no idea what they're talking about.
When the initial batch was released I went looking for one in the Rogers store; the woman in the store repeatedly told me it was locked and reports to the contrary were incorrect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try to buy one from Rogers and test a kodoo sim card. Working, I'll keep, if not I'll return.
denispage said:
I'll try to buy one from Rogers and test a kodoo sim card. Working, I'll keep, if not I'll return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you end up doing that, try to also do a manual network scan and see if Wind shows up.
Wow, I'm feeling really lucky now. I bought mine from Rogers unlocked. The kicker was that someone bought it before me and then returned it. So I was able to buy it without a contract and also for 50% off. So that's $300 for an unlocked Rogers phone then brought it to Telus who currently have a deal going on where if you bring in an unlocked phone they give you $100 credit. So, all in all, the phone had cost me $200. SCORE! Chances are... I'm probably going to get coal for Christmas, now. lol
jeromel said:
Wow, I'm feeling really lucky now. I bought mine from Rogers unlocked. The kicker was that someone bought it before me and then returned it. So I was able to buy it without a contract and also for 50% off. So that's $300 for an unlocked Rogers phone then brought it to Telus who currently have a deal going on where if you bring in an unlocked phone they give you $100 credit. So, all in all, the phone had cost me $200. SCORE! Chances are... I'm probably going to get coal for Christmas, now. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd give you used coal.
Yes I'm jelly, but congrats!
jeromel said:
Wow, I'm feeling really lucky now. I bought mine from Rogers unlocked. The kicker was that someone bought it before me and then returned it. So I was able to buy it without a contract and also for 50% off. So that's $300 for an unlocked Rogers phone then brought it to Telus who currently have a deal going on where if you bring in an unlocked phone they give you $100 credit. So, all in all, the phone had cost me $200. SCORE! Chances are... I'm probably going to get coal for Christmas, now. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the device from the early batch?
I thought I could buy the v10 through Tmobile without a contract. Pay full price but the person on their chat told me it wasn't possible. So, Im looking for suggestions as to the best options to buy the phone w/o contract and with some type of warranty.
L0x said:
I thought I could buy the v10 through Tmobile without a contract. Pay full price but the person on their chat told me it wasn't possible. So, Im looking for suggestions as to the best options to buy the phone w/o contract and with some type of warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can buy the phone from T-Mobile without a contract but you do need a plan.
Just talk to a different person imo.
If all else fails you can purchase it with a cheap pay as you go plan.
The cheapest I think is $3 for 30 min.
You however will have quite a few hurdles to jump through to get it unlocked from T mobile.
They require at least $100 to be spent on your account and 40 days of active service to unlock it.
You can get around those if you are lucky, some people have not been able to.
If you can do without warranty, your best option may be to use a service like swappa.com
You can buy new and used phones from people there.
Just make sure to check the condition of the phones before purchasing, also note if they are unlocked or not if you will be using a service other than T mobile.
If you must have a warranty of some kind, there are after purchase options available from places like squaretrade, however they are more expensive than I personally think they are worth.
Good luck finding your new phone.
You sure can buy it outright.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
Buy my cracked lol
Milimbar said:
You can buy the phone from T-Mobile without a contract but you do need a plan.
Just talk to a different person imo.
If all else fails you can purchase it with a cheap pay as you go plan.
The cheapest I think is $3 for 30 min.
You however will have quite a few hurdles to jump through to get it unlocked from T mobile.
They require at least $100 to be spent on your account and 40 days of active service to unlock it.
You can get around those if you are lucky, some people have not been able to.
If you can do without warranty, your best option may be to use a service like swappa.com
You can buy new and used phones from people there.
Just make sure to check the condition of the phones before purchasing, also note if they are unlocked or not if you will be using a service other than T mobile.
If you must have a warranty of some kind, there are after purchase options available from places like squaretrade, however they are more expensive than I personally think they are worth.
Good luck finding your new phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
blackhemi4x4 said:
You sure can buy it outright.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sanadrate said:
Buy my cracked lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks guys.
@L0x -- any luck??
I got mine from AT&T right after the release. I spent a bunch of time on various chats until I got someone who told me that I could get the phone unlocked within 3 to 5 days after purchase. Added to cart with the cheapest plan & ordered.
AT&T auto-activated the phone when it showed delivered. As I am using the phone in Europe on Vodafone, this was a problem. It took, all said and done, probably 8 hours across a month and a half on chat, twitter, and phone calls to get AT&T to send me the unlock code, cancel the plan, and wipe the account balance to zero. Unlock code was immediate, the rest took the longest. I didn't mind harassing them very much because I had my unlocked phone.
After it was all said and done, I have the AT&T variant with an unlock code, running on Vodafone, with nothing paid to AT&T except the cost of the phone. It takes time, persistence, and patience to make it happen.
schlager said:
@L0x -- any luck??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not yet per say. I'm about 2 weeks out from purchasing. Holiday kicked my ass. But I will update this thread when I purchase. I'm weighing right now actually going with a Tmobile plan. I use Metropcs right now. Just not liking the 20$ more a month for less data.
I'm in Canada. Bought mine from Best Buy in NYC. They give the option for a friend to pick up. Works great
[email protected] said:
I'm in Canada. Bought mine from Best Buy in NYC. They give the option for a friend to pick up. Works great
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just checked on best buy's website and its only listed with an AT&T or Verizon plan. how much did you pay?
$699.00
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!