Greetings,
I think I posted this in the wrong forum last time. Anyway, I'm a long time iOS user who's looking to switch to Android while I'm stationed in Japan (US Navy) for the next two years. That said, I'm presently visiting Korea and have an opportunity to purchase a Note 5 (unlocked) and bring it back to Japan with me. Unfortuantely, I can't seem to find a good breakdown of compatibilty to see if it'll be as effective and easy to use as if I were to just get a S6straight from one of the Japanese carriers.
I'm requesting assistance from the experts here to see:
1. Will an unlocked Note 5 work on all the LTE bands in Japan, specifically DoCoMo.
2. How easy is it to take a phone that's unlocked and start a new contract in Japan (bought new/from the company when I was last here).
Thank you in advance!
I was considering that too as I just returned to the USA from a 3 week trip to Korea. I believe you're fine for using it in Japan, but I had to order a USA model because the LTE bands that the Korean phone supports didn't include band 4 which my provider here in the states uses.
I am 90% sure NTT DoCoMo will be fine with the Korean model of the Note 5
As far as starting a contract I have no idea about Japanese companies but I don't imagine they would have a problem with just setting you up with an account and SIM card.
Hi Everyone,
I have just attempted to purchase a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 SM-N920C from an online shop which advertised the phone as being suitable for use in Australia. The shop does not currently have any stock and has instead offered to sell me the SM-N9200.
Since receiving this news from the shop I have performed some research and have come to realise that the SM-N920C is for Afghanistan rather than Australia (though in all reality it may work fine in Australia!).
My question is "Will the SM-N9200 work fine in Australia?". I am specifically interested in it's suitability for use with the Telstra network; I have two Telstra numbers which I intend on using with the phone - which is the dual SIM variant.
Furthermore given that the phone is from China will it have all of the standard Google functionality, Google Apps, etc. Finally will the interface be in English?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Davo
Excellent resource:
http://www.willmyphonework.net/
Hi garyd9,
Thanks for your interest in my post. Unfortunately the Galaxy Note 5 Duos is not yet featured on the Site that you suggested.
Kind Regards,
Davo
Pretty sure the phone supports the correct radio bands for Telstra.
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=8683&c=samsung_sm-n9200_galaxy_note_5_td-lte_samsung_noble
http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobile_phone_frequencies
EDIT: If the phone is from China it will NOT have GAPPS installed but if it is from Hong Kong it WILL. Yes you can change to English.
Thank you
I am looking to get an Unlocked Note 5 in Silver (does anyone have this or have you seen it - does it look as good in person)
My question is:
There are many unlocked versions, but I believe there are several versions that may work in the US
But I am thinking it is one of: N920C or N9200 or N920I (I am thinking it is the N920I, with the "I" standing for International?)
Can anyone tell me which works on GSM in US, T-Mobile
Thanks
eric0668 said:
I am looking to get an Unlocked Note 5 in Silver (does anyone have this or have you seen it - does it look as good in person)
My question is:
There are many unlocked versions, but I believe there are several versions that may work in the US
But I am thinking it is one of: N920C or N9200 or N920I (I am thinking it is the N920I, with the "I" standing for International?)
Can anyone tell me which works on GSM in US, T-Mobile
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would stay away from the N920C if you are going to use it in the US. I have the N920C and on ATT network it is getting only 3G and the signal is considerably weaker than on other phones compatible with ATT.
What does the N920C stand for. I think I need the "I" don't you.
eric0668 said:
What does the N920C stand for. I think I need the "I" don't you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are designed for different continents. The N920I is for - Australia, New Zealand, Singapore. The N920C is for middle east, russia, africa, israel ...etc. If you can get the Unlocked T-mobile variant, you're good. Otherwise checkout the willmyphonework.net or the "The Ulimate Note 5 Band Guide."
Are you sure the I isnf for international.
That's what I wanna know. What one is able to be used. There is no such thing as a T-Mobile unlocked version. Yes there is one that works on T-Mobile, ATT etc. If you hear of the specific model I'd be grateful.
eric0668 said:
Are you sure the I isnf for international.
That's what I wanna know. What one is able to be used. There is no such thing as a T-Mobile unlocked version. Yes there is one that works on T-Mobile, ATT etc. If you hear of the specific model I'd be grateful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.willmyphonework.net/
Thank you really ALot. I tried that and they got 2 blue checks and a yellow. So the same #frustrating
I bought the N920i version and work perfectly with ATT and TMOBILE. It have an amazing internet speed, i'm talking about more than 45MBPS.
Is a grate phone.
Thank you. I was thinking that was for International. Then I saw some sites (Expansys) who was selling the N9200 and was told they were the same.
thanks so much
Yes, N9200 is pretty much the same as N920i but dual sim card model. It should work in US. Be careful, this model can come from China and Google apps may be a problem.
I have ordered this model from Expansys and it should come from South Korea.
Spoke to Samsung via chat, NewEgg and Best Buy most will work to some degree here . BUT they said the one made for gsm carriers in US is the N920G. It can be had on NewEgg or Expansys but def eBay Amazon and Best Buy for $100 more than other places
just adding my 2 cents worth: i'm using a 64GB Silver SM-N9208 (Taiwan - CSC is BRI) dual SIM Note 5 on ATT & T-Mobile and it's working great. no network issues at all. 5 of the 10 people on my current project use Note 5's (including me); the other 4 Note 5 users are in awe of my device, especially the Silver color and the fact that i can make/receive calls from both SIMs at the same time.
jtOttawa said:
http://www.willmyphonework.net/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are so many threads dealing with this issue.
You should either use the above website or use pdadb.net to see which LTE bands a particular model uses and then compare that to the LTE bands your carrier uses (which is what the above website actually does)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Both N920C and N920I should work fine in US except one 3G band for T-Mobile....but when it comes to Software updates...what do you think is first to get official updates? N920I being the Australia model, would it be after N920C? I heard sometimes its after even US models...Thoughts?
I want to buy a galaxy note 5 from Amazon while I'm in America and use it in a different country where I live.
The device I am considering is the sm-n920a. I've checked the cellular bands and they Mach.
I'm have a few questions since it is not the international version or the sm-n920c that is sold in my country.
1. I heard people saying that it won't fully support my language since it is an att phone. It seemed odd to me because I thought that if the international version supports the language any module should.
2. Will there be a problem with OTA updates?
3. At the price point of 360$, is the note 5 really the best phone to buy?
Thanks
chaimgross said:
I want to buy a galaxy note 5 from Amazon while I'm in America and use it in a different country where I live.
The device I am considering is the sm-n920a. I've checked the cellular bands and they Mach.
I'm have a few questions since it is not the international version or the sm-n920c that is sold in my country.
1. I heard people saying that it won't fully support my language since it is an att phone. It seemed odd to me because I thought that if the international version supports the language any module should.
2. Will there be a problem with OTA updates?
3. At the price point of 360$, is the note 5 really the best phone to buy?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an unlocked AT&T Note 5 and an international one, both work perfectly even though I live outside America. And about updates I am not sure but you can always search for custom roms with the latest features for the device on the forum. And overall the n5 is a great phone in my opinion, has everything you need in a phone and more.
Hello, I'm looking to buy a new note 8. I live in Belgium.
But I'm not sure what is the best model to buy.
So my aim is to root the phone and install a kernel or/and ROM to improve the battery life of the phone and it's longevity (I had a galaxy s3 for more than 5 years, on which I did rooting, was pretty happy about the improved battery life and the fact that it's still working fine)
I also notice that you can get snapdragon or exynos depending on the model you buy? Is the difference between these 2 significant?
So there is different model i found on the market :
-n9500 which from what I understood is the Honk-Kong or Chinese model? Seems like I should avoid it because because it doesn't support kernel or ROM?
-n950F which is european version?
-n950FD international version?
-n950N Korean version it seems.
What is your opinion on the model I should buy?
Best regards,
vifzor
vifzor said:
Hello, I'm looking to buy a new note 8. I live in Belgium.
But I'm not sure what is the best model to buy.
So my aim is to root the phone and install a kernel or/and ROM to improve the battery life of the phone and it's longevity (I had a galaxy s3 for more than 5 years, on which I did rooting, was pretty happy about the improved battery life and the fact that it's still working fine)
I also notice that you can get snapdragon or exynos depending on the model you buy? Is the difference between these 2 significant?
So there is different model i found on the market :
-n9500 which from what I understood is the Honk-Kong or Chinese model? Seems like I should avoid it because because it doesn't support kernel or ROM?
-n950F which is european version?
-n950FD international version?
-n950N Korean version it seems.
What is your opinion on the model I should buy?
Best regards,
vifzor
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go with exynos. Your other answers in xda search button.
Nick216ohio said:
Go with exynos. Your other answers in xda search button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for your answer, so it seems like N950FD is the best?
vifzor said:
Thx for your answer, so it seems like N950FD is the best?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you need dual SIM go for the N950FD if not go for the regular N950F which is the same as FD except dual sim
Darktitor said:
If you need dual SIM go for the N950FD if not go for the regular N950F which is the same as FD except dual sim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does N950F support micro SD card?
Yes, it does
Take a look through the oem unlock thread too.
acctualy the korean n950n would be considered a sure bet. specially if you consider the 256gb version.
there are no issues with the oem unlock. other exynos F/FD's might have that problem.
What is eom unlock?
Sorry for the noob question
vifzor said:
What is eom unlock?
Sorry for the noob question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google
vifzor said:
Hello, I'm looking to buy a new note 8. I live in Belgium.
But I'm not sure what is the best model to buy.
So my aim is to root the phone and install a kernel or/and ROM to improve the battery life of the phone and it's longevity (I had a galaxy s3 for more than 5 years, on which I did rooting, was pretty happy about the improved battery life and the fact that it's still working fine)
I also notice that you can get snapdragon or exynos depending on the model you buy? Is the difference between these 2 significant?
So there is different model i found on the market :
-n9500 which from what I understood is the Honk-Kong or Chinese model? Seems like I should avoid it because because it doesn't support kernel or ROM?
-n950F which is european version?
-n950FD international version?
-n950N Korean version it seems.
What is your opinion on the model I should buy?
Best regards,
vifzor
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only two main considerations IMO (since you already stated you are going to root, so Samsung Pay is out):
N950F/D has full dual-SIM functionality out of the box, so if you need dual SIM this would seem like a smart choice
N950N can be purchased in a 256gb internal capacity version which is great if you want large internal storage
Since you are going to run a custom ROM anyway, there is no functional difference between the two, save for dual-SIM on the F/D
As others mentioned, one potential issue with the N950F or F/D is that they need to be SIM-activated in their intended region before you can use them with a different country SIM card, and people have found that the OEM Unlock (to unlock the bootloader) option is either missing, doesn't show up for 7 days after first use, or disappears after flashing new firmware or ROMs. This is not an issue with the Korean N950N as Korean models are never region, SIM, or carrier locked and do not require the local SIM activation.
Kalm_Traveler said:
The only two main considerations IMO (since you already stated you are going to root, so Samsung Pay is out):
N950F/D has full dual-SIM functionality out of the box, so if you need dual SIM this would seem like a smart choice
N950N can be purchased in a 256gb internal capacity version which is great if you want large internal storage
Since you are going to run a custom ROM anyway, there is no functional difference between the two, save for dual-SIM on the F/D
As others mentioned, one potential issue with the N950F or F/D is that they need to be SIM-activated in their intended region before you can use them with a different country SIM card, and people have found that the OEM Unlock (to unlock the bootloader) option is either missing, doesn't show up for 7 days after first use, or disappears after flashing new firmware or ROMs. This is not an issue with the Korean N950N as Korean models are never region, SIM, or carrier locked and do not require the local SIM activation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mhh..
So seems like buying the N950F or F/D is like playing lottery?
I guess I'll go for the N950N then. But the price is much more expensive because of the custom fee unfortunately...
vifzor said:
mhh..
So seems like buying the N950F or F/D is like playing lottery?
I guess I'll go for the N950N then. But the price is much more expensive because of the custom fee unfortunately...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then the LTE speeds in the USA will suffer.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
Then the LTE speeds in the USA will suffer.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
depends on the provider used, the N950N supports all 3 of T-Mobile's main bands 2, 4, and 12 and I'm regularly getting download speeds over 100 Mbps, uploads around 40 Mbps, which is faster than what my T-Mobile-branded Note 5 got in the same areas.
Kalm_Traveler said:
depends on the provider used, the N950N supports all 3 of T-Mobile's main bands 2, 4, and 12 and I'm regularly getting download speeds over 100 Mbps, uploads around 40 Mbps, which is faster than what my T-Mobile-branded Note 5 got in the same areas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr Kalm_Traveler, is the Korean N8 the best N8 worldwide.?
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
Mr Kalm_Traveler, is the Korean N8 the best N8 worldwide.?
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha 'best' is arbitrary depending on what you want out of a Note 8. It's my preferred because I wanted Exynos, 256gb internal storage, and supported LTE bands for my carrier. For anyone who needs dual-sim functionality I would direct them to the N950F/D or I believe there is an N9500 dual-SIM model in Hong Kong. If someone just wants a Note 8 and won't need dual SIM, lots of internal space, and won't want to root it, the 'best' Note 8 is likely the one that their carrier offers.
I plan to buy N950N 256 go in South Korea because I'm scared about custom fee(only possible to buy phone from outside Europe) and I want to go to SK anyway.
But If I buy N950N in South Korea can I start using it there or should I wait to use it for the first time in Belgium? I guess it should be fine but I'm not sure.
vifzor said:
I plan to buy N950N 256 go in South Korea because I'm scared about custom fee(only possible to buy phone from outside Europe) and I want to go to SK anyway.
But If I buy N950N in South Korea can I start using it there or should I wait to use it for the first time in Belgium? I guess it should be fine but I'm not sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean if it is region locked?
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
You mean if it is region locked?
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm planning to buy this phone : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y29JGF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A613J2Y1GRBOO&psc=1
But I'm concerned also by the fact there is CDMA, is it a big deal?
Best regards,
vifzor
vifzor said:
Yes, I'm planning to buy this phone : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Y29JGF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A613J2Y1GRBOO&psc=1
But I'm concerned also by the fact there is CDMA, is it a big deal?
Best regards,
vifzor
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Amazon link you mentioned says it's not CDMA. So it seems to be an Exynos Korean version. If it was CDMA then it would be a Snapdragon Note 8 which would still work in Belgium if there is no region lock or SP lock.
EDIT, I searched google and came up with this thread about the SM-N950N all the information is on the first post. thank you
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-8/help/sm-n950n-t3700818
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk