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Hi all!
Well Googled my a.. off but I can't seem to get a straight answer.
So here it goes:
- Will a phone with "bad ESN", which you see often on Ebay, work in Europe?
(assuming it is a world capable phone)
As I understand it, ESN is the only used in the US when the phone is used in Europe it uses a different antenna and makes use of the IMEI code. So in theory it should work, different systems. But I can't seem to find anyone who can confirm this without a shadow of doubt.
And lets not go into the discussion about the ethical or legal side of things, I just want to know if it will be a problem or not?
Cheers,
Martijn
If we're referring to the Droid Pro or any other global Verizon phone, the bad ESN is only "bad" on Verizon's network. Verizon doesn't share it's ESN information with other carriers around the world, so there would be no way for them to know the phone has a bad ESN on Verizon. People have been able to use Verizon phones with a bad ESN on Page Plus without any issues. Since I've never tried to use a global Verizon device with a bad ESN overseas with a local SIM card I can't say 100% for sure, but logic would cause one to assume that as long as the SIM slot is unlocked (because they come locked to the Verizon/Vodafone SIM card the phones ship with), it should work just fine on other GSM carriers that have supported bands (which is pretty much everyone around the world...except AT&T and T-Mobile in the US).
I have the Droid Pro with a bad ESN works fine in GSM networks. It also flashed CDMA module under local CDMA operator. EVDO works fine.
it works!
A friend ob Mine does use a Bad esn droid pro with vodafone sim in germany
[/B]QUOTE=m.dekoning9;16603551]Hi all!
Well Googled my a.. off but I can't seem to get a straight answer.
So here it goes:
- Will a phone with "bad ESN", which you see often on Ebay, work in Europe?
(assuming it is a world capable phone)
As I understand it, ESN is the only used in the US when the phone is used in Europe it uses a different antenna and makes use of the IMEI code. So in theory it should work, different systems. But I can't seem to find anyone who can confirm this without a shadow of doubt.
And lets not go into the discussion about the ethical or legal side of things, I just want to know if it will be a problem or not?
Cheers,
Martijn[/QUOTE]
Does a bad ESN necessarily mean that the phone was stolen? I always assumed that would be the only reason why a phone would have a bad ESN.
Also, If I purchase another phone and want to sell my Droid, does my droid pro have a "clean" ESN?
LeoBloom. said:
Does a bad ESN necessarily mean that the phone was stolen? I always assumed that would be the only reason why a phone would have a bad ESN.
Also, If I purchase another phone and want to sell my Droid, does my droid pro have a "clean" ESN?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stolen is one possibility. Another possibility is that the person who owned the phone didn't pay their bills, so the ESN of their phone was flagged.
Assuming you don't have anything outstanding on your account, your Droid Pro's ESN will be clean and clear for someone else to activate as soon as you activate a different phone on that line.
purchasing advice
Hi all - first post for me!
I'm in a position where I could do with some advice around buying a Droid Pro from the States. I have three options, and I'm struggling to find any definitive threads that allow me to buy with confidence using the first two options:
1) The cheapest (£100) is a bad ESN phone (unlocked).
I have asked the seller what the reason is for the bad ESN (He'll probably lie to me, but at least I have it in writing!) and whether he will accept a return if it won't work with a UK SIM.
The summary is from what I've read on here, it will work fine in the UK but I'm buggered if I ever venture to the USA. Fair enough I suppose.
Anyone got a view on selling the device on to someone like CEX in the future? Is it worth mentioning that it has a bad ESN in the states if I sell to a UK seller? (I think I know the moral answer to this already!)
2) Buy a used/locked Verizon phone (£150ish)and attempt to get it unlocked
I've read quite a few resources and from what I understand, it is pretty difficult to get the device unlocked by using third party vendors (The codes don't work). Is there a way to unlock the phone yourself using a new ROM or root?
3) Buy a new/unlocked phone (£270)
The price jumps massively here but still probably alot cheaper than a new Pro+ will be when it arrives in the next couple of months. Someone is selling a used/unlocked Droid on here from Birmingham, UK but the asking price is wildly optimistic. It just so happens I'm in Birmingham too!
Any views would be most appreciated.
mjgerrard said:
1) The cheapest (£100) is a bad ESN phone (unlocked).
I have asked the seller what the reason is for the bad ESN (He'll probably lie to me, but at least I have it in writing!) and whether he will accept a return if it won't work with a UK SIM.
The summary is from what I've read on here, it will work fine in the UK but I'm buggered if I ever venture to the USA. Fair enough I suppose.
Anyone got a view on selling the device on to someone like CEX in the future? Is it worth mentioning that it has a bad ESN in the states if I sell to a UK seller? (I think I know the moral answer to this already!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't expect to be able to return a phone with a bad ESN. They're always sold "as is" because of the fact that it has a bad ESN. But yeah, it should work in the UK just fine. There's no reason that it wouldn't. As far as venturing to the USA, even if it didn't have a bad ESN, you still wouldn't be able to use it in the USA. The GSM bands for AT&T and T-Mobile are locked out in the USA, even if you're trying to roam on a foreign SIM. The only way to use a Droid Pro in the USA (short of paying a good chunk of change to Team Black Hat to flash the phone and unlock the GSM bands) is through Verizon, and you'd have to have an account with them to use it.
And I would mention the bad ESN if trying to resell it, if only for the probably very doubtful fact that someone might want to end up trying to activate it on Verizon. But of course, the ESN is only bad for Verizon and no other carrier.
You could also look around and try to find a used, unlocked Pro. I tried to sell my unlocked Pro a month or so ago and couldn't move it here or on any other forum, even at $200 US. Doesn't seem to be much interest these days. But, I'm glad I didn't end up selling it because I didn't care that much for the Droid 3 and was longing for my Droid Pro again.
bsweetness said:
You shouldn't expect to be able to return a phone with a bad ESN. They're always sold "as is" because of the fact that it has a bad ESN. But yeah, it should work in the UK just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup the reason why I asked about returning it was not for the fact that it had a bad ESN, but that the seller explicitly says in the advert that it can be used outside of the USA. It just made (hopefully) for a foolproof plan of activating it in the UK.
bsweetness said:
As far as venturing to the USA, even if it didn't have a bad ESN, you still wouldn't be able to use it in the USA. The GSM bands for AT&T and T-Mobile are locked out in the USA, even if you're trying to roam on a foreign SIM. The only way to use a Droid Pro in the USA (short of paying a good chunk of change to Team Black Hat to flash the phone and unlock the GSM bands) is through Verizon, and you'd have to have an account with them to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might be going mad, but I have gone over to the USA with a GSM only phone and it worked fine. Frankly, I'm never expecting these things to work when going State-side, but pleasantly suprised when they do. Sorry I can't remember what phone it was that I took over there though...
bsweetness said:
You could also look around and try to find a used, unlocked Pro. I tried to sell my unlocked Pro a month or so ago and couldn't move it here or on any other forum, even at $200 US. Doesn't seem to be much interest these days. But, I'm glad I didn't end up selling it because I didn't care that much for the Droid 3 and was longing for my Droid Pro again.
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Click to collapse
That's a shame - I'd happily pay $250 (negotiable) if it was in good condition and clean ESN/Unlocked. Let me know if you wish to part with it!
Mike.
Any comments from anyone on option 2: Unlocking a Verizon phone using a 3rd party vs rooting the device?
mjgerrard said:
I might be going mad, but I have gone over to the USA with a GSM only phone and it worked fine. Frankly, I'm never expecting these things to work when going State-side, but pleasantly suprised when they do. Sorry I can't remember what phone it was that I took over there though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally GSM phones will work in the USA. But with Verizon devices, it's different (or I should say with several Verizon devices). Verizon doesn't have a lot of devices with a GSM radio since they're a CDMA network. The few devices they do have with a GSM radio are marketed as global devices, and the GSM radio is designed to be used outside of the US. Verizon doesn't want people using their devices (that they pay to carry exclusively in the USA) on other networks within the USA. So, they lock out the bands for the two GSM providers in the USA - AT&T and T-Mobile. Unless you go through the costly process of having those bands unlocked (which can't be done with every phone), the phones will generally only work on Verizon in the USA. In order to have it work with Verizon, it would have to be activated on their CDMA network. With a Verizon branded phone, that of course can't happen unless you're a Verizon customer and it certainly can't happen for a phone with a bad ESN.
So yeah, normally unlocked GSM devices will work just fine in the USA, but Verizon devices are a different story...most of the time (there are a few Verizon global devices that work in the USA, but the Droid Pro is not one of them).
As for your question about unlock codes, they have been hit or miss from most online vendors. Most of the reputable vendors will refund the money to you if the code doesn't work, but of course you're still stuck with a locked phone. Most of the posts I've seen recently have reported successful unlocks with the online codes however. I haven't seen anything about unlocking it via root though. That's not to say there isn't a way, but I've never seen anything for that.
Brilliant post on the USA networks pal, its difficult to appreciate the differences considering I live in the UK. Thanks for that, alot more of Engadget CDMA news posts make sense now!
As for the other point, I guess ill have to figure out whether I want to take the risk or not. The bad ESN phone on eBay has sold (not a major problem) so ill be trying to get a good price for a used/unlocked model.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Considering buying a bad esn phone for a kid to use as a media player. Trying to understand if there are any reasons this would NOT be evil before I do it, and I fully realize that the only way to know for sure is if the seller is willing to reveal the ESN somehow and ask the carrier. If the seller won't reveal, I will assume evilness and move on. SO here are the reasons I understand so far for a bad esn.
1. Stolen/Lost phone that needs to go back to the owner
2. Owner walked away from contract, carrier is out $$ and would presumably like the hardware back
3. unreturned warranty exchange unit (technically stolen too)
come to think of it, seems like there are no legit reasons for a bad esn, but i welcome thoughts anyway
btrcp2000 said:
Considering buying a bad esn phone for a kid to use as a media player. Trying to understand if there are any reasons this would NOT be evil before I do it, and I fully realize that the only way to know for sure is if the seller is willing to reveal the ESN somehow and ask the carrier. If the seller won't reveal, I will assume evilness and move on. SO here are the reasons I understand so far for a bad esn.
1. Stolen/Lost phone that needs to go back to the owner
2. Owner walked away from contract, carrier is out $$ and would presumably like the hardware back
3. unreturned warranty exchange unit (technically stolen too)
come to think of it, seems like there are no legit reasons for a bad esn, but i welcome thoughts anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Er, I'm using an Iphone 4 with a bad ESN (from Ebay). But not for cell service. I'm using it as a wireless internet phone ( Callwithus ) over wifi.
btrcp2000 said:
Considering buying a bad esn phone for a kid to use as a media player. Trying to understand if there are any reasons this would NOT be evil before I do it, and I fully realize that the only way to know for sure is if the seller is willing to reveal the ESN somehow and ask the carrier. If the seller won't reveal, I will assume evilness and move on. SO here are the reasons I understand so far for a bad esn.
1. Stolen/Lost phone that needs to go back to the owner
2. Owner walked away from contract, carrier is out $$ and would presumably like the hardware back
3. unreturned warranty exchange unit (technically stolen too)
come to think of it, seems like there are no legit reasons for a bad esn, but i welcome thoughts anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, wouldn't it be illegal, or unwise at least, to sell such a phone on Ebay then?
Id never buy a bad ESN mobile myself. Loads on ebay.com in the USA and afak, a bad ESN mobile phone or as they say in the USA, cell phone, it will NOT work in the UK. GSM or CDMA. Dont buya bad esn phone thinking you will save money or you will end up with an expensive brick. Android or IOS phones with bad ESNs DO NOT work in the UK
...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.
I just spoke with an awesome and knowledgeable rep from Google over the phone. He told me without a doubt that the N6 OUT OF THE BOX will work on Verizon. There will NOT be a special model made for Verizon and that there is TWO Models, A US & International Model THAT'S IT. He said anyone who buys from the Play Store can simply pop in their SIM and the phone will do the rest. He also stated if you need more confirmation, Just visit http://www.google.com/nexus/6/ and scroll the the bottom right and there you will see Verizon Wireless.
Some of us already knew this including myself, But i realize some of you are nervous about spending all your money just for the phone not to work. You are good to go!
J.Guido85 said:
I just spoke with an awesome and knowledgeable rep from Google over the phone. He told me without a doubt that the N6 OUT OF THE BOX will work on Verizon. There will NOT be a special model made for Verizon and that there is TWO Models, A US & International Model THAT'S IT. He said anyone who buys from the Play Store can simply pop in their SIM and the phone will do the rest. He also stated if you need more confirmation, Just visit http://www.google.com/nexus/6/ and scroll the the bottom right and there you will see Verizon Wireless.
Some of us already knew this including myself, But i realize some of you are nervous about spending all your money just for the phone not to work. You are good to go!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im one of the many americans who live nearly paycheck to paycheck and cant afford to pay 649 for a phone off contract, sure id love to just not feasible in my current situation. 199 on contract is perfect for me because i can sell my galaxy s4 for around that and not have to pay any "out of pocket" i know in the end im paying more but this is just easier for me, than dropping 649 all at once. With that being said im gonna start saving for it and if verzion decides to delay that long i will purchase from google.
seems like tmobile is the only carrier i can see offering this on the home screen of their site.
http://www.droid-life.com/2014/10/31/nexus-6-working-on-verizon-out-of-the-box/
or there is this...
This does not answer the question that MOST people need answered....... We don't care if the play store version will work on Verizon......most people aren't buying the play store version outright.... We need to know if the Verizon version will be locked down..... Just because it's the same hardware doesn't mean that Verizon doesn't get Motorola to flash their own version of firmware that locks out the ability to unlock the bootloader!
anthonyg45157 said:
Im one of the many americans who live nearly paycheck to paycheck and cant afford to pay 649 for a phone off contract, sure id love to just not feasible in my current situation. 199 on contract is perfect for me because i can sell my galaxy s4 for around that and not have to pay any "out of pocket" i know in the end im paying more but this is just easier for me, than dropping 649 all at once. With that being said im gonna start saving for it and if verzion decides to delay that long i will purchase from google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're actually saving money by buying a phone on contract if you are going to use it on Verizon. The only way you save money is paying full retail and then going with a cheaper pre-paid carrier.
Ive pestered verizon online and over the phone and can't get a straight answer if they will ever carry it. Im hoping we hear something offical. From a business standpoint I can see why they would delay it. But thats TERRIBLE for customers but verizon always gets the last word as seen in all previous situations. Im fine to wait until end of Novemeber but any longer I may switch carriers. Might even be some black Friday deals
I think the nexus 6 sold by verizon most likely is a locked phone, which is why verizon store is selling the phone later than other carrier for they need to patched the phone.
polke45 said:
I think the nexus 6 sold by verizon most likely is a locked phone, which is why verizon store is selling the phone later than other carrier for they need to patched the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt it. Verizon's other high end phones have been GSM unlocked for the most part.
Verizon actually would take the least issue with selling a GSM unlocked device.
All of their LTE devices are sold GSM unlocked.
Because of the compatibility, this appears to be the first device they'll ever truly allow in a "bring your own device" fashion without pre-approving the IMEI in their database. It's good to see, and it makes sense with the push to sign customers up on Edge and the lack of contracts now.
Take it for what it's worth and with a hefty dose of salt, but someone claims to have spoken with their friend who's a network engineer and it sounds dodgy:
http://www.reddit.com/r/nexus6/comments/2lhrm2/detailed_information_on_status_of_the_nexus_6_and/
Sounds like while it may work right out of the box with an existing nano sim, you may be screwed without an existing activated nano sim. Furthermore, it sounds like the delayed release on Verizon (check out the individual page now which only mentions T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular) may be because Verizon is trying to change the terms of the agreement and try to get software specific to them and they may pull a Nexus One and drop it entirely.
I'm a bit concerned that even if I can get it to work from the day my GPS version arrives, they can at any time decide to block it and I'll have a phone I can't use on Verizon. If they pull that ****, I'll probably just leave for AT&T anyway, but the risk is still there.
Until Verizon officially announces something or is selling the device, those of us with a play store or motorola.com phone we've purchased are taking a risk it may not work or may work for a while and then stop working. And if Verizon decides not to "play ball" then what happens with radio updates? If there are radio bugs, we're screwed because they'd have to go through Verizon for that wouldn't they?
It would make sense if they didn't allow any unlockable bootloader phone on their network. But they are allowing Samsung to sell a dev edition Note 4.
Mayze23 said:
It would make sense if they didn't allow any unlockable bootloader phone on their network. But they are allowing Samsung to sell a dev edition Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like anything Verizon does makes logical sense?
J.Guido85 said:
I just spoke with an awesome and knowledgeable rep from Google over the phone. He told me without a doubt that the N6 OUT OF THE BOX will work on Verizon. There will NOT be a special model made for Verizon and that there is TWO Models, A US & International Model THAT'S IT. He said anyone who buys from the Play Store can simply pop in their SIM and the phone will do the rest. He also stated if you need more confirmation, Just visit http://www.google.com/nexus/6/ and scroll the the bottom right and there you will see Verizon Wireless.
Some of us already knew this including myself, But i realize some of you are nervous about spending all your money just for the phone not to work. You are good to go!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just spoke with a Moto Rep and he assured me I'll have no problem activating on VZW. Seems like good news... now... white or blue.
Coop9 said:
Just spoke with a Moto Rep and he assured me I'll have no problem activating on VZW. Seems like good news... now... white or blue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the earlier point about whether Verizon will even carry the Nexus 6, I spent some time today at a local Verizon store looking at what my choices might be (like the Droid Turbo) if the Nexus 6 doesn't appear and asked specifically to the availability/timing of the Nexus 6 at Verizon. The manager wasn't aware of any date but did indicate they might not even carry it if the phone couldn't pass the Verizon testing and approval process. Not a answer that gives a great deal of hope but at least I didn't get the entire denial of any knowledge of status.
Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk
If vzw pulls a nexus one to htc incredible or black list imes why don't people organize and protest the fcc. Vzw is a carrier. We should have any device on their network as long as it's not harmful and they must prove harm case by case.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
You would think someone would be in some deep **** if a bunch of us buy it for Verizon and then can't use it, especially when it says Verizon right on the Google play page and numerous of Google and Motorola employees confirming it works. I know were all tense about this but I really believe were all worrying to much. I know Verizons history as much as anyone so can't blame u but I say were gonna be alright.
INCREMENTAL said:
You would think someone would be in some deep **** if a bunch of us buy it for Verizon and then can't use it, especially when it says Verizon right on the Google play page and numerous of Google and Motorola employees confirming it works. I know were all tense about this but I really believe were all worrying to much. I know Verizons history as much as anyone so can't blame u but I say were gonna be alright.
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Click to collapse
There's nothing on Google Play store saying it works on Verizon BTW... Not sure where you saw that... Unfortunately VZW can carry or not carry any phone they want.
bossei said:
There's nothing on Google Play store saying it works on Verizon BTW... Not sure where you saw that... Unfortunately VZW can carry or not carry any phone they want.
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Click to collapse
It is on the specs page as well as the device page (their logo) and was also mentioned on their blog or whatever. If it's all just to say it's /could/ work, then Google should honor returns well past the 14-day period because it sure as hell is misleading as hell.
jkc120 said:
It is on the specs page as well as the device page (their logo) and was also mentioned on their blog or whatever. If it's all just to say it's /could/ work, then Google should honor returns well past the 14-day period because it sure as hell is misleading as hell.
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Click to collapse
Interesting; I don't see any of that here.
Gonna try and make this short and try and not get attacked or flamed.
I've done retail and sales, managed many big retail stores and even been a district manager.
In my business, you buy something, you own it, it's yours to do whatever you want. Also, there is a return policy and depending on the issue policy can be bent in a put out the fire situation.
The phone business is not like this and I don't understand. If I buy a phone, it is mine, I own therefore why couldn't I do what I wanted. I should be able to wipe my butt with it if I wanted to.
So why do carriers treat it differently. They have the policy about rooting, so why not let the buyer do it, take the risk, and just enforce the policy.
Especially considering we buy it, it's ours and we should be able to do what we want with things we own. Just my opinion because it is retail sales which I know like the back of my hand, but the mobile side of it baffles me.
Anybody an employee or former employee who can explain why mobile phones is one of the only things you can buy but never feel like you completely own it.
Just seems not right coming from years in retail with many many companies.
The problem lies in the warranty and being able to take advantages of services without paying.
Instance 1: A noob roots their phone, bricks it, and doesn't know how to get it back to normal. They call Verizon and say their phone just died. Verizon has to spend time and money sending a replacement.
Instance 2: We have unlimited. We root and unlock free tethering. They lose on "potential" revenues. (Although we do have foxfi on the play store, but its still slow as it goes through a vpn.
I do agree that we should have full control of our devices though. Unfortunately, we can only make changes with out dollars.
Yeah I can see that but as far as warranty they will check for root so that shouldn't be a factor. I'm sure at this point that is the first thing they check.
They have to know that tethering can be exploited either way.
And my understanding is they don't care and don't make money on the phones but their service charges.
I would encourage people to root if I were them because if they did it right they would make more profit because they wouldn't have to spend money to fix it forcing buyers to have no choice but buy another.
I know it will not change but as a person familiar with making money in retail they could increase revenu .
Not counting with them having for the most part the best service and networks thousands of people would flock there to get an unlocked verizon phone.
Busines wise, if done properly they would make a killing changing their stance
sprintuser1977 said:
Yeah I can see that but as far as warranty they will check for root so that shouldn't be a factor. I'm sure at this point that is the first thing they check.
They have to know that tethering can be exploited either way.
And my understanding is they don't care and don't make money on the phones but their service charges.
I would encourage people to root if I were them because if they did it right they would make more profit because they wouldn't have to spend money to fix it forcing buyers to have no choice but buy another.
I know it will not change but as a person familiar with making money in retail they could increase revenu .
Not counting with them having for the most part the best service and networks thousands of people would flock there to get an unlocked verizon phone.
Busines wise, if done properly they would make a killing changing their stance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although i agree with everything that was said by you, the people calling the shots are probably way too old to understand that there's always a way through everything (for example root in order to get free hot spot working). The other problem is i would assume is that they can't always prove a phone was rooted. Let's say someone was trying to flash a custom rom and accidentally flashed the system leaving only the boot recovery present with no OS and they didn't know how to Odin back to stock, Verizon can't prove that the phone was rooted. For all they know maybe the user was performing an update and something happened.
Whatever the case... I wish we had full access over our devices :crying:
sprintuser1977 said:
Gonna try and make this short and try and not get attacked or flamed.
I've done retail and sales, managed many big retail stores and even been a district manager.
In my business, you buy something, you own it, it's yours to do whatever you want. Also, there is a return policy and depending on the issue policy can be bent in a put out the fire situation.
The phone business is not like this and I don't understand. If I buy a phone, it is mine, I own therefore why couldn't I do what I wanted. I should be able to wipe my butt with it if I wanted to.
So why do carriers treat it differently. They have the policy about rooting, so why not let the buyer do it, take the risk, and just enforce the policy.
Especially considering we buy it, it's ours and we should be able to do what we want with things we own. Just my opinion because it is retail sales which I know like the back of my hand, but the mobile side of it baffles me.
Anybody an employee or former employee who can explain why mobile phones is one of the only things you can buy but never feel like you completely own it.
Just seems not right coming from years in retail with many many companies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do what you want with it...but you bought a device that is locked down to increase sales to the Enterprise and Military community. You have the option of buying a developer's edition. You can certainly wipe your butt with it as you mentioned. As for your inability to root it...that is not the carrier telling you what you can't do with it...that comes in voiding the warranty...but look at it as buying a television and not being able to make a transmitter out of it. Of course you could...but it would require a lot of work and knowledge and also void the warranty. Bootloaders have been broken before and root obtained...again...with a lot of work and knowledge. The device works as advertised when sold. If you choose to purchase a device from a carrier with a history of locking them down (S4, Note 3, S5 and now the S3 with it's updates) then you are choosing to support what they are selling. Now as it is a communications device and you are in the US, there are things you cannot do with it per Federal law as stated by the FCC. But that is a whole other can of worms.
dapimpinj said:
The problem lies in the warranty and being able to take advantages of services without paying.
Instance 1: A noob roots their phone, bricks it, and doesn't know how to get it back to normal. They call Verizon and say their phone just died. Verizon has to spend time and money sending a replacement.
Instance 2: We have unlimited. We root and unlock free tethering. They lose on "potential" revenues. (Although we do have foxfi on the play store, but its still slow as it goes through a vpn.
I do agree that we should have full control of our devices though. Unfortunately, we can only make changes with out dollars.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Foxfi works pretty good for me. Going thru a vpn doesn't slow it down for me
my_handle said:
Foxfi works pretty good for me. Going thru a vpn doesn't slow it down for me
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Click to collapse
Good to hear! It must have been my location. I get 5 bars of LTE at home. I'll try it there.
KennyG123 said:
You can do what you want with it...but you bought a device that is locked down to increase sales to the Enterprise and Military community. You have the option of buying a developer's edition. You can certainly wipe your butt with it as you mentioned. As for your inability to root it...that is not the carrier telling you what you can't do with it...that comes in voiding the warranty...but look at it as buying a television and not being able to make a transmitter out of it. Of course you could...but it would require a lot of work and knowledge and also void the warranty. Bootloaders have been broken before and root obtained...again...with a lot of work and knowledge. The device works as advertised when sold. If you choose to purchase a device from a carrier with a history of locking them down (S4, Note 3, S5 and now the S3 with it's updates) then you are choosing to support what they are selling. Now as it is a communications device and you are in the US, there are things you cannot do with it per Federal law as stated by the FCC. But that is a whole other can of worms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please look up the Verizon Note 4 on Verizon, and show me where in describing the product it states the phone is locked and you can not edit certain things.
I may have missed it but I saw no where on the specifications or feature list where it says that? Only a person who is familiar with rooting or bootloaders and such would know.
As far as warranty, as I said, it's a policy and if I choose to break it that is my choice.
sprintuser1977 said:
Please look up the Verizon Note 4 on Verizon, and show me where in describing the product it states the phone is locked and you can not edit certain things.
I may have missed it but I saw no where on the specifications or feature list where it says that? Only a person who is familiar with rooting or bootloaders and such would know.
As far as warranty, as I said, it's a policy and if I choose to break it that is my choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to sound obnoxious but please look up ANY phone and show me where it says that you can root it and it has an unlocked bootloader and you are welcome to change anything you want? You are not brand new...you know what Verizon has been doing for years. There is nothing stopping you from using the phone exactly as advertised in the manual and specifications. Rooting is not an approved use of the phone and offers an extreme security breach of the software..so why would any carrier endorse it or even need to mention if you could or couldn't. Anyone that has been around for more than a year, knows that is what the developer edition is for and should be grateful that Verizon even offers that option. Also knowing you are not brand new, you would know that less than 1% of Verizon customers even know what rooting is. You see the trend, you have choices yet you still chose to support Verizon.
The original point is being ignored.
Simply put if we buy something we should be able to do whatever we want with it.
All retail is like this except phones.
All the details and other miscellaneous stuff is besides the point.
I'm just saying if we own it, we should own it
sprintuser1977 said:
The original point is being ignored.
Simply put if we buy something we should be able to do whatever we want with it.
All retail is like this except phones.
All the details and other miscellaneous stuff is besides the point.
I'm just saying if we own it, we should own it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but I guess I am missing the point. What is it that you wish to do with this phone that you can do with say...a television, that is listed in the specifications and features of the product you purchased?
To think that executives of Verizon are oblivious to Rooting or custom roms, you are mistaken. Just because they are older does not mean they are dumb. Phones are locked down for one reason: reduce liability on Verizon.
---------- Post added at 07:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 PM ----------
KennyG123 said:
Sorry, but I guess I am missing the point. What is it that you wish to do with this phone that you can do with say...a television, that is listed in the specifications and features of the product you purchased?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like this. Phones are locked down to reduce liability and cost of fixing it. This is why companies like HTC will unlock your bootloader while voiding your warranty.
I can't explain it anymore simply, sorry. Here is how it could simply be done:
-I buy the phone
-I want to root the phone
-I call Verizon, tell them I want to root
-They inform me If I do, it voids the warranty and I'm out $700 if I break it
-Ok, i will take that risk
- Verizon notes the account of this, therefore no tricks on cheating the warranty policy and they unlock it
Obviously over simplified, but general idea is they should have a way For us to request it, Note it, and allow us to do it.
Anyway, regardless of how they do it I don't care, it's the fact you buy a 800 dollar phone, if I want to risk breaking it and losing $800, that should be OK as its my property.
Anyway, not going to try and get into a back and forth. I got people's take on it and that's good enough for me.
Thanks everyone for your input.
chriskader said:
To think that executives of Verizon are oblivious to Rooting or custom roms, you are mistaken. Just because they are older does not mean they are dumb. Phones are locked down for one reason: reduce liability on Verizon.
---------- Post added at 07:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 PM ----------
I like this. Phones are locked down to reduce liability and cost of fixing it. This is why companies like HTC will unlock your bootloader while voiding your warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, Verizon chose to lock down the phones to get huge corporate and military contracts by showing their version of the phone is the most secure. Of course AT&T is also doing the same fighting for those contracts.
sprintuser1977 said:
I can't explain it anymore simply, sorry. Here is how it could simply be done:
-I buy the phone
-I want to root the phone
-I call Verizon, tell them I want to root
-They inform me If I do, it voids the warranty and I'm out $700 if I break it
-Ok, i will take that risk
- Verizon notes the account of this, therefore no tricks on cheating the warranty policy and they unlock it
Obviously over simplified, but general idea is they should have a way For us to request it, Note it, and allow us to do it.
Anyway, regardless of how they do it I don't care, it's the fact you buy a 800 dollar phone, if I want to risk breaking it and losing $800, that should be OK as its my property.
Anyway, not going to try and get into a back and forth. I got people's take on it and that's good enough for me.
Thanks everyone for your input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand and there is a thread in one of the Verizon Sammy phones...Note 3 I think...where a member actually discussed with Verizon executive services the possibility of the same thing HTC did (on other carriers since Verizon locked that door too). I believe the thread is "How much would you pay for unlocking the bootloader" or something like that. He was going to get an idea of how much people would pay for this code direct from Verizon. I think the majority was $25 atm. At least he was pitching the idea to Verizon and they were hearing him out. Perhaps more can do the same?
I was just trying to say that I did not understand how the inability to root would make you feel like the phone was not yours. The PS3 systems if you play online are locked down exactly the same...you jailbreak it and you cannot get on the Playstation network to play online. So it is not just cell phones that do not allow you to do more than the manufacturer promised. I also was stating that you can certainly root and unlock it...if you had the knowledge to do so. I think we just misunderstood each other.
No biggie. I can understand all points of view and in no way was I trying to disregard or disrespect yours.
If it came across that way I apologize.
This is my first verizon phone (it was my only option due to several reasons) and I am amazed at how adamantly opposed to unlocking phones they are.
I've rooted over a dozen phones and this is the first one that I would like to root but it's good enough that if I can't I still love it
sprintuser1977 said:
I can't explain it anymore simply, sorry. Here is how it could simply be done:
-I buy the phone
-I want to root the phone
-I call Verizon, tell them I want to root
-They inform me If I do, it voids the warranty and I'm out $700 if I break it
-Ok, i will take that risk
- Verizon notes the account of this, therefore no tricks on cheating the warranty policy and they unlock it
Obviously over simplified, but general idea is they should have a way For us to request it, Note it, and allow us to do it.
Anyway, regardless of how they do it I don't care, it's the fact you buy a 800 dollar phone, if I want to risk breaking it and losing $800, that should be OK as its my property.
Anyway, not going to try and get into a back and forth. I got people's take on it and that's good enough for me.
Thanks everyone for your input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could understand if you pay 800 but seriously of your gonna do that get dev edition as well most ppl get the phone subsidised for less then half of what the phone is woth off of contract so technically you don't own the phone as well you are right there is no where in the vzw policy that says rooting voids your warranty if you read all the rules but it is one of thoes unwritten policy's all companys go buy
jolly_roger_hook said:
I could understand if you pay 800 but seriously of your gonna do that get dev edition as well most ppl get the phone subsidised for less then half of what the phone is woth off of contract so technically you don't own the phone as well you are right there is no where in the vzw policy that says rooting voids your warranty if you read all the rules but it is one of thoes unwritten policy's all companys go buy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is one of the reasons also, the fact that many phones are subsidized through a carrier, and you really don't own them 100% unless you see the contract out to the end, or pay the ETF. I still agree that the customer should be able to buy out the contract, or void their warranty and accept liability themselves for the express purpose of obtaining an unlock code to root/ROM, etc... I think that Verizon may actually go this route some day, just not any time soon.
If I had the ability to not support Verizon and their tight locking policies, I would. But, like many other people, I'm in a region where the only reliable 4G LTE connection is Verizon and Verizon Alone. I had the unlocked Tmobile Note 3 on both Tmobile AND AT&T and my signal was horrible so I was basically forced into getting a Verizon phone for the stability.
I'd like to see the government step in and loosen the grip that carriers have on consumers, though that would mean the end of subsidized phone sales, and maybe the new edge, next programs as well. Tmobile has the right idea, but once they are the size of Verizon, I bet they tighten their rules too...
KennyG123 said:
No, Verizon chose to lock down the phones to get huge corporate and military contracts by showing their version of the phone is the most secure. Of course AT&T is also doing the same fighting for those contracts.
I understand and there is a thread in one of the Verizon Sammy phones...Note 3 I think...where a member actually discussed with Verizon executive services the possibility of the same thing HTC did (on other carriers since Verizon locked that door too). I believe the thread is "How much would you pay for unlocking the bootloader" or something like that. He was going to get an idea of how much people would pay for this code direct from Verizon. I think the majority was $25 atm. At least he was pitching the idea to Verizon and they were hearing him out. Perhaps more can do the same?
I was just trying to say that I did not understand how the inability to root would make you feel like the phone was not yours. The PS3 systems if you play online are locked down exactly the same...you jailbreak it and you cannot get on the Playstation network to play online. So it is not just cell phones that do not allow you to do more than the manufacturer promised. I also was stating that you can certainly root and unlock it...if you had the knowledge to do so. I think we just misunderstood each other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not agree about contracts. Phones can be sold to the government that are locked down, KNOX EMM helps with this substantially.
The ability to unlock my bootloader, however, can be sold or marketed along side that. Phones can be wiped when the BL is unlocked officially (fastbootx, etc). Instead, the dev community is forced to find exploits, thus weakening the phones "secure market value". Official unlock that wipes phone or an unofficial exploit that puts all phones at risk? I would rather have the option to officially unlock and void my warranty. However, I understand the stance of some carriers and manufactures for locking it down. Reduce liability for busted phones.
Government agencies also encrypt phones and discipline unauthorized usage.
chriskader said:
I do not agree about contracts. Phones can be sold to the government that are locked down, KNOX EMM helps with this substantially.
The ability to unlock my bootloader, however, can be sold or marketed along side that. Phones can be wiped when the BL is unlocked officially (fastbootx, etc). Instead, the dev community is forced to find exploits, thus weakening the phones "secure market value". Official unlock that wipes phone or an unofficial exploit that puts all phones at risk? I would rather have the option to officially unlock and void my warranty. However, I understand the stance of some carriers and manufactures for locking it down. Reduce liability for busted phones.
Government agencies also encrypt phones and discipline unauthorized usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since the community that roots their phones and actually breaks them and returns for warranty is probably in the neighborhood of 0.1% I doubt that has much impact on the decision of Verizon and AT&T to lock down the bootloader....if that was successfully the idea Sprint and T-Mobile would have done the same. I agree that for you Verizon users an alternative of paying to unlock your bootloader and listing the warranty as void would be a great offering...petition Verizon to consider that.
KennyG123 said:
Since the community that roots their phones and actually breaks them and returns for warranty is probably in the neighborhood of 0.1% I doubt that has much impact on the decision of Verizon and AT&T to lock down the bootloader....if that was successfully the idea Sprint and T-Mobile would have done the same. I agree that for you Verizon users an alternative of paying to unlock your bootloader and listing the warranty as void would be a great offering...petition Verizon to consider that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The petition thing is a great idea , and as I also said they could easily implement a way to offer it and track it.
The biggest problem with this whole issue is education as you are right, most people are not aware of exactly the reasons of rooting, what it even means, what they are giving up with bloated and locked down phones, or anything related to just how much privacy they do not have. I have thrown out information to people on my Facebook page and they had no clue.
As far as starting a petition, that is something I have never done before.
Does anyone have a suggestion for starting one, where to start it, or any info at all?
I would definitely do it if someone will head me in the right direction
I'm looking for a new phone and the Axon 7 was looking like the clear choice but I'm starting to have serious doubts. The phone works perfectly with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, it takes a process to get it to work with Verizon and doesn't work at all with Sprint. This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
If you can answer ANY of the following, please do so.
1. How do I make sure I get the "A2017U" model? I see lots of Axon 7s for sale and the model is never specified.
2. How big of a deal are the slow updates? What will you do when they inevitably top updating at all?
3. IF I get this phone I will likely keep the stock ROM to keep double tap to wake, shake for light etc. plus it doesn't seem like it's worth it according to Axon 7 owners. Is rooting, bootloader and recovery to stock reliable at this point?
4. Do you think the 128GB/6GB RAM models are worth it? It seems that some have sold for as low as $400 used but they tend to be over $500.
5. Are there "A2017U" models with this enhanced storage and RAM? How do I tell?
6. What native ways are there to unlock the screen? Of course there is pass, pin and fingerprint, any others?
7. What is your batter life like?
My last couple of questions are perhaps a bit off topic, do any of you happen to know details about the Axon 7 Max? I'm wondering what the speaker setup is. Honestly, I don't like the fact that is has a "3d" display which is really gimmicky and supposedly is old tech. Does anyone here have experience with this tech? I wish they were going with a nice screen like the one in the regular Axon 7. I will probably stick to the regular Axon 7, the 5.5" screen is still bigger than my LG G2's screen and it's cheaper.
7th1rt3en said:
I'm looking for a new phone and the Axon 7 was looking like the clear choice but I'm starting to have serious doubts. The phone works perfectly with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, it takes a process to get it to work with Verizon and doesn't work at all with Sprint. This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
1. How do I make sure I get the "A2017U" model? I see lots of Axon 7s for sale and the model is never specified.
2. How big of a deal are the slow updates? What will you do when they inevitably top updating at all?
3. IF I get this phone I will likely keep the stock ROM to keep double tap to wake, shake for light etc. plus it doesn't seem like it's worth it according to Axon 7 owners. Is rooting, bootloader and recovery to stock reliable at this point?
4. Do you think the 128GB/6GB RAM models are worth it? It seems that some have sold for as low as $400 used but they tend to be over $500.
5. Are there "A2017U" models with this enhanced storage and RAM? How do I tell?
6. What native ways are there to unlock the screen? Of course there is pass, pin and fingerprint, any others?
7. What is your batter life like?
My last couple of questions is perhaps a bit off topic, do any of you happen to know details about the Axon 7 Max? I'm wondering what the speaker setup is. Honestly, I don't like the fact that is has a "3d" display which is really gimmicky and supposedly is old tech. Does anyone here have experience with this tech? I wish they were going with a nice screen like the one in the regular Axon 7. I will probably stick to the regular Axon 7, the 5.5" screen is still bigger than my LG G2's screen and it's cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You get the A2017U by buying it in the USA. Not through Aliexpress for example. Getting another model is not the end of the world anyways... the modem is very much alike, it only differs from others on specific places like Japan and I think Spain.
Slow updates? We got Nougat before the Oneplus 3T. The real problem is that ZTE's updates add one feature and break 3 other things that are totally unrelated, then they release an update with fixes and break other things... But at this moment everything is working just fine. And even the S8 had similar problems, e.g. not working SD card, so there is no safe bet on the software department regarding OEMs
All the unlock and root stuff is dangerous on this device. If you fucc up too much you can still get an RMA and pretend like you woke up and the device didn't... otherwise you can pay a fee to get it reflashed. Also some ROMs have the shake to turn the flashlight on and dt2w thing, for example Resurrection Remix. But the stock ROM is really good especially if you slap a launcher on top of it, and there is no real reason to root besides apps and maybe some specific Xposed modules you would want to have
6 GB ram and 128 GB storage, plus force touch... your judgement. I literally NEVER use more than 3 GB of RAM even while gaming intensive stuff. Repeat, NEVER. There are some people who might be mining bitcoin with their phones or whatever, and fill up the RAM, so if you're one of them then go ahead and buy an A2017. Also so much storage for what? Use an SD card, and if you need dual SIM support, do that guide where you stick the SIM's guts to the SD card. And force touch might be interesting, but I'm not sure whether it is utilized on Android's apps... may be useless
No enhanced A2017Us AFAIK. I'm almost 100% sure that there aren't enhanced A2017U's, only A2017s.
Pass, PIN, pattern, fingerprint. Wouldn't know why you'd want any more. The fingerprint sensor placement is really comfortable despite the huge skepticism.
Battery life... Most people are reporting ~5 hrs SOT. I can get that on stock Android N. And if you feel adventurous and install a custom LOS based ROM, a full black theme, a kernel, and AKT profiles, you can easily double or sometimes triple that, depending on your usage.
Right now I'm using stock A2017G Android 6.0.1 with AKT profiles. I usually put it on Extreme battery saving and the phone still behaves like a flagship should (with the occasional ¼ second freeze every half a minute). some people (especially A2017 people) reported hideous drain, mostly on standby. But those are just isolated cases...
And the last couple of questions, no idea. Is the 3d screen they want to use like the one in the 3DS (2 pixel arrays with different angle of view)? I'm pretty courious...
Choose an username... said:
Getting another model is not the end of the world anyways... the modem is very much alike, it only differs from others on specific places like Japan and I think Spain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The U model is very much different from the rest. It has 3 CDMA bands (global has 0), and LTE bands that are only used in North America (absent from global model).
Choose an username... said:
No enhanced A2017Us AFAIK. I'm almost 100% sure that there aren't enhanced A2017U's, only A2017s.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ZTE USA did offer the enhanced model, dubbed the "Limited Edition", for a short period of time. It's no longer on their website, but you can google "zteusa.com Axon 7 Limited Edition" for more info.
xtermmin said:
The U model is very much different from the rest. It has 3 CDMA bands (global has 0), and LTE bands that are only used in North America (absent from global model).
ZTE USA did offer the enhanced model, dubbed the "Limited Edition", for a short period of time. It's no longer on their website, but you can google "zteusa.com Axon 7 Limited Edition" for more info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the Limited Edition phones, are you sure they weren't just A2017s?
7th1rt3en said:
This raises the obvious question, what about roaming? I'm not sure who has agreements with who for roaming coverage, but you can see that this would leave only two networks for roaming and that is assuming there is an agreement. How will the phone act when there is a stronger signal from a tower that it can't actually work with, despite being using the same frequency? I just don't know. Who has agreements with who? Have any of you guys tested roaming? T-Mobile in my area is only worthy of consideration with roaming, hence my concern. I want a versatile phone so I can switch providers at will.
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The A2017U has all the major bands used by all US carriers. The roaming will be determined by the provider that you use the phone on. All phones try to stick to the native network as long as possible, and will only roam when there is no native signal, and even then the roaming is based off your carrier's agreements. Some carriers have regional roaming agreements (for example, in some areas, T-Mobile customers can roam onto AT&T), while some carriers have no roaming agreements at all (ex: if you're on T-Mobile, you can't connect to Verizon towers at all except for E911).
---------- Post added at 01:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:57 AM ----------
Choose an username... said:
Regarding the Limited Edition phones, are you sure they weren't just A2017s?
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Yes because zteusa.com wouldn't sell the Chinese model in the US. The Chinese model doesn't have the majority of bands used in the US.
Choose an username... said:
You get the A2017U by buying it in the USA. Not through Aliexpress for example.
All the unlock and root stuff is dangerous on this device.
6 GB ram and 128 GB storage, plus force touch... your judgement.
Pass, PIN, pattern, fingerprint. Wouldn't know why you'd want any more. The fingerprint sensor placement is really comfortable despite the huge skepticism.
Battery life... Most people are reporting ~5 hrs SOT. I can get that on stock Android N. And if you feel adventurous and install a custom LOS based ROM, a full black theme, a kernel, and AKT profiles, you can easily double or sometimes triple that, depending on your usage.
And the last couple of questions, no idea. Is the 3d screen they want to use like the one in the 3DS (2 pixel arrays with different angle of view)? I'm pretty courious...
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So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
7th1rt3en said:
So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
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Oh shoot sorry I forgot about like 4 other unlocking methods... You can use Voice recognition either from ZTE's own implementation or Google's. Also you have Google's On body detection to keep it unlocked when you have it with you, and Trusted places and Trusted Devices
Also there is a high sensitivity mode for gloves, never tried it myself though.
Also I said that the battery is even better on some select custom ROMs, but I never said it was bad... 5 hours of screen on time is a crapton! Imagine 10.
xtermmin said:
The A2017U has all the major bands used by all US carriers. The roaming will be determined by the provider that you use the phone on. All phones try to stick to the native network as long as possible, and will only roam when there is no native signal, and even then the roaming is based off your carrier's agreements. Some carriers have regional roaming agreements (for example, in some areas, T-Mobile customers can roam onto AT&T), while some carriers have no roaming agreements at all (ex: if you're on T-Mobile, you can't connect to Verizon towers at all except for E911).
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So, in the case of Sprint lot allowing Axon 7s on their network, this would change if it is using their network as part of a roaming agreement? In the case of Verizon not even working without a special procedure after a recent update, this problem goes away if one is just roaming on their network? What you are describing is just a normal roaming situation with a phone that works on all networks involved but I thought that the Axon 7 has unique problems with 2 networks. I even see it advertised on Amazon as not working with Verizon or Sprint AT ALL! This despite the fact that it has the necessary reception to do so. I just want to know for sure if it will roam on those networks given these problems.
xtermmin said:
Yes because zteusa.com wouldn't sell the Chinese model in the US. The Chinese model doesn't have the majority of bands used in the US.
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The problem is that they are all on the secondary market at this point and there is no way to know for sure what one is getting.
Choose an username... said:
Oh shoot sorry I forgot about like 4 other unlocking methods... You can use Voice recognition either from ZTE's own implementation or Google's. Also you have Google's On body detection to keep it unlocked when you have it with you, and Trusted places and Trusted Devices
Also there is a high sensitivity mode for gloves, never tried it myself though.
Also I said that the battery is even better on some select custom ROMs, but I never said it was bad... 5 hours of screen on time is a crapton! Imagine 10.
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Oh, that's perfect! I didn't realize the on body was a google thing. No, the battery life is fine, it just sucks knowing it's capable of more but too risky to attempt. Do you happen to knows the details of the warranty? Does it matter who I buy from or if I buy used?
7th1rt3en said:
Oh, that's perfect! I didn't realize the on body was a google thing. No, the battery life is fine, it just sucks knowing it's capable of more but too risky to attempt. Do you happen to knows the details of the warranty? Does it matter who I buy from or if I buy used?
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I don't know about the warranty from USA, I have an A2017G. With this model they give you one year of warranty and an additional year of VIP warranty which includes a free screen replacement for the first 6 months and water damage stuff...
I'm sending a couple of pics of the warranty. Just be advised: the warranty explicitly doesn't cover acts of God!
7th1rt3en said:
So, in the case of Sprint lot allowing Axon 7s on their network, this would change if it is using their network as part of a roaming agreement? In the case of Verizon not even working without a special procedure after a recent update, this problem goes away if one is just roaming on their network? What you are describing is just a normal roaming situation with a phone that works on all networks involved but I thought that the Axon 7 has unique problems with 2 networks. I even see it advertised on Amazon as not working with Verizon or Sprint AT ALL! This despite the fact that it has the necessary reception to do so. I just want to know for sure if it will roam on those networks given these problems.
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Roaming is separate from Sprint's device activation policy. You'll hardly ever roam onto Sprint though, as they have the worst coverage of the big 4.
Special procedure is not needed to get it working on Verizon. You just need to have an already-activated SIM card.
The problem is not unique to the Axon 7. It's the same as any other phone. For example, the Nexus 5 was not compatible with Verizon, yet Sprint users were able to load a custom PRL that allowed them to only connect to Verizon's towers (roaming, of course. Sprint has a roaming agreement with Verizon).
It's not advertised as being compatible with Verizon because it's not officially approved by Verizon and you need an already-activated SIM card in order to use it.
Yes, you should be able to roam onto them but that requires your carrier to have a roaming agreement with those other carriers.
What carrier are you on?
I completely misunderstood the Verizon issue, that isn't a big deal at all. I also didn't know that the sprint issue was just a matter of activation. ZTE is coming out with a Sprint phone so perhaps Sprint might reconsider. I'm currently using T-Mobile pre-paid, so no roaming and my phone does not receive band 12 so my reception sucks. I'm not sure what carrier I will end up on. I'm looking at all but sprint, including MVNOs.
7th1rt3en said:
So buying used or on ebay could be a problem then, alright.
I just want root for apps, that was the main thing.
The fact that they are scarce makes the "enhanced" model overpriced anyway, it might be worth it if that wasn't the case.
I wear gloves at work that WILL generally work with touchscreens well enough to answer a call but perhaps not enough to reliably put in a code to read a text. Obviously they wont work with fingerprint scanner. That's okay thought, there are ways around that. It would just be ideal to have face or iris unlock. I like the Samsung S8 feature where it can tell if it's on your body or not but I knew not to expect that.
If the odds are as bad when flashing then I will just have to live with the battery life as it is.
Yeah, not sure about the 3D screen on the 7 Max. Actually, the guy in the video I watched stated that it was done better than previous "3D" screens. It should only work in landscape mode if it relies of viewing angles.
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You can definitely buy used ones without problems. Just make sure your buying the U.S version. Most, if not all, the 7s on Swappa are U.S. Swappa is much better for buying phones than eBay, and you can negotiate price. I bought mint condition for $280 last week (which I wish I waited, because now they're being sold at 260.
I asked my seller if he would provide original receipt for warranty, and I was able to register the device in my name (he hadn't registered it). Apparently all you need is receipt for proof of purchase date, so as long as you make that a term for the sale, transferring or using the warranty is no problem at all. Once again, this is also what makes Swappa great.
If you want a full 2 years, Newegg has open box deal for $315. I wouldn't think twice about that, and was considering it, but the phone I got was almost brand new and in mint condition for $35 less. Newegg open box items are always mint condition in my experience, and they were devices owned for less than 2 weeks.
5 hours of SOT to me is great. I'd say it's above average,, especially compared to my iPhone 7.
JoRocker said:
You can definitely buy used ones without problems. Just make sure your buying the U.S version. Most, if not all, the 7s on Swappa are U.S. Swappa is much better for buying phones than eBay, and you can negotiate price. I bought mint condition for $280 last week (which I wish I waited, because now they're being sold at 260.
I asked my seller if he would provide original receipt for warranty, and I was able to register the device in my name (he hadn't registered it). Apparently all you need is receipt for proof of purchase date, so as long as you make that a term for the sale, transferring or using the warranty is no problem at all. Once again, this is also what makes Swappa great.
If you want a full 2 years, Newegg has open box deal for $315. I wouldn't think twice about that, and was considering it, but the phone I got was almost brand new and in mint condition for $35 less. Newegg open box items are always mint condition in my experience, and they were devices owned for less than 2 weeks.
5 hours of SOT to me is great. I'd say it's above average,, especially compared to my iPhone 7.
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I've purchased 3 items through Swappa and never on ebay, if I buy used that is likely the route I will take. It seems that most of my concerns were unfounded and there were feature that I was not aware of, so that's great. I will take your advice on the warranty and receipt. Are you saying that you can transfer the warranty even if it HAD been previously registered?
7th1rt3en said:
I've purchased 3 items through Swappa and never on ebay, if I buy used that is likely the route I will take. It seems that most of my concerns were unfounded and there were feature that I was not aware of, so that's great. I will take your advice on the warranty and receipt. Are you saying that you can transfer the warranty even if it HAD been previously registered?
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All they want is phone IMEI and receipt. Registering isn't even important it just skips the steps of proving purchase every time you want to use the warranty. I was able to register in my name, because previous owner never used the warranty, but even if they had used it, you can still use the warranty with the original receipt, and update the address that they have in their system for the phone. Just don't tell them you aren't the original owner, because technically it's not supposed to be transferable.
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
7th1rt3en said:
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
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Not bad at all for me. I get four bars at home when my iPhone 7 gets 2. I don't know why people say it's bad. Maybe I just got lucky.
7th1rt3en said:
I do have one last question, just how bad is signal strength?
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Well, your mileage may vary... I have OK signal, but a lot of people complain about it. Go to the signal reception thread over at Real life review
Choose an username... said:
Well, your mileage may vary... I have OK signal, but a lot of people complain about it. Go to the signal reception thread over at Real life review
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The thing is that a lot of people do not state their location, their model or their build so it's hard to know exactly what the implications are. There is at least one guy in Europe who stated that he tested both the A2017G and A2017U and that the A2017U did considerably better. His idea is that if one has the A2017U and has a bad signal in the states that they should do an RMA. That phone had the B27 update which supposedly boosts performance according to multiple comments I've read. I guess what I could do is figure out when B27 came out and only pay attention to the comments of USA based users after that date, I'll do that and report back.
-----------------------------------------------B27 update-----------------------------------------------
-10dBm worse than my Nexus 6p
First time owning the phone that I noticed I got full bars
TMobile in NYC and no cellular reception issues so far
Dallas on T-mobile and reception/data speeds are not as consistent or fast as they were on my Galaxy S5
So b27 update made signal WAY better for me!
Tmobile here in south florida, i can tell you signal on this phone suxs
Signal strength improved drastically with the b27 update for US version
-----------------------------------------------B29 update-----------------------------------------------
I just recently got the phone, and I haven't noticed any reception issues
So far I've had comparable coverage & speeds as my LG G4.
The A7 just flat out had lower throughput. Mobile data wasn't the only area of weakness. Wifi too. (B29)
it has better signal in my house than a iPhone6 and my OPO (both using T-Mobile)
The US version I pulled out of the box has a production date of Nov 14. Around two months after the first update addressing the antenna. I have no issues.
When I went to update the software, the newest build was already installed. cell signal bar on my stats is all orange and broken. HTC 10, the signal bar is all green
B27 = 3 negative, 3 positive and 1 ambiguous
B29 = 2 negative, 4 positive
Anyway, thanks for the help guys.