So I bought a galaxy note for my mom, because she broke her other phone and her contract is up in a month and didn't want to extend it with Rogers. My question is that the person whom I bought it from had it 'unlocked' to work with all the cellular providers here in Canada. So I assume he flashed the AWS bands onto the phone. Leading up to my question, which rom should I flash onto the phone without risking that the AWS bands be "de-flashed". The phone currently has T-mobile ROM on it, so my natural intuition leads me to assume that I can flash T-mobile ROMs onto the phone no problem. But please enlighten me if weather I assume right or wrong.
P.S: The reason I want to flash any ROM onto the phone is that she is used to Vanilla Android and doesn't care for, in fact hates, Touchwiz.
edit: nvm I just flashed a AT&T ROM and aws bands.
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
I'm ashamed to even ask.....
Former TMO S3 owner here who switched to Nexus and never looked back. Things are just so much easier now with firmware updates and rooting.
We currently pay cell bills for one of our workers and his wife on our TMO family account. His wife was using my old S3, and without talking to me first, he bought her a SIM locked ATT S6 online recently.
I'm working on a SIM unlock code, that won't be a problem.
I'm right in thinking that there's no (current) way to load a TMO S6 ROM onto the ATT S6, right?
Bootloader still locked up tight on ATT?
I know that in the past some of the Galaxy S phones had hardware differences......are the ATT and TMO S6 variants now the exact same hardware (other than exterior logos)?
Sorry for what seems to be an obvious and already asked question. I know someone asked the same question back in August.....wondering if anything has changed since then.
Thanks for all replies.
Yup, bootloader locked tight, can't even get a root working besides the people who are selling it
A friend of mine purchased a T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy note 4 a couple months back and decided it was time to sell the phone. She bought the phone from a third party seller. ( It was a phone repair store that also sells cellphones) The device has T-Mobile software and seems to be a legitimate T-Mobile branded Note 4 , the issue is the imei does not show up on T-Mobile. The note 4 shows up as invalid/not recognized. ( We also called samsung and they did not have the imei in their database for the warranty check) I called T-Mobile for my friend and gave them the imei number and the representative said the phone was not a T-Mobile phone.(based on the imei) I ran the imei on a few safe legitimate websites , swappa being one of them and each website came back as a N910F ( international version) not N910T. Her other note 4 which comes up as a N910T doesnt show up on the T-Mobile website either. Both show up as clean on swappa. My device is also a note 4 the n910T3 version and the imei is recognized by T-Mobile, and shows up as a T-Mobile device. So I'm not thinking it's T-Mobile. My friends note 4 was also rooted without their knowledge, when they bought the phone it came with root and SU , they took it back to the phone store and the phone store removed root. The phone received T-Mobile OTA update just like any other T-Mobile phone after they unrooted it. , we believe at this point the imei is swapped. Could there be tmobile rom on it? It's too late to return it to the phone store , my question is what should she sell it as? What are her options ? As stated both imei are not blacklisted and clean. The note 4 that comes up as N910F is also missing a back sticker. When she purchased it they said it was damaged during cleaning the phone.
Sounds like it might have been a squaretrade refurbished phone. Same thing happened when I had my mother's note 4 replaced, but she had sprint and it seemed to work with sprint. As far as T-mobile, I would assume as long as it had the bands T-Mobile has, it should work
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using XDA Premium HD app
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
[/COLOR]
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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)