Database Users

Is the 8525 SIMLocked from Cingular?

I have read a lot of contridicting messages, but I can't seem to find my SunCom simcard to test it. So, was the 8525 locked when it was released?

Yes I believe it is definitely sim unlocked out of the box.. One thing I never understood is flashing the patched radio to take away the sim lock. What radio version is it, or does it just patch your current radio?

So I can use a tmobile simcard without flashing the unlocking radio, right?

I actually bought one a few months ago, and it was locked.

See, this is what I was talking about, lol.

I JUST bought one off ebay, it's virtually new, no usage.
It would not work with my TMobile sim card, however, grab the sim-unlock software, 10 minutes later I was using it with tmobile... the lock is a NON-issue really.
Within an hour, I had my 8525 unlocked and had my new full blown WinMobile 6 rom all set and customized and on my exchange server and everything... with TMobile... piece of cake.

EVERY cingular/at&t branded phone is locked PERIOD they NEVER released a phone that was unlocked how ever as stated above that is no issue at all as it can be unlocked easy

[Q] Help with Galaxy S5 carrier and bootloader unlocking?

So I am going to buy a probably used Galaxy S5, most likely from Swappa.com and I am going to activate it with Metro PCS, which is a GSM carrier, so I know I need a GSM carrier GS5, like from AT&T or T-Mobile. I did a bit of googling and I only ended up with more questions... Are the AT&T and T Mobile versions of the GS5 carrier locked? From what I read online, the ATT is locked and the Tmobile is unlocked, but I cant be certain from the couple forum posts I could only find. If the phone is already unlocked, I can just bring it into the Metro PCS store and activate it, right?
Now, what if it is locked? Can I carrier unlock it myself? How do I do that? Do I really need to buy an unlock code online? Seems kinda sketchy to buy these codes from random unlocking sites, but if I have to...? Also, can I have it unlocked by Metro PCS or T-Mobile or ATT?
Next part of my question is about the bootloader. Again, I did some research, but found only one relatively... relevant forum post. So I come here for direct help. I was chatting with AT&T tech support on their site asking about the bootloader.
Anyways, ATT told me the bootloader on their GS5's are encrypted locked. What about TMobiles version? Supposedly if they are encrypted, there is near to no chance of really getting that unlocked. Although, if they are not encrypted, would they be able to be unlocked? I have no idea about T-Mobile having a locked bootloader or not.
Lastly, has the bootlader been unlocked already for any GS5? I ask because ive seen some GS5's with custom ROM's and launchers and stuff, but last I heard, they were still locked.

You didn't do much "research" via Google or searching this forum or you'd already have the answers your are looking for. These questions have been asked and answered innumerable times.
Very few carriers other than ATT and Verizon lock bootloaders. TMB's bootloader is not locked. Generally speaking, TMB model has the most GSM bands and is arguably the most desirable model but you need to check whether those include the bands you need with the carrier you plan to use. Do that by checking and comparing the bands that both carriers use or simply find out what S5 model your carrier uses itself.
Most phones, incuding TMB, ATT, et al are SIM locked. But you can easily get a third party vendor to provide an unlock code for about $20 and thereafter use it on another carrier.
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fffft said:
You didn't do much "research" via Google or searching this forum or you'd already have the answers your are looking for. These questions have been asked and answered innumerable times.
Very few carriers other than ATT and Verizon lock bootloaders. TMB's bootloader is not locked. Generally speaking, TMB model has the most GSM bands and is arguably the most desirable model but you need to check whether those include the bands you need with the carrier you plan to use. Do that by checking and comparing the bands that both carriers use or simply find out what S5 model your carrier uses itself.
Most phones, incuding TMB, ATT, et al are SIM locked. But you can easily get a third party vendor to provide an unlock code for about $20 and thereafter use it on another carrier.
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Sorry, this is just totally new to me. Ive never had an android device other than a Nexus 7 I was gifted that i hardly use. Ive never even had a smartphone, so Ive had to find and absorb all this info about rooting, bootloaders, unlocking. Its been kinda mind boggling. So in the meantime after I posted this I pieced together this info.. I hope I am corrrect:
-AT&T and Verizon have been locking their bootloaders for a while and everyone hates them for that
-Any GSM carrier phone can be unlocked to work with any other GSM carrier
-CDMA cannot be unlocked at all
Kinda iffy on this one, not 100% sure... -Rooting is the same as unlocking the bootloader. If the bootloader is not encrypted, the phone can be rooted and custom ROM's/recoveries can be installed.
-Supposedly Verizon and AT&T GS5's can now be rooted... (cant link to outisde links, but just search "How to Root ANY Samsung Galaxy S5 Variant (Even AT&T & Verizon) in 20 Seconds Flat" and its the first link.
Based off this new info I have gathered... I want a T-Mobile GS5 (or AT&T if they can in fact be rooted and have custom ROM's installed on them). I will have to carrier unlock it myself unless it is already unlocked (someone on Swappa.com says they are selling a "factory unlocked" T-Mobile GS5 for $480, so I guess T-Mobile also sells carrier unlocked versions). I will unlock it using a code from theunlockingcompany website for $40 (seems like a steep price, but supposedly its the best site to use). I will then unlock it with the code which should take a couple minutes after I get the code, code taking up to 5 hours to arrive in my email. I will then have to take it in store to Metro PCS (hopefully I can do it online too if I order the SIM card online to ship to me for $10) to have it activated with them and get service. Then it should be activated, have my phone number, have cell and data service, paid/pay $40 a month. All is well in the world.
Is that info I discovered above true, what about the steps I should go through in the last section, above?

DannyDee15 said:
Is that info I discovered above true
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I wouldn't know where to begin. Yes, a TMB phone is ideal IMO for ATT because it covers all of the ATT frequencies and then some, plus has an unlocked bootloader. Most of the rest you have wrong.
Any GSM carrier phone can be unlocked to work with any other GSM carrier
No. You can unlock phones, but models will seldom work well on a different carriers frequency allotment.
CDMA cannot be unlocked at all
Not true.
Rooting is the same as unlocking the bootloader.
They are not the same thing.
If the bootloader is not encrypted, the phone can be rooted
Not correct. You can root phones with locked (encrypted) bootloaders.
Supposedly Verizon and AT&T GS5's can now be rooted
Almost any Android with a pre-June6th firmware build can be rooted.
so I guess T-Mobile also sells carrier unlocked versions
Nope.
I don't know how you managed to adopt so much misinformation. I can only assume that you haven't done much reading yet and /or made a lot of assumptions. You should read some of the sticky posts to get a better general understanding of how everything fits together. Then you can pose more informed questions.
It has nothing to do with being new to smartphones. You just thought that it was easier to ask than to do a proper search or puzzle out a few confusing points. It would be in your own best interests to do some reading, but whether you do or not is entirely up to you.
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TELUS return to stock

I want to start by saying how much I loved my Note3, it is an amazing phone, and has done a lot for me in the time I've had it. That said, I've recently upgraded to a Note4, and it's time to part with the Note3. I always root my phones, and put roms on them, and all of that, but before selling it, I want to revert it back to a fully "stock" configuration. Ideally I want the next owner to be able to start fresh, and even get updates if/when they become available.
The phone came from TELUS, and, as far as I know, is still locked to that provider (I haven't checked, but neither have I done anything to change that)
I found a couple of supposed "TELUS" firmwares that I flashed via ODIN, however in each case when I booted the phone up, I was surprised to see Bell pre-installed apps, and not TELUS. Now I understand that Bell and TELUS phones are the same except for the software, but the software is the important part here. If I'm selling the phone, someone is going to be mighty confused to buy a TELUS phone, that must be used on the TELUS network, but has all sorts of Bell garbage per-loaded. (even more so in that TELUS pre-loads less bloat on their phones than Bell does)
So, does anyone have a source for an actual TELUS image I can put on this thing? (not a Bell one labelled for TELUS)

AT&T claims to unlock their SIM locked device for US networks only, but not Europe?

AT&T claims to unlock their SIM locked device for US networks only, but not Europe?
Hi people, I'm new in US Samsung models world, so I have a couple of burning questions.
Long story short, my friend lives in US, has bought AT&T S7 Edge last year off contract, paid the device fully, so in theory he should be free from their will, except the device being SIM locked to AT&T. Now he has S8, and wants to send me his S7 Edge here in Europe, however upon contacting them about removing the lock, they have claimed that at least a year has to expire from the day of purchase for the phone to be fully unlocked and used globally, and as for now, they can only unlock the phone from their network so it can be used (on all networks) in US only, but it can't be used in Europe (until a year expires which they indicated).
Now, from my very limited knowledge I smell BS here, since only thing they can do is block the usage of certain bands through their software thus limiting usage of the device across all networks, but that can be avoided by flashing a fresh firmware, or better yet U firmware, since I've read that its Samsungs firmware with unlocked bands for a global use.
So, as long as there is hardware capability, they can't limit it really permanently, or for certain amount off time if you bypass that with U global firmware.
Or am I wrong here? Is unlocking through 3rd party websites better solution?

Cirra92 said:
Hi people, I'm new in US Samsung models world, so I have a couple of burning questions.
Long story short, my friend lives in US, has bought AT&T S7 Edge last year off contract, paid the device fully, so in theory he should be free from their will, except the device being SIM locked to AT&T. Now he has S8, and wants to send me his S7 Edge here in Europe, however upon contacting them about removing the lock, they have claimed that at least a year has to expire from the day of purchase for the phone to be fully unlocked and used globally, and as for now, they can only unlock the phone from their network so it can be used (on all networks) in US only, but it can't be used in Europe (until a year expires which they indicated).
Now, from my very limited knowledge I smell BS here, since only thing they can do is block the usage of certain bands through their software thus limiting usage of the device across all networks, but that can be avoided by flashing a fresh firmware, or better yet U firmware, since I've read that its Samsungs firmware with unlocked bands for a global use.
So, as long as there is hardware capability, they can't limit it really permanently, or for certain amount off time if you bypass that with U global firmware.
Or am I wrong here? Is unlocking through 3rd party websites better solution?
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Click to collapse
1) As soon as the phone is paid off (no balance owed) and you have been a customer in good standing for either 2 months (post-paid) or 6 months (pre-paid) you can request a SIM unlock code. Yes, this is BS, but it is what it is. Note that it is important to do SIM unlocking BEFORE removing your old device from your account, as you will guarantee a bad time trying to do it afterward.
2) The SIM unlock is global and should allow any APN to be used with the device. AT&T doesn't really care where you use your unlocked device because T-mobile is just as much not AT&T as any European carrier.
3) If you can get it from AT&T for free, why not? Otherwise, get it where you can. So far, every time I have requested an unlock for an AT&T device I have had to escalate, and for some devices they don't even offer unlocks (AT&T branded hotspots, tablets, etc. aren't unlockable through AT&T)
4) Using U firmware doesn't help because it is the baseband processor (and related firmware) that handles network locking. Simply switching to unlocked software doesn't alter the baseband at all. Changing the modem/baseband firmware won't help EITHER, because that processor has it's own non-volatile storage. Carriers take SIM locking very seriously at a hardware level.

jshamlet said:
1) As soon as the phone is paid off (no balance owed) and you have been a customer in good standing for either 2 months (post-paid) or 6 months (pre-paid) you can request a SIM unlock code. Yes, this is BS, but it is what it is. Note that it is important to do SIM unlocking BEFORE removing your old device from your account, as you will guarantee a bad time trying to do it afterward.
2) The SIM unlock is global and should allow any APN to be used with the device. AT&T doesn't really care where you use your unlocked device because T-mobile is just as much not AT&T as any European carrier.
3) If you can get it from AT&T for free, why not? Otherwise, get it where you can. So far, every time I have requested an unlock for an AT&T device I have had to escalate, and for some devices they don't even offer unlocks (AT&T branded hotspots, tablets, etc. aren't unlockable through AT&T)
4) Using U firmware doesn't help because it is the baseband processor (and related firmware) that handles network locking. Simply switching to unlocked software doesn't alter the baseband at all. Changing the modem/baseband firmware won't help EITHER, because that processor has it's own non-volatile storage. Carriers take SIM locking very seriously at a hardware level.
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Click to collapse
1) All those conditions have been met, so there shouldn't be a problem about requesting SIM unlock code, and they did say the phone can be unlocked and be SIM free but it will work on US networks only, and not on European, until 1 year expires.
2) Since the G935A has GSM 2G bands and HSDPA 3G bands, it is already compatible with European bands, or specifically with bands on my carrier here, I don't see how are they going to unlock it to work on US networks but not on EU, that's what confused me. SIM unlock should be global that is how it goes anyway.
3) Yeah that's what I thought, but since they mention limiting the unlock (if it is possible) for US usage only (maybe tampering with the device in hand) it might be better to go for 3rd party unlock.
4) Thanks for the explanation, that seems serious, not sure why so serious though.
Anyway as a conclusion, since both 2G and 3G bands match with my carrier's, if they do unlock the device (AT&T) it should work in EU, despite their claims that it won't for a year? How would they "unlock" it after a year when the device is not in their hands :S
I suggested to my friend to request a code through 3rd party anyway, unlock it and send me the device, since he was already pissed off with the response from AT&T.

New problem with Verizon and Axon 7

I was on the old Verizon unlimited plan with a Samsung Galaxy S5 when i bought the Axon 7. To switch devices i just took the sim out of the S5 and put it in the Axon and everything worked. That was 6 months ago. Today i switched to Verizon's new unlimited plan and they can't activate this phone. I've been on the phone with their tech support all afternoon and they can't do it. I'm on B25 7.1.1 stock. Has anybody gone through something like this? Please give me some advice if you have. Thank you in advance for any info anybody might have.

they definitely cannot activate the axon 7. it was never approved for use on their network. (thanks verizon) so i havent gone through that exactly, but before i bootloader unlocked and switched to Res Remix ROMs, i had to set up the phone from factory reset with an unactivated att sim inserted. then use wifi to set everything up. once that is done, power off, pop out GSM sim, put in Verizon sim, and reboot. network should work then. this has to be repeated every so often, when network goes from Verizon Wireless to 000000... total pain, but then again, verizon never approved axon 7, which i knew when i bought it. if you arent concerned about warranty, then boot loader unlocking and flashing custom is an immediate and permanent fix. This is the one Achilles heel of the Axon 7 imho. great device with several great devs if custom and root are in your vocabulary. hope that helps to some extent.

kitcostantino said:
they definitely cannot activate the axon 7. it was never approved for use on their network. (thanks verizon) so i havent gone through that exactly, but before i bootloader unlocked and switched to Res Remix ROMs, i had to set up the phone from factory reset with an unactivated att sim inserted. then use wifi to set everything up. once that is done, power off, pop out GSM sim, put in Verizon sim, and reboot. network should work then. this has to be repeated every so often, when network goes from Verizon Wireless to 000000... total pain, but then again, verizon never approved axon 7, which i knew when i bought it. if you arent concerned about warranty, then boot loader unlocking and flashing custom is an immediate and permanent fix. This is the one Achilles heel of the Axon 7 imho. great device with several great devs if custom and root are in your vocabulary. hope that helps to some extent.
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Thanks for the fast reply. What happened was that they turned the sim card off to switch plans and the sim has to be attached to a phone and they couldn't get their system to do that because it's not an approved device. 4 different people yesterday in 2 depts couldn't do it. So i called today to delete my account with them and this person knew something the other 4 didn't. She attached the sim to a previous phone i had, the S5 and wahla sim card activated. Also yesterday one of them said they're going to submit some form to another dept with my device imei and iccid numbers and that they can force their system to approve my device. I don't know what that was about. But i've been with them for over 10 years and i was going to cancel them today. I've noticed them being nicer now that they have a formidable competitor in T-Mobile. Btw i am bootloader unlocked, twrp recovery and rooted. Thanks again!!

Res Remix works with no issues once your sim is functional. most of the other roms work fine as well. the only annoyance left is having to set up on wifi, despite having a sim in. Glad VZW is realizing other carriers have something to offer. ive been a customer for 15 years now. Glad they did right by you.

kitcostantino said:
Res Remix works with no issues once your sim is functional. most of the other roms work fine as well. the only annoyance left is having to set up on wifi, despite having a sim in. Glad VZW is realizing other carriers have something to offer. ive been a customer for 15 years now. Glad they did right by you.
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I tried Lineage on my Axon and i've tried different roms since my first Android, the Motorola Droid but they always have some kind of issue. For one reason or another i always end up going back to stock after trying out the rom for a couple of days.