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This is more of an informative post for anyone who finds themselves in a situations similar to what I was in. This weekend I purchased the Verizon 3G Galaxy Tablet. When I purchased it I opted NOT to pay for a data plan for the device as I was planning on just tethering it to my cell phone when wifi was not available.
The problem with this is on first boot the device attempts to register and activate itself but ONLY via 3G service. If you do not have a 3G data plan it simply fails and will never let you get past the register screen. The next day I took it back to the store where I purchased it from very pissed off and was show a trick to get around the registration screen in the event that I ever factory reset my device.
If you find yourself in a similar situation here are the steps necessary to get past the screen.
1. Attempt the register the device via 3G and let it fail.
2. While viewing the failed registration message hit the following button sequence:
Volume Up Once
Volume Down Twice
Volume Up Three Times
Volume Down Four Times
After that it will take you to the finish screen with out registering your device and finally let you log into the system. From there you can configure a wifi network and rerun the setup wizard to register your device if you want to.
Thanks,
whit3fir3
I own a Sprint version and this doesnt work on it
Sent from my SPH-P100 using XDA App
Interesting. I purchased my Verizon version of the tab on launch day and they would not sell it to me unless I purchased at least the first month of data service so that they could activate it. Big fight in the store over this.
Wplangan,
Yeah I had the same argument at the Verizon store I went to. The agreement ended with me telling them to go screw themselves and then walking across the street to BestBuy and getting the exact same tablet from there with no questions or data plan requirements. Only problem I had was the activation (since I did not want to purchase 3G service). Once I figured out how to bypass that so I could setup a WIFI network and then register the device, everything has worked great.
Thanks,
whit3fir3
whit3fir3 said:
Wplangan,
Yeah I had the same argument at the Verizon store I went to. The agreement ended with me telling them to go screw themselves and then walking across the street to BestBuy and getting the exact same tablet from there with no questions or data plan requirements. Only problem I had was the activation (since I did not want to purchase 3G service). Once I figured out how to bypass that so I could setup a WIFI network and then register the device, everything has worked great.
Thanks,
whit3fir3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, u couldn't perhaps devuldge such knowledge to a fellow wifi only opted before designed galaxy galaxy conasuer? This a burden and objective of mine since the firtst GT release upon my first start up....I was appreiciative of the potential of my new devise at heart and nearly content just minimizing.....I welcome any wisdom or exsperience in advancing my situation...it certainly wasn't free I shun any such factory tyrany or forceful ideas
So I have a no contract Sprint Galaxy Tab that I bought from Best Buy. When they activate it oyu are stuck signing up for the data plan at $29.99/month. I have had the phone for several months and I am tired of paying money for 3g when I am WiFi almost all the time and when I need 3g I cna always tether to my phone (I have tried this several times and it works great even after the 2.2 upgrade).
So I went on the Sprint site and tried to cancel. They said I had to do a live chat. So I did and the rep said the only way they would stop the plan is if they got rid of my phone # for the tab (why the tab needs a phone # even though it cannot make calls on teh Sprint network is beyond me).
So my question to you experts out there is can I drop the plan and lose the phone# and still have all the functionality I need to connect to the web via WiFi and get to all my Google apps and Market?
Yes. The wifi and the phone service are separate. I use my Tab as wifi only with no issue and tether to my phone when out and about also.
To second that my gsm one even works without a sim
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
GPS without Data Plan?
I have had 2 Galaxy Tabs (Verizon and now Sprint) and neither one worked well for GPS until I turned off airplane mode (which then showed that I was getting data somehow as I got 3-4 bars in the notification area. And when, airplane mode is turned off, the GPS gets a fix right away whereas when I don't turn airplane mode off, I cannot get a fix at all. I am, BTW, using Copilot Live USA.
Can anyone explain the interaction between the GPS and data mode - it's baffling me?
well if you hold down the power button, you have an option to deactivate 3g data.
i have a sprint tab, WiFi use only. I deactivated the 3g and froze those sprint apps using titanium backup so i dont get a "activate device" message all the time, and GPS works pretty good teathering with my iPhone. using the google navigation.
Report it stolen
Sent from my SCH-I800 using XDA App
I know a lot of folks plan on tethering their Xooms, but I thought I would actually try activating it since I'm not on contract and can cancel/suspend at any time.
I go into Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile networks > Activate device, I touch 'activate', it works for a moment, then errors out saying "Unable to activate mobile data service. To try activation again, touch Try Again."
I've seen other folks complain about this, but I didn't see a solution. Is it something obvious I'm missing, or do I actually have to call in to VZW and do it over the phone? If the latter, that's really a letdown, considering I can activate a new phone in seconds without talking to a CS rep. Just thought I'd ask to see if I'm missing something before I call.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
Did you activate it with Verizon? ie, do you have a Verizon account and have activated it either with BestBuy, Costco, Verizon store, or over the phone? You have to register the device with the company first. Phones are the same way on Verizon. AT&T and T-Mobile use Sim cards instead, and they are already 'active'.
If not, press the SKIP button on the bottom right to activate over WiFi. It's not worth the $20/mo for 1GB and $35 activation fee.
Yup, I was one of people that was having a lot of trouble with this. The device wont activate by it self,this is what you have to do you have to go to the verizon website and go to their phone activation page and enter your Xooms MEID HEX number (found on the plastic wrap which was covering the back, when you first unboxed it, so make sure you didnt throw away the plastic wraping). From there, you just have to follow the on screen instructions. Also the website asks for your SSN and your Drivers license number for credit approval (this took a whole day) after that they will contact you saying you are ready and that now you can go into settings and network and click activate device.
Also if you by any chance threw away the plastic wrapping, you can find the MEID HEX number on the Xooms box itself. Also to get to the verizon activation site faster al you have to do is google "verizon activation" ----> then click on the second link "Activate Your Verizon Phone | Verizon Wireless" then just enter your Xooms MEID HEX number.
sunnyd119 said:
Yup, I was one of people that was having a lot of trouble with this. The device wont activate by it self,this is what you have to do you have to go to the verizon website and go to their phone activation page and enter your Xooms MEID HEX number (found on the plastic wrap which was covering the back, when you first unboxed it, so make sure you didnt throw away the plastic wraping). From there, you just have to follow the on screen instructions. Also the website asks for your SSN and your Drivers license number for credit approval (this took a whole day) after that they will contact you saying you are ready and that now you can go into settings and network and click activate device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU, this is what I was looking for! I had tried logging into my VZW account to activate a new device, and all it would allow was for a new phone, not a new device/data package on our account. I couldn't even enter an MEID.
Found the link in question, I can enter the MEID and establish new service.
For anyone else wondering:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/activate-phone.shtml
I still find it a bit strange that the entire activation process can't be handled through the Xoom itself - seems like you should be able to enter your VZW account into (if you have one already), pick a plan, click through, etc. Activating a phone on an existing line of service is trivially easy via *228, you don't even need to enter an MEID. Not to mention, I do believe you can activate service directly on the iPad, can you not?
I received my Xoom yesterday and after it found my network and I entered the pass key it connected and worked without issue all night. Just got home from work today and it says "no internet connection." It keeps trying to obtain an IP address but just times out and tries again. Its been doing this for a half hour. I tried rebooting it but still the same. Any ideas?
JasonU said:
I still find it a bit strange that the entire activation process can't be handled through the Xoom itself - seems like you should be able to enter your VZW account into (if you have one already), pick a plan, click through, etc. Activating a phone on an existing line of service is trivially easy via *228, you don't even need to enter an MEID. Not to mention, I do believe you can activate service directly on the iPad, can you not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was exactly my question as well, i think what happened was that Verizon setup according to their original plan, which was to have people activate in store so people would pay for the activation fee and have a credit approval done so that they would have no problems in the future. But due to the recent uproar from the android community about the "required 1 month plan" they decided to drop the plan at the last minute. So hence the reason why you have to go through all this trouble to activate 3g, because it was never set to be an out of the box activation or at least that is what I would conclude through my experience. iPad on the other hand (was an owner of the iPad) AT&T set it up according to apples request, which was to have the device out of the box ready for activation. They made it simple by allowing people to just create an account and enter their credit card information, and pick their plan. Reasons to why these companies have such a different approach to this situation.....I have no idea. But there probably is a reason, but iam just not aware of it.
broadwayblue said:
I received my Xoom yesterday and after it found my network and I entered the pass key it connected and worked without issue all night. Just got home from work today and it says "no internet connection." It keeps trying to obtain an IP address but just times out and tries again. Its been doing this for a half hour. I tried rebooting it but still the same. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.) I'm in no way calling you stupid, but have you made sure that airplane mode isnt on?
2.) Since you said you tried a restart and that seemed to not work, try restarting your wireless router.
3.) If that doesnt work, just try and disconnect and reconnect to the network.
If none of these work then you might have to call motorola.
I did not realize I would have to pay the activation fee everytime I wanted to have a data plan. That's very frustrating considering it's the same cost as a months data for 3GB. I wanted to turn it off an on as I needed (on a month-to-month basis) but I will probably just leave it off now...kinda makes me want to sell my 3G model and get a wifi only...unless I'm understanding this wrong?
tlogank said:
I did not realize I would have to pay the activation fee everytime I wanted to have a data plan. That's very frustrating considering it's the same cost as a months data for 3GB. I wanted to turn it off an on as I needed (on a month-to-month basis) but I will probably just leave it off now...kinda makes me want to sell my 3G model and get a wifi only...unless I'm understanding this wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read somewhere that you can suspend your account instead of cancelling which will avoid this but I am not sure if this works since I have never had Verizon.
keitht said:
I read somewhere that you can suspend your account instead of cancelling which will avoid this but I am not sure if this works since I have never had Verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked into that, but it looks like you can only do it for a couple of months, and also only once a year.
Seriously, that sucks. Why charge an activation fee for something that can be done completely automated online? Not like there's some dude sitting there setting all these up manually...just a way to make quick and easy money on VZW's part.
tlogank said:
I looked into that, but it looks like you can only do it for a couple of months, and also only once a year.
Seriously, that sucks. Why charge an activation fee for something that can be done completely automated online? Not like there's some dude sitting there setting all these up manually...just a way to make quick and easy money on VZW's part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish they had rollover data like AT&T rollover minutes. That would make it more appealing to keep the month to month service. Verizon is just way expensive.
You can indeed suspend your account here : http://support.vzw.com/clc/plan/
I have not been able to activate my device by the previous link. It gives me a number to call. Anyone else seeing this?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
bmbriefs said:
You can indeed suspend your account here : http://support.vzw.com/clc/plan/
I have not been able to activate my device by the previous link. It gives me a number to call. Anyone else seeing this?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I know you can, but I have read that you can only do it once per year...that's the issue.
3G overseas
I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to activate the 3G overseas. I bought my Xoom a week ago at BestBuy, but I live in Bolivia, so came back to my country and now I'm trying to find out if there is a way I can activate the 3G service here. Anyone? Thanks!
blimpa said:
I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to activate the 3G overseas. I bought my Xoom a week ago at BestBuy, but I live in Bolivia, so came back to my country and now I'm trying to find out if there is a way I can activate the 3G service here. Anyone? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to find a carrier that uses CDMA and ask them if they can activate it. There is no other option really. My first guess would be that there are no carriers like that.
-Bauxite
Sent from my Evo 4G
sunnyd119 said:
Also if you by any chance threw away the plastic wrapping, you can find the MEID HEX number on the Xooms box itself. Also to get to the verizon activation site faster al you have to do is google "verizon activation" ----> then click on the second link "Activate Your Verizon Phone | Verizon Wireless" then just enter your Xooms MEID HEX number.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find the MEID number by going to settings-->about tablet-->status. It will open a new scrollable window with all sorts of info.
Bauxite said:
You need to find a carrier that uses CDMA and ask them if they can activate it. There is no other option really. My first guess would be that there are no carriers like that.
-Bauxite
Sent from my Evo 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that I have same issue. I bought my XOOM in bestbuy ( US ) and brought it to Europe. Here I have O2 SIM card with 3G Data program. I am trying to use it with XOOM but no success so far.
Bauxite - are you trying to say that 3G module inside of XOOM is different for US as is requred in EU? Are there some different standards of 3G? I am worried that I could save couple of hundreds $ if I bought only WIFI version
moriakoj said:
I think that I have same issue. I bought my XOOM in bestbuy ( US ) and brought it to Europe. Here I have O2 SIM card with 3G Data program. I am trying to use it with XOOM but no success so far.
Bauxite - are you trying to say that 3G module inside of XOOM is different for US as is requred in EU? Are there some different standards of 3G? I am worried that I could save couple of hundreds $ if I bought only WIFI version
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why didn't you research what you were buying before spending more than $800? The Xoom you bought is a CDMA device and will not work on GSM networks.
So do any of you lovely gentlemen or ladies know a good app for tether with TMobile carrier?
I got a dealer plan (unlimited data, text, 2000 mins). Its suppose to have tethering but it does not. I asked my friend who use to work there (that is how I got the line) and he said that the tethering was on my plan as it is with every other dealer line. I wasnt sure at first since I was on an iPhone and he said since my iPhone wasnt a TMobile iPhone that was why the tethering wasnt working. I then switched to Android LG G2 not to long ago, TMobile official, and still doesnt let me tether. Official app and everything. I would tell him to check the account and fix it, but he doesnt work there anymore :crying: lol. I tried clockworkmod's tether and it works, but it only works for 10 mins at a time then i got to restart the app on my computer. I want to tether so I can use my data instead of my home internet since im always lagging when I play games or surfing the web by my siblings. Been going on for a while and this is my last resort. :|
So it will be greatly appreciated if I can find a good tether app that works all the time so I can use the internet again and play some League of Legends lol.
Thanks to those who try to help, they shall receive a thanks.
Hi. I bought my phone through best buy and noticed I don't any of the sprint apps. Ive been trying to get the native hotspot to work but the option to turn it on isnt in the menu.
I'm rooted and tried the iceroom and stock versions of native hotspot. Also I've contacted another user who had the same issue, no hotspot option, also purchased via best buy.. Which is kinda odd. Does anyone else have this issue or know of a way of fixing it?
ya know, the same thing happened w/ me.......bought the phone from best buy and was looking for a hotspot feature and lo-and-behold, theres none to be found, even enabled dev settings and didn't pop up. I'm kinda dumbfounded and i really like the stock OS coming from the galaxy s4 and was hoping there was a hidden setting for it or if theres a rom that enables it because i'd be all over that lol
anonis james
Extremely odd that it hasn't been mentioned by anyone else either. I cant even use any of the other tethering apps (wifi tether, barnacle, etc etc), I recieve ad-hoc errors, which I'm assuming is the issue with the native hotspot not appearing in the menu.
Still looking for a way to fix this if anyone knows how, would greatly appreciate it.
Downspire said:
Extremely odd that it hasn't been mentioned by anyone else either. I cant even use any of the other tethering apps (wifi tether, barnacle, etc etc), I recieve ad-hoc errors, which I'm assuming is the issue with the native hotspot not appearing in the menu.
Still looking for a way to fix this if anyone knows how, would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you root and DL wireless tether you can't? Its a carrier option not an retailer option- makes no sense. Just trying to understand.. Contacting a friend now..
geosnipe said:
If you root and DL wireless tether you can't? Its a carrier option not an retailer option- makes no sense. Just trying to understand.. Contacting a friend now..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. The phone is rooted and Ive tried the wireless tether app, pdanet, barnacle. Every wireless app shows an ad-hoc error in the log while pdanet gives me a htc sync error 2.
Thing is theres no hotspot option in the menu. Im sure its like that for everyone who bought the phone from best buy.
Downspire said:
No. The phone is rooted and Ive tried the wireless tether app, pdanet, barnacle. Every wireless app shows an ad-hoc error in the log while pdanet gives me a htc sync error 2.
Thing is theres no hotspot option in the menu. Im sure its like that for everyone who bought the phone from best buy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My question is: Why would a carrier do that? That is an upsell that they want to extend to every smartphone purchase, it's lost revenue. That is why I'm perplexed and have placed a call to my friend (MGR for VZW).
anyone figure this out yet? i have the same problem. bought my phone from best buy as well.
The one I had came from BB and had hot spot #debunked
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
So I'm lying? Lol.....stock v8 Rom, purchased from BB
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Apparently this issue is caused by not fully finishing the activation process for Sprint. Sprint base apps install after activation... my sneaking suspicion is they are installed via the "Sprint ID" app but Im not sure. Either try doing the activation again, or more likely to work is to do a full factory reset and make sure you do not interrupt the process all the way thru activation.
You will then have your tethering options back. Its likely the reps at bestbuy are bypassing that part of the activation process by interrupting it so they can finish your sale and get you outta there faster. Might also be unintentional on their part but who knows.
Do a factory reset.
noob question... will factory reset remove root and twrp? i have both, stock rom. i already backed up via twrp. however, will i need to install everything again afterwards?
You need to do a factory reset, no It will not loose root or twrp. As soon as you the phone boots back up, update prl and profile. Make sure you are in a good data location or are hooked up on WiFi. After updating both of these your phone should install all the Sprint apps and you will have tether option in settings
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
digitalsynner85 said:
So I'm lying? Lol.....stock v8 Rom, purchased from BB
Sent from my LG-LS980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the way, I bought from BB as well and I have USB and Wifi Hotspot options, in case you wanted to know.
bigpappa said:
Apparently this issue is caused by not fully finishing the activation process for Sprint. Sprint base apps install after activation... my sneaking suspicion is they are installed via the "Sprint ID" app but Im not sure. Either try doing the activation again, or more likely to work is to do a full factory reset and make sure you do not interrupt the process all the way thru activation.
You will then have your tethering options back. Its likely the reps at bestbuy are bypassing that part of the activation process by interrupting it so they can finish your sale and get you outta there faster. Might also be unintentional on their part but who knows.
Do a factory reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As bigpappa pointed out... it's not necessarily a best buy thing. It's the fact the rep probably didn't finish the activation process when setting your phone up in store. It could have been any store... it's just coincidence that the people with the problem happen to have bought from best buy.
lol i don't doubt that but i just had to give him hell because he was essentially trying to call us out who didn't have the tethering option and "debunk" it when it was just a simple statement that it wasn't there and was curious as to why, ive never really seen that happen before w/ an incomplete activation but its not like it really matters because theres tethering mods n **** out there that enable it anyway so just had to give him a little bit of hell haha
so... i factory reset my phone and it never went thru the activation process again. when i tried to activate device in settings, it said it was already activated. i quit and just installed the cm nightlies and now have wifi tether but im curious as what the fix could be.
After activation the Sprint Zone app runs and installs all the sprint bloatware and base apps. If you didnt have sprint zone load and start installing those apps, or quit that process manually then you didnt finish full activation. If Sprint Zone failed to load after the factory reset I dont know what to tell you other than to do it again.
bigpappa said:
After activation the Sprint Zone app runs and installs all the sprint bloatware and base apps. If you didnt have sprint zone load and start installing those apps, or quit that process manually then you didnt finish full activation. If Sprint Zone failed to load after the factory reset I dont know what to tell you other than to do it again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think that's part of the problem... there was so Sprint Zone app at all. i looked into downloading it but couldnt find anything.
whodey1814 said:
i think that's part of the problem... there was so Sprint Zone app at all. i looked into downloading it but couldnt find anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I muffed on the app name.... I meant "Sprint ID" app, not Sprint Zone.
Edit: check /system/app/ folder for sprintzone.apk, sprintid.apk, and sprintinstaller.apk. They may be there.
bigpappa said:
Sorry, I muffed on the app name.... I meant "Sprint ID" app, not Sprint Zone.
Edit: check /system/app/ folder for sprintzone.apk, sprintid.apk, and sprintinstaller.apk. They may be there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Neither were there when I went through my apps before... However, I already installed CM or I'd look. maybe someone else with the problem can take a look and test it out? Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with CM for the time being and takes me forever to switch as I'm still learning.