since sprint has a SIM slot, does this mean possible to unlock for ATT / T-mobile?
Nope
Sprint=CDMA
ATT/T-Mobile=GSM
Actually... Sprint HTC One = CDMA/LTE and GSM...
So yes it's technically possible, but there's been a few hiccups with getting it accomplished. The method to SIM Unlock the device that regular GSM providers use (pop in a third party SIM and it prompts you for an unlock code) doesn't work with the Sprint HTC One so it requires a bit more creativity to get it unlocked. Unless something's changed recently there hasn't been a whole lot of success with using it on domestic GSM networks either. Reference the Sim Unlock thread for more info:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2243724
bigdaddy619 said:
Nope
Sprint=CDMA
ATT/T-Mobile=GSM
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Even if you could do it, it's of limited utility since it only supports one 3G band out of the various 3G and 4G bands used by AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. Therefore, you may experience reduced data performance with the device in certain places.
Is it possible? I have a lumia 521 for metro that I'm currently using to work on apps but my family plan is on AT&T. I'm coming from android so is there a ROM I have to flash to use a sim card for them?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
SIM unlock and ROM flashing rarely have anything to do with one another. SIM unlock (depending on the locking carrier) may be free, have a nominal cost, be only available on the grey market online, or be utterly unavailable at this time.
Be aware that AT&T uses different cellular bands than T-Mobile / MetroPCS. Make sure that the phone will work on AT&T first! You may find that you're unable to get any speed better than EDGE...
GoodDayToDie said:
SIM unlock and ROM flashing rarely have anything to do with one another. SIM unlock (depending on the locking carrier) may be free, have a nominal cost, be only available on the grey market online, or be utterly unavailable at this time.
Be aware that AT&T uses different cellular bands than T-Mobile / MetroPCS. Make sure that the phone will work on AT&T first! You may find that you're unable to get any speed better than EDGE...
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The bands are all the same so I'll try finding a SIM unlock, thanks.
Guys, I am looking for unlocking my Nokia Lumia 521 which is tied with the T-Mobile. I got it couple of days back when I came to US couple of days back, but I am based out in India and not been able to use it with the Indian Carriers.
Please read the FAQ... There aren't any ROMs that ignore the SIM locking mechanism. You'll need to either call T-Mobile (or MetroPCS for the OP) or purchase an unlock code from various online sites.
Sent from my RM-860 using Tapatalk
I'm going to be switching over from T Mobile possibly next week. I'm curious if I need to flash an AT&T ROM or return it to a stock T Mobile ROM.
This is the 1st time that I'll be taking a phone from 1carrier to another. I even asked the rep from the AT&T store what I should do and of course he was clueless to what I was asking for. He just told me to get my phone unlocked from T Mobile and had no clue about rooting.
Any particular steps that I should take aside from unlock code to make sure my phone will work with AT&T?
Once your phone is sim unlocked it will work on at&t. Root access isn't needed. Once you insert the new sim apn data should install automatically. It's good to double check though.
Since you have a "tmobile" device this at&t forum won't be much help. The at&t note 3 has a locked bootloader and the tmobile one doesn't. That means the tmobile one has more capability. I bet in the tmobile threads you'll find others in the same situation as you. They can guide you to improve your at&t experience with a tmobile device.
440bro said:
Once your phone is sim unlocked it will work on at&t. Root access isn't needed. Once you insert the new sim apn data should install automatically. It's good to double check though.
Since you have a "tmobile" device this at&t forum won't be much help. The at&t note 3 has a locked bootloader and the tmobile one doesn't. That means the tmobile one has more capability. I bet in the tmobile threads you'll find others in the same situation as you. They can guide you to improve your at&t experience with a tmobile device.
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Thanks a lot.
May be a really dumb question.
Looking to get a Note 5 on AT&T but I need it rooted. I understand only Sprint and T-Mobile are rootable. Right now I have a unlocked Tmobile S6 Edge working on AT&T and am curious if a Note 5 from Sprint will also work.
I'm obviously buying the phone outright. I know it will work on Verizon too, but that also, to my understanding, can't be rooting.
Thanks in advance and sorry if it was a dumb question.
No for Sprint, yes for T-Mobile. Sprint runs their network on CDMA system, and AT&T runs their network on GSM. Even though the Sprint Version of the Note 5 technically has a sim card, its hardware is still based on a CDMA setup. The sprint version would not work. However, The T-Mobile version runs on a GSM Network, like AT&T. So providing that you are able to have Domestic SIM Unlock available to you, you would be able to put an AT&T Sim card in the phone and it would work.
I have the same question as you. I have a sprint note 5 and want to take it to at&t since I just got hired with them I get 50% off. I entered the serial number in on att website and its says it will work
actually i have read the new lte phones are dual radio whether they are gsm or cdma. out the box no it will not work on anything other than sprint. getting it unlocked may be a challenge. the sprint nexus 6 comes factory unlocked and is usable on ALL cdma AND gsm networks. now comes the tricky part even if u do have a unlocked phone. unlocked should work for all gsm like your needs. but u can not take a unlocked nexus from att and use it on sprint like you can the other way around. becuase of cdma networks activating off the esn and not the imei. or for that matter using a sprint phone on a verizon service, yes the phone is capable but cdma has to have the esn in the networks database for it to work. verizon and sprint control what devices can be activated since the activation is through the esn and not the sim card. in the old days the straight answer is no way. i would definitely look into it more before deciding on a answer.
its on the internet so it must be true! but seriously, i am not saying your answer is either yes or no, just saying its worth looking into. fwiw i would think its only a matter of time before the root is achieved on all of them.
http://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/Can-I-use-my-verizon-sprint-phone-on-a-different-network
Has anyone confirmed whether or not a Sprint Note 5 will or will not work on AT&T if it's unlocked?
If you get it unlocked for domestic, yes it will work.
Yes, you can get it unlocked for virtually any carrier. I'm using a Sprint Note 5 on AT&T right now. In fact I'm sending this reply on it. I had it software unlocked (Sprint's a real stickler with their unlocking policy, but even so it's still possible even through them. There are plenty of forums about it. Though there are certain bugs with using it that piss me off like not being able to send MMS while connected to wifi, but I get my full carrier speed. I tested it side by side with an AT&T iphone 6s. Note 5 won massively on the upload time.
I'm helping!
Where did you get it Unlocked!? Please help
Is there such a thing as CDMA unlocking? Samsung said that it is carrier-locked to Verizon. Verizon said they no longer lock phones. I could not get it activated on Sprint. They do not accept the IMEI.
Is there any way to make it working on Sprint? Please help. Got stuck with a phone that can not be used. Thanks
f2000sa said:
Is there such a thing as CDMA unlocking? Samsung said that it is carrier-locked to Verizon. Verizon said they no longer lock phones. I could not get it activated on Sprint. They do not accept the IMEI.
Is there any way to make it working on Sprint? Please help. Got stuck with a phone that can not be used. Thanks
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Verizon phones are all carrier unlocked. I'm using a Verizon Note 8 on T-Mobile right now.
Couple questions:
1. Have you double checked to make sure the IMEI is clean and clear? If its blacklisted on Verizon, it won't work on any US carrier.
2. Do you have a nano SIM from Sprint that's already activated?
3. Have you tried flashing either the unlocked firmwareor the Sprint firmware on it?
Thanks, Mr. Orange645
The phone was bought brand new a month ago from Best Buy , and used on Verizon for a month. Phone paid off and no contract. IMEI should be clean. I did a check on Ting with the IMEI , and it can be used for GSM.
I have two nano sims from Sprint, both activated and un-activated. The problem is that Sprint can not add the IMEI to their system. I called Samsung and gave the IMEI, and was told that it is carrier-locked to Verizon. I wonder whether there is way to do CDMA unlocking.
I did not try to flash unlocked ROM. I think that IMEI on sprint network is the first step.
So you have a nano SIM that's already activated with Sprint? It's in a Sprint phone right now and has service?
If So, put the activated SIM in your Note 8 and see if you have service.
Sprint shouldn't have to activate your phone, just the Sim. That's how you can buy the Unlocked version from Samsung.com and stick your Sprint SIM in it and have service.
Sprint uses CDMA, and have to add the IMEI to their system to make it work. Also tried the activated sim, with no luck.
There is no "CDMA unlocking," it's either carrier unlocked or it's not. And ALL Verizon LTE Devices are Carrier unlocked.
f2000sa said:
Is there such a thing as CDMA unlocking? Samsung said that it is carrier-locked to Verizon. Verizon said they no longer lock phones. I could not get it activated on Sprint. They do not accept the IMEI.
Is there any way to make it working on Sprint? Please help. Got stuck with a phone that can not be used. Thanks
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Have you tried simply factory resetting the device first and then booting up for the first time with the activated Sprint sim in.
Maybe try flashing Sprint firmware?
IMEI is hard-coded. For CDMA, it must be added into Sprint systems. Unless GSM, only a SIM is necessary.
Did Sprint not provide some sort of reason/explanation as to why they are unable to add the IMEI? If they can't do it, surely they can tell you why.
CDMA networks are finicky -- Sprint's in particular -- when it comes to bringing over other carrier devices (even ones with compatible hardware). Some good info in here:
https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhon...y-verizon-sprint-phone-on-a-different-network
f2000sa said:
IMEI is hard-coded. For CDMA, it must be added into Sprint systems. Unless GSM, only a SIM is necessary.
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I believe someone is giving you false information. You should be able to place an activated SIM card into the phone and start using it. That's how the unlocked Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Note 8 all work. You buy them unlocked and use them on whichever carrier you want, including Sprint. That's how my Nexus 6 worked on Verizon, before I switched to T-Mobile. Verizon also uses CDMA, and they didn't have to add any IMEI into their system. You just put the activated SIM into the phone.
I could take a Verizon SIM and put it into my T-Mobile S8+ right now, and it would activate and get service.
But to answer your original question again, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CDMA UNLOCKING. The phone is either carrier unlocked, or its not. And the Verizon Note 8 is 100% carrier unlocked.
I beginning to suspect you bought a Note 8 with a bad IMEI, if you got it used.
EDIT: I MAY BE WRONG (don't tell my wife, she never hears me say that)
After doing some research on Reddit, it looks like others ran into the same issue as you. The unlocked version and the Sprint version will work, but none of the other carrier Note 8s are eligible for BYOD. Which is stupid, since they are all exactly the same hardware.
I'd try this:
Use ODIN to flash either the Unlocked 950U1 firmware, or the Sprint 950U firmware. Then place the Sprint SIM card in the phone to see if it activates upon start up. If it doesn't then you may be hosed. If that's the case, sign up for T-Mobile. LOL.
Thanks all for the useful information and help. The error they encountered is that they could not load the ESN to the Sprint PLBL database. They got error like incompatible, or unsupported device etc.
Sprint will not add other carries phone to their system. If IMEI is from Verizon it will never work with active or inactive SIM. Only way if it was factory unlocked phone bought from Samsung.
Did anyone find a solution to this? Moved to Sprint BYOD two days ago with my Verizon note8 and it won't work. The phone keeps asking for a Verizon since. I am at second Sprint repair center as I type this. Please tell me it can be fixed. Thanks.
I am in the same boat, Paid off my wife's Iphone7+ and my Note 8 with Verizon and then tried to BYOD with sprint and they are unable to activate. Verizon informed me that their devices are 100% not locked and Sprint has no clue.
You could try other carriers like straightalk or tmobile maybe even metro pcs but it will not work with sprint. They are a pain and don't allow other carrier phones on their network.
I purchased a Verizon Note 8 , which was paid off and unlocked. Successfully activated on Sprint using my existing Active Sprint sim card.
Everything looks good, just one major issue, I am stuck with 3G internet. Still not able to get 4G LTE on Sprint.
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OriyaGuru said:
I purchased a Verizon Note 8 , which was paid off and unlocked. Successfully activated on Sprint using my existing Active Sprint sim card.
Everything looks good, just one major issue, I am stuck with 3G internet. Still not able to get 4G LTE on Sprint.
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you need to enter sprints apn bro then you will have 4G.
I have the reverse issue. I have the opportunity to get a good deal on a Sprint Note 8, but I want to use it on Verizon. Assuming the device is not blacklisted, would there be any issue with this? Buying a sprint-branded phone and using it on Verizon's CDMA network? Are all the bands the same? I get 3 checkmarks on willmyphonework.com (but they didn't have the Note 8 yet, just the Note 7)