UPDATE - I was able to track down the following link for the modem that is supposed to be used in the LTE version. This would give credit to the information that tech support gave me. If this is correct, the modem is completely accessible at the software level. HELL YEAH! Now here is the link.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/i500-cellular-modems-products.html
I originally called Nvidia tech support back on July 17th, 2014 to see if the LTE version would support GSM voice calling seeing as how it is factory unlocked and compatible with both AT&T and T-Mobile. They would not tell me if the phone restriction in the US was locked down by hardware or software at that time and that I would have to call back once the tablet officially hit the market.
I called today and was AMAZED when the tech told me very honestly that the restriction was at the software level. I then asked, if I were to root the device without unlocking the bootloader, and then use a different framework to expose the dialer and phone settings, would I be able to achieve making phone calls over a GSM connection....................... HE SAID YES!!!!!!
Again, being very forthcoming and stating exactly what I wanted to do, he assured me that this can be done by altering JUST the software, it is not locked down at a hardware level like the uh...cough, cough... Nexus 7 LTE. As usual, rooting MAY void the warranty....BUT he said that doing something like this would be looked at on a case by case basis for determining if these actions would indeed void the warranty. Encouraging, as he did not flat out say, if you mess something up...enjoy your new paperweight!
Praise the lord... I know not everyone needs or wants a tablet that can make calls, but if I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone, and have a way to make the 30 minutes of calls that I do per month through BLUETOOTH (don't start the whole holding a tablet to your head is stupid argument) while only carrying an awesome performing tablet, than that is fine for me.
Now to just wait for the LTE model to arrive to market and then see if any BADASS DEVELOPER can share with me how to modify the framework to expose that dialer!
Mods... just realized that I posted this to Q&A instead of General, please move if necessary.
jdmadonna said:
I originally called Nvidia tech support back on July 17th, 2014 to see if the LTE version would support GSM voice calling seeing as how it is factory unlocked and compatible with both AT&T and T-Mobile. They would not tell me if the phone restriction in the US was locked down by hardware or software at that time and that I would have to call back once the tablet officially hit the market.
I called today and was AMAZED when the tech told me very honestly that the restriction was at the software level. I then asked, if I were to root the device without unlocking the bootloader, and then use a different framework to expose the dialer and phone settings, would I be able to achieve making phone calls over a GSM connection....................... HE SAID YES!!!!!!
Again, being very forthcoming and stating exactly what I wanted to do, he assured me that this can be done by altering JUST the software, it is not locked down at a hardware level like the uh...cough, cough... Nexus 7 LTE. As usual, rooting MAY void the warranty....BUT he said that doing something like this would be looked at on a case by case basis for determining if these actions would indeed void the warranty. Encouraging, as he did not flat out say, if you mess something up...enjoy your new paperweight!
Praise the lord... I know not everyone needs or wants a tablet that can make calls, but if I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone, and have a way to make the 30 minutes of calls that I do per month through BLUETOOTH (don't start the whole holding a tablet to your head is stupid argument) while only carrying an awesome performing tablet, than that is fine for me.
Now to just wait for the LTE model to arrive to market and then see if any BADASS DEVELOPER can share with me how to modify the framework to expose that dialer!
Mods... just realized that I posted this to Q&A instead of General, please move if necessary.
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That is very good news. I really like this tablet, but I will upgrade for the larger storage size and the ability to make a few changes and be able to use it as a phone when needed as well.
Speaking of the lte version, does anyone have confirmation its is T-Mobile and attack ONLY as I was looking at the listed cell bands and it does list the bands that others carriers use as being compatible though I saw no mention of what the actual radio chip set is (so its feasible that it isn't gsm only hardware wise)
Sent from my SHIELD using Tapatalk
See my updated op. You might like what you find.
According to the Nvidia Shield Tablet FAQ, there are 3 versions of the LTE tablet, only one of which supports voice. Unfortunately, the LTE bands that model supports do not appear to be the ones T-Mobile or AT&T use in the U.S.A.
Hopefully the lack of voice support on the other models will be a software restriction that can be fixed by the developer community here.
From http://shield.nvidia.com/tablet-faq
>>
WHAT CELLULAR NETWORKS DOES THE SHIELD TABLET LTE SUPPORT?There are three versions of SHIELD tablet LTE. There is a North American version that works on AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers on LTE bands 2, 4, 5, 7, and 17 and HSPA bands 1, 2, 4, 5.There is a second International version that works on popular European and Asian networks. It supports LTE bands 3, 7, 20 and HSPA+ bands 1, 2, 5, 8. The third version also works on popular International carriers, in addition to including voice support on compatible networks. It supports LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 20 and HSPA+ bands 1, 2, 5, 8. Check with your favorite carrier to verify coverage in your area.DOES THE SHIELD TABLET LTE SUPPORT VOICE?There is a version of the international SKU that supports voice on compatible networks, available for purchase in select regions.<<
i want to upgrade my phone and i intend to do exactly as you did .but i'd like to know does the shield tablet have an inner top speaker ? meaning if i want to put it on my ear directly to make a phone call . wouldn't everyone surrounding me hear what the other party on the end of the line is saying to me ?
what would you do about that ? i really need an answer about this matter because it's the only thing stopping me from getting this tablet
Thanks for the great news and just what I had been waiting to have clarified. Presently I am using the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 P6800 which has phone capabilities.
My telephone use is very light, texting gets more usage, and I have no interest in carrying two devices. Generally I make phone calls using the speakerphone but if I ever have to take a call in a public place then I hold the tablet to my ear. Just for the record and for those who are paranoid self obsessed, nobody ever notices that my phone is 7.7", let alone point fingers at me
My brother is a heavy mobile phone user and he has a Tab 7.7" also and he will never revert to a small screen phone either.
The UK release date for the LTE version is 2nd September which is close to my birthday so I wonder what Santa will bring
This is an excellent move by Nvidia, they deserve to have outstanding success with the Shield Tablet.
In the meantime I am watching the WiFi and cracked casing threads to see how Nvidia are responding, I wouldn't be surprised if the release date is delayed while those issues are addressed.
Same situation as rebski/ I got a tab 7.7 too...
But unfortunately the shield tablet looks quite heavy, 390 grams with 8"... And doesn't have a notification led/ or an amoled screen ( on my tab 7.7, I use NoLed)
But all the ports are very useful.... Quite a dilemma with the tab Style 8.4 (290 grams)
Pre-order or wait?
So I'm looking to replace my nexus 5 with an nvidia shield... This will be my first time using a tablet as a phone. I'm rather nervous about dropping the extra hundo (100$) on a tablet when there is a chance that I wouldn't be able to use it as a replacement for my phone, sure its the best looking tablet on the US market right now and lets be honest, i'd happily drop 300$ on the none LTE version but I don't want to drop the extra money if this wont work. What do you guys think are the probability of being able to use this as a phone replacement and even if it is not capable of LTE voice in the US market is there a reasonable workaround the can be done to be able to use the tablet as a phone?
What do you guys think are the probability of being able to use this as a phone replacement and even if it is not capable of LTE voice in the US market is there a reasonable workaround the can be done to be able to use the tablet as a phone?
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It seems like it should be possible but much may depend on location and carrier technology. But I supect that we may have to expend some cash and time in order to get it to work even in those areas where the capability seems certain. In short it probably won't make calls straight out of the box but we shall know more once the LTE models are shipped.
http://shield.nvidia.co.uk/tablet-faq/
"DOES THE SHIELD TABLET LTE SUPPORT VOICE?
There is a version of the international SKU that supports voice on compatible networks, available for purchase in select regions."
Sorry if my opinion is so vague but Nvidia themselves are not at all clear on the point.The next couple of weeks should bring some clarification and answers.
I am assuming that many people will buy the 32Gb version regardless but I will only buy it if it makes phone calls.
rebski said:
It seems like it should be possible but much may depend on location and carrier technology. But I supect that we may have to expend some cash and time in order to get it to work even in those areas where the capability seems certain. In short it probably won't make calls straight out of the box but we shall know more once the LTE models are shipped.
"DOES THE SHIELD TABLET LTE SUPPORT VOICE?
There is a version of the international SKU that supports voice on compatible networks, available for purchase in select regions."
Sorry if my opinion is so vague but Nvidia themselves are not at all clear on the point.The next couple of weeks should bring some clarification and answers.
I am assuming that many people will buy the 32Gb version regardless but I will only buy it if it makes phone calls.
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I got mine LTE the other day and the msg that pops up is "Calls are not supported" when using a dialer.
Live in Sweden btw
Congratulations on getting the device. That is disappointing not to have voice calls straightaway. I have been looking closely at the photos on some recent LTE reviews and they don't have the phone icon. So what is this SKU that is supposed to be available for purchase I wonder? No doubt we will find out shortly. In the meantime enjoy your tablet.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk
rebski said:
Congratulations on getting the device. That is disappointing not to have voice calls straightaway. I have been looking closely at the photos on some recent LTE reviews and they don't have the phone icon. So what is this SKU that is supposed to be available for purchase I wonder? No doubt we will find out shortly. In the meantime enjoy your tablet.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk
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Got this reply from Support today.
Thank you for the update.
I checked this case further & the current Shield tablet you have purchased with the P/N 940-81761-2505-200 is for “SHIELD tablet LTE Europe (EU / UK Adaptor)” which is data only and no Voice feature supported.
For voice you would need to go for SHIELD tablet Voice (E.U. Adaptor) - which is not yet released. Hope this helps.
Best Regards
NVIDIA Customer Care
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Thanks for the information. Nvidia is making this harder that it seemingly need be. They should have clarified this from the outset . I think that the sum total of the issues with this device means that I shall look to the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet as my likely next device.
I hope that you were not completely counting on making phone calls, if so then this is a bummer bombshell for you.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk
rebski said:
In the meantime I am watching the WiFi and cracked casing threads to see how Nvidia are responding, I wouldn't be surprised if the release date is delayed while those issues are addressed.
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I bought the Wifi version and had to return it due to the Wifi issue. It's widely known and posted in Geo Force forum (NVidia own forum site) and no response from NVidia.
As much as I like the Shield Tablet, if NVidia won't fix it, I won't buy it.
I completely share your views. When this device was first announced I couldn't wait to buy one, so it is despondent to watch the enthusiasm evaporate. Also disappointing as I had expected much more from Nvidia. Isn't there a 64 bit version on the drawing board? Perhaps with the Shield Mark II they will get it right.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk
rebski said:
Thanks for the information. Nvidia is making this harder that it seemingly need be. They should have clarified this from the outset . I think that the sum total of the issues with this device means that I shall look to the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet as my likely next device.
I hope that you were not completely counting on making phone calls, if so then this is a bummer bombshell for you.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk
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The idea was to replace my phone so yeah i was, started the process to return the device until i can grab one knowing i can make phone calls.
Other than this i havnt had any issues with either battery, wifi or cracked edges even the buttons feels different compared to 16gb version.
I simply love the tablet but doesnt help if i can only text people lol
Ill stick to my old broken phone until they get this sorted and get a new tablet then
Email from nvidia
Today I had the following response from nvidia support:
"Thank you for your patience, please note The LTE comes in 2 types DATA only and DATA + Voice. Unfortunately the DATA + Voice is not yet released."
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...followed by:
"I certainly understand that many of user are looking for the NVIDIA Shield DATA + Voice version. Unfortunately we do not have any update yet, however, we suggest you to keep in touch with NVIDIA/GeForce.com website for latest updates regarding new upcoming."
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AnyOldName said:
Today I had the following response from nvidia support:
...followed by:
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Well that leaves 2 options then, Return it and wait for the voice version or keep it and wait for their adapter
I recently had a conversation with Nvidia regarding voice support on LTE devices in the United States. Here is what they had to say (names removed to protect privacy)...
Hello ----,
Thank you for contacting NVIDIA Customer Care.
My name is ----- and I will be assisting with your query.
From your e-mail, I understand that you would like to know, if the SHIELD Tablet LTE (USA/International) version supports voice.
I would like to inform you that the North American version of the SHIELD Tablet LTE doesn't support voice calls.
There are 2 International versions of SHIELD tablet LTE :
1. International version that works on popular European and Asian networks. It supports LTE bands 3, 7, 20 and HSPA+ bands 1, 2, 5, 8.
2. This also works on popular International carriers, in addition to including voice support on compatible networks. It supports LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 20 and HSPA+ bands 1, 2, 5, 8.
Hence, there is no International version that supports voice calls on LTE band 4 and/or HSPA band 4.
Please let me know, if this information was helpful. In case, if you have any further questions, please reply to this e-mail, so that I can assist you further.
Looking forward for your update.
Best Regards,
-----
NVIDIA Customer Care
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seriously.. you'd think that after you pay full price for an unbranded S7 Edge from Samsung you'd get 'access' to Nougat before more carriers since hey, it's already almost vanilla android and has no carrier bloatware? nope.. zero timeline for us.. here's my latest twitter chain w/SamsungUS Support.. it's almost comical.
https://twitter.com/jimmyselix/status/830191588307501056
can others perhaps chime in on twitter to get the point across?
Samsung doesn't care because they prioritize their new flagships
true.. but i will wear them down..
Back when droid was still a fledgling OS trying to compete fiercely against a few other competitors, the issue of Android updates and their delay came up very frequently as an argument against the OS. The basic bone to pick was that Android updates would rarely be rolled out to devices in a timely fashion. The problem gets even worse when you add in carriers to the picture, as most of the big telecoms insist on every update passing through them.
So the process that already took months added on more time delay, with the end result that updates would already be outdated by the time they reached the end user. The Android update situation has slightly improved in a few regards. For one, OEM flagships do get increased attention and accelerated update timelines nowadays, as OEMs try to retain their competitive edge for a few months after the device has launched.
Further, with the introduction of Android security patches as a separate update cycle distinct from the Android OS update, OEMs can incorporate patches and fixes for security vulnerabilities without needing to update the OS for the most part. This gives them more flexibility on how they can incorporate updates as they need not wait for an OS update to be ready just to push forth security patches. With security becoming a recent focus point (not to mention a pressing issue), a dual-pronged approach has worked out very well in favor of Google and BlackBerry doing their best in pushing out regular and timely security updates to supported devices.
Samsung has been doing a good job too, for the most part. Samsung’s Mobile Security Blog is updated periodically to display the latest information such as the Security Patch Bulletin for every month, in addition to the supported devices as well as information on Samsung-specific patches too. The effort is commendable and sets a good standard for the rest of the smartphone industry to follow.
However, what does not set a good standard is Samsung’s partiality against unlocked flagship devices in the USA.
Internationally and generally speaking, all unlocked variants of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge receive regular security updates. Experiences vary with some regions and users getting updates a week or two later than others, but on a general level, most flagships devices from Samsung are on a recent Security Patch.
But in the USA, if you purchased the carrier unlocked phones in the form of the S7 G930U model or S7 Edge G935U model, security updates on your device will come long after carrier variants receive theirs. This time delay extends on to months, as it has come to light that Samsung follows a quarterly update cycle for unlocked Galaxy devices. Users are reporting that the security patch level on unlocked devices is as old as September 2016. In contrast, some US carriers have already pushed the December 2016 carrier update and are in the process of rolling out January 2017 security patches.
To make things worse, the unlocked variants were also left out of the Nougat Beta test.
A primary reason on why the update cycles between the USA variants and the International variants of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge differ is simply because of difference in internal hardware. The International S7 and S7 Edge utilize the Exynos 8890 Octa SoC, while the USA variants of the same make use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC which has support for CDMA technology that US carriers continue to use. This creates a crucial difference between the two variants, and does not allow for easy comparison of update cycles.
On the other hand, there are no internal hardware differences between the carrier variants in the USA and the unlocked variants in the USA. So their update cycles are comparable due to similarity in hardware. Carrier variants would be expected to be updated slower because of the added middleman who needs to approve the update (i.e. add their own bloatware). But as mentioned, the scenario is quite the opposite!
It is unclear why exactly Samsung chooses to push security updates slower than carrier variants, while adopting a quarterly update cycle for unlocked variants elsewhere. One explanation could be carrier pressure or a collaboration arrangement, whereby Samsung promises to provide quicker updates at the insistence of the carrier. The other line of reasoning could be the low number of unlocked devices in the USA, which predominantly sees contract-based sales of smartphones across OEMs.
Either way, the end result is the same — users who purchased the phone at full retail are at a disadvantage against users who opted for a carrier-based contract. While unlocked users can enjoy their carrier-bloat free experience, they do so while staying on older Android versions and security patches.
With the upcoming Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, we hope Samsung clarifies on its security update policy. While they won’t give us our security update, they certainly can not take away our hope.
still fighting the good fight on twitter... anyone else got the S7 Edge update for the USA SM-G935U models? OTA so far has nothing. i'm done w/samsung unlocked phones; your better off going w/a factory branded one sadly... i plan to move back to either sony or apple depending on iphone announcements (however i will be holding onto s7 edge; it is an amazing phone overal still w/microsdxc and waterproofing and headphone jack).
so.. i think it's working.. finally are going to try to get monthly security updates to unlocked models of S7.. feel free to join the fight.. i will not linger!!
http://wccftech.com/samsung-monthly-security-updates-nougat-unlocked-galaxy-s7/
you rock! and get it!
Desterbance said:
Back when droid was still a fledgling OS trying to compete fiercely against a few other competitors, the issue of Android updates and their delay came up very frequently as an argument against the OS. The basic bone to pick was that Android updates would rarely be rolled out to devices in a timely fashion. The problem gets even worse when you add in carriers to the picture, as most of the big telecoms insist on every update passing through them......
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thank you!! i also do not see how the hell they can't release a proper unlocked nougat rom? what do they give say ATT? give us that and we can make it what it needs to be on our own. god i miss the modaco rom ovens they had for paid members; my nexus one rocked some seriously awesome custom backed stock roms
Everyone seems to have their own reason for the slow updates for the G930U and I'd like to chime in with mine. This is 100% speculation and I have no proof to back it up, so take it as such. In theory, the G930U should be updated faster as they have already had the OS updates compiled for the device and sent to the carriers for their individual updates. The carriers add all their bloat and remove features from the Samsung Vanilla update. The carriers have to do all their modifying before they release it, which can be time consuming. Since the OS is already complete before the carriers receive it for modifying, why does the Vanilla variant(G930U) take so long???
I believe firmware is the cause for the delays. The G930V firmware is designed to work great on Verizon, and Verizon doesn't care if it works well on T-Mobile, AT&T, or anyone else. The G930T is optimized for T-Mobile, and they don't care if it works well on Verizon or any others. However, the G930U is programmed to work on "ALL" carriers, so firmware has to work well across multiple carriers. I believe the delays in updates are from Samsung working out as many bugs across all the major carriers before releasing it.
I've come to this conclusion from being on U-firmware PEH, then PG9, and most recently PL2. I am on Verizon service and every update works much better than the last. I have heard the same thing from users on AT&T and T-Mobile. This could realistically be a cause for the slow updates, as they have to optimize the firmware to work across many services, whereas the carrier-specific variants are optimized to work on that one specific carrier.
Maybe I'm just being naive. Does anyone else see this as a viable reason for slower updates for the Vanilla device?
you have very good points and i think it could be, but what about the SM-G930F for example, this device is the international variant and is updated frequently across countries and carriers that use the same exact device. How can samsung update that device almost every month but the US unlocked one can only be updated quarterly? My speculation is that since the US had never had an unlocked samsung device, the US carriers didn't really like the idea of samsung selling an open device in their territory and so maybe they only way they would allow it was if samsung committed itself to quarterly updates for the unlocked S8 in the US. As you, i am also speculating but given the way US carriers work i don't think i may be wrong. i do know the carriers may want that the Unlocked version is optimized but i don't think that process takes months to do.
The 930F uses the Exynos processor, correct? If so, I'd suspect they have a lot more hurdles to jump on the G930U firmware with Qualcomm as another important party. The Exynos processor is made in house, so they don't need outside assistance.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 apparently originally a 930V. It purchased it from someone used in perfect condition, and it is running the Samsung stock AT&T firmware of 930U. The phone functions perfectly well, except for Wifi calling, HD Voice, and Number Sync with my Galaxy Gear S3 Frontier that I did purchase directly from AT&T. When I talked to the 'advanced' technical support, they looked up the IMEI of the phone and said, 'that IMEI is not shown as an AT&T branded phone as it is not in our database of devices sold by AT&T, therefore these services will not work.' Long story short, the Samsung Galaxy S7's are identical hardware, and it's running Samsung stock AT&T firmware. This means there is ZERO technical reason why these services won't work. They don't work simply because AT&T blocks them from working because the IMEI of my phone isn't in their database of phones they themselves have sold. So, they are literally blocking me from using services that I pay for because I didn't buy the phone from them, which is their way of trying to force me to purchase a phone from them. I filed a complaint with the FCC. They sent my complaint to AT&T, whereby I received an email from Misti Nations at the Office of the President for AT&T, who wanted to contact me to 'work towards a resolution.' Her definition of 'work towards a resolution' was to try to force me to buy a phone from them. Didn't try to debate at all on the merit of the complaint, didn't deny that there is zero technical reason it won't work, all she did was point to their terms of service agreement which says 'if you bring your own phone to AT&T, it is POSSIBLE that not all services will work correctly', which in her mind explains away my complaint. It does not. 'May not work' is far, far different than 'we will not allow to work.' So, I'm waiting to hear back from the FCC on this, just had the call with Misti this morning.
My opinion is we can't let carrier's block features simply because they don't like that the phone wasn't purchased from them. If they were allowing the services to attempt to function and they didn't, I wouldn't complain. I am PISSED because they are specifically preventing me from using services I am paying for, simply because they want to force me to buy a phone from them. We should NOT let AT&T (and others if they also follow this practice) to get away with either extortion, or pure laziness on their tech side (we don't want to allow it because who knows it MIGHT cause an issue, we're too lazy to check). So please, others in my boat that see this thread, also file a complaint with the FCC. Let's flood them and stop this extortionist practice by carriers!
No thanks: no evidence of "blocking" services or "forcing" purchases. You actually sound a bit nutz.
I have an original 930u on stock firmware. It lacks the software to make those features work along with all of the AT&T bloat. I believe the software for the true AT&T variant has and allows those options but it has not been able to be added to the U firmware.
Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
Other carriers do this all the time. I brought my ATT device to cricket and now I am not able to use wifi calling since it's not on their imei database to allow the feature to be turned on even though it would work no problem.
spasch said:
I have an original 930u on stock firmware. It lacks the software to make those features work along with all of the AT&T bloat. I believe the software for the true AT&T variant has and allows those options but it has not been able to be added to the U firmware.
Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
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I have the same phone, and can't use it in Southamerica. I think it's a AT&T model. I'm not interested in updating software or anything, just any stock rom available that it would make it work? Moderator Edit: NO IMEI talk on XDA I can't even root the phone with odin.
First off, make sure you have the right G930U AT&T firmware, not the unbranded one. Second of all, you're flashing different firmware and expecting them to accommodate you; that's LOL-worthy.