I have done lots of reading on this and I am still not sure if the solution really exist ...
AT&T Sansung Galaxy S4 i337 MF3 build
1. Having MF3 build, none of the easy unlock solution worked.
2. Can I go back to any previous stock ROM from MF3 such that any of the easy unlock process would work?
3. Will the rooting methods using this be able to sim unlock my device?
4. I assume not, but will updating my MF3 build to any recent ones (MJ6 or MJ9) solve my problem?
Ultimately I want to unlock my device without having to pay $20- $30.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
touchworks said:
I have done lots of reading on this and I am still not sure if the solution really exist ...
AT&T Sansung Galaxy S4 i337 MF3 build
1. Having MF3 build, none of the easy unlock solution worked.
2. Can I go back to any previous stock ROM from MF3 such that any of the easy unlock process would work?
3. Will the rooting methods using this be able to sim unlock my device?
4. I assume not, but will updating my MF3 build to any recent ones (MJ6 or MJ9) solve my problem?
Ultimately I want to unlock my device without having to pay $20- $30.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lucky you, I just SIM unlocked my friends Galaxy S4 i337 MF3 from AT&T last night so I can tell you your options.
If your phone is off contract (fully paid) you can call AT&T and ask them for an unlock code.
Pay $10-$30 for a factory unlock code for your device from Ebay or whatever.
Root your device, block the AT&T updater from updating you to 4.3, and get the app Region Lock Away from the Play Store.
AT&T denied us the unlock code so we went with the Region Lock Away app from the Play Store and today my friend just activated his AT&T S4 with a T-Mobile prepaid plan. They transferred his number within a couple hours (4 hours or so) and he's been playing with 4G LTE, texting and calling all morning. He hasn't had cell phone internet before because AT&T is so expensive so he is pretty happy.
ximaginex said:
Lucky you, I just SIM unlocked my friends Galaxy S4 i337 MF3 from AT&T last night so I can tell you your options.
If your phone is off contract (fully paid) you can call AT&T and ask them for an unlock code.
Pay $10-$30 for a factory unlock code for your device from Ebay or whatever.
Root your device, block the AT&T updater from updating you to 4.3, and get the app Region Lock Away from the Play Store.
AT&T denied us the unlock code so we went with the Region Lock Away app from the Play Store and today my friend just activated his AT&T S4 with a T-Mobile prepaid plan. They transferred his number within a couple hours (4 hours or so) and he's been playing with 4G LTE, texting and calling all morning. He hasn't had cell phone internet before because AT&T is so expensive so he is pretty happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did it and it works. My phone is unlocked now. Is it safe to update to 4.3 now ?
touchworks said:
I did it and it works. My phone is unlocked now. Is it safe to update to 4.3 now ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably not a good idea. The unlock is a software unlock so updating it might remove it and you might lose root capability as well. For now, wait and see if you can still root after the update. If you can, then you can update, root and reinstall the Region Lock Away.
Related
I unlocked my Focus back in December through NCKZone. Installed the Feb and March updates without a hitch. Now my phone is locked again to AT&T, when I try enterning the unlock code I got from NCKZone I get an error message that says SIM Error. Also, if I try to access the SIM through Phone Settings, it says the SIM is locked. I never had a lock on the SIM card, so I tried the default of 1111 to no avail. Only way to have access to the SIM is after a soft reset. Weird thing is phone is now locked to AT&T, and whenever I try the unlock code from NCKZone, I get a SIM error and it locks the SIM....anyone else experience this? Yesterday I called AT&T, they were useless, they also transferred me to Samsung and all they could suggest is a hard reset.......
I called AT&T this morning, this time the person said the subsidy unlock code changed and they can't give it to me until May 9th, sounds fishy to me. Any one else have this problem?
May 9 is about right date from all the responses from AT&T so far. Officially, AT&T won't give you the unlock code until 10-month after the release of exclusive phones (seems all new phones are exclusive phones now).
But this is the first time that I saw unlock code changes after a firmware update.
did you install the official at&t Nodo? or did you do it with the VPN trick and only install the Samsung specific update?
roudiare said:
did you install the official at&t Nodo? or did you do it with the VPN trick and only install the Samsung specific update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official AT&T Nodo update.
ok then i'll hope that the samsung specific update isn't responsible for this mess
roudiare said:
ok then i'll hope that the samsung specific update isn't responsible for this mess
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, hard to believe the subsidy unlock codes would change due to a firmware update, I've never heard of that before. It would be great if someone could confirm if they are experiencing the same thing with the official update and had their phone subsidy unlocked prior to Nodo.
I 'unbranded' my phone before applying the update, and am still carrier unlocked.
Unlocked my phone months ago using code from my longtime friend at Samsung. Phone was just updated, turned on and off a few times including battery removal and still is unlocked. Please do not ask me to get codes for your phone, my friend does me favors and do not want to abuse that.
Hi.
Unlocked one Samsung Focus today with the official NoDo update from ATT, and still unlocked and working fine in Costa Rica, I can still make calls, text sms, mobile internet, etc.
I ended up doing a hard reset and now it is fine, go figure. I now see ATT and AT&T using the Samsung Network Profile tool. Doing this from Connecticut.
So the Samsung dude was right after all. Lol
Sup all...
Simple enough question. I've spent many days doing searches here in XDA and google but haven't been able to find a clear answer. Or maybe I didn't look hard enough or understand the responses to others questions regarding this topic.
I recently got an S4 (i337m) from Telus. From what I understand, this is the Canadian model (jfltecan). I am not sure if it is unlocked or not however. I know that I should just use a sim from a dif carrier to test, but I don't have access to one at the moment. No one I know has a micro sim that is with a carrier I could use to test with.
I've installed TWRP and flashed Slimbean and afterward I flashed Paranoidandroid roms successfully if that is some sort of indication as to the lock/unlock state of the phone.
So is there any other way to tell? Is there a method of unlocking this phone other than using the *#0011# method or similar methods that I've tried and do not work. Is an Odin method available?
Thanks
If you got it from Telus, directly, 99.99% it's locked
The only way to confirm is by popping in a SIM from another carrier.
I think it depends on how u buy the device. I think if you get the phone on a contract, its locked, but i think if you purchase the device for full price, it should be unlocked. That's atleast how i think it works.
You are most likely sim locked. There is no Odin method to unlock. You should really just buy a code to unlock. Be very careful using the free unlock methods. After a number of attempts the phone will lock itself so you'll never be able to unlock. Others have also messed up their phones trying it.
Buy a code or even safer, FastGSM.com USB cable method to unlock
I am also on telus, if this works like the s3 unlock you need to be on the stock Rom, can be rooted but must be stock.check the s4 thread to be sure though. You can go back to the custom Rom after you unlock and the phone should still be unlocked
Your phone's boot loader is unlocked. Meaning we can install a custom recovery and install a custom ROM very easily. Your phone is Sim locked if you bought it from telus. This means you cannot insert a Sim card in your phone unless its telus. Any other carrier will not work. You can unlock your phone through Telus. They have restrictions on this however. You're better off buying an unlock code off the internet. Its fast and most likely cheaper and no it does not void warranty. Hope this helps
Thanks!
Just wanted to thank everyone for the replies/info.
My phone was sim locked. I did the easy method of purchasing an unlock code from a local shop here. All is good. I can use the phone on any supported GSM carrier and I am able to flash custom roms and what not.
Thanks again to all for the info. Much appreciated and it helped me increase my understanding on this topic.
-Talabis
I'm new to rooting ATT phones, my wife just go a free ATT S4 I337UCUFNC1 from a friend and I want to root, convert it from ATT to T-Mobile phone then unlocking it.
The phone doesn’t have a sim yet but I'm planning on putting my wife's present T-mobile sim in there.
I'm very familiar with the T-mobile Samsung S4 version.
I've read that I need a safestrap after root?
Can I update to 4.4.4?
Can someone point me in the right direction?
LEGEND94 said:
I'm new to rooting ATT phones, my wife just go a free ATT S4 I337UCUFNC1 from a friend and I want to root, convert it from ATT to T-Mobile phone then unlocking it.
The phone doesn’t have a sim yet but I'm planning on putting my wife's present T-mobile sim in there.
I'm very familiar with the T-mobile Samsung S4 version.
I've read that I need a safestrap after root?
Can I update to 4.4.4?
Can someone point me in the right direction?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Follow this to root http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=56453100. To run on tmobile you'll have to sim unlock it. Try regionally away
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=46187852
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA Free mobile app
To Sim unlock, flash the MF3 modem in safestrap recovery and then run regionlockaway app.
Thanks alot, I was able to boot in Safestrap Recovery but after I rebooted from that and then tried to reboot back into Recovery Safestrap FC'ed. I tried uninstalling the app and reinstalling it but is FC'ed again, dunno what's it going on.
How do I get back into Recovery if Safestrap is FC'ing? (I'm trying to flash the MF3 modem)
NVM, Got back into recover, flashed the modem now and used Region SimLock, I took my T-Mobile sim and put it in the AT&T phone and it works.
Now I will try to convert it from AT&T to a T-Mobile Phone using : http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att/general/convert-i337-to-m919-wifi-caling-t2896719
Quick Question
If I use this method to convert from a AT&T to T-Mobile will I loose the Unlock Sim?
Would I be able to use Region SimLock again with the being updated to 4.4.4?
Got everything going... completed!
Thanks!
I have a verizon samsung galaxy note 3 as many already know after 4.4.4 was released verizon locked the note 3 boot loader so users cannot down grade back to 4.4.2 and the only successful root process that works is on 4.4.2 at this time as far as I've researched so my question is if I were to pay verizon the sim unlocking fee and switch to a carrier that has a known properly working root process, in theory would this work. ? Any feed back would be great. Hoping this will work??!! If any thing I've said is confusing please reply and I'll try my best to reword it.
You're assuming that when you pay the fee that verizon will flash you with an unlocked boot chain. Don't think it's possible. If I'm not mistaken, some of the trust zones are flashed then locked with a physical fuse.
....
So paying the unlocking fee then say you buy a BYOD (bring your own device) kit from t-mobile, straight talk etc, activate the phone with the new carrier (preferably a carrier that currently has a root method that works) then proceed with rooting said device?
Again I'm new to the forum as well as new to the concert of rooting, flashing custom roms etc so please respond in laymens terms
Idk if it could work, I'm just trying to explore any possible solutions to the problem of when android 4.4.4 was released (verizon released theirs with a locked bootloader and if my reseach is correct, there are root processes working for android versions after 4.4.2 on other cell carriers.
So what I'm trying to figure out is if I found a root process that is known to be working on for example (a root process that works on t-mobile, sprint, at&t etc)if I paid to unlock the damn sim and activate the SM-N900V on a cell carrier that so happens to have a working root process, what is the likely hood of it working?
Or
Will it be a complete waste of time, effort, and money to atempt?
Riwd98 said:
So paying the unlocking fee then say you buy a BYOD (bring your own device) kit from t-mobile, straight talk etc, activate the phone with the new carrier (preferably a carrier that currently has a root method that works) then proceed with rooting said device?
Again I'm new to the forum as well as new to the concert of rooting, flashing custom roms etc so please respond in laymens terms
Idk if it could work, I'm just trying to explore any possible solutions to the problem of when android 4.4.4 was released (verizon released theirs with a locked bootloader and if my reseach is correct, there are root processes working for android versions after 4.4.2 on other cell carriers.
So what I'm trying to figure out is if I found a root process that is known to be working on for example (a root process that works on t-mobile, sprint, at&t etc)if I paid to unlock the damn sim and activate the SM-N900V on a cell carrier that so happens to have a working root process, what is the likely hood of it working?
Or
Will it be a complete waste of time, effort, and money to atempt?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are confusing 2 different types of "unlocking".
Sim unlocking is not the same as unlocking a bootloader.
The locked bootloader will not be unlocked by Verizon.
The locked bootloader will not allow you to flash a custom kernel or system and prevents the easy rooting methods. Unless someone finds a root method, you will not get root on that device.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Is the international Galaxy S4 (jfltexx) ROMs compatible with the US Cellular Galaxy S4 (jflteusc)? If so how would I go about rooting and installing CM12 or CM13 for example?
THX,
DtD
A long as it doesn't have a locked bootloader you should be able to root it.
Find out if it does or does not have a locked bootloader. Depending on the result you can or can not use cf auto root to root.
GDReaper said:
A long as it doesn't have a locked bootloader you should be able to root it.
Find out if it does or does not have a locked bootloader. Depending on the result you can or can not use cf auto root to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would I find out if it has a locked bootloader? I do not have any other (Micro)SIMs to test it with. Everytime I attempt to open the Service Menu, It acts as if it is actually going to dial a number and then says the number is invalid. Where I live I always have to use roaming so when I also try a service code it gives me a Verizon Wireless operator. I even tried shortcuts to the service menu and all it says in a toast notification is "Permission Denied". The default service is US Cellular
Verizon and Sprint lock their bootloaders I think.
GDReaper said:
Verizon and Sprint lock their bootloaders I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Helpful. Another reason I hate Samsung. So glad I was forced to get lollipop, I got absolutely no notice back in JULY 2015 that it was updating, so the next day i woke up to no calls or alarms, just an overheating phone.
It's not Samsung's fault. The decision was made by the carriers, not Samsung. Also, Samsung have to give the update to the carriers in order to add the carrier specific apps before pushing it to the users. That means that each carrier pushes the update independent of Samsung.