As most of you may know, a T-Mobile Galaxy Tab will not allow you to insert a SIM card from a phone and use it for data, even if you already have an Android data plan on your account and on that number. Bought a new tab from a private owner, and was pissed off about that. However, I have a G2, and remembered something I had configured on my phone.
So, I found an easy way to resolve this. My G2 does 4G. Instead of putting the sim into the Galaxy Tab, I enabled the wifi hotspot feature and used that to connect the Tab to the Internet. At 4G speeds. On my unlimited data plan. For free. Saves me more than a grand/yr (assuming the $85/mo+taxes cost of the 10gb/mo plan which I don't have to pay).
Take =that= T-Mobile. Bet your greedy, beady-eyed beancounter (read "Business Prevention Officer") boys didn't think about =that= one... <chuckle>
I know this is an old thread, but I just did not want people to be discouraged from buying this awesome tablet because of misinformation.
There is an alternative solution.
Refer to this guide. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1446500
Related
Just curious if i order my captivate from amazon's wireless center(since it's cheaper than at&T) can i just put my iphone 3gs sim card in it and start using its data services? Downloading,uploading, etc. or do i have to call at&t and activate something for this device instead?
The new data plans are all the same across platforms, but if you're like me and are grandfathered into the unlimited data plan, then you're going to have to have the feature changed on your account. Unlimited Iphone data and Unlimited Smartphone data are two seperate features.
do not call in to have it switched from the iPhone data plan to the smartphone plan if you want to be able to swap back *easily* to an iPhone.
The iPhone data plan works fine on both the captivate and iPhone.
The Smartphone data plan only works with the Captivate - and requires APN changing with the iPhone, which may not work.
Be careful ordering the phone through Amazon wireless because it doesn't help you grandfather the unlimited plan to the Captivate. When you check out you have to select a new data plan, by doing so AT&T won't be able to honor your unlimited data plan. Luckily I was able to call AT&T and correct it. Amazon includes a new sim card that you activate over the phone.
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
mikejames07 said:
I second just putting your iPhone sim into the Captivate, that is exactly what I did and I've had no problems since. I also was able to swap back and forth btw and iPhone and the Captivate with no problems as well because the data plan is still the iPhone plan on my bill. I don't know how it works with a phone that's been activated on a new sim card however.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do this, but at some point AT&T may re-adjust your plan (still unlimited). It should not matter if the phone shipped with a new SIM card or not - as there is no activation procedure on GSM phones. AT&T likes to know the IMEI number of your phone, but they don't stop service over it.
I have a friend that tests phones for one manufacturer - they ship him a new phone every month or so (mostly android) and he just pops his iPhone SIM in and goes. A couple times he would put his SIM back in the phone and have no data and he would have to call to get it fixed.
As for Amazon - make sure you are getting the phone on upgrade and not new service. If it is new service then they expect you to keep your old line active too.
i read that iphone sim cards are specifically programmed to work with iphones only. it could be a load of crap...but it's what i heard.
My data didn't work when swapping my sim from my 3GS to my Captivate. I had to change features from the unlimited iPhone data to the unlimited Smartphone data.
i have g tab unlocked 3g wifi us version.i took my sim out of my samsung highlight i have internet plan with t mobile it is not a smart phone.i put the sim in the tablet and the phone works butt no internet or 3g i get a message from tmobile to get a dif net plan is this the only way to get the internet wile travaling i do get the internet from wifi at home I AM NEW TO THIS I DONT KNOW ANY TERMS OR NAMES USED IM TRYING TO LEARN CAN SOMEONE HELP WITH STEP BY STEP FOR 50 YEAR OLD DUMMY THANKS MIKE
it is not going to work, best on TMOUS u could achieve is voice+edge.
Now that they have caught you, best you can get is Voice and no data plan, so u would have to rely on APs or free wifi.
This is until enough of us complain to have them either make another plan for us, or modify a current plan to allow for voice and edge. Your SGT is limited on TMOUS by hardware, so no 3G.
I have a T-Mo tab/T-Mo contracted service (for another year) running OC Hermes (which totally rocks!).
Problem is, I want to use my Tab as my phone (light phone use, but I need it to ring and answer it when I need it, hence I have to lose T-Mo/modem switch. I need 3G data - who doesn't? Use is in Domestic US with Europe for a month out of the year - seems simple enough.
I have a depricated VZ Winmo 6.5 device with my "real" number, and found a 3rd party SIM (Tru) that will let you port your number, and provide "reasonable" cost US Domestic and European Voice and Data roaming, so I can get voice/data service and keep my number.
Now I just need to figure out which Tab to buy:
Can the AT&T Tab be customized to work with voice and 3G data simultaneously without modem/switching, and if so, on which SIM/Network(s) in the US other than AT&T?
If I were to replace my T-Mo Unit, should I buy the AT&T or the European Tab?
Will either get this done? Thanks all in advance for any help.
- Cathy
would also like to know the answer to this...
T-mobile tab with t-mobile sim:
Voice, sms, mms, and EDGE data **or** 3g data only.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. Use the Rotohammer modem switch to go between these options. If you are on the 3g mode the phone won't ring, your caller will get the same thing as if they called you when your phone was turned off. You have to delete a system folder to enable web browsing.
At&t tab with at&t sim:
Voice, sms, mms, 3g data, no switch necessary.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. No system files to tinker with.
#####At&t tab with at&t sim is the easiest, best option for a complete phone and data experience.
Thank you @Rangercaptain!
@Rangercapain, you are a gentleman and a scholar!
I thought AT&T did both now, but the info on the boards conflicts, some because it is dated before you fine folks figured this all out, and some because newer users haven't flashed a custom ROM, but I wanted to be sure before sinking another $350 into a dead-end with the telephony.
I was contemplating the SGSII but at $700 US and without Alter's incredible ROM for everything else, it wasn't going to work, and I really don't want two devices.
I realize T-Mo is on the funky 1700 band here so I knew non-T-Mo SIMs were likely only going to get me 2G, but I wasn't sure about AT&T.
If I go with the AT&T Tab, do you know if the 3rd party SIMs like SimpleMobile or Tru Mobile will also do both 3G and voice? AT&T rapes you like everyone else US domestic on Euro Roaming Data ($15/mb is insanity), and I was foolishly hopiing for a SIM that I could use here and in Europe without re-mortaging the house!
Can I determine this definitively by confirming the GSM bands specified by the SIM reseller?
Thank you thank you thank you
My at&t voice, unlimited text, and 2 gigs of data is $35 per month. Like you said, don't use the pay as you go, because that is crazy. Have you seen the Walmart phone/data pay as you go - Straight Talk I think. I will check it out and post back here.
SimpleMobile is exactly the same as T-mobile, so not good with at&t tab or euro tab. I haven't heard of TruMobile. Just google "trumobile frequencies". You want to see 1900/900 or 1900/850.
Straight Talk is a no-go. They sell phones, not sim cards.
rangercaptain said:
T-mobile tab with t-mobile sim:
At&t tab with at&t sim:
Voice, sms, mms, 3g data, no switch necessary.
Flash any rom besides stock to get the dialer capability. No system files to tinker with.
#####At&t tab with at&t sim is the easiest, best option for a complete phone and data experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
does it have a minimum data plan requirement? have an ATT iphone4 with the $15 200MB data plan. can i just put my iphone simcard on the GalTab? will i get the dreaded text messages from BIG BROTHER? or will it suffice? or will i be asked to upgrade to a higher data plan?
TIA
jeraldyne
tanjeraldyne said:
does it have a minimum data plan requirement? have an ATT iphone4 with the $15 200MB data plan. can i just put my iphone simcard on the GalTab? will i get the dreaded text messages from BIG BROTHER? or will it suffice? or will i be asked to upgrade to a higher data plan?
TIA
jeraldyne
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can put that sim in your tab, and you won't get the dreaded message. They are after unlimited iphone plans. But you will BURN through 200mb in about 20 minutes. Study your at&t bill, then add 1gig for $15, or 2gigs for $25 (my plan).
Tru Mobile is at&t compatable, but the data works out to $350 per gigabyte.
Global SIMs
@Rangercaptain -
You are right about the data cost, but overseas, that is a "bargain" compared to roaming rates even on AT&T. They have a fixed data rate for "business" customers that is pretty competitive ($30/month 500mb in the US, $60 if you are in the UK or AUS, and they are adding 20 more countries in 2012). I may try them for a little while (till I return in late September) since I can always go to AT&T later (there is no contract) if I want to.
Did AT&T let you get a SIM for the tab that does both voice and data without any gripes? Maybe I can just go AT&T, port my number over, and get a MaxRoam for overseas.
I have been researching this like crazy, and at .80 Euro/MB they are about the cheapest I could find for "global" roaming, but they are one of those pay-go cos that eat your balance if you don't use it.
We are in 11 countries (a cruise) and there is no feasible way to buy a SIM in every port, or all I will have seen at the end of this odyssey will have been a ton of Vodaphone stores .
Thank you so much again!
I bought the tab at a retail store and told them I didn't want any contract. A few days later I added a 2 gig per month data and voice plan to a family plan. I told them it was for an android phone I had at home. They gave me the sim and I went out, and put it in the tab, and whammo! So sweet, 3g and voice.
When you are overseas there are so many pay as you go options, but yes, it could involve a lot of phone shops. No way to buy vodafone or orange sim and pay the roaming? And I'm guessing the cruise ship and hotels will have wifi for free. There are methods to make voice calls when you are on awifi connection, called skype.
I used to use my Galaxy tab 7 3G (sold) with my other AT&T Sim cards. I used to be able to make calls from it, but now I'm planning to use a Galaxy Note instead.
However, I could also try to use an 8.9 (planning to buy a 4G one from ebay) and with root, delete the efs folder (if I really need to) and get to use the sim card from an iPad 3G for instance (or from an AT&T phone). Both would be grandfathered unlimited plans. Would that work? I suppose so, although I'd have to cut the SIM Card I believe (the 8.9 uses micro sim cards, right?).
Anybody have tried something like this?
Thanks!
RipplingHurst said:
I used to use my Galaxy tab 7 3G (sold) with my other AT&T Sim cards. I used to be able to make calls from it, but now I'm planning to use a Galaxy Note instead.
However, I could also try to use an 8.9 (planning to buy a 4G one from ebay) and with root, delete the efs folder (if I really need to) and get to use the sim card from an iPad 3G for instance (or from an AT&T phone). Both would be grandfathered unlimited plans. Would that work? I suppose so, although I'd have to cut the SIM Card I believe (the 8.9 uses micro sim cards, right?).
Anybody have tried something like this?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EFS (and carrier locking) is different on the Qualcomm MSM8660 devices than what you may be used to on Hummingbird/Exynos devices. So have a care trying to nuke the EFS folder. I'm assuming your goal is to spoof AT&T's IMEI database to keep your grandfathered plan, and I suspect you'll have disappointing results.
And just in case you didn't know, unlike the original GSM Tab, there is NO voice capability on the 8.9 (LTE or otherwise) unless you're doing some sort of SIP/VOIP.
Finally, the 8.9 LTE uses standard SIM cards.
Croak said:
EFS (and carrier locking) is different on the Qualcomm MSM8660 devices than what you may be used to on Hummingbird/Exynos devices. So have a care trying to nuke the EFS folder. I'm assuming your goal is to spoof AT&T's IMEI database to keep your grandfathered plan, and I suspect you'll have disappointing results.
And just in case you didn't know, unlike the original GSM Tab, there is NO voice capability on the 8.9 (LTE or otherwise) unless you're doing some sort of SIP/VOIP.
Finally, the 8.9 LTE uses standard SIM cards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. So it seems less likely that it's worth getting an ebay unit (since I plan to pay monthly for service anyway). I talked to a manager at an AT&T store and he couldn't set my grandfathered iPad 3G plan into the Galaxy tab 4G no matter what. He tried and couldn't do it. He could transfer my unlimited grandfathered PHONE service into a Skyrocket, but not a tablet.
I didn't want to use it for voice anyway. I just didn't want to pay for a grandfathered unlimited service for tablets (iPad) AND another plan just for the G. Tab 8.9...
I wonder if I'll brick it if I just nuke the efs folder, I'd just try it and if it didn't work I would just put the folder back on. But with no ROM available, this may be indeed too dangerous to try.
RipplingHurst said:
Thanks. So it seems less likely that it's worth getting an ebay unit (since I plan to pay monthly for service anyway). I talked to a manager at an AT&T store and he couldn't set my grandfathered iPad 3G plan into the Galaxy tab 4G no matter what. He tried and couldn't do it. He could transfer my unlimited grandfathered PHONE service into a Skyrocket, but not a tablet.
I didn't want to use it for voice anyway. I just didn't want to pay for a grandfathered unlimited service for tablets (iPad) AND another plan just for the G. Tab 8.9...
I wonder if I'll brick it if I just nuke the efs folder, I'd just try it and if it didn't work I would just put the folder back on. But with no ROM available, this may be indeed too dangerous to try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stock ROM is available on Sammobile.com. If you root the device, you can make a backup of the EFS directory. It should be safe to experiment.
If the worst happens and you lose the EFS data, it'll still work just fine as a WiFi only device, and it'll still be faster (quite a bit) than the under-powered Tegra 2 WiFi only version you were looking at.
rooting and making a copy of your efs is extremely safe if you read
Thanks guys. I ended up buying the ATt combo 8.9 tab plus skyrocket. Coulnd be any happier. I thought there weren't any LTE service heren the suburbs of ne CA, but im getting 26.9 Mbpsdown and 11.81 Mbps up. The 100-68ms png kills the experience a bit,bu I'venever seensuch speeds via mobile network.
Probably depends on what sim I know I tried to use my regular phone sim with unlimited data and in the galaxy tab 7 and it worked.
Has anyone been able to get this to work? Would love to use a Galaxy Tab 8.9 occasionally with my LTE phone data plan. I don't need voice like on the original GST.
Update.
So my usage went to 75% of my allocation in 10days. Not happy. I did a lot of streaming videos (Vevo), but nothing I hadn't done before with my iPad 3G (unlimited) or iPhone 4 (unlimited). However, I have been using Google Music A LOT these days (I have a 250GB music library, 35k songs, if I take the classics, the wife's Pearl Jam "every live performance" fan club files, I can easily squeze 20K songs with Google Music.
However, my usage went through the roof.
So today I just deleted the ESF folder in the hopes of using another SIM card with it. I popped off the iPad's 3G I still have (unlimited data plan). Got 4 backups of such folder (office, server, dropbox, mainPC) plus two in the tablet. Just to be safe.
So it turns out that it didn't work as planned. With the Galaxy Tab 7, after reboot, I would get a new EFS folder with a generic IMEI. That's how I could make call, text, with my cell phone SD card (AT&T wouldn't let me pop my SIM card into it and make it work as a phone).
Now I don't plan to use it as a phone, I just wanted to replace my iPad with the 8.9. AT&T wouldn't let me use my grandfathered plan (I even offered to pay full price, but), so here I am.
What happened is that the EFS folder is rebuilt just like the previous one. The same IMEI remains. However, I got a different "phone" number and the AT&T app shows 46MB of 9999757606912GB remaining. That is, A LOT.
However, speeds dropped considerably, even with the "4G" icon lighted up (not 4GLTE though), to about the same speeds as the iPad 5000 Kbps up, 1k down.
I'm expecting any minute a text or call from AT&T and in that case I'll cancel the iPad 3G plan and pop the LTE SIM card back and use it only for email for the rest of the month (plus tether with my skyrocket, but I have just received a txt saying now I'm top 5% (also "unlimited").
Will see what happens. Any ideas what I should try next?
If I use a Captivate on T-mobile but do not want a data plan of any type on my account, will tmobile recognize the Captivate and activate on of their plan automatically, or do they not recognize the Captivates IMEI so that it would essentially be a dumbphone to them?
I don't recall if T-Mibile has a prepaid plan, but if it did, you would try it and see how you like the experience, and then go from there.
A plan would not be purchased in this case, the sim would just be moved to the captivate. There just cant be a data connection at all.
Captivate on T Mobile
I have my Captivate on T-Mo, and it is runningg on a regular phone plan. They gave me the option to run it with a data plan also, but I chose not to. I have my SGS2 on a full plan unlimited everything, if you can call being throttled unlimited, and i just wanted my Captivate as my work line for my business. Like I said before, they offered a data plan but, the hardware in the Captivate does not allow 4G, it really isn't even 3G, it runs on EDGE for the network. Edge, if you don't know is pre 3G, basically 2.75 if there was such a thing. But, I tether off my SGS2 to get updates for apps and to browse the internet and listen to music and play some smaller games, just because my Captivate is my favorite phone.I even got them to insure my captivate through Asperion (I think thats how they spell it). I hope I was a little helpful in giving you some info pertaining to your question.