can this be done.. i live in a country that doesn't have that phone and i was thinking of buying it from the US through Sprint.. but will i be able to unlock it and use it on my country?? does it support SIM or not?
Why not use a HTC-HERMES
You would be better off getting a HTC-HERMES based phone. most of the US phones that are EVDO-based can't be unlocked to my knowledge. The HTC TyTN 3G Phone is better every which way than the PPC6700. I've demo'ed both units and I really like the new Hermes over the 6700. Not to mention that sprint is the one of the *worse* US celluar companies out there
Thx
-cosmic
In a conversation with a verizon rep a few months ago, I learned that, while not advertised, it is technically possible to activate sprint phones on the verizon network. they would need the MSL (master subsidy lock) code and a second unlock code. The MSL is needed to program the phone with the phone number itself. The second code is used for deeper device programming so that it would work on other networks. keep in mind that the rep said that it is technically possible and could not point to actual instances where it had been done.
on a side note...I think that sprint uses only one frequency mode, while say...verizon uses two frequency modes (but the one sprint uses is the same one verizon uses for voice and data on evdo phones).
my understanding is that another carrier will have to add the ESN of the sprint phone to the ESN block of their phones, which is something that may be difficult to do...you would probably have to find some kind, knowledgeable rep to do this for you.
No Verizon
I'm using verizon wireless now. Before using verizon, Please read the following:
* Not only does Verizon limit the type of "unlimited" use, it imposes a quota on "unlimited" use, and terminates customers who exceed it. According to the Washington Post.[6], Broadband Reports[7], tech columnist Robert X. Cringely, many wireless industry "insider" news sites[8],[9], and countless blogs[10]; Verizon advertises "unlimited" broadand service but automatically terminates anyone using more than 5G/month (166M/day), no matter what they use the service for. This is a quota of about 15 minutes of actual data transmission time... for an "unlimited" use account. A PBS investigator monitored his bandwidth during normal use and discovered it to be 184M/day[11]. .
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Wireless
This is very tue of verizon. Does anyone know if this is gonna change anytime soon?
You can get the MSL (unlock) code from the Apache by using Bitpim. Check this post:
http://ppc6700users.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1640&start=15
It worked for me on a Qwest phone. Sprint still wouldn't activate it for me though.
no SIM but you can now change ur ESN see here.
~Mike
after my post above, I tried a few things...
here's what you would need to do :
change your esn (you will need your msl) to an esn that is in the block of the target carrier (hint, buy a cheap or give-a-way) change your esn, make sure that you calculate a checksum (there are instructions and programs all over the internet on how to change your esn). program your phone with your number: ##<your msl here># and type in your 10-digit phone number. don't worry about the dec or hex, just change the esn and program your number.
From Assoicated Press - Spring Nextel Agrees to Unlock Phones
I think its going to get a little bit easier, check this out:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPBoupMPJ6Tl4jgQ5aG0f8-R9KEgD8SH61A80
I'll start a new thread to make sure it gets seen
You CAN NOT use a CDMA phone on a GSM network. They are completely different signals. You can unlock a Sprint phone and force it onto Verizon. You can't force a Verizon phone onto Sprint, unless you know someone inside that doesn't mind losing their job.
Again, CDMA phones ONLY work on CDMA networks such as Verizon or Sprint.
I have a question about how GSM and CDMA radios work. I have an HTC Merge from USCC (I live in Vermont, USA). They use CDMA and leave the SIM unlocked for prepaid SIM cards. I travel to Alberta, Canada on a regular basis and have access to a post-paid account on Bell Mobility (GSM). I would like to figure out if it is possible to set up my phone to work on both lines at the same time, without having to switch back and forth to check for incoming calls and texts.
Is such a setup possible?
If it is, does anyone know how I would go about getting it set up (perhaps a different thread for the answer to this part)?
On a CDMA phone, where is the carrier information stored (phone number, PRL, etc.)?
The phone is currently rooted, S-OFF, SuperCID, SIM Unlocked, running 2fastrom's USCC Gingerbread ROM.
Radio version is 1.08.00.0804
I am posting this here because I consider it to be first of all a question of whether it is possible to use both systems at the same time, regardless of the phone itself. I have added the phone info in case those who may know the answer need it. If it needs to be moved, I have no problem with that.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
All the best,
Reuben
....
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e with Beats Audio using Tapatalk
most phones do not support both cdma and gsm
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
I know the iPhone 4s can use both but it has two separate antennas to accomplish this. I think it comes down to hardware.
Isn't Verizon coming up with some type of solution with VMWare for this? Where you could have two numbers active at the same time, one of them being a business number that was running in VMWare?
Yes, it is partly a matter of hardware - the Merge is set up for both systems. Still not sure if it can "listen" for two different numbers at once. Also curious about whether the phone needs to be listening to both bands at the same time if one number is CDMA based and the other is SIM/GSM based.
Verizon's solution sounds interesting - not sure it is enough to make me switch, particularly if both numbers have to be on their network.
Yes but only if you are not Verizon.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/247646/lg_verizon_and_vmware_demo_virtual_work_phone.html
Currently Telefonica will support 2 simultaneous numbers due to a dual-sim. I really can't wait until entire networks start switching to an all IP based system. This would allow a much more flexible system then the NAM currently used.
Isn't Verizon coming up with some type of solution with VMWare for this? Where you could have two numbers active at the same time, one of them being a business number that was running in VMWare?
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Click to collapse
Dual sim
It will eventually coming , we may see this type of services in near future once iphone will start shipping with GSM and CDMA unlocked version.
No its not doable at the same time
Hey guys I'm not entirely sure if this is the right section to post this but any help would be appreciated. I have a galaxy s5 that my buddy sold me and i want to unlock it, but i called for an unlock code from us cellular, and they said i have to come to a corporate store to have them connect it to their software . I don't want to do this because it's 5 hours there one way. I don't have that much time seeing as how i work 60 hours a week .... is there anything you guys know of that i can do? :/ Any help would be appreciated! If you can try to keep it easy to*understand?
Im in the same situation. I have a US Cellular Galaxy S5 that i purchased online to unlock but i havent found an unlocking website or its only for international GSM unlock. I want a domestic unlock and I live in the middle of Arizona with no US Cellular stores.
Most unlock codes don't work on CDMA-locked devices/carriers (Verizon, US Cellular, Sprint) due to how differently CDMA phones ID themselves on a network - the SIM card is essentially only used for LTE, so a SIM unlock is useless. I haven't been able to find much hard information on it, but the process (as I understand it, someone else please correct me if wrong) involves the carrier a phone is locked to unlocking the phone, removing any codes which that carrier uses to ID the phone on the network, and handing it off to you. Think of it as a reverse provisioning.
For that reason, you're pretty much got to take the phone in. USCC doesn't want you to jump on the unlock fad and accidentally hose your phone for use on their network should you just be experimenting, so actually going in and talking to them provides a nice chance to make sure you know what you're doing and want to go through with it. I also don't think they've got the auto-unlock infrastracture in place (as opposed to auto provision).
Also, keep in mind - the CDMA S5s don't use full frequency bands like the GSM ones do. This will show you which ones the USCC one uses - http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_cdma-6338.php - look for G900R4. You should be ok on AT&T/Cricket or T-Mobile but it looks like you'd be pretty well hosed on another CDMA carrier.
Good evening!
I recently purchased the VZW S7. My immediate plan is to root it and then enable the Samsung carrier info (which VZW disables) so I can get to the engineering screens to check out LTE/network connection information.
I have been searching all over XDA for some type of answer to my question and haven't found it yet. What I can gather is the VZW variant has all the hardware requirements to have every band from every major carrier in the US, however VZW has disabled specific bands in their firmware. This lead me to thinking I will push the 930U firmware to it which, from what I have read here, unlocks all the specific bands as dictated by the SIM card currently inserted into the phone.
Here is my question: with the 930U firmware, how complicated is it to switch carriers on-the-fly, and to have all the bands a particular carrier utilizes?
My main line is VZW, but I also have a T-Mobile line on my Nexus 6P. However, there is zero engineering mode on the 6P, so I am unable to see information like current band, bandwidth, carrier aggregation status, etc. SignalCheck Pro only tells me the band.
So if I want to use the S7 on Verizon and then swap my T-Mobile SIM card in, how does the phone handle this, and it is a hassle once I put my VZW SIM back in?
I hope all this made sense. Essentially what I am wondering is if switching carriers on the fly is as easy as it is on the 6P- just pop the card in and go, with all the necessary LTE bands enabled.
Thank you for your time!
I have a LS997 that I purchased from eBay a few years ago. I kept the phone at 7.0 and I definitely was able to set the APN. I used it on T-Mobile for test, I was able to enter fast.t-mobile.com as APN and everything works. I then used it on Tello (Sprint network).
I was told that I can switch to GSM, since it is T-Mobile's network, I thought no problems. Ordered the GSM SIM, activated. After I swapped the SIM, I realized that the APN cannot be set. There is simply no "..." menu like I use to. All I see is a greyed out word of "otasn" in the APN list.
I tried putting in a T-Mobile SIM. It works. I see a grayed out fast.t-mobile.com APN with a unselected radio button. But internet works and everything.
STILL NO "..." MENU.
It seems my ability to edit APN has somehow been taken away. I doubled checked the Android version is still 7.0 ZVC and I have not upgraded it.
I honestly don't know how the V20 ended up like this. Can someone help me out?
Tried installing an app that edits APN. It managed to bring up an APN setup menu. I can see the familier setup page but everything is grayed out and cannot be edited.
nookin said:
Tried installing an app that edits APN. It managed to bring up an APN setup menu. I can see the familier setup page but everything is grayed out and cannot be edited.
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Click to collapse
Try to go to options, then system updates, then select uicc unlock. Usually unlocks sim for apn if able.
Mysticblaze347 said:
Try to go to options, then system updates, then select uicc unlock. Usually unlocks sim for apn if able.
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Click to collapse
That doesn't seem to do anything. I also found a post mentioning installing Pulse SMS app allows changing APN. That didn't work either. I am really puzzled why the ability to change APN were gone. I am certain that I was able to add APNs. At least right now, it can detect T-Mobile SIM and use its APN automatically (likely because I entered it in the past). I am worried that once I factory reset the phone, even that is gone.
nookin said:
That doesn't seem to do anything. I also found a post mentioning installing Pulse SMS app allows changing APN. That didn't work either. I am really puzzled why the ability to change APN were gone. I am certain that I was able to add APNs. At least right now, it can detect T-Mobile SIM and use its APN automatically (likely because I entered it in the past). I am worried that once I factory reset the phone, even that is gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a small app that can add an additional APN entry that might work here as some people have done this on the Sprint LG G8. Have a look at this set of comments for the link of the app.
But you should also be aware that some time next year, your LS997 will stop working for phone calls since it can't get VoLTE on T-Mobile, so once they take down both 2G and 3G networks, it will become a data-only device in the U.S.
C D said:
There is a small app that can add an additional APN entry that might work here as some people have done this on the Sprint LG G8. Have a look at this set of comments for the link of the app.
But you should also be aware that some time next year, your LS997 will stop working for phone calls since it can't get VoLTE on T-Mobile, so once they take down both 2G and 3G networks, it will become a data-only device in the U.S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that if you go to TMobile and get a new sim that we can still have service. Just be fully TMobile. No Sprint at all. Something to do with new network merge tool they have. Its called TNX.
Mysticblaze347 said:
I read that if you go to TMobile and get a new sim that we can still have service. Just be fully TMobile. No Sprint at all. Something to do with new network merge tool they have. Its called TNX.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was already referring to full T-Mobile here. The LS997 isn't configured to get VoLTE at all, so all calls would still just go through 2G/3G on any network. It's easy to check by having cellular data on with Wi-Fi off and making a call and see if the LTE icon stays on or immediately switches to 3G or below.
For the few of us on rootable LS997 models, there might be a wild experiment to try by running US996 firmware and see if VoLTE can get enabled on there.
Mysticblaze347 said:
I read that if you go to TMobile and get a new sim that we can still have service. Just be fully TMobile. No Sprint at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
C D said:
I was already referring to full T-Mobile here. The LS997 isn't configured to get VoLTE at all, so all calls would still just go through 2G/3G on any network. It's easy to check by having cellular data on with Wi-Fi off and making a call and see if the LTE icon stays on or immediately switches to 3G or below.
For the few of us on rootable LS997 models, there might be a wild experiment to try by running US996 firmware and see if VoLTE can get enabled on there.
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Click to collapse
I found a board for a rootable ls997, but I currently have just root shell sadly. Oreo here. Old full root died. I may be screwed. We shall see in a few months. Unless tmobile version will work fine still. I may be forced to downgrade (upgrade). I dont have tmobile version, but if I were to get another v20 maybe only option aside from an us996. I hate this forced crap. V20 days maybe closing up. Super sad n stuff.
Didn't mean to change topic, but was just saying.
Mysticblaze347 said:
Didn't mean to change topic, but was just saying.
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Click to collapse
You're not too far off-topic since the future of the LS997 on T-Mobile still concerns OP here. My MVNO already stopped new Sprint network activations and started moving to Verizon, so I jumped over to T-Mobile prepaid and finally let go of my LS997 as my daily driver. I could still mess around later this year with US996 firmware and let you know what I can find.
But if you want to stick with your unrootable LS997, then you still have plenty of time for next year. From what I read, T-Mobile will shut down their 3G network by July 1st, 2022 while no official date has been set for turning off their 2G portion. However, even with 2G and 3G still working for calls, if you ever happen to be in a spot where there's only an LTE band signal without 2G/3G, then you won't be able to make or take calls there.
So the only safe way to keep going on a V20 with T-Mobile is to get their H918 model. But even then, you're still limited to Android Oreo, which some apps may eventually abandon as they might raise the minimum requirement to Pie or higher at some point.
C D said:
You're not too far off-topic since the future of the LS997 on T-Mobile still concerns OP here. My MVNO already stopped new Sprint network activations and started moving to Verizon, so I jumped over to T-Mobile prepaid and finally let go of my LS997 as my daily driver. I could still mess around later this year with US996 firmware and let you know what I can find.
But if you want to stick with your unrootable LS997, then you still have plenty of time for next year. From what I read, T-Mobile will shut down their 3G network by July 1st, 2022 while no official date has been set for turning off their 2G portion. However, even with 2G and 3G still working for calls, if you ever happen to be in a spot where there's only an LTE band signal without 2G/3G, then you won't be able to make or take calls there.
So the only safe way to keep going on a V20 with T-Mobile is to get their H918 model. But even then, you're still limited to Android Oreo, which some apps may eventually abandon as they might raise the minimum requirement to Pie or higher at some point.
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Click to collapse
As of today I got a message saying my device needs to upgrade or sim upgrade to keep service after 1/1/21. https://www.sprint.com/en/support/cdma-retirement-legal-notice.html
Mysticblaze347 said:
As of today I got a message saying my device needs to upgrade or sim upgrade to keep service after 1/1/21. https://www.sprint.com/en/support/cdma-retirement-legal-notice.html
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Click to collapse
If your LS997 is SIM-unlocked like OP's, then you could get a T-Mobile SIM card and keep going until T-Mobile shuts down both their 2G & 3G networks next year. Just be aware that no Sprint-branded phone will pass T-Mobile's IMEI checker. But you should have a VoLTE-compatible backup phone ready to go if you start running into LTE-only or low-signal areas.
FWIW, I factory reset my LS997 V20 (still on Android 7.0) and I still cannot edit the APN. Even worse is that I now cannot use it with T-Mobile since the fast.t-mobile.com APN is gone. I regret resetting it. It is now useless as a smartphone since Sprint CDMA is history and phone cannot pick up LTE signal from other LTE carriers.
I have no idea why my LS997 lost its ability to edit APN even though I did not accept software updates. There does not seem to have any way to bypass the APN write protection.
nookin said:
FWIW, I factory reset my LS997 V20 (still on Android 7.0) and I still cannot edit the APN. Even worse is that I now cannot use it with T-Mobile since the fast.t-mobile.com APN is gone. I regret resetting it. It is now useless as a smartphone since Sprint CDMA is history and phone cannot pick up LTE signal from other LTE carriers.
I have no idea why my LS997 lost its ability to edit APN even though I did not accept software updates. There does not seem to have any way to bypass the APN write protection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me it sounds like sim relocked. Might need to call tmobile/Sprint to unlock again. You could also try rooting (since you have rootable firmware [under zvd]) or temp root; then use an app called shortcut master lite and edit apn that way. I am not sure if app works without root access. I really don't know otherwise. Dumb when crap auto happens. If your sim is unlocked again. You may not need apk to edit apn again.
I guess V20 has a different way of locking the SIM. The modem seems to be SIM unlocked but the phone's firmware prevents me from editing or adding APN. And they seem to be good at it as I have tried multiple methods to no avail.
In addition, I don't know how T-Mobile/Sprint could unlock the phone since phone does not ask for unlock pin.
Maybe rooting would work, if my firmware can still be rooted. I might as well just throw in a new OS since updating firmware will relock the APN. I
As far as I know, only software versions up to ZV7 (security patch level date of May 1, 2017) can get full root. On those versions, you could freely edit the APN values within a hidden menu, and those options seem to be gone on later software.
Sprint phones are notorious for having grayed out APN settings out of the box or after factory resets or major Android version updates. When they're grayed out, you pretty much have to hope that whatever default APN values the phone reads from your SIM card are the ones you want. Otherwise, you'll have to find another way to edit the values. The small app I linked earlier from the G8 is an interesting approach, but it appears to require ejecting the SIM card with the phone staying on which is not possible on the V20 since the battery blocks the card slot, so I'm not sure if that method can be applied to the V20.
I think Sprint and T-Mobile do SIM-unlocking by connecting to a remote server.
This is actually the 2nd LG LS997 I bought off eBay. I think both phone comes with ZV7 or so. The first phone I tested that it is unlocked and I let it upgrade 1 after another until it reached Android 8 and I lost data. Since the seller advertised the phone as unlocked, I didn't have issue returning the phone.
The 2nd phone I am more careful and I stayed at ZVC. I verified that I can edit APN and all even after factory reset. I think the reference about ZV8 is that user cannot edit APN using the Hidden Menu trick beginning ZV8. But supposingly, my phone is unlocked so APN can be edited. But throughout the internet, there are LS997 users reporting phone is locked again after upgrading to Android 8.
On top of that, I am not sure how my phone was unlocked as I also discovered that if I enable secure boot (require PIN during boot) will disable APN editing. I have no idea why they are related. My guess is that my phone isn't unlocked via official means and maybe someone messed with the bootloader in order to unlock.
I am rethinking my options:
1. Root my phone (since I am still on Android 7) and try APN editing using root privilege (not sure what app to use)
2. Root my phone and install LineageOS. Since it is a different firmware, I assume there won't be APN write protection.
3. Upgrade phone to Android 8 and try calling T-Mobile to unlock (I was never a Sprint customer).
4. Try eBay seller who can remote unlock phone for ~$7. They claim they can unlock LS997 with Android 8. It is a lot of hassle as I won't use my regular computer for this type of activity.
Option 1/2 and 3/4 are mutually exclusive.
C D said:
As far as I know, only software versions up to ZV7 (security patch level date of May 1, 2017) can get full root. On those versions, you could freely edit the APN values within a hidden menu, and those options seem to be gone on later software.
Sprint phones are notorious for having grayed out APN settings out of the box or after factory resets or major Android version updates. When they're grayed out, you pretty much have to hope that whatever default APN values the phone reads from your SIM card are the ones you want. Otherwise, you'll have to find another way to edit the values. The small app I linked earlier from the G8 is an interesting approach, but it appears to require ejecting the SIM card with the phone staying on which is not possible on the V20 since the battery blocks the card slot, so I'm not sure if that method can be applied to the V20.
I think Sprint and T-Mobile do SIM-unlocking by connecting to a remote server.
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Click to collapse
My bad, I thought zvc was the root able for some reason. ZV7 yes. Its been awhile and lil under the weather. Brain is scrambled lol.
So... you mean my ZVC is not rootable?
nookin said:
So... you mean my ZVC is not rootable?
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Click to collapse
Zvc has arb I believe. Damn Sprint. Only other way for Root possiblity would be temp root. Not full root, but you would at least have root shell. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/3-18-71-perf-root-root-shell-for-lg-v20-variants.3990145/page-5. Download on page 5 at top post. Instructions on first page. I know this works for oreo. Not too sure about Zvc.