Database Users

[Q] Sell or return my ATT note 3 for T-Mobile version?

I am currently debating whether I should return or sell my AT&T Note 3 and get a T-Mobile version to be used on AT&T network. The fact it is bootloader locked really bothers me. What is the chance of root ever be available for this device?
Also, Can I walk into a T-Mobile store and purchase a note 3 without service?

There are so many people doing it and lots of discussion.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Using an AT&T S4 with Verizon

Hey guys, I'm getting my hands on my friend's Galaxy S4. He is on an AT&T plan and got then phone from them through an upgrade. I personally prefer Verizon. I was wondering if I could get some help on making his phone work for me. I have a SIM card and everything, currently using a RAZR MAXX. I've done a little looking around, and from what I gathered, the phone is capable of working with verizon, but I'll have to load a different kernel and ROM onto it. I've looked through http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2295557 that thread and found some nice info, but I'm not yet confident enough in my knowledge to go through with it. I've decided on the http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2305781 CLEANROM 1.6.5, but I don't know what else I'm going to need to have in order to make this phone work for me. I also don't know if I'll need to download the Verizion or the AT&T version of this. Thanks for all the help, I'm really wanting to make this work for me so I can actually get a powerhouse of a phone.

Xray55 said:
Hey guys, I'm getting my hands on my friend's Galaxy S4. He is on an AT&T plan and got then phone from them through an upgrade. I personally prefer Verizon. I was wondering if I could get some help on making his phone work for me. I have a SIM card and everything, currently using a RAZR MAXX. I've done a little looking around, and from what I gathered, the phone is capable of working with verizon, but I'll have to load a different kernel and ROM onto it. I've looked through http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2295557 that thread and found some nice info, but I'm not yet confident enough in my knowledge to go through with it. I've decided on the http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2305781 CLEANROM 1.6.5, but I don't know what else I'm going to need to have in order to make this phone work for me. I also don't know if I'll need to download the Verizion or the AT&T version of this. Thanks for all the help, I'm really wanting to make this work for me so I can actually get a powerhouse of a phone.
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Nope. it won't work.

xuanphucn said:
Nope. it won't work.
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Is what I read about on the post I linked not true then?

Xray55 said:
Is what I read about on the post I linked not true then?
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Your link is to a thread regarding other variants of S4 roms. Although you can use other S4 roms on the i337, the phone wont work on verizon carrier.

Kaze105 said:
Your link is to a thread regarding other variants of S4 roms. Although you can use other S4 roms on the i337, the phone wont work on verizon carrier.
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I'm not sure about that. ROM shouldn't matter too much, you just have to have it SIM unlocked and I believe it won't work too well due to the different frequencies between carriers and so you may not get LTE or something. Maybe someone can correct me though.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

Verizon/Sprint phones use CDMA.
ATT/T-Mobile use GSM
I don't think you can use a CDMA phone on a GSM network and vice versa.
EDIT:
Per the replies below, it looks like it ispossible.
Here is a thread from the Verizon forums.
Also, if this WIKI page is correct, the Verizon S4 has both CDMA and GSM radio's where the ATT S4 only has a GSM radio.

The first thing to identify on the phone is whether or not it is on the stock AT&T ROM and what version that ROM is. If it is I337UCUAMF3 then changing the bootloader/kernal/rom is not even an option to begin with which means there would be no way to change out the modem to support other carrier bands (such as those used by Verizon). On top of that, although I have heard that the modem hardware is the same on all versions of the S4 I have not heard anyone confirm that they have successfully enabled CDMA services on the I337.

rayburne said:
Verizon/Sprint phones use CDMA.
ATT/T-Mobile use GSM
I don't think you can use a CDMA phone on a GSM network and vice versa.
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Click to collapse
There are some that work on other networks without the need for modem changes. I read about some using the Verizon on AT&T, and I used the droid Bionic, a Verizon exclusive with a locked boot loader, on AT&T.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

The strange thing is you can use a Verizon S4 on AT&T but you can't do it the other way around. Verizon phones all come unlocked, allowing you to use the phone anywhere around the world.
The AT&T S4 does not contain the CDMA chip allowing you to use it on the Verizon network, plus it has to do something with IMEI. If you give the IMEI to Verizon, they won't be able to locate which device you are trying to activate because it's not in the system. But if you use a Verizon S4 and put in a AT&T SIM card, you don't have to register the IMEI with AT&T or T-Mobile.

emckai said:
The strange thing is you can use a Verizon S4 on AT&T b.
you can't do it the other way around. Verizon phones all come unlocked, allowing you to use the phone anywhere around the world.
The AT&T S4 does not contain the CDMA chip allowing you to use it on the Verizon network, plus it has to do something with IMEI. If you give the IMEI to Verizon, they won't be able to locate which device you are trying to activate because it's not in the system. But if you use a Verizon S4 and put in a AT&T SIM card, you don't have to register the IMEI with AT&T or T-Mobile.
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I can confirm that this is true about the verizon s4. I have a Verizon s4 and have used AT&T and straight talk on it. My brother uses that phone daily on his AT&T account.
I will test my AT&T s4 when I get around to finding my sim card.

sundigen said:
I can confirm that this is true about the verizon s4. I have a Verizon s4 and have used AT&T and straight talk on it. My brother uses that phone daily on his AT&T account.
I will test my AT&T s4 when I get around to finding my sim card.
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I'm pretty sure you won't be able to use an AT&T S4 on Verizon because the AT&T S4 doesn't have the CDMA capabilities.

emckai said:
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to use an AT&T S4 on Verizon because the AT&T S4 doesn't have the CDMA capabilities.
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Yea I noticed that the ATT S4 doesn't have everything that the Verizon S4 has in the service menu. Like I can turn on all the different bands in the service menu, but on my ATT S4 I get restrictions on wcdma.
I'm new to all this. I traded a iPhone for the ATT version because I couldn't figure out how to make the Verizon version work on straight talk..
Not two days after I have the ATT I somehow got it working... Lol. So now I have two with unlocked bootloaders and sum unlocked...

sundigen said:
Yea I noticed that the ATT S4 doesn't have everything that the Verizon S4 has in the service menu. Like I can turn on all the different bands in the service menu, but on my ATT S4 I get restrictions on wcdma.
I'm new to all this. I traded a iPhone for the ATT version because I couldn't figure out how to make the Verizon version work on straight talk..
Not two days after I have the ATT I somehow got it working... Lol. So now I have two with unlocked bootloaders and sum unlocked...
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Click to collapse
Methods used to obtain this?
I am I believe sim unlocked because I no longer see the prompt for password apon boot but the verizon doesn't connect.
Thank you in advance!

[Q] "Easiest" S4 to flash new ROMs?

I've been lurking around the forums for about a week now and thanks to the folks who contribute, I've been able to root, carrier unlock (tested to work with AT&T and Tmo), and side load a few ROMs on my I337 without bricking or even tripping KNOX. So again, thanks to all who contributed to those tutorials!
Unfortunately, the phone I bought came with MK2 pre-installed and since I'm a noob I wasn't aware of the limitations of this version until after reading these forums. You guys have saved me from bricking my phone though!
So my question... Do any of the other US variants of the S4 (aside from the I9505G) have similarly locked down bootloaders like the I337 (assuming latest OTA has been applied)? I'm gathering from various posts that AT&T was the only carrier implementing such nonsense. I'm asking because it seems like other models (M919, I545, and L720) sell for less on eBay and I'm considering selling my pristine I337 for another model. I want to make sure I don't end up with similar restrictions if I make such a move.
Secondly, can either the L720 or the I545 be unlocked to work with Tmo and AT&T in the US? I assume they all have the same radios, maybe just a firmware lock on frequencies?

The locked down bootloader should be only AT&T and Verizon.
The I545 should work on Tmobile and AT&T. . The L720 will not work on Tmobile or AT&T due to it being CDMA.

If you're liking for something you can rom and root easily and isn't carrier locked consider the nexus 5. I love it no carrier bloat and no gimmicky stuff you'll only use once.
Sent from my Nexus 5

I strongly agree with "jd1639"
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Kaze105 said:
The locked down bootloader should be only AT&T and Verizon.
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Good to know. Thanks!
Kaze105 said:
The I545 should work on Tmobile and AT&T. . The L720 will not work on Tmobile or AT&T due to it being CDMA.
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Click to collapse
I understand that Verizon and Sprint use CDMA, Tmo and AT&T use GSM. But phone wise, don't all four US carrier S4 variants contain the same radios? Did Samsung actually yank CDMA radios from the GSM variants and vice versa? just looking for clarification.
Let me ask another way... if you guys were to recommend an S4 for US GSM networks that could be "easily" ROM'd/root'd at will, which would you suggest?
I've considered the Nexus 5 very heavily, but I prefer the hard buttons on the S4 because they seem to leave a bit more screen real estate than the soft buttons on the N5. I'm somewhat trying for an N5 like experience on the S4. Yeah, I want to have my cake and eat it too.

Rickerdo said:
Good to know. Thanks!
I understand that Verizon and Sprint use CDMA, Tmo and AT&T use GSM. But phone wise, don't all four US carrier S4 variants contain the same radios? Did Samsung actually yank CDMA radios from the GSM variants and vice versa? just looking for clarification.
Let me ask another way... if you guys were to recommend an S4 for US GSM networks that could be "easily" ROM'd/root'd at will, which would you suggest?
I've considered the Nexus 5 very heavily, but I prefer the hard buttons on the S4 because they seem to leave a bit more screen real estate than the soft buttons on the N5. I'm somewhat trying for an N5 like experience on the S4. Yeah, I want to have my cake and eat it too.
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For a bit more cash they have the Google Play Edition S4 from the play store as well at $649.00
None Touchwiz OS
https://play.google.com/store/devic...oogle_Play_edition?id=samsung_galaxy_s4&hl=en
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

jball said:
For a bit more cash they have the Google Play Edition S4 from the play store as well at $649.00
None Touchwiz OS
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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I think I left out the most important part... I'm cheap, er um, I mean very frugal. My like new I337 from ebay only cost me $370, so I'm looking to replace it with something around the same price that's more "hackable". This is why the Nexus 5 looked so appealing directly from the Play store. but, again, the screen on the N5 gets robbed a bit by the soft keys.
So, I guess I'm looking at an M919 (Tmo variant) as the best bang for the buck in terms of hacking friendly S4's. Is that the general consensus?

Honestly the keys aren't that bad once you have your hands on the Nexus 5 .the lack of a menu/settings button is a bit odd but the phone makes up for it in stock smoothness
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Root Possible on Verizon 5.0.1??

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon (SCH-i545) running Android 5.0.1. I cannot find a way to root after searching and searching threads and online! Please help!! Would love to root this phone.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Did you look in the Verizon S4 forums? That is where you want to go for answers to your questions, as this is the international S4 forum, and we don't have a locked bootloader to prevent root.

Looked there, but didn't find anything. Maybe will post this there, thanks for your help. Can you explain locked bootloader or send me a link of a thread that does? I don't understand the difference of the international.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Actually I see that someone moved this thread to this category... I posted it elsewhere, what should I do? Noob, sorry!
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Go back to your opening post and report it to the mods. In the text box that appears simply tell them it needs to be moved to the Galaxy S4 Verizon forums. They'll take care of it.
With a locked (i.e. encrypted) bootloader, rooting cannot be performed and custom ROMs cannot be installed. AT&T and Verizon are the largest of the carriers that do this, and they claim to do this in order to ensure consistent performance of the device on their networks. The reality is that they simply don't want you getting rid of their bloatware or working around their other restrictions by rooting and installing custom ROMs. International devices don't come with locked bootloaders, and customization is easy. However, an international phone in the US doesn't get LTE due to the international device not supporting the frequencies used in the United States.
In the US, if LTE is important, a T-Mobile device is the best option even though the device never received an upgrade to Android 5.x. But if you take it abroad, LTE will not function due to it not supporting international LTE frequencies. To the best of my knowledge, phones that support both sets of frequencies have yet to be released.

Thanks for your helpful reply! So... My provider is Verizon, if I get a "T-mobile phone" will it still work on Verizon's network and he rootable? There is some difference in Verizon and AT&T I know because Verizon and Sprint are CDMA and AT&T and others are GSM networks right? I'm not sure what all those mean, but I didn't think they were interchangeable. I thought T-mobile was GSM, but maybe I'm wrong...
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

You'd have to leave Verizon if you want a phone you can modify. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA networks, while AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM networks. GSM is the global standard. A CDMA device won't work on a GSM network and vice versa.

Just looking for clarification

Hey guys I have a verizon note 4 and it is not root able at all. I have been wanting to stick with this great device but I miss root. I miss the freedom and capabilities it unlocked. I have been wondering which variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is permanently rootable ? Is it a different US carriers variant? Or an international one that has this ability? I appreciate the help guys, thanks in advance.

Easier put this way, AT&T & Verizon are NOT rootable.

anrichardson said:
Easier put this way, AT&T & Verizon are NOT rootable.
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Lol yea I've been looking for answers too and I've come to that conclusion. It seems all are rootable except Verizon and AT&T apparently. Not the next thing is who's device would be compatible with cricket, they use AT&T towers.