Hello I recieved this phone from a friend which had told me the phone was carrier unlocked.
I am currently a AT&T customer.
I went to the AT&T Store locally and had the woman get me a new SIM card and activate it.
My internet did not work so I told the woman I can figure it out and left the store.
I then edited my APN settings to "phone" and all the proper settings that are posted for the Galaxy S6 Edge AT&T
I now have horrible service. Just like T-Mobile does in my entire area that is why no one bothers to use it unless you live in town even then it wont work inside your own house.
I feel like all the information is somewhere in this forum but I have spent quite a bit of time searching around to only find small pieces of answers.
Questions:
What Bands does the tmobile version run on?
Is this phone fully compatible with AT&T LTE? If not what speeds am I limited to?
Should I be running a different bootloader?
I'm currently on 6.0.1 Android stock tmobile. Can I flash to a debloated firmware without tripping knox? Which ones? Are there features I may loose?
Should I downgrade to stock 5.11 tmobile first then root then flash to debloat?
What is the safest and best way to root the phone?
Should I care about Knox if I have no warranty and dont plan on sending it in ever because of this?
Thank you in advance everyone I appreciate the help.
Please help
cruid said:
Hello I recieved this phone from a friend which had told me the phone was carrier unlocked.
I am currently a AT&T customer.
I went to the AT&T Store locally and had the woman get me a new SIM card and activate it.
My internet did not work so I told the woman I can figure it out and left the store.
I then edited my APN settings to "phone" and all the proper settings that are posted for the Galaxy S6 Edge AT&T
I now have horrible service. Just like T-Mobile does in my entire area that is why no one bothers to use it unless you live in town even then it wont work inside your own house.
I feel like all the information is somewhere in this forum but I have spent quite a bit of time searching around to only find small pieces of answers.
Questions:
What Bands does the tmobile version run on?
Is this phone fully compatible with AT&T LTE? If not what speeds am I limited to?
Should I be running a different bootloader?
I'm currently on 6.0.1 Android stock tmobile. Can I flash to a debloated firmware without tripping knox? Which ones? Are there features I may loose?
Should I downgrade to stock 5.11 tmobile first then root then flash to debloat?
What is the safest and best way to root the phone?
Should I care about Knox if I have no warranty and dont plan on sending it in ever because of this?
Thank you in advance everyone I appreciate the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please anyone that could point me in the direction of the correct threads?
I believe I need to flash a EFS and security which I did not back mine up of course.
Related
I just bought a brand new Verizon S4 that has never been activated on Verizon for $125. I am trying to get it working with a prepaid carrier in the US. I have been reading that it can be done with T-Mobile and ATT but am not sure where to start with this thing. For starters, the Android OS version is 4.3. I know there is an update out for it through Verizon. I can't do the update OTA with no Verizon service. I'd like to get this thing as close to stock Android/Samsung as possible and kill all the Verizon BS and then get it working on StraightTalk, Cricket, SIMple Mobile, or MetroPCS. Can anyone give me a good place to start or any tips. I've flashed ROMs before, changed PRLs, etc, so I'm no dummy when it comes to this stuff. The terminology/technology has changed some since I was messing with Boost Mobile phones. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
wemis said:
I just bought a brand new Verizon S4 that has never been activated on Verizon for $125. I am trying to get it working with a prepaid carrier in the US. I have been reading that it can be done with T-Mobile and ATT but am not sure where to start with this thing. For starters, the Android OS version is 4.3. I know there is an update out for it through Verizon. I can't do the update OTA with no Verizon service. I'd like to get this thing as close to stock Android/Samsung as possible and kill all the Verizon BS and then get it working on StraightTalk, Cricket, SIMple Mobile, or MetroPCS. Can anyone give me a good place to start or any tips. I've flashed ROMs before, changed PRLs, etc, so I'm no dummy when it comes to this stuff. The terminology/technology has changed some since I was messing with Boost Mobile phones. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try searching.
You will need to ODIN to 4.4.2.
You will then need to root with "towelroot".
The phone should work with most any GSM carrier with the right setting. (T-Mobile, AT&T and Metro GSM).
Which will give you LTE, I can't answer.
tech_head said:
Try searching.
You will need to ODIN to 4.4.2.
You will then need to root with "towelroot".
The phone should work with most any GSM carrier with the right setting. (T-Mobile, AT&T and Metro GSM).
Which will give you LTE, I can't answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used ODIN before when working with my Samsung Galaxy Prevail through Boost Mobile so I'm sure I can figure it out. Thanks for the info. I tried searching and found all kinds of different terminology such as SafeStrap and talking about the different bootloaders. It's a little overwhelming, but I'm sure I can figure it out. I did all of my original stuff through AndroidForums and there as a root section with all kinds of guides, FAQs, etc. Is there a beginners guide or FAQ for the Verizon S4?
I have read where I need to change the APN settings to get HSPA+ or 4G LTE with the different GSM carriers. It seems like HSPA+ is the best I'll get and that's through ATT. I'll keep digging! Thanks!
Android newb... will I lose anything flashing my unlocked international phone on AT&T
Hi everyone, and thanks for all the great info here. Let's assume I have my "how to root" links bookmarked and ready to go, but like a good boyscout I want to understand the gotchas/subtleties before I cliff jump. I'm also within my 15 days to exchange my s6edge AT&T for an unlocked one at Best Buy, which I plan to do today... :highfive:
(I'm technically savy, but a real newb in the world of android versions, manufacturer changes, and carrier versions and conflicts...) :crying:
1) How do I do a full ROM-level backup before beginning my adventures in rooting? Titanium Backup is no good since I need root to use it. I'd like an iPhone-style backup that I can just restore should I brick my phone.
2) After I exchange my phone I'm going to immediately airplane-mode it to prevent autoupdates (my current phone already autoupdated to unrootable OF4)... once I root how do I effectively get-latest? I'd obviously like the latest security updates, and 5.1 if I can manage it, and to maintain root.
3) AT&T doesn't have 5.1.... but if I go unlocked then can I run 5.1 on AT&T? (I've been iPhone forever -- carriers messing with you is really foreign to me). On a related note, can AT&T send some update/profile-change OTA to my phone that will conflict with updates I'm doing locally? If so any tips to avoid this?
4) An unlocked phone will perform just as well on AT&T as an AT&t phone, right? (looks like the 925F has all the AT&T bands and more, whereas the 925I is missing 1 AT&T LTE band)
Thanks for any info, help, and/or pointing me to resources where I can find the info, in advance. I'm technically savy, but a real newb when it comes to the gotcha-ridden ground of android and carriers.
Thanks again.
- Jason
So can I upgrade a 925F to 5.1 and use it on AT&T? I'm trying to work out if AT&T has _all_ edges locked down or just the official AT&T versions.
JasonS6Edge said:
So can I upgrade a 925F to 5.1 and use it on AT&T? I'm trying to work out if AT&T has _all_ edges locked down or just the official AT&T versions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At&t does not have the power to lock down all variants; only the variant with its branding. Just make sure 925F is compatible with the network of you want to use that variant.
Snowby123 said:
At&t does not have the power to lock down all variants; only the variant with its branding. Just make sure 925F is compatible with the network of you want to use that variant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much. Is there a reason I can't to seem to find any people running 5.1 or rooted phones on AT&T? Just that not many people are buying unlocked phones?
JasonS6Edge said:
Thanks so much. Is there a reason I can't to seem to find any people running 5.1 or rooted phones on AT&T? Just that not many people are buying unlocked phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The at&t variant is the only variant not to receive 5.1 yet. It has nothing to do with root and everything to do with at&t's corporate policies. Most people who use a smartphone in the USA buy it through their carrier. So those users on at&t likely bought there phone from them. This is why no 5.1 for them.
Hey,
I don't know if this is too device specific, but I have a Samsung Galaxy S8+ (SM-G955U). It was originally AT&T, though I got it unlocked the day I purchased it. I use it with T-Mobile now, and I never was able to update my phone since I switched. Turns out, it was because you can only do so using AT&T activated SIM cards. Literally had to get a prepaid to update it.
My questions is: Since I have an unlocked phone and use it with T-Mobile, is it possible for me to flash T-Mobile's firmware updates to my phone without consequence instead of having to get an AT&T SIM card every time to get their firmware?
I did some research, but was not able to come up with a definitive answer. It would really save me a lot of trouble if such is possible.
If not, any other way I can update without having to get through AT&T's prepaid SIMs?
Really would appreciate any help given. This has been driving me insane.
Thanks!
So I learned the hard way that you can't have it all.
I travel for work quite a bit and I was in the Middle East working when my Verizon S7 Edge started to have problems. I looked for a replacement in Dubai and was happy to find the S9+ at a reasonable price and with the 256GB option (which I wasn't finding in the US). I popped in my Verizon sim and life was good.
Then I returned to the US and. nothing. worked. I had forgotten that Verizon was strictly CDMA in the US and this phone had no CDMA radio.
I also was noticing that the samsung pay app was locked to the UAE version which was annoying but not a huge issue...I couldn't add American Express credit card which may or may not have been due to that region setting.
So in order to actually get service I switched to T-Mobile and have had decent data rates. However the phone doesn't use volte or wifi calling which is very bad since where I am staying is somewhat of a dead spot for mobile coverage. I basically can't receive phone calls here and making a call requires me to wait about a minute for the phone to figure out what protocol to connect to (dowleveling to either a 3g or H to actually connect and dial).
My initial research tells me that I don't want to root the phone and lose all ability to use samsung pay, but I would love to do as much as I can to the phone to get it working as best as possible.
Can someone chime in here to let me know what's possible? I don't want to experiment too much, and it's been rare over the years for me to keep up with all the root/firmware/rom etc. that has become available. My last real era of rooting phones was many years ago with iPhone and even then it was a lot to keep up with.
thanks in advance!
bump.
Anyone?
I had the same issue. I ended up rooting to get TMobile volte/wifi-calling. Also, by rooting you can also use Verizon Wireless; however, only with LTE.
You could use Google Pay lol.
Furthermore, I suck at giving reasons, but that's what I did.
Don't quote me on this, but from what I understand, you can use the patched ODIN and flash the firmware's CSC outside of it's region and change it to XAA. There is also a guide to changing CSC without root that may work as well.
From what I understand, the G965F is unable to load the XAA csc without root since it is only for the Snapdragon version
I ended up using Tekhd's tmobile detonator after I bricked my G965F/DS atleast 3 times. It works great now.
The way to change csc without root is via a combination rom and using Realterm. Using TMB CSC on a global G965F/DS ROM will end up in a PUK code lock. I tried ALL the US CSC on my G965F to confirm this.
Since the Galaxy S6 Edge days I've been getting AT&T branded Samsung phones. This time around due to initial perks of a trade in were better for the unlocked version of S23U, I went ahead and pre-ordered the unlocked version. Are there any drawbacks anyone has experienced with the unlocked version that would warrant me to cancel the order? Are there any AT&T features such as visual voicemail, personal hotspot or HD voice that isn't compatible with the unlocked, non carrier version? Any help would be appreciated as i believe I can still cancel the order.
Thank you.
With an unlocked phone, you cant call. But if you add a sim card into it you can do anything such as mobile data, call, hotspot, etc. An unlocked phone can work on any carrier. But it is still the same thing as an at&t version unless you add the sim card in it.
So I assumed if i insert my AT&T simcard it'll work just like an AT&T phone?
AeroSatan said:
So I assumed if i insert my AT&T simcard it'll work just like an AT&T phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I have done for every phone I have had since the S7 Edge on T-Mobile. Still using the same simcard since I started out with the (S7 Edge), then Note 8, S20U, S22U and now S23U and has worked fine with T-Mobile but without the carrier bloat. The only downside is Unlocked versions always get the updates last.
You can always flash U (carrier firmware) that is bit different from from U1 (factory unlocked) firmware. This way you'll get exactly the same experience as for the phone of any carrier directly. You can always switch back and forth with data wipe.
AeroSatan said:
So I assumed if i insert my AT&T simcard it'll work just like an AT&T phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes. and sorry for the late reply.
irshansk said:
You can always flash U (carrier firmware) that is bit different from from U1 (factory unlocked) firmware. This way you'll get exactly the same experience as for the phone of any carrier directly. You can always switch back and forth with data wipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First time Sammy user here, so possibly a stupid question but... from my search it appears that other than carrier bloatware you don't loose anything by going to U1 firmware and possibly gain faster updates. Is that a correct? Seems to be the case for WiFi calling but what about ATT wifi hotspots for example?
Unlocked phones were useful for sticking local SIMs in them for international travel but with the new international plans pricing is actually reasonable so it is not worth the hassle.
AeroSatan said:
Since the Galaxy S6 Edge days I've been getting AT&T branded Samsung phones. This time around due to initial perks of a trade in were better for the unlocked version of S23U, I went ahead and pre-ordered the unlocked version. Are there any drawbacks anyone has experienced with the unlocked version that would warrant me to cancel the order? Are there any AT&T features such as visual voicemail, personal hotspot or HD voice that isn't compatible with the unlocked, non carrier version? Any help would be appreciated as i believe I can still cancel the order.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was in the same situation as you, and ordered the Unlocked version this time instead of the AT&T version. I am happy to report that everything is working. Visual Voicemail (Samsungs App), Personal Hotspot (aka Mobile Hotspot), HD Voice (VoLTE), and WiFi Calling.