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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
I am thinking about purchasing the LeEco Le Max 2 to use with AT&T. I've been reading on XDA and it seems like the US variant is the x829 one. I'd love to have the 6GB RAM model but the x829 does not have 6GB RAM.
Is there anyone here using the 6GB RAM model without issues (especially getting LTE to work) on AT&T? or maybe T-Mobile? If yes, which hardware variant do you have? The x820/x821/x82x...etc? and from where did you buy your device? Please share the full link if you have it.
Also is there a guide that shows which bands each variant supports?
Thanks guys, really appreciate any feedback.
Google "le max 2 x829 128gb" you'll find many places to purchase a 6gb/128gb x829 for as low as $245. I have the 4/64 x829 running stock rom on T-mobile with full coverage on lte. To my understanding the only band that's problematic is band 20 which we dont use in the united states. I bought it for my wife who wanted a rose gold model which is not offered in the 829 but I forced the gold 829 variant on her because I wanted direct access to the 829 rom so I can do some deving on it. I'm ordering a rose gold 4/32 for her Thursday for $193. When it arrives I'm going to clone her rom directly to the 820 then take over the 829 and have some fun. As for the 829 we currently have she loves it, loves the screen loves the camera loves the new ui (I hate it but to each their own). Call quality is great, volte works and even wi-fi calling on tmo works. As a comparison my wifes last phone was a Moto X 2015 (xt1575)
@castuis Thank you for the information. Do you mind if I ask from which website/seller you brought the phone? also where are you seeing the 6gb/128gb for $245?
Got mine from tinydeal. Ali express for the 128gb but they bumped it up to $259 about an hour ago, plus you couldn't pay me to order from them, made that mistake a few years back.
I am awaiting a silver 6GB/128GB from coolicool.com.
My first order with them, but they have been conversing with me via email since I changed the shipping address.
I 'should' have it with the next week? I hope it arrives and has a good fingerprint scanner?
@fcreeves I'm thinking about ordering from coolicool as well. Did you order from the Hong Kong warehouse or the Europe warehouse? Can you please let me know the condition of the phone when you receive it and which variant is it? x820 or x821 or x822 or x829?
A friendly word of warning. Success with the phones on T-mobile is not an indicator of how well they will work on AT&T, even though they are both GSM networks. For example, if voLTE is important to you, you are very likely not going to get it on AT&T. It is not automatically provisioned on AT&T, unless they know your phone intimately (and they don't know the Max 2 from a tin can and a string.) The first line of tech support refuses to even enable it on "unlocked" phones. There's also no means for WiFi calling, via an app or otherwise, unless you count the microcell boxes.
I'm tempted to call "BS" on anyone who says they are using these features on AT&T with these phones, based on the time I have spent on the phone with tech support..
Under the right conditions (read: areas), the phones work great on the AT&T network. Fast LTE data, and decent call reliability. But if if you want the bells and whistles, and enhanced reliability, the Max 2 can't deliver what the more mainstream brands can on AT&T. Even when right next to a tower, with the Max 2 showing full bars, I am unable to make calls, while every major branded phone brought into that same area has no problems. So something isn't 100% with these phones.
@RandyT2 I really appreciate the feedback.
@fcreeves, I'll be waiting for a feedback from you on the phone condition & fingerprint scanner.
I do have X829 64GB in the Boston area and I just got the Straight Talk AT&T nano sim yesterday. Popped it in, transferred my #. Had to change my APN in order to get LTE working, but everything seems good now. I don't know about VoltLTE, but everything else seems OK (for the moment).
With Straight Talk you have the option to go either Sprint/AT&T/T-Mobile or Verizon. I was using AT&T on my Nexus 5 so I thought I'd stick with it. Not sure if Verizon would be a better choice, but I didn't want to wait for them to send me another sim to test it.
The main issue for me right now is getting the fingerprint sensor working and rooting/flashing my ROM which seems a daunting task.
@Wagmans thank you for your feedback, not sure why many have issues with the fingerprint scanner and some don't have issues at all with it. It would be good to know if it's a hardware or software thing.
castuis said:
Call quality is great, volte works and even wi-fi calling on tmo works.)
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Can you give me some idea as to the ROM and Baseband version of the X829 phones you have? I really need WiFi calling, if I wish to keep this phone (which I do), and the way I understand that the T-mobile Wifi calling works is that the ROM detects that its an option based on the connection with the carrier, and the option just appears on the phone.
I'm ready to ditch AT&T because I have a fairly unique situation which makes the phone virtually useless to me without WiFi calling. But I need to make sure that I'm not switching, just to have the same issues, or to find out that only the X829 version supports it.
Thank you!
memee4eva said:
@Wagmans thank you for your feedback, not sure why many have issues with the fingerprint scanner and some don't have issues at all with it. It would be good to know if it's a hardware or software thing.
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I think it's more of a software thing. We'll know once I root/flash it if that's the case. The root/flash process for this phone seems so involved. A little overwhelming- I hope I don't brick it.
Wagmans said:
I think it's more of a software thing. We'll know once I root/flash it if that's the case. The root/flash process for this phone seems so involved. A little overwhelming- I hope I don't brick it.
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It's too easy to flash TWRP, flash a new ROM, root and do all the things you need with it. This phone is practically unbrickable as you have a guide that teaches you how to unbrick it. Still, it's as easy as it gets to play with it.
@Wagmans please keep us updated if you get the fingerprint scanner to work
Yeah keep us posted. I'm interested in this phone. I have a Samsung S5 which I love and still use with no issues, but I'd like to have dual sim and have redpocket 99$ per year plan and Freedompop free data on the other. This set up will end up saving me hundreds of $$ per year.
memee4eva said:
@Wagmans thank you for your feedback, not sure why many have issues with the fingerprint scanner and some don't have issues at all with it. It would be good to know if it's a hardware or software thing.
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Or a human thing. I got my wife the x820 in January. Immediately flashed TeamSpain's CM13 understanding the stock firmware had fingerprint scanner issues. All that, and only to learn she rarely gets the phone to accept her print, but when I pick it up it works every time. So there is obviously a human print component in the equasion that determines the FP scanner works, in addition to hardware & firmware.
I pulled the trigger on the TinyDeal 64 x829 today for $202 for myself. Leaving the Moto G4 xt1625 behind as a backup. I'm sorry, 2 GB RAM on my Moto G4 is insufficient. We expect our phones to be computers, and they are, but we'd never expect to run 2GB RAM on a modern day desktop. I'd really like to see a 32GB model with 6GB RAM.
valy_cta said:
It's too easy to flash TWRP, flash a new ROM, root and do all the things you need with it. This phone is practically unbrickable as you have a guide that teaches you how to unbrick it. Still, it's as easy as it gets to play with it.
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I'll fool around with it. I'm still confused as to exactly which ROM I should flash and still have US Straight Talk/AT&T compatibility? Would the stock Indian ROM work? How about the Chinese? I don't know what the differences are (needs to have English, obviously). It would be nice to flash a stock ROM and be able to get the software updates from LeEco (as opposed to being locked out with my modified 16s now).
Oh, and as far as I can tell, VoLTE/MMS is working for me on AT&T in the Boston area.
So to sum up, everything is good for me on this phone except fingerprint and new/better ROM. I'll see if I can resolve that once I get some answers as to which ROM to flash.
Wagmans said:
I'll fool around with it. I'm still confused as to exactly which ROM I should flash and still have US Straight Talk/AT&T compatibility? Would the stock Indian ROM work? How about the Chinese? I don't know what the differences are (needs to have English, obviously). It would be nice to flash a stock ROM and be able to get the software updates from LeEco (as opposed to being locked out with my modified 16s now).
Oh, and as far as I can tell, VoLTE/MMS is working for me on AT&T in the Boston area.
So to sum up, everything is good for me on this phone except fingerprint and new/better ROM. I'll see if I can resolve that once I get some answers as to which ROM to flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say if you want updates from LeEco, then don't flash. IMO security updates are really what's at stake.
Ideally:
(1) you want a stable rom with all the bells and whistles to make you happy, and
(2) the dev is updating the rom every MONTH with google's security patches.
But we don't live in an ideal world. TeamSpains CM13 rom may be the best google stock-like rom out there, but it appears not to be 'updated' anymore. It's very stable and everything just works. So from a performance standpoint, it's great. But from a security standpoint maybe not. But then again, branded carrier phones sometimes never get security updates
Wagmans said:
I'll fool around with it. I'm still confused as to exactly which ROM I should flash and still have US Straight Talk/AT&T compatibility? Would the stock Indian ROM work? How about the Chinese? I don't know what the differences are (needs to have English, obviously). It would be nice to flash a stock ROM and be able to get the software updates from LeEco (as opposed to being locked out with my modified 16s now).
Oh, and as far as I can tell, VoLTE/MMS is working for me on AT&T in the Boston area.
So to sum up, everything is good for me on this phone except fingerprint and new/better ROM. I'll see if I can resolve that once I get some answers as to which ROM to flash.
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Click to collapse
As far as I remember, the Chinese one has no limitations such as SIM1 4G and SIM2 only 3G or less. I'm using the Chinese one for quite some time and I'm happy with it. The Indian ROM has Play store but will add an encryption to your phone. In case you want to flash something again using TWRP, you have to format internal memory. The US version that was leaked 3-4 months ago had a limit of 4G on SIM1 only and 3G on SIM2.
Once you will flash the ROM, don't root it, otherwise you will not receive updates and you have to flash the new official stock again when it comes out. Search "manual gapps" to install Play Store on it.
Any ROM has English on it, even the Chinese, and it's not "translated"
About the AT&T compatibility, I'm not so sure. Maybe somebody from US can help on that matter.
Wagmans said:
I'll fool around with it. I'm still confused as to exactly which ROM I should flash and still have US Straight Talk/AT&T compatibility? Would the stock Indian ROM work? How about the Chinese? I don't know what the differences are (needs to have English, obviously). It would be nice to flash a stock ROM and be able to get the software updates from LeEco (as opposed to being locked out with my modified 16s now).
Oh, and as far as I can tell, VoLTE/MMS is working for me on AT&T in the Boston area.
So to sum up, everything is good for me on this phone except fingerprint and new/better ROM. I'll see if I can resolve that once I get some answers as to which ROM to flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just flashed the 20s Chinese full package, fingerprint started working again. I live in Michigan, I get LTE on [email protected]/ straight talk. Everything works fine with that ROM
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.
Hello - I've been trying to research how I can get Wifi calling enabled on my 965F but I get all kinds of twisted up with all the different model numbers and lingo of flashing ROM's so I'm hoping something might be willing to point me in the right direction. I have a brand new S9+ 965F model with the Exynos processor on T-Mobile US. The Wifi calling option is missing which I did not expect but after reading is not unusual. I keep reading about needing to flash a particular ROM in order for it to be enabled - something about XEU or U1 perhaps? I'm of course a bit worried about turning the phone into a brick but I'm willing to take a reasonable risk to get Wifi calling unlocked.
Can anyone help? I would really appreciate it!
I have an ATT one with snapdragon, looking for the same, enable WIFI calling mine is a G9650
Same issue
Hey Mate,
Have you find a solution for your problem? Got the same issue with my G965f/DS. Moved to US and Wifi Calling wont work on TM and ATT. I've even tested on smaller providers and still same problem. I travel a lot and need Wifi Calling when I'm abroad.
Please, let me know if you guys have any solution for this problem.
Thank you,
Unfortunately I ended up returning the phone. After hours of digging the bottom line I believe is that there is no carrier profile for US carriers in this version of the phone and then I think the next issue is it doesn't support the proper bands. I ended up getting the OnePlus 6T instead.
I read flashing a ROM from a country with VoLTE and Wifi calling enabled, lets you see the settings.
I have an s9+ from UAE and I'm waiting for Pie release on INS ROM (India) to flash it and see if it works in my country (Argentina)
Sent from S.G. S9+ Duos
I'm in the same boat, no knowledge of if or when WiFi calling will be available for unlocked phones. Just a shame that such an important feature that worked on my old iPhone 6 isn't available in a supposed "flagship" product. That's just really shoddy workmanship.
My wife (God, I LOVE that lady!) bought me, totally by surprise, the LTE version of the Tab S6 for Christmas. I thought that by putting a T-Mobile SIM in, I would be getting software updates via TMB, but I think I misapprehended that. When I look under settings > software version, I have a CSC that is XEO/XEO/, not the expected TMB and whatnot. I think that's the Polish version, but I don't really know for sure. The whole CSC code thing is not something I'm really familiar with and haven't had to deal with.
Can anyone tell me if I need to go to the TMB version and, if so, point me in the right direction? I am NOT interested in rooting this device. I played the root/ROM in the past and had a good time doing it but I am way too busy now and don't have the time nor the inclination to get involved in it again. Plus, frankly, this thing is flawless as far as I'm concerned and will only get better with the OneUI 2.1 update that's supposedly coming this way.
And one other thing....
I used to be able to designate what bands were used by my device. I have searched all over the place for instructions for this one and nothing works. Or, I haven't been able to make anything work (could be user error, I know). I am really disappointed with the reception that I get on this - it is newer and larger than my Note9 but gets much worse reception. That was NOT the case when I compared my Note4 to my Tab S2 - the S2 had MUCH better reception and I was able to use Google Voice to make calls with my Tab S2 in places where my N4 simply didn't see any service at all.
Any help is appreciated!
TIA!
I'm no expert, but a quick Google shows me XEO/XEO is indeed the Polish model and that it is unbranded - So, you'll just get regular OTA updates direct from Samsung over WIFI - It doesn't matter which SIM you're using, all T-Mobile will provide is service reception. So, no need to change CSC unless there are specific carrier services you need/want to access. The only difference I can imagine you'll experience between an XEO and something like a BTU version is that the default language offered when you set up your Tab may be Polish instead of, in this example English - Rectifying that would be as simple as selecting English from the drop down menu.
I guess worst case scenario if you don't receive updates automatically from Samsung is to download them manually and flash with Odin.