Custom ROMS and Carrier compatability - Moto G5S Plus Questions & Answers

I have the Moto G5s plus retus unlocked version and am currently on Verizon. I used to be on H2O (uses AT&T service) I am wondering if installing a custom rom will break compatibility with the carrier in any way. H2O was very forgiving on my old moto E 1st gen when using a custom ROM.
With H2O I just bought a SIM online registered it online popped in and it just worked.
With Verizon I had to go to their store in person and fill out a bunch of stuff. They had to take my phone and get all sorts of information from it and do what ever they do.
I am just worried that if I custom rom my G5s plus on verizon that it will break compatibility with something on their network.

Related

unlocked moto x on sprint

I have a unlocked moto x that I am trying to use with a sprint sim card. anyone know how I can get this to work
You will need to be more specific on which Moto X you have. However if it isn't a factory Sprint Moto X I think the chances of it working are extremely slim. Sprint uses CDMA, a normal unlocked Moto X uses GSM.
This is unlocked from Motorola
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Well you didn't answer the question at all so its tough to help. The long and short of it is that if you want to use a Moto X with Sprint you need to buy the Sprint version.
I guess I didn't realize Motorola sold more than one type of unlocked moto x. I knew they sold locked ones for each service provider but my understanding was that the developer edition moto x was the only one you could purchase from motorola unlocked...
Sprint doesn't have a developer edition. Only VZW and AT&T make those available to be purchased.
Verizon and Sprint use a different phone technology than other phone companies, called CDMA. To use a phone on those companies, you need a phone with built in support for their CDMA service. CDMA doesn't support removable SIM cards or changing carriers (or even changing phones, without having the carrier switch service to the new phone).
Some (many) phones on those services can also be used on the more common GSM phones services, because both Sprint and Verizon are new using that technology for data. That's where "unlocked" comes in. If you get the unlocked version of a CDMA phone you can use it on other (GSM) carriers. Sprint tend to only unlock phones for international use, not for use by their competitors. I'm less familiar with Verizon.
Either way, to use a phone on Sprint (or on Verizon) you generally need to buy a phone earmarked for that carrier. That is true of the Moto X.
If you can still return that phone, you should do so.

[Q] Moto X International (Moscow) under sprint

I looking at an assignment that would require 6 months in Zelenograd. I have contacted Moto who recommended I pick up a unlocked GSM unit. However, I'm a sprint customer. Does the CDMA X have GMS radios but disabled by sprint? If so, can the X be flashed such that when I travel to Zelenograd I'll be able to use a local sim card? TIA

[Q] confusion about variants. moto x

Hello,
i am thinking to buy moto x dev edition form ebay as it available for cheap.
the ebay page of seller says its verizon XT1060 dev edition but then he adds GSM unlocked, i know for a fact that verizon devices are CDMA not GSM. please help.
other question is will i be able to install any rom from the forum in XT1060 or there are limitations. i had some bad experience with my htc one s (i had gotten the C2 variant instead of the original one with S4 ) if anyone wants to have a look at the ebay page here is the link
and ghost is the code name of moto x right ?
The phone should say Dev Edition on the back cover. Verizon does use CDMA, but the phones are GSM capable for world use. Once you unlock the bootloader, yes you can install other ROMs, but you may lose some of the core Moto X features like active display and touchless controls that are only available via stock firmware.
rjcrystal199 said:
Hello,
i am thinking to buy moto x dev edition form ebay as it available for cheap.
the ebay page of seller says its verizon XT1060 dev edition but then he adds GSM unlocked, i know for a fact that verizon devices are CDMA not GSM. please help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon's LTE phones are SIM Unlocked and can be used with 3G/4G/LTE SIMS from GSM carriers. For example, I can put my T-Mobile USA SIM into my XT1060 Dev Edition for Verizon phone, and get T-Mobile service.
rjcrystal199 said:
other question is will i be able to install any rom from the forum in XT1060 or there are limitations. i had some bad experience with my htc one s (i had gotten the C2 variant instead of the original one with S4 ) if anyone wants to have a look at the ebay page here is the link
and ghost is the code name of moto x right ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The XT1060 does use CDMA, GSM and LTE radios. Its radio code or modem files are different from the other variants (like XT1053, XT1058,etc). So as long as the custom rom you are flashing doesn't include radios, OR tells you how to get your stock radios working, you should be fine.
The Verizon Dev Edition DOES have the verizon logo on the back too. In other words, that may be a "stock" dev edition photo, rather than the actual phone you're buying.

Looking to get XT1095 or XT1097 or something else for AT&T

I have XT1053 (Moto X 2013 Developer Edition GSM) and it is broken. I use it on AT&T and LTE support is important. It was on 4.2.2 and I never upgraded to 4.4 as it seemed all later versions just brought different problems and I never needed any new features. I haven't followed 5.1 too much but if it was any good there would not be threads here about downgrading on its forum, right?
My options are (I need to do something fast because I leave for vacation in Europe at the end of the month and would like to use phone there. I don't want anything larger than 5"):
1) Send it to Motorola and for $100 they will fix it. Probably just replace with refurb. But what version of Android will it come with? Does anyone know?
2) Get 2014 Moto X, but what version? It seems "Pure Edition" (XT1095) didn't support AT& LTE bands out of the box but they were upgraded later and that enabled it. Yet I found posts that AT&T IMEI database apparently doesn't list XT1095 as having these bands and phone doesn't connect to LTE on AT&T. One has to proved IMEI from another phone. My AT&T SIM is now associated with 1053, so maybe I would be OK? Has all this been officially rectified?
Has Lollipop upgrade on 2014 Moto X been as bad as it was on 2013?
3) Get XT1097 (AT&T version of Moto X 2014) - I don't like the fact that it only comes with 16GB of storage. Also, can it be rooted/bootloader/SIM unlocked?
4) Get some other phone and here I just don't know what to consider in 5" size because I haven't been following Android phones recently.
Feedback and answers appreciated.

clarification about the Project Fi (Android One) X4 variant

Google Fi is currently doing a promo where you can buy two X4 phones for $249 each and get a $249 bill credit (so each phone effectively costs $125). I'm currently on Verizon with a (forever) locked Moto Z Droid and am interested in getting away. I just want to be clear on what limitations (if any) there are on the Fi variant. There are some threads from last year, but I didn't know if anything had changed since then, hence the thread (and I'd like the answers all in one spot, anyway).
The US a single hardware variant (XT1900-1) with two software versions (Payton and Payton Fi), correct? I assume this means you can flash ROMs for either on any XT1900-1 phone, but you'd lose Fi capability if you used the non-Fi ROM. Yes?
It's my understanding that the Fi variant is also SIM unlocked and supports both CDMA and GSM bands, so I could leave Fi and use it with another carrier. Is this correct?
Finally - and most importantly - is the Fi variant bootloader unlockable and rootable? I'm guessing that new X4s ship with Oreo, but I don't know if it'll be 8.0 or 8.1. I just want to make sure that it's rootable.
TIA!
rczrider said:
The US a single hardware variant (XT1900-1) with two software versions (Payton and Payton Fi), correct? I assume this means you can flash ROMs for either on any XT1900-1 phone, but you'd lose Fi capability if you used the non-Fi ROM. Yes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can flash either. There's official TWRP support now FYI. I'm not sure on what Fi features are lost if any.
rczrider said:
It's my understanding that the Fi variant is also SIM unlocked and supports both CDMA and GSM bands, so I could leave Fi and use it with another carrier. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct
rczrider said:
Finally - and most importantly - is the Fi variant bootloader unlockable and rootable? I'm guessing that new X4s ship with Oreo, but I don't know if it'll be 8.0 or 8.1. I just want to make sure that it's rootable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bootloader is unlockable but you have to get the code via Motorola website, still simple. Root methods have been established.
No Fi features should be lost. These features are tied to the SIM card and email account I believe. I'd go for the deal being offered. My opinion.
Project Fi with Moto X4
I have had forever a Nexus 5x, now a Moto X4, and a Pixel 2. All bought through project Fi. Here in Moto X4 land if you research through posts that this phone is not one with high numbers of owners. I have found that if you want good not great Project Fi switching the Moto X4 is behind my Pixel 2 but ahead of my Nexus 5x. A app that works on phone for manual switching is "Signal Info" it uses manual dialer codes to switch carriers. I have found that on my Moto X4 US Cellular is the strongest here at home but for some reason US cellular wants to cause my Moto X4 to drop down to Sprint, then if I am in a Excellent T-Mobile area it keeps until complete drop out and then prioritizes to Sprint and I have to manual switch to US Cellular.
With TWRP official and Root I haven't yet decided to Unlock yet. If a wanted Magisk module is available I want to add; that is when I may decide. I have found though that Project Fi support is only on Stock/Not Rooted support. I was hoping that the Android One variant would be better in updating but we are really One upgrade cycle behind it appears. As of yesterday still on Mar 1 security updates and 8.0 updates.
On SIM card, I can use the same SIM to switch from all 3 phones. I may get a few old SMS, MMS and recorded messages in switching but very easy to do. I have only one Fi account though. I have found that custom ROM's in Nexus 5x that the Project Fi apk must be loaded at Gapps time and unless you use a full, or aroma to allow Project Fi install the SIM card alone will not work. Permissions get weird and screwed up.

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