[Q] ATT updates for BYOD Galaxy S4 - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I am getting ready to purchase a couple of used S4s for myself and family and our carrier is ATT. I was just curious if anyone knows if the these phones would get normal OTA updates from ATT even if we do not buy the phones from ATT. I was not able to figure out the policy on the Website and the agent did not really know.
I personally will be rooting and updating myself but I am phone support for the extended family as well and I really do not want to maintain all the phones for others that live far away.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

VideoRoy said:
I am getting ready to purchase a couple of used S4s for myself and family and our carrier is ATT. I was just curious if anyone knows if the these phones would get normal OTA updates from ATT even if we do not buy the phones from ATT. I was not able to figure out the policy on the Website and the agent did not really know.
I personally will be rooting and updating myself but I am phone support for the extended family as well and I really do not want to maintain all the phones for others that live far away.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would recommend you to ask this question in Samsung note 3, HTC One, sony Xperia Z2 and LG G2 threads. why not? You are asking for completely different form this thread devices, instead of placing it here anyway, so spread your chances.

spamtrash said:
I would recommend you to ask this question in Samsung note 3, HTC One, sony Xperia Z2 and LG G2 threads. why not? You are asking for completely different form this thread devices, instead of placing it here anyway, so spread your chances.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize and did not realize there was a separate thread for this.
Thank you very much for your reply.

Related

Play r800a vs r800at - might have found a difference

http://goo.gl/GSW3l
Logically speaking, the a would be the unlockable one, and the at, the AT&T locked-to-kingdom-come-and-then-some one.
Sorry if this was already posted.
R800a will be SIM/Network locked to Rogers and will likely have a Rogers boot screen. Unlocking companies say they can unlock it for use on AT&T though it may need the APN settings configured correctly to use 3G on AT&T.
Also, R800at will probably take forever to be officially released
So we're basically f'd with the bootloader then?
There isn't a variant model number for the off-contract full price option for Rogers (which could have been a wildcard for unlocking) so I guarantee all North American Xperia Plays will be SIM locked to their respective carriers and therefore not eligible for the official bootloader unlock (there may be other ways but I don't know). It makes no sense for them to do otherwise since the carriers are using contracts to subsidize the phone to make more money in the long run. It does make sense for the international model (R800i) to be SIM unlocked in key markets since it covers most of the rest of the world other than North America and that is a much bigger market with many variables.
Somebody will have to ultimately connect to a Rogers Xperia Play R800a model and see if fastboot will run on it since the "at" model won't be available anytime soon. At least not before the CDMA Verizon model which has yet to even be announced. I just wouldn't be surprised if it won't run...
http://unlockbootloader.sonyericsson.com/which-phones
I have a AT&T Xperia Play R800a
I tried to contact Engadget to show off some pictures of the AT&T boot and bloatware but they never responded yet to my e-mail.
I traded my iphone 4 16GB + Cash on top and met up with a guy in Fremont CA earlier today and he was willing to take my offer since he was a big Apple Fan. He already owned a Droid X from Verizon and Apple Ipad and had no use for it. At first I thought it was a R800i UK model but after seeing the phone description in the settings I was shocked!
If any you guys want some information about the phone i'll be happy to snap some photos of it.
Warudakumi said:
I tried to contact Engadget to show off some pictures of the AT&T boot and bloatware but they never responded yet to my e-mail.
I traded my iphone 4 16GB + Cash on top and met up with a guy in Fremont CA earlier today and he was willing to take my offer since he was a big Apple Fan. He already owned a Droid X from Verizon and Apple Ipad and had no use for it. At first I thought it was a R800i UK model but after seeing the phone description in the settings I was shocked!
If any you guys want some information about the phone i'll be happy to snap some photos of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a little confused? So you have a R800a with AT&T boot and bloatware that's not a R800at? Or did I misread that? In any case, I would be interested in seeing what they did to it.
Also, I suspect that it's locked to prevent the install of 3rd party apps. If so, have you been able to use ADB to install apps? I know Sony Ericsson has a program with USB drivers for the X10, but I don't know if it'll work with the Play or not.
MechaBouncer said:
I'm a little confused? So you have a R800a with AT&T boot and bloatware that's not a R800at? Or did I misread that? In any case, I would be interested in seeing what they did to it.
Also, I suspect that it's locked to prevent the install of 3rd party apps. If so, have you been able to use ADB to install apps? I know Sony Ericsson has a program with USB drivers for the X10, but I don't know if it'll work with the Play or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope I have an authentic AT&T R800at model. I made another thread with pictures linked to my photobucket account. I don't have enough posts to post pictures directly at the moment. I didn't believe it myself when the guy showed me the phone. There are lots of scammers on craigslist with the iphone etc. where people are buying "dummy phones" and packaging them like they are legit.
He didn't seem to want to tell me where he got it but he was dressed pretty professional so maybe he knows somebody that works with AT&T? I'm just scared to update the software on the phone in fear it might lockup or something. I'll post more pictures later when I get off work.
If there is anything else you wanted to see, please feel free to ask. I'm still new to the android scene but i'm quickly learning. I have a Galaxy Tab and a 3G Vibrant with the awesome FFC mod I learned from this site. I finally joined the darkside and i'm enjoying this phone. If I didn't come up on this find I might be one of those Fanboys anxiously waiting for a Iphone5 with probably barely any new features to justify it being cool anymore.
This is what I'll upload later
More better pictures of the homescreen icons etc.
Phone Properties Screen
More boot pictures

Couple of questions for the experts here

I have just purchased to S4s for my household. I plan on rooting my phone. I did a bit of searching but I did not see a root for the t-mobile version of this phone. I see one for sprint, and att. If there is a root for the t-mobile version please direct me to that.
The other question I have is I need a recommendation on accessories. Aside from micro-usb cables and what do you suggest I buy. I am currently looking for something that can make the phones as close to indestructible as possible. My wife has the tendency to destroy phones really quickly. I was thinking of the following products. http://www.spigen.com/cell-phone/sa...ctor-glas-tr-slim-premium-tempered-glass.html and http://www.spigen.com/cell-phone/samsung/galaxy-s4-cases/galaxy-s4-case-slim-armor.html
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2279
This is the area for TMobile - nothing in there?
driodman98 said:
I have just purchased to S4s for my household. I plan on rooting my phone. I did a bit of searching but I did not see a root for the t-mobile version of this phone. I see one for sprint, and att. If there is a root for the t-mobile version please direct me to that.
The other question I have is I need a recommendation on accessories. Aside from micro-usb cables and what do you suggest I buy. I am currently looking for something that can make the phones as close to indestructible as possible. My wife has the tendency to destroy phones really quickly. I was thinking of the following products. http://www.spigen.com/cell-phone/sa...ctor-glas-tr-slim-premium-tempered-glass.html and http://www.spigen.com/cell-phone/samsung/galaxy-s4-cases/galaxy-s4-case-slim-armor.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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.

Phone swapping or eligibility questions...

Hey!
I ordered a Moto X Pure (2015) from someone on XDA, It's arriving tomorrow. I had a question about carriers but Verizon isn't answering my questions and its kinda frustrating.
My good friend needs a phone and wants an iPhone. I have the iPhone she wants and since mine is arriving tomorrow i was considering selling it to her so that she could have the phone she wants, i know all Verizon LTE phones come unlocked for any carrier but i think its after they are paid for in full...My question is, if i put the SIM card from the iPhone into the Moto X and i sell her the phone, will she still be able to use it on a different carrier since im not cancelling a plan, same plan, different phone?
I know this is more of a topic to ask Verizon but i have tried that and its saying my pin is incorrect even though i've checked it 4 goddamn times and its NOT incorrect. Then when i tried to contact a store, they are closed in my area...So i thought that id try here because i always seem to get pretty great and full answers.
To sum it up in a TL;DR for the reddit users: If i swap the SIM cards and sell my current phone to my friend, will she be able to use it on her own carrier, or will it not let her because it hasn't fully been paid off yet?
-Thanks!
First off, the use of foul language is not necessary.
Secondly, while I understand you are getting a Moto X Style/Pure, your question has nothing to do with the phone at all. You are asking about an iPhone you are purchasing via contract or installment plan through Verizon on a forum topic dedicated for the Style/Pure. Please go to the appropriate forums to ask this question. You are correct that Verizon would be the best source to answer your question.

Will this new root help me unlock my weird t-mobile GS7 edge?

Hey guys,
i got this legit t-mo gs7e which came for free through this promotional agency. it is clearly branded as t-mobile and only works with t-mobile US sim card, but t-mo hotline keeps saying it is not a t-mobile phone. longer description in this thread which i accidentally posted in the GS7normal section: (i asked for the thread to be moved over here to avoid double post but nothing happened)
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-galaxy-s7/help/unlockable-t-mobile-s7-edge-t3572986
will this new root help me making any use of this phone or do i have to just buy a new one? i been on the hotlines for about 3 weeks now and about to give up and just try to sell it and buy something else, so you people are really my last resort.
also willing to tip if someone can guide me through the process.
definately a legit, not-blocked, paid-off phone, just nobody can remove the sim-lock and i need to use it both in foreign countries and on diff networks in the US.
thanks in advance,
b
bingo500 said:
Hey guys,
thanks in advance,
b
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read this - maybe help
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-s7-edge/how-to/unlocked-sm-g935t-t-mobile-t3487667
Is it a G935T?
tengtengvn said:
Is it a G935T?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, G935TUVU4BQB1
jasons1004 said:
Read this - maybe help
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-s7-edge/how-to/unlocked-sm-g935t-t-mobile-t3487667
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, i read through this before, but 1) the thread is actually mad old and not for nougat firmware and 2) it seems like nobody was able to actually remove the sim-lock with this, just remove the bloatware etc.
[/COLOR]
bingo500 said:
thanks, i read through this before, but 1) the thread is actually mad old and not for nougat firmware and 2) it seems like nobody was able to actually remove the sim-lock with this, just remove the bloatware etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think there is any hack or anything to sim unlock the phone. I believe it hinges on getting your imei into the tmo database, or using a paid service. Check this post and maybe try and contact that TMobile rep: https://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-lg-v10/general/unlocking-sim-tmobile-t3241032/post65795953
It will not help you unlock the sim lock.
I have been watching your comments since your firdt post about yiur phone and i hate to say it but i think you are going to have to use a pay service.
Sent from my SM-G935T using XDA Premium HD app
thanks guys, pretty sure a paid service won't be able to unlock it, that thread yrrch mentioned also has a couple people in it w similar phones where the paid ones didn't help.. but i'll def try call that higher level t-mo rep that is mentioned in there. it is one of these "partner purchase" programs i believe.
edit: matter of fact i reached out to unlockradar.com couple days ago, they can't unlock it either.
bingo500 said:
thanks guys, pretty sure a paid service won't be able to unlock it, that thread yrrch mentioned also has a couple people in it w similar phones where the paid ones didn't help.. but i'll def try call that higher level t-mo rep that is mentioned in there. it is one of these "partner purchase" programs i believe.
edit: matter of fact i reached out to unlockradar.com couple days ago, they can't unlock it either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I guess a paid service requires that your phone be registered in the carrier's database. Then if the unlock app doesn't work, you could choose to pay. So hopefully you can reach that woman and have her help! Good luck and keep us posted
OK, so I have a question. I'm Trying to move from t-mobile to Verizon but I'm trying to keep my same phone. So no matter what I do im better off getting a new phone?
To unlock that device you'll need to find a store that has the equipment to do it. There are boxes out there that unlock immediately through a connected cable.
Araltd said:
To unlock that device you'll need to find a store that has the equipment to do it. There are boxes out there that unlock immediately through a connected cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure of this statement ? I've read that T-Mobile App SIM lock is impossible to hack.
lapocompris said:
Are you sure of this statement ? I've read that T-Mobile App SIM lock is impossible to hack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The models that have unlock device apps can only be unlocked (Tmobile metropcs possibly others?) will have to be unlocked thru the app (AFAIK) other models (certain models, which vary accordingly) can be unlocked instantly thru cable.
Now, is it "impossible to hack"? I dunno? I don't think anything is impossible to hack.... (don't read into that, I'm not saying it's been done, I'm merely making a statement that's all)
Sent from my Rooted Galaxy S7 EDGE on Android 7.0 Nougat, here's the instructions how to do it!
I believe the device was purchased from Samsung.com and only those devices are not recognized by T-Mobile unlock app.. I heard that you've to call T-Mobile business support instead of technical support for this issue.. I had the same wth an S7 and was discussing in S7 forums
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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