Database Users

SIM unlock: iPhone vs. SG4 - and the winner is...

...iPhone by the 1000 miles.
Well, before the fan boys start throwing feces at me, here is the story.
I know that it is different hardware and OS and all that, but the problem is not in this.
The problem is the way Apple and Samsung approach the demands from the carriers to lock down their devices and how is the unlocking process handled.
So to SIM unlock the iPhone you call Sprint Customer Service (SCC) and after usual crap about 90 days they say, ok we submitted the request to unlock to Apple you should receive an e-mail shortly. In about 30 minutes the e-mail comes where it instructs you to backup-factory-reset-restore your iPhone. You do that, and that's it. It is unlocked for _ALL_ GSM carriers, foreign and domestic alike.
It is that simple.
Now to SIM unlock the SG4 you call SCC and after usual crap about 90 days you are told that your phone is unlocked, and it will magically work when you abroad but there is absolutely no way for you to see if it works with a foreign SIM while you are in the US. Moreover there is absolutely no way you can use it with any of the US GSM carriers. Most likely when you finally get abroad it will still not work.
Pain and disappointment.
So what happened here?
The answer is simple, Apple gives a middle finger to all carriers who ask it to give them control over the device. Have you seen any bloatware from Sprint, Verizon, ATT or TMO on the iPhone? No!
The Samsung, on the other hand, bands over backwards for carriers and it turns everything in to the theater of the absurd.
One would think: "...well if Sprint made Samsung to lock down the device in a certain way they must be able to ask Samsung to do the SIM unlock"; nop, no such luck, the SCC will tell you that Samsung has nothing to do with this and at Samsung they will tell you to go to your carrier.
Ok, fine, then apparently if this is the OS modification made by Sprint, one would try to reason: "...the SCC must have some internal tool to unlock the device and check that it is unlocked"; well this is also not the case.
What Sprint is obviously happy about is that they bravely disallowed you to use local GSM carriers.
So it is an interesting situation, actually Samsung and Sprint are equally to be blamed for our pain with SIM unlock and non will take a blame.
I'm pretty sure the ATT and TMO customers just laughing at us right about now the SG4 on their networks can be unlocked with a simple app from the market or even with some service menu.
There was a guy from SCC here, or so he claimed, it would be nice if he could comment on this, and given something more of an answer than just: "...well those are different devices and different OS". Who's really doing the unlocking? Is it Sprint is it Samsung? Why are there no tools to check this on the phone? Why the phone says "Invalid SIM" when it was "unlocked" while it should just refuse to connect to ATT and TMO while here in the US?
Well, I'm pretty sure those are the questions that we never get answers to...

Yea, I agree that it sucks the way things are right now and I wish it wasn't so. Hopefully, Samsung will continuebto be so successful that in the next round (S5), they too can give the middle finger to the carriers and end the unlocking lunacy.

Please explain to me how you got your iphone unlocked for domestic use. I got my old one unlocked by sprint did everything and still had to buy a rsim to use it in the states.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda premium

optimummind said:
Yea, I agree that it sucks the way things are right now and I wish it wasn't so. Hopefully, Samsung will continuebto be so successful that in the next round (S5), they too can give the middle finger to the carriers and end the unlocking lunacy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I hope so too. For my Samsung Galaxy Discover (s730m) that I got because my Samsung Galaxy Q ( T589r ) has a cracked screen , I tried phoning Telus & Fido to get it unlocked..neither of them would do anything..if Samsung were to do this so that I could just ask Samsung, that'd be very great, and I'd be able to use my new phone. :/

I'll be nice so I won't call troll. TL;DR. If your intention was to run a phone on gsm, why would you buy a CDMA phone? As for bringing up the subject of why a iPhone is better in an android forum, what the hell are you doing here?! We don't care if you think iPhone is better! Go elsewhere and post to people that actually agree with your point of view. Sorry for being so blunt, I've had a few... Still, the few months I had an iPhone, before I had sprint buy it back because I hated the apple experience, I didn't go on apple forums and spout how android was so much better. I may have honestly shared my experience but I didn't do it in a way that rubbed smugness in other people's face. I'm sorry that I'm coming across like I'm flaming you but, in all reasonableness, this isn't the place to do it.

oscarthegrouch said:
I'll be nice so I won't call troll. TL;DR. If your intention was to run a phone on gsm, why would you buy a CDMA phone? As for bringing up the subject of why a iPhone is better in an android forum, what the hell are you doing here?! We don't care if you think iPhone is better! Go elsewhere and post to people that actually agree with your point of view. Sorry for being so blunt, I've had a few... Still, the few months I had an iPhone, before I had sprint buy it back because I hated the apple experience, I didn't go on apple forums and spout how android was so much better. I may have honestly shared my experience but I didn't do it in a way that rubbed smugness in other people's face. I'm sorry that I'm coming across like I'm flaming you but, in all reasonableness, this isn't the place to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Prob because he has nothing better to do other than play angry birds on that lil 4 inch screen, isn't that all its capable of?
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda premium

The title was intentionally provocative, because I'm really pissed with the way things going with sg4 sprint sim unlocking process. I'm not an iPhone user though, I have and use sg4, but I need to be able to use it on my trips overseas, this is why I bought it in the first place, because it is a world phone, or at least it is advertised as such. This was my attempt to analyze why this whole sim unlocking for sg4 is a outright failure.

obender said:
The title was intentionally provocative, because I'm really pissed with the way things going with sg4 sprint sim unlocking process. I'm not an iPhone user though, I have and use sg4, but I need to be able to use it on my trips overseas, this is why I bought it in the first place, because it is a world phone, or at least it is advertised as such. This was my attempt to analyze why this whole sim unlocking for sg4 is a outright failure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two things then...
If you need it for overseas trips then what's all the hoopla about? Just get it unlocked by Sprint. Yes, at the beginning they had issues with the unlock because it is a brand new process they've never used before (and yes, unfortunately very unprepared for). But now supposedly it's fixed so chill.
It is not true that Sprint's iPhone unlocking process makes it usable on US GSM carriers.
Anyway, I am not sure why you claim that "the iPhone beats the S4 by a 1000 miles". Sprint gives you a method to unlock both phones for international use so that you don't have pay their exorbitant intl roaming rates. That seems fair to me and I don't see what obligation they (or even Samsung) have towards you as a Sprint subscriber beyond that. If you want a device that will work on one of Sprint's domestic competitors, go buy an unlock phone, or one from one of those carriers.

myphone12345 said:
It is not true that Sprint's iPhone unlocking process makes it usable on US GSM carriers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You obviously don't know the subject that well, it is true, I've unlocked my wife's iPhone and it works roams to ATT and TMO now with a _foreign_ SIM inserted, but you right, what I care is the outside US use and this is still an issue unfortunately.

obender said:
You obviously don't know the subject that well, it is true, I've unlocked my wife's iPhone and it works roams to ATT and TMO now with a _foreign_ SIM inserted, but you right, what I care is the outside US use and this is still an issue unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat.
When I get back to the states I will be perma-roaming 24/7 in order to get the service termination letter.

ehaalandtluk said:
I'm in the same boat.
When I get back to the states I will be perma-roaming 24/7 in order to get the service termination letter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying that u unlocked with sprint and traveled overseas to only find your are screwed and can't use your sg4?
That's why I upgraded to be able to use when go to home country. Might look into htc.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

galexandr said:
Are you saying that u unlocked with sprint and traveled overseas to only find your are screwed and can't use your sg4?
That's why I upgraded to be able to use when go to home country. Might look into htc.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, precisely.
Nah, I don't want to buy another HTC phone after what they did with the EVO 3D. Samsung has a great phone, I just don't like sprint at all.

Leaving tmobile, Going AT&T MNVO on soon to be blocked S5

I am the first and only owner of my S5 and until tomorrow I am on T-Mobile. I have unlocked the phone successfully today, and just made a call on my roommates AT&T sim to verify. Since I have not paid the remainder of my phone off it will be blocked in the near future, and I have spent too much money with T-Mobile and their strange charges to pick up another phone with another carrier. I will wait until I get an explanation on that and see what happens with the big FTC thing going on now but until then I have read I can go AT&T MNVO in the mean time? Ideally I'd like to be one & done with my purchase and have my number ported over. The less money I have to spend the better, but I have read mixed reviews about the possibility of using a blocked phone and having network problems when switching, where the phone would work temporarily then nothing. Since all of these were threads on craigslist scams, I wondered if this applied to me? Some people have said that only goes for phones reported stolen, ie: blacklisted phones. Is there a difference between that and my blocked phone? Is there anyone that has done this or can point me in the right direction? I have read three recent threads in my research where two confirmed they were using strait talk, and one AT&T's month to month MNVO. I am looking to make a move by the end of this month and am fielding job offers as it may be out of state if I get a better one, so I'd like to not have any chance of losing my number or having my phone off for any amount of time. I don't really use a ton of a minutes, and I don't go over 2.5gb so I am pretty open to whatever works.
Any help?

Move Sprint S5 to Ting, Boostmobile...Sprint MNVO...

Hi all!
Let me say this right now...when it comes to Cell phones I am the capital "N" in Noob!
Here is what I'm trying to do:
I just bought a brand new S5 from Best Buy. Paid $800 for the Sprint S5 because we use Ting and that is a Sprint MNVO...we saw S5s' on their site and assumed we could BYOD over like we did with our 3 previous phones. We paid what we did and used Best Buy so we could use our credit card and absorb the painfully expensive hit over a bunch of months. Anyway, I digress....apparently there is a contract that Ting cannot BYOD device if said device is newer than a year....so....what do I need to do to take this brand new Sprint S5 and get it on to Ting? (I'll even take getting it on to Boostmobile at this point)
What do I need to unlock or root or flash...or whatever to get this fantastic new phone on either Ting or Boostmobile? IS there anything I can do? Can someone help?? My wife (her phone) is extremely unhappy and she loves the copper gold color we got so taking it back is, hopefully, not an option. Let me know...I would greatly appreciate it...thanks!!!! PS...I do have the MLS code...if that helps.

Mezzavo said:
Hi all!
Let me say this right now...when it comes to Cell phones I am the capital "N" in Noob!
Here is what I'm trying to do:
I just bought a brand new S5 from Best Buy. Paid $800 for the Sprint S5 because we use Ting and that is a Sprint MNVO...we saw S5s' on their site and assumed we could BYOD over like we did with our 3 previous phones. We paid what we did and used Best Buy so we could use our credit card and absorb the painfully expensive hit over a bunch of months. Anyway, I digress....apparently there is a contract that Ting cannot BYOD device if said device is newer than a year....so....what do I need to do to take this brand new Sprint S5 and get it on to Ting? (I'll even take getting it on to Boostmobile at this point)
What do I need to unlock or root or flash...or whatever to get this fantastic new phone on either Ting or Boostmobile? IS there anything I can do? Can someone help?? My wife (her phone) is extremely unhappy and she loves the copper gold color we got so taking it back is, hopefully, not an option. Let me know...I would greatly appreciate it...thanks!!!! PS...I do have the MLS code...if that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bumping this...Anyone...can anyone help??

Mezzavo said:
Bumping this...Anyone...can anyone help??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of Sprints MNVO's have this policy/agreement with Sprint. Short of changing the MEID which is not only illegal, but apparently renders the phone unable to get a signal, theres really no options i know of at the moment other than waiting out the year or selling the device and possibly taking a hit on the price. Too bad you cant use it on a GSM network, but thats not a option currently either. I seem to remember the wait being 2 years a few years back, thankfully its only 12 months now.
I wish you luck, but i fear there may be little or nothing you can do short of selling or waiting out the year

[Q] Why does this guy want money to "fix" my Note 3?

I have a Note 3 from my old, expired, contract with Sprint. I'm still shopping around for a better carrier in my area. In the mean time I opened service with a company called Metro PCS. As a side note this also lets me evaluate T-mobile's network (since I believe they are on the same network).
An employee at the local dealership checked out my Note 3 and said it would totally work with their network, IF I payed him $75 to do some "magic" to the phone. Ok then... He promised it worked and had a few examples on a shelf that he'd worked on for others to show me.
I got him to lower the price to $40 and signed my phone over (I'm not kidding, I made him sign an agreement...as legal as that really is xD), then a couple days later he tells me he can't set it up because it's running the custom cyanogen rom I have on it.
Now I'm wondering two things....
Why would my rom cause an issue???
And wtf was he going to do anyways???
I work 5 days a week and don't have much free time to screw with all of this stuff. That's a big reason I was down to shell out some cash for it to just "work".
Does anyone have any clue what this dude was up to? And what should I do next?
Thanks folks!
P.S. I'd re-install stock rom if it wasn't such a piece of s#!t

Maybe he would flash some files that could open for your new network. And it was made for stock roms? That's why he can't do it for you on CM.
Get your phone back.
Maybe some one can help you here with unlocking your device.

jcanuet said:
I have a Note 3 from my old, expired, contract with Sprint. I'm still shopping around for a better carrier in my area. In the mean time I opened service with a company called Metro PCS. As a side note this also lets me evaluate T-mobile's network (since I believe they are on the same network).
An employee at the local dealership checked out my Note 3 and said it would totally work with their network, IF I payed him $75 to do some "magic" to the phone. Ok then... He promised it worked and had a few examples on a shelf that he'd worked on for others to show me.
I got him to lower the price to $40 and signed my phone over (I'm not kidding, I made him sign an agreement...as legal as that really is xD), then a couple days later he tells me he can't set it up because it's running the custom cyanogen rom I have on it.
Now I'm wondering two things....
Why would my rom cause an issue???
And wtf was he going to do anyways???
I work 5 days a week and don't have much free time to screw with all of this stuff. That's a big reason I was down to shell out some cash for it to just "work".
Does anyone have any clue what this dude was up to? And what should I do next?
Thanks folks!
P.S. I'd re-install stock rom if it wasn't such a piece of s#!t
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He probably is charging for the network unlock code.

Extended controls app for free wifi hotspot on Nexus 6P on Verizon ?

Ok I have been reading around but I have what I think is a moot question but i have not heard it answered specifically before.
I currently have a Galaxy Nexus (completely stock) phone with grandfathered unlimited on Verizon. I use an app called Extended Controls from the Google play store and by turning on the widget app for wifi hotspot I have been getting free use of my unlimited for when I am working out of range of any decent wifi.
Since my device was not updated past 4.2.2 I am now wanting to buy the new Nexus 6P for Christmas ( I have had the same Galaxy Nexus for 4 years! - no case either).
From what I have been reading once I get Verizon to give me the new sim and add me to the account to maintain my unlimited (after I pay full price ) I will no longer be able to use this app to gain access to my free wifi hotspot.
It seems that other people's methods (foxfi etc - I never used any other besides Extended Controls) no longer work but I have not seen anyone here mention having used Extended Controls.
So my questions are :
1) when I get the Nexus 6P - will I have to use root in order to obtain the free wifi hotspot as some others have mentioned?
2 ) is there a safe rooting for dummies yet for the Nexus 6P which is just about foolproof?
3) What is it that Verizon did that now blocks those apps - which we used before - from working now?
So I currently use about 28 - 35 GB per month so moving off unlimited is out of the question at this point. I stream music at my job - in a building where there is no wifi allowed - and I do it in my car as part of my cummute (45min - 1hr ) getting to work. I cannot imagine buying a $650 phone as nice as the Nexus 6P and not having the ability to use my unlimited the way I still do now.
I have done a few searches in the 6P thread but I didn't see anyone mention the Extended Controls app not working and they don't say it does work on the Google Store.
thank you in advance for anyone to steer me in the right direction. At this point I will be lucky to get a 6P by Christmas and hopefully by then have a few days vacation to figure out how to get the phone working like I need it to work.

Hmmmmm, if memory serves me correctly (had the same phone, same plan from vz - but over 2 yrs ago), I never had to use an app for hot spot - but - I unlock/root as soon as I get a device and run custom roms/kernels.
So, again, if I remember, part of vz tweaking the os is hiding the Android native hot spot feature. So, by getting stock Android, you'll have that feature, and shouldn't need any special apps - you can even add a tile to the quick settings drop down to switch hot spot on/off.
If I also remember, there was an entry added by some carriers in a database on the phone that would check if hot spot was allowed by the carrier - when carriers would charge separately for hot spot data. Most if not all custom roms at the time were kind enough to fix that for ya - yet another good reason to unlock and root.
What you could try is - cutting down your present SIM - and just using it in the new device. My understanding is if you already have an activated SIM, you can just use it in a new device, no need to get vz involved - which is always a good thing imho.
I'd Google - cut down SIM - you'll get tons of info and how tos on the subject. I'm planning on doing this when my 6p comes in.
Lol - this is what I said to Verizon when I got my n5 2 years ago;
"I've been waiting about 15 years to say this - cancel my forking account"
Verizon never had coverage where I lived, not even calls, so I was paying $125/month for 2 lines - pay for each text, sharing like 700 minutes talk between 2 lines - and never really able to use any of it!
Unlimited talk/text and 5 gigs a month fit $45 on straight talk now - and I can make calls and text from home now. Would never go back to Verizon!

Phazmos,
Thanks for the reply but I am probably still a little confused.
If I remember correctly when the Nexus 6 came out many did what you suggest - cut their sim to fit - but the phone didn't always register as an official verizon device. Unfortunately my company provides me with a 17% discount on my monthly bill but only if you can prove that your phone is officially on the network. Verizon actually calls me every year to reverify it.
I am not sure how Extended controls works on the 4.2.2 version Galaxy Nexus I have now but I am pretty sure that it turns on the wifi hotspot without Verizon knowing about it. If I go straight to the "portable wifi hotspot" part of my settings then it comes up with the same error as everyone else on Verizon without wifi hotspot enabled. But "this .99 app- Extended Controls - just turns it on ... on the sly.
If the new version of the 6P has that feature and I just turn it on then Verizon will charged me. - I am already going to have to eat the extra $20 per month.
I am planning on buying the phone through Google but I will have to talk to a couple of the main Verizon stores here to guarantee that they will turn on my new sim (I am scared of cutting my current sim- what if I **** it up then I have no phone not even the Nexus!)
I have heard of people convincing the store manager to activate their new micro sim in a store model and then put it in the phone.
I am so leary of spending $650 and then having them refuse to activate it correctly.
Also I have always been afraid of rooting because I figured that right out of the box I could have a brand new $650 brick on my hands.
What I do know is that I cannot continue with this dinasour that I have now! It is way past it's prime days.
I really would like to switch over to something like T-mobile but even here in Northern VA - their coverage lacks in too many areas that I travel to.

mhughes1966 said:
Phazmos,
Thanks for the reply but I am probably still a little confused.
If I remember correctly when the Nexus 6 came out many did what you suggest - cut their sim to fit - but the phone didn't always register as an official verizon device. Unfortunately my company provides me with a 17% discount on my monthly bill but only if you can prove that your phone is officially on the network. Verizon actually calls me every year to reverify it.
I am not sure how Extended controls works on the 4.2.2 version Galaxy Nexus I have now but I am pretty sure that it turns on the wifi hotspot without Verizon knowing about it. If I go straight to the "portable wifi hotspot" part of my settings then it comes up with the same error as everyone else on Verizon without wifi hotspot enabled. But "this .99 app- Extended Controls - just turns it on ... on the sly.
If the new version of the 6P has that feature and I just turn it on then Verizon will charged me. - I am already going to have to eat the extra $20 per month.
I am planning on buying the phone through Google but I will have to talk to a couple of the main Verizon stores here to guarantee that they will turn on my new sim (I am scared of cutting my current sim- what if I **** it up then I have no phone not even the Nexus!)
I have heard of people convincing the store manager to activate their new micro sim in a store model and then put it in the phone.
I am so leary of spending $650 and then having them refuse to activate it correctly.
Also I have always been afraid of rooting because I figured that right out of the box I could have a brand new $650 brick on my hands.
What I do know is that I cannot continue with this dinasour that I have now! It is way past it's prime days.
I really would like to switch over to something like T-mobile but even here in Northern VA - their coverage lacks in too many areas that I travel to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Registering as official may be a problem - a problem with most any unlocked device. Carriers, vz in particular, can be real touchy about devices not supplied by them.
Oh, took a look at that app on play store - guess what - I also bought that app! Had to be like 3 or 4 years ago! Was surprised to see "purchased" when I found it. But, I didn't have to use it for hot spot, not after unlocking/rooting and loading custom roms.
I never used hot spot much, mostly when our network would go down - I'd for up the hot spot to get a few co-workers internet access till it came back up, and I'd just use native Android hot spot. That tells me you have the database thing going on. If I remember, that would send the native hot spot through a certain gateway (I think) and if you didn't have access, browsers would be redirected to the "sign up for hot spot" page from the carrier.
I also thought most carriers, vz included, didn't care about hot spot usage any more. There was a BIG stink about that a few years back - as in you're paying for data - how you use it is up to you, not the carrier. As I recall, there were a few law suites from users.
Anyway - since the new device isn't carrier supplied - or approved as they like to call it, you'll have other issues when going the new SIM/imei not in their database route.
A note on SIM trimming - it's super easy - and if you do screw it up - tell them you lost service and tried pooping the SIM out, then you dropped it and the dog ate it and get another! They want your $$$ - believe me - they'll give you another. I'd even "mention" to them you're gonna get this device - which works on any carrier, and mention att, tmobile and any other carrier - and you'd be more than happy going to a carrier that does support the device. Again, they want your $$$, they'll accommodate - and try to get ya to a new limited data plan - beware!
And a note on unlocking/rooting - real easy and real reliable on that device - same for any nexus device, especially if gotten from Google. The nexus line is actually for developing the os and apps. You could say it's made to load custom Android versions - when you want to test, you do it on a nexus.
PS - I resurrected my gnex a few months ago - loaded lollipop on it and gave it to my sister as her droid x2 finally died. It ran it pretty good for an old timer! Just like I run pretty good - for an old timer!
Good luck!

Wow you rooted your old Galaxy Nexus and got Lollipop running? Interesting.
Maybe after I get the newer phone I will experiment on the old nexus. The screen actually still looks pretty good. it is just the way it operates on the older software that makes me want to throw it in the Potomac.

mhughes1966 said:
Wow you rooted your old Galaxy Nexus and got Lollipop running? Interesting.
Maybe after I get the newer phone I will experiment on the old nexus. The screen actually still looks pretty good. it is just the way it operates on the older software that makes me want to throw it in the Potomac.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did, actually unlocked/rooted a week after I got it. As soon as some development started happening, I started loading roms. Nexus devices get the most love from devs, there was a lollipop version available, so away we went. Once you're unlocked and rooted and have a custom recovery, loading roms is basically a matter of downloading it and installing it. Pretty painless.
Don't know if you've seen lollipop, but it finally made Android a beautiful looking os - Android lost the acne and grew up, so to speak. And since newer Android is made to work on many different devices with lots of different hardware, it's made to run on minimal, or marginal, hardware. The gnex certainly fits into the minimal hardware category now days.
I forgot to mention yesterday, there is another thread here - what to expect from Verizon - I think it is, where questions like this are being actively discussed.
You may get more info there - you're not the only 1 wondering about Verizon. Googling - 6p on Verizon - also gets an article or 2 on the subject. That's where I got some of my info (I've been in technology close to 20 years now, so I'm the go to tech guy for a lot of people, including more than a few Verizon users).
And always remember, there's a work around for everything, ya just gotta find it!
Oh, surprised to hear the screen was still good. The gnex had a horrible screen. Amoled displays have come a looooong way since the gnex. Mine w had a horrid blue cast to it, especially when turned down, and was starting to burn in. Never noticed the blue till I got my next phone, the nexus 5. On that the whites were actually white - I almost fell over - it was that much of a difference!

To prepare for new 6P and nano sim you can buy a Sadapter Sim to Nano Sim adapter. Buy this quality brand only.
Visit a Verizon company store mention you'll be getting a new phone, one with nano sim like iphone or moto-x, and would they activate a new nano sim for you so you are prepared to plug and play when you get new phone. In meantime insert nano sim and adapter into your Gnex. For above you might get better cooperation going to Bestbuy vs Verizon.
.
For activating Hotspot while bypassing Verizon check, it is to be determined if any current apps like Foxfi will work. You will probably need to do the build prop edit for "tether provisioning" mentioned elsewhere. You can prep for this also by downloading tools (adb & fastboot) and Drivers to your PC.
There are some Guides on XDA to walk you through steps to get to and through the "tether provisioning" bit.

Thought I might add a little to the conversation based on my experiences... I recently updated from my Nexus 5 (which I loved) to the Nexus 5x. on my unrooted Nexus 5 Wifi worked wonderfully with ATT as my carrier. On my updated Nexus 5x I can turn on the Wifi hotspot and bluetooth network sharing - HOWEVER it is buggy and the throughput is not good. A few of the bugs are I cannot turn on the wifi hotspot via the quick tile, only from the settings menu, the first time I select the hotspot a toast message pops up stating it is checking with carrier then flashes off and I have to turn it on again at which point it does come on. I actually get better speed from the Bluetooth network sharing...
so from what I have read the Nexus 6p is the same in this area as the Nexus 5x so you may want to look at getting a Nexus 5 which would be a great update from your phone and can run Android Marshmallow - I am strongly considering going back...

I have a nexus 6p, and cannot use my hotspot (I'm on an AT&T based MVNO). The phone will say "please contact AT&T to enable hotspot". There are workarounds (at least as of android 6.0.1) for non-rooted phones, such as ejecting the sim card, reinserting it, and quickly activating hotspot before the phone has a chance to provision (confirmed working if your timing is right), but this gets annoying really fast. There is no other way to override this check at this time on the stock ROM, which is really disappointing. I don't know if other MVNOs will be the same, but I'm really disappointed Google chose to take this path