Wondering how I can get an LTE s5 on straight talk, unlocked phone.. In the US.. I've read that you don't want the H model but the F model... But i also read some people on amazon have a lot of trouble with that.. With it mostly resorting to h+. Obviously I want to avoid that because I wouldn't want to buy a new phone only to be able to use half of its network features..
Predator1123123 said:
Wondering how I can get an LTE s5 on straight talk, unlocked phone.. In the US.. I've read that you don't want the H model but the F model... But i also read some people on amazon have a lot of trouble with that.. With it mostly resorting to h+. Obviously I want to avoid that because I wouldn't want to buy a new phone only to be able to use half of its network features..
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I bought the T-Mobile S5, unlocked it and have used it on both Straight Talk GSM plans with no issues.
Related
I'm looking to buy an S4 unlocked to use with straight talk, but I'm not sure if I should go with the i9505 or the i337. I've read where some people say the AT&T version will have lots of updates, which will slow down the performance of the phone, and that it can not be rooted. On the other hand, the i9505 will not have 4g LTE. I'm undecided on which one to choose. I could deal with not having LTE speeds if I absolutely had to, and I want to have the option to root my phone if I decide to. Can anyone confirm if this info is correct, and based on what I want out of the phone which one I should get?
r0xy100.77 said:
I'm looking to buy an S4 unlocked to use with straight talk, but I'm not sure if I should go with the i9505 or the i337. I've read where some people say the AT&T version will have lots of updates, which will slow down the performance of the phone, and that it can not be rooted. On the other hand, the i9505 will not have 4g LTE. I'm undecided on which one to choose. I could deal with not having LTE speeds if I absolutely had to, and I want to have the option to root my phone if I decide to. Can anyone confirm if this info is correct, and based on what I want out of the phone which one I should get?
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Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 have 4G LTE.
I know it has LTE capabilities, but the way I understood it was it just wouldn't work in the US?
So im with AT&T and im planning on getting the Note 4. I dont want the att version with all the bloatware. Do I have any options without changing carriers?
10pmStalker said:
So im with AT&T and im planning on getting the Note 4. I dont want the att version with all the bloatware. Do I have any options without changing carriers?
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All the carriers install their own bloatware, and eventually a guide will turn up on here on how you can remove the bloatware anyhow.
10pmStalker said:
So im with AT&T and im planning on getting the Note 4. I dont want the att version with all the bloatware. Do I have any options without changing carriers?
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A. Buy an international version outright
B. Root and remove the bloat with Titanium Backup
C. Root and install a baked version of TouchWiz ROM with all the bloat already removed.
Those are your options and those are ALL of them.
10pmStalker said:
So im with AT&T and im planning on getting the Note 4. I dont want the att version with all the bloatware. Do I have any options without changing carriers?
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I think the best option is said to be T-Mobile - phones work on (most) AT&T bands and their phones are also do not have the locked bootloader that AT&T has.
Also you might want to look at US Cellular models and some of the Canadian unlocked versions - those tend to also have a lot of bands and are unlocked but might be launched later and might be harder to find in US.
Yup, the tmobile version is your best bet. The international version is a no go because it will be much slower data wise with no LTE. Plus carriers are moving to VoLTE. More info here. The same concept applies.
mircury said:
Plus carriers are moving to VoLTE. More info here. The same concept applies.
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I don't think the carriers are going to VoLTE in general(reading literally), because I think they want to go VoIP in general. Because they all going to support voice over wifi soon anyway, working seemlessly when you are in you home but with no or weak cell signal. It's just that anything less than LTE, the latency is too high for good quality VoIP. It's both marketing move and technical move. Moving all the voice on top of data in the LTE means they can convert all the existing cell tower to just support LTE and hopefully support LTEadvance soon. And since moving to VoLTE, it also means that it's technically a VoIP, and thus why wouldn't it works on wifi as well. Thus eliminate one of the people complain that they don't have good signal in the house. I personally don't use the phone to make call that much, so don't view this as too much negativity. I rather care about carrier that have signal everywhere else I go and don't have to keep looking for wifi.
I've got the AT&T s5 and I love it, but I'd love it MORE if I didn't have to worry about the locked bootloader. I'm tempted to get a Tmobile s5 and root that. Is anyone actually using a Tmobile s5 on AT&T service and if so, how good are the data speeds, is there anything that you can't do with the Tmobile on AT&T, for instance does surfing the web during a phone call work or not, that kind of thing. I very much appreciate any info on this. I know other Tmobile phones are working OK but I need to know obviously about the s5 in particular.
I do know that I will need to get an unlock code for it, no problem there, I do plan to install custom ROMs on it as well.
kettir said:
I've got the AT&T s5 and I love it, but I'd love it MORE if I didn't have to worry about the locked bootloader. I'm tempted to get a Tmobile s5 and root that. Is anyone actually using a Tmobile s5 on AT&T service and if so, how good are the data speeds, is there anything that you can't do with the Tmobile on AT&T, for instance does surfing the web during a phone call work or not, that kind of thing. I very much appreciate any info on this. I know other Tmobile phones are working OK but I need to know obviously about the s5 in particular.
I do know that I will need to get an unlock code for it, no problem there, I do plan to install custom ROMs on it as well.
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i think the answer is yes: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2730273
..
fffft said:
Yeah, there might be one or two. Thousand. Minimum.
G900T = G900A + two extra bands
Baseband works fine on either system
Lots of existing threads on the subject too
.
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LOL
I have been doing research and searching these forums for a few days now, I'm trying to not be one of those people who ask questions that have been answered. But at this point I'm at the end of the road.
I bought a Sprint Galaxy S4, model SPH-L720.
I unlocked it using this method Sprint Galaxy S IV SPH-L720 SIM Unlock Method
Reverted back to MDC baseband and all that good stuff, just as instructed. It seemed to have went well without a hitch.
My question now is:
I want to buy one of these Verizon 4G Sim Activation Kits from walmart
Is it possible that I can buy one of those, insert the SIM into my unlocked Sprint S4, and have a working phone? I ask because I don't want to drop $50 if it doesn't have a chance of working. The instructions for this say that it will work with a VERIZON S4, but since my SPRINT S4 is unlocked, should that be okay?
I don't know much, but in my reading I found that Sprint and Verizon both use CDMA, not GSM. So I figured I had a better chance of this phone working if I go with Verizon because of this.
I am in the United States.
If you need any other information or screen shots please let me know, thank you for taking the time to help me out!!
EDIT: would it be possible to test it out, if one of my friends has a verizon phone under contract, and I took their SIM and inserted it into my phone?
Try it.
Like the guy above me said. Try it. One way to find out. Personally I don't think it would work. As the whole point of unlocking the sprint Gs4 is to use it on GSM networks. From what I know you have to flash the sprint phone to Verizon. Plus you WONT get LTE on Verizon because the bands are not supported. So you'll only get 3g.
daniel4653 said:
Like the guy above me said. Try it. One way to find out. Personally I don't think it would work. As the whole point of unlocking the sprint Gs4 is to use it on GSM networks. From what I know you have to flash the sprint phone to Verizon. Plus you WONT get LTE on Verizon because the bands are not supported. So you'll only get 3g.
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thank you for the info! i'm just learning about all of this, so i don't have a firm grip on everything yet.
in the tutorial i used and linked above, the file I used with Odin was actually titled "S4 Flasher", so I believe I unlocked it and flashed it with this? Again, Im sorry, Ive tried searching and am just looking for verification if Im correct.
I'm not worried about LTE, 3G is fine really. Also, I'm not set on Verizon, I just want my phone to work, doesn't matter what network I'm using. If it would be "safer" or a better bet to get into a GSM prepaid, I will do that instead. I was just under the assumption (incorrectly probably lol) that since sprint is CDMA, that going to another CDMA carrier would be easier.
Cricket, Net10, StraightTalk, and AT&T etc are all available at the store I think if I go GSM
Again thanks for taking the time to help everyone!
Galaxy330 said:
thank you for the info! i'm just learning about all of this, so i don't have a firm grip on everything yet.
in the tutorial i used and linked above, the file I used with Odin was actually titled "S4 Flasher", so I believe I unlocked it and flashed it with this? Again, Im sorry, Ive tried searching and am just looking for verification if Im correct.
I'm not worried about LTE, 3G is fine really. Also, I'm not set on Verizon, I just want my phone to work, doesn't matter what network I'm using. If it would be "safer" or a better bet to get into a GSM prepaid, I will do that instead. I was just under the assumption (incorrectly probably lol) that since sprint is CDMA, that going to another CDMA carrier would be easier.
Cricket, Net10, StraightTalk, and AT&T etc are all available at the store I think if I go GSM
Again thanks for taking the time to help everyone!
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I unlocked my sprint GS4 and went to Cricket. And I've been happier than when i was with Sprint (service wise). I have signal in 98% of the places I go to. Which is a HUGE improvement over sprint. And even though this phone only connects to HSPA+ which is capped at 3.5 Mbps its plenty fast for all my daily activities. So I recommend a GSM prepaid.
Hi guys, new here. Used the place a lot when i needed help, then decided to make a account.
Anyway, i couldnt find a Straight Talk galaxy s4 specific forum so i figured the main s4 forum is where i should post this.
I have 2 Straight talk galaxy s4's i bought new, and im currently in cricket. Well i need to replace my old CDMA s4 with a new GSM one. The straight talk s4's i got are the ATT tower versions. Now, when i put a att or gsm cricket sim in, they say invalid sim. But read att sims fine. If i put the straight talk or gsm cricket sim in a att phone.. Theyre read fine. Which i dont understand. So my question is, can i flash a ATT stock touchwiz rom to them via odin to make them read the att and cricket sim's? Id just try it but dont want to brick them, figured i would ask first in case somebody already tried.
Both phones are identical. Specs are:
16gb black Straight talk galaxy s4
Model No: SM-S975L(GP)
Android 4.3
Touchwiz, un rooted, brand new barely even been powered on.
Thanks!
Current Straight Talk S4 units use T-Mobile towers, not AT&T. Flashing a new ROM won't make them read the SIM cards you're trying to use, and for the Straight Talk S4 will likely hard brick it. Your phones need to be carrier unlocked, which only Straight Talk, at their discretion, can do. As multiple users here have discovered, purchasing an unlock code does not permanently unlock the S4 and half the time doesn't even work.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Current Straight Talk S4 units use T-Mobile towers, not AT&T. Flashing a new ROM won't make them read the SIM cards you're trying to use, and for the Straight Talk S4 will likely hard brick it. Your phones need to be carrier unlocked, which only Straight Talk, at their discretion, can do. As multiple users here have discovered, purchasing an unlock code does not permanently unlock the S4 and half the time doesn't even work.
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Thanks for the reply!
I didnt think it would work but figured it couldnt hurt to ask. I'll contact straight talk, however from what ive hward they usually wont unlock phones. But, ill try. Thank you!