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I've been through hell and high water trying to get this phone to function on Sprint but the guys at the local corporate store and technical team (via phone support) are telling me it cannot be done. Is anyone in the same predicament as me or has a functioning AT&T Note 8 activated on the Sprint network? I'm using a BYOD SIM and have also flashed my device with N950U1 unlocked firmware.
As AT&T is a GSM network and Sprint is CDMA, I don't think this is possible...
EDIT
Sorry, I guess times have changed. It seems possible now, once the Note8 is unlocked from AT&T.
Sent from my SM-G935U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
gc86 said:
I've been through hell and high water trying to get this phone to function on Sprint but the guys at the local corporate store and technical team (via phone support) are telling me it cannot be done. Is anyone in the same predicament as me or has a functioning AT&T Note 8 activated on the Sprint network? I'm using a BYOD SIM and have also flashed my device with N950U1 unlocked firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Carrier switching is very much possible with the US variants, so if you flash the Sprint firmware (N950U, not U1) and the Sprint CSC as well, in theory it should work just fine. If there are IMEI complications about not being in 'Sprints system', that's another issue, but hardware wise it should be 100% compatible with Sprint's network.
murtaza02 said:
Carrier switching is very much possible with the US variants, so if you flash the Sprint firmware (N950U, not U1) and the Sprint CSC as well, in theory it should work just fine. If there are IMEI complications about not being in 'Sprints system', that's another issue, but hardware wise it should be 100% compatible with Sprint's network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is precisely what I kept telling the guys at the store, that all of the USDM Note 8's are hardware identical. My only theory at this point is that the device isn't Sprint BYOD eligible because it has an outstanding balance on the AT&T side and therefore isn't "officially unlocked".
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)
I purchased an unlocked Note 9 and all the networks tell me it won't work on any of theirs. AT&T, US Cellular, Verizon, Net10 all say no. I put my AT&T sim in and it works with low signal. Why would it not work? How do I figure out where this phone originated? I suspect Sprint because any phone from Sprint only works on Sprint.
gonka95 said:
I purchased an unlocked Note 9 and all the networks tell me it won't work on any of theirs. AT&T, US Cellular, Verizon, Net10 all say no. I put my AT&T sim in and it works with low signal. Why would it not work? How do I figure out where this phone originated? I suspect Sprint because any phone from Sprint only works on Sprint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try a T-Mobile SIM card?
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Where did you buy it?
Have you Googled the model number?
gonka95 said:
I purchased an unlocked Note 9 and all the networks tell me it won't work on any of theirs. AT&T, US Cellular, Verizon, Net10 all say no. I put my AT&T sim in and it works with low signal. Why would it not work? How do I figure out where this phone originated? I suspect Sprint because any phone from Sprint only works on Sprint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to this site and run the IMEI. It will tell you if it's actually a U1 model or if it's a carrier model.
http://imeipro.info/samsung_imei_check.html
Whichever it is, you can just flash the ATT firmware, and it will work perfect on ATT. All the N960U and U1s are identical. Just different firmware.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Go to this site and run the IMEI. It will tell you if it's actually a U1 model or if it's a carrier model.
http://imeipro.info/samsung_imei_check.html
Whichever it is, you can just flash the ATT firmware, and it will work perfect on ATT. All the N960U and U1s are identical. Just different firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint, that's why I'm having issues with it. I purchased via Amazon. I managed to get it working on Net10 wireless CDMA, so it'll work. Had to activate with my S8+ though. Thanks for the link, that helped!
gonka95 said:
Sprint, that's why I'm having issues with it. I purchased via Amazon. I managed to get it working on Net10 wireless CDMA, so it'll work. Had to activate with my S8+ though. Thanks for the link, that helped!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, if you want it to work on ATT, just flash the ATT firmware. Not sure why it won't work with the U1 firmware though.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Well, if you want it to work on ATT, just flash the ATT firmware. Not sure why it won't work with the U1 firmware though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it need root? And it has the SM-N960U1UEU1ARJ5 Baseband Version? Thanks in advanced!
gonka95 said:
Does it need root? And it has the SM-N960U1UEU1ARJ5 Baseband Version? Thanks in advanced!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you CAN'T root it, but no. You don't need root to flash official firmware with ODIN.
gonka95 said:
I purchased an unlocked Note 9 and all the networks tell me it won't work on any of theirs. AT&T, US Cellular, Verizon, Net10 all say no. I put my AT&T sim in and it works with low signal. Why would it not work? How do I figure out where this phone originated? I suspect Sprint because any phone from Sprint only works on Sprint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if you got it with flash for sprint then maybe you need flash what was originally on this model?
I have the very same model and I just put in my LTE Verizon SIM and it worked right away.
This model is a boot locked, carrier unlocked, world band snapdragon version, that was never originally touched by any carrier.
I.E. No carrier bloat ware. SM-N960U1
rusty.gh said:
So if you got it with flash for sprint then maybe you need flash what was originally on this model?
I have the very same model and I just put in my LTE Verizon SIM and it worked right away.
This model is a boot locked, carrier unlocked, world band snapdragon version, that was never originally touched by any carrier.
I.E. No carrier bloat ware. SM-N960U1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed AT&T but cannot get wifi calling. I ordered an AT&T one through Samsung last night. I'll return this one when I get it. The back of this phone says it's an N960U.
I forgot how crappy carriers are. AT&T unlocked my iPhone but no longer recognizes it. So, I can't get wifi calling to work before switching the sim.
Thanks a bunch to everyone for their input and workarounds! Have been out of the loop for a while.
gonka95 said:
I flashed AT&T but cannot get wifi calling. I ordered an AT&T one through Samsung last night. I'll return this one when I get it. The back of this phone says it's an N960U.
I forgot how crappy carriers are. AT&T unlocked my iPhone but no longer recognizes it. So, I can't get wifi calling to work before switching the sim.
Thanks a bunch to everyone for their input and workarounds! Have been out of the loop for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, my bad, yeah the "U" models do say you might lose Wifi calling. Good it worked out for you!
I would be disappointed if I needed Wifi calling, I use the cell line 24/7 here in the US everywhere I go.
I feel like Wifi calling is just giving my carrier a break.
gonka95 said:
I flashed AT&T but cannot get wifi calling. I ordered an AT&T one through Samsung last night. I'll return this one when I get it. The back of this phone says it's an N960U.
I forgot how crappy carriers are. AT&T unlocked my iPhone but no longer recognizes it. So, I can't get wifi calling to work before switching the sim.
Thanks a bunch to everyone for their input and workarounds! Have been out of the loop for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's actually a way to get WiFi calling on it working again. Look through the carrier switching threads in the Note 8 forums.
It's why I hate ATT and love T-Mobile. Everything works out of the box on T-Mo.
rusty.gh said:
Oh, my bad, yeah the "U" models do say you might lose Wifi calling. Good it worked out for you!
I would be disappointed if I needed Wifi calling, I use the cell line 24/7 here in the US everywhere I go.
I feel like Wifi calling is just giving my carrier a break.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well to be fair there will be places where signal will be weak or non and then you will be the one loosing.
They don't look at break is just way for the customers to get better signal every where they go or inside whatever tipe of building...
gonka95 said:
I purchased an unlocked Note 9 and all the networks tell me it won't work on any of theirs. AT&T, US Cellular, Verizon, Net10 all say no. I put my AT&T sim in and it works with low signal. Why would it not work? How do I figure out where this phone originated? I suspect Sprint because any phone from Sprint only works on Sprint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Go to this site and run the IMEI. It will tell you if it's actually a U1 model or if it's a carrier model.
http://imeipro.info/samsung_imei_check.html
Whichever it is, you can just flash the ATT firmware, and it will work perfect on ATT. All the N960U and U1s are identical. Just different firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also purchased an unlocked Note 9 on ebay. In "about phone", the model number is listed as SM-N960U1. On the back of the phone, it's SM-N960U.
The sites that tell you the model with the IMEI number are right, it's a Sprint phone. Samsung customer support said the same thing. However, the Sprint phone and the US unlocked phone share the same FCC ID.
Does that mean, they are the same radio hardware? Is it just the firmware that makes the difference in band capability? If you flashed the US unlocked version of baseband, would it be identical to the US unlocked version? I just want to make double sure!
mraeryceos said:
I also purchased an unlocked Note 9 on ebay. In "about phone", the model number is listed as SM-N960U1. On the back of the phone, it's SM-N960U.
The sites that tell you the model with the IMEI number are right, it's a Sprint phone. Samsung customer support said the same thing. However, the Sprint phone and the US unlocked phone share the same FCC ID.
Does that mean, they are the same radio hardware? Is it just the firmware that makes the difference in band capability? If you flashed the US unlocked version of baseband, would it be identical to the US unlocked version? I just want to make double sure!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go back and read my post you quoted. It answers the question you just asked.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Go back and read my post you quoted. It answers the question you just asked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He thanked you so I'm thinking he saw it.????
Good evening all,
I am really hoping someone here can answer this question for me. I have a Note 9 purchased from T-Mobile model SN-N960U. It has been carrier unlocked using the tmobile app. What I was looking to do was take the phone with me over to AT&T Firstnet and use it there. The problem is band 14, which is the primary band firstnet uses. Will my phone work with Firstnet on band 14??? I called Firstnet and they said it would work. The manager at the local AT&T corporate store said since it is a T-Mobile phone that it will not work with band 14. What makes things even more confusion is it appears all Note 9's have the same model number regardless of the carrier it was made for. So can someone here confirm for me if it will or will not work on band 14 for Firstnet?
Thanks!
From what I have been able to find out the N960U does not support the use of LTE band 14. Check here for more information: https://www.phonemore.com/samsung-galaxy-note-9-sm-n960u-512gb/specs/4164
iceepyon said:
From what I have been able to find out the N960U does not support the use of LTE band 14.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But then you look at GSM arena's site on the Note 9 it says something completely different.
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note9-9163.php
So that, along with the conflicting info from ATT and Firstnet is why im so confused.
srichardson said:
But then you look at GSM arena's site on the Note 9 it says something completely different.
gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note9-9163.php
So that, along with the conflicting info from ATT and Firstnet is why im so confused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that case I would take your device to a AT&T retail branch and ask if they have a test SIM, which they can use on your device.
Yes. The Note 9 will absolutely work on FirstNet. Doesn't matter if it's a T-Mo device, they are all identical. When you put in the FirstNet SIM it will provision for that carrier.
https://about.att.com/story/samsung_joins_firstnet_devices.html
iceepyon said:
In that case I would take your device to a AT&T retail branch and ask if they have a test SIM, which they can use on your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually did try that today and they said they do not have "test" ones and can only do it if they actually setup an account which would require me porting my number over from Tmobile and going through all that.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Yes. The Note 9 will absolutely work on FirstNet. Doesn't matter if it's a T-Mo device, they are all identical. When you put in the FirstNet SIM it will provision for that carrier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr. Orange thanks for that article, that is one I had not seen yet while doing my research. Are you sure that article is not talking about just ATT "branded" Note 9's? I am cautious because when I put it in to service mode *#2263# it does not list band 14 with all the other ones it has. Is it some kind of hidden band that will enable itself when a Firstnet SIM is put in to the phone?
srichardson said:
Mr. Orange thanks for that article, that is one I had not seen yet while doing my research. Are you sure that article is not talking about just ATT "branded" Note 9's? I am cautious because when I put it in to service mode *#2263# it does not list band 14 with all the other ones it has. Is it some kind of hidden band that will enable itself when a Firstnet SIM is put in to the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't matter. ALL US Note 9s are identical hardware-wise and capable of supporting the same bands.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
It doesn't matter. ALL US Note 9s are identical hardware-wise and capable of supporting the same bands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really, I thought that the Carrier Branded devices had different hardware specs than the unlocked variant....
iceepyon said:
Really, I thought that the Carrier Branded devices had different hardware specs than the unlocked variant....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. This has been discussed many, many times. Since the S8/+ all the US (and Canadian) Galaxy devices have identical hardware. That is why we can flash the N960U1 firmware on the N960U and vice versa. If the hardware was different, it wouldn't flash. It's just different firmware and carrier features preloaded on each device version.
N960U1 = N960U = N960W
So I have a T-Mobile V40 currently active on T-Mobile but is unlocked. I've tried it on AT&T without issue. I was hoping to use it as an LTE only device with Verizon, but can't get it to work at all. As background, I have a Verizon Prepaid SIM that works in my LG G7 ULM, Essential PH-1, and unlocked Note 9. When I put it in the V40 and go to the network selector it can see the Verizon tower, but simply won't connect to it. According to the specs the phone has all the Verizon LTE bands, anyone have any idea why it refuses to connect? I'm about to give up and put it on eBay.
Alternatively, is there a method yet to replace the T-Mobile ROM with the Unlocked one? Would that fix it?
louisd said:
So I have a T-Mobile V40 currently active on T-Mobile but is unlocked. I've tried it on AT&T without issue. I was hoping to use it as an LTE only device with Verizon, but can't get it to work at all. As background, I have a Verizon Prepaid SIM that works in my LG G7 ULM, Essential PH-1, and unlocked Note 9. When I put it in the V40 and go to the network selector it can see the Verizon tower, but simply won't connect to it. According to the specs the phone has all the Verizon LTE bands, anyone have any idea why it refuses to connect? I'm about to give up and put it on eBay.
Alternatively, is there a method yet to replace the T-Mobile ROM with the Unlocked one? Would that fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the TMobile ROM that refuses to let the phone connect to the tower because the TMobile ROM also has firmware that has preprogrammed LTE bands for only T-Mobile and for roaming only. You would have to reflash a ROM that's not T-Mobile in order to get to work right. It's the firmware that controls the soc modem And dictates what the phone can and cannot connect to even if the phone is Sim unlocked.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
raver445 said:
It's the TMobile ROM that refuses to let the phone connect to the tower because the TMobile ROM also has firmware that has preprogrammed LTE bands for only T-Mobile and for roaming only. You would have to reflash a ROM that's not T-Mobile in order to get to work right. It's the firmware that controls the soc modem And dictates what the phone can and cannot connect to even if the phone is Sim unlocked.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I solved it by selling the V40 on Swappa and getting a Pixel 3XL instead.
louisd said:
I solved it by selling the V40 on Swappa and getting a Pixel 3XL instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got this v40 cause iPhones suck, was using a Nexus 6P for the longest and then my big cores finally died a friend gave me his old 7plus and then I got ahold of a used v40. I'm selling it once the pixel4 is launched.
FeintDoxx said:
I just got this v40 cause iPhones suck, was using a Nexus 6P for the longest and then my big cores finally died a friend gave me his old 7plus and then I got ahold of a used v40. I'm selling it once the pixel4 is launched.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would do the same if the Pixel 4 comes with 3.5mm jack and SDcard support
Ainz_Ooal_Gown said:
i would do the same if the Pixel 4 comes with 3.5mm jack and SDcard support
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe in a different universe :\