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Okay, call me a newb or whatever, but I cannot find this information. I was with T-Mobile using my MDA, and everything worked fine. Now, I have moved to Uijeongbu, Korea and I can't seem to locate a place that sells SIM cards for my MDA. All the retailers i have contacted sell phones that do not use SIM cards (possibly CDMA?) I saw a link somewhere (possibly on this site) that had a list of worldwide carriers and a map of their service types. Can anyone recommend a carrier in Korea where I can get service and a SIM for my MDA? Thanks!
snootch said:
Okay, call me a newb or whatever, but I cannot find this information. I was with T-Mobile using my MDA, and everything worked fine. Now, I have moved to Uijeongbu, Korea and I can't seem to locate a place that sells SIM cards for my MDA. All the retailers i have contacted sell phones that do not use SIM cards (possibly CDMA?) I saw a link somewhere (possibly on this site) that had a list of worldwide carriers and a map of their service types. Can anyone recommend a carrier in Korea where I can get service and a SIM for my MDA? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe that you will find one.
This is because the Koreans use CDMA and not GSM/GPRS - completely incompatible systems.
My Korean colleagues are somewhat jealous of my XDA Mini S because there is nothing similar available in Korea or that works on their CDMA network, although there are a few basic PDA phones appearing on the market.
What you can do (and it does not help you) is rent a phone at Incheon Airport that accepts the GSM SIM card and allows you to keep you mobile phone number on a Korean CDMA phone.
well, what u could do is purchase a CDMA phone (yes i know thats not what ur asking) but just match the frequencys up.. maybe some sprint or alltel phones will work.. UT starcom's xv6700 maybe.. its the cloest thing to a mda in CDMA format i do believe.
or.. u could do as parbrook said :| those damn koreans!
oh wait.. verizon sells a world phone that accepts GSM/CDMA.. maybe look into that.
That is what I thought after some more research. That sucks. The whole point of the MDA/Wizard is to converge devices. Dammit. Now i'll have to carry two phones.
I've been hunting for an answer to this semi-simple question everywhere, and have found about 4 answers (all different ones - somehow :silly: ) So I'll try asking here.... I'm going to study abroad in Spain this semester, and I just bought a Samsung Galaxy S4 from Verizon (it was an upgrade contract, not full price). When I asked the sales rep he said that the SIM card would have to be unlocked. However, when I talked to Verizon "technical support" they said, no, they're already unlocked and ready for international use. What I've seen in other forums is that people say it seemingly takes SIM cards but won't pick the network up. Does anybody here have experience with the Verizon S4 being used internationally? Can it be done? Do I need to unlock it? Thanks for any insights!
BelowAverage355 said:
I've been hunting for an answer to this semi-simple question everywhere, and have found about 4 answers (all different ones - somehow :silly: ) So I'll try asking here.... I'm going to study abroad in Spain this semester, and I just bought a Samsung Galaxy S4 from Verizon (it was an upgrade contract, not full price). When I asked the sales rep he said that the SIM card would have to be unlocked. However, when I talked to Verizon "technical support" they said, no, they're already unlocked and ready for international use. What I've seen in other forums is that people say it seemingly takes SIM cards but won't pick the network up. Does anybody here have experience with the Verizon S4 being used internationally? Can it be done? Do I need to unlock it? Thanks for any insights!
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Click to collapse
As a Verizon phone uses a CDMA signal, I don't think it is going to work anywhere in Europe where they use GSM signals. Sorry.
bsam55 said:
As a Verizon phone uses a CDMA signal, I don't think it is going to work anywhere in Europe where they use GSM signals. Sorry.
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Click to collapse
The S4 is equipped with a GSM radio, I checked on that much at least.
Yes
I went ahead and just bit the bullet and bought a SIM card here, and good news: it works :good:
HOWEVER, I believe the problem that others who tried to use it globally were having is that it defaults to Global mode, which doesn't really seem to work (No clue what Global mode is, but I got a signal with no data connection). For anyone who wants to use it internationally, you will have to manually switch to GSM/UMTS by going to Settings>Connections>More networks>Mobile networks>Network mode>GSM/UMTS
Hi guys. I have a Galaxy Grand 2 (G7109), China Telecom model.
It has two SIM card slot, one for CDMA(Slot 1) and the other for GSM(Slot 2) network.
Slot 2 is originally unlocked. But Slot 1 is locked for China Telecom.
Are there any ways to unlock Slot 1 so that I can use other SIM cards for 3G connection or for use abroad?
My phone is rooted. Thanks in advance!
takapitan said:
Hi guys. I have a Galaxy Grand 2 (G7109), China Telecom model.
It has two SIM card slot, one for CDMA(Slot 1) and the other for GSM(Slot 2) network.
Slot 2 is originally unlocked. But Slot 1 is locked for China Telecom.
Are there any ways to unlock Slot 1 so that I can use other SIM cards for 3G connection or for use abroad?
My phone is rooted. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, thanks for using proper English.
Your operator will unlock the SIM slot if you pay a contract termination fee.
Tried with American operators.
WaseemAlkurdi said:
First, thanks for using proper English.
Your operator will unlock the SIM slot if you pay a contract termination fee.
Tried with American operators.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for your kind reply and the useful info. I will go to the carrier shop and ask if they do the same in my country.
Would there still be other ways to unlock it? I am not going to terminate my contract for the moment but I have a plan to go to another country for a few weeks.
takapitan said:
Thank you for your kind reply and the useful info. I will go to the carrier shop and ask if they do the same in my country.
Would there still be other ways to unlock it? I am not going to terminate my contract for the moment but I have a plan to go to another country for a few weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You still have to pay some fee if you purchased the device ON CONTRACT WITH YOUR PHONE LINE (SIM CARD).
Your operator knows better.
WaseemAlkurdi said:
You still have to pay some fee if you purchased the device ON CONTRACT WITH YOUR PHONE LINE (SIM CARD).
Your operator knows better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went to the China Telecom shop a few days ago and asked the staff if they can unlock the phone. He said, "The phone is not locked. Some people from other countries told me that they were able to use the phone in their country. Just try using it." So I am here in Japan and tried to use it. But unfortunately it IS locked and Japanese SIM doesn't work. Any solution??
takapitan said:
I went to the China Telecom shop a few days ago and asked the staff if they can unlock the phone. He said, "The phone is not locked. Some people from other countries told me that they were able to use the phone in their country. Just try using it." So I am here in Japan and tried to use it. But unfortunately it IS locked and Japanese SIM doesn't work. Any solution??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may be a compatible band range issue.
Operators in Asian countries operate very strange bands (especially China, for political reasons, and Korea).
As I have heard, you cannot travel and bring a smartphone from outside China as the airport cops will confiscate it AND because it won't work.
Operators are the worst liars ever. Rogers, a Canadian operator, repeatedly told me that its Nexus 5 was locked. They lied. Again. And again. Over different shops. But a quick Google search revealed that North American Nexus devices are ALL unlocked. Don't trust your operator.
I'm quite sure it is the bandwidth. Ask your (destination) operator if it operates your device's bands. It also happened with me. Almost tricked by an operator called Vidèotron into buying a SIM card, but it turned out that they don't operate the bands my dad's Note II (Saudi Arabian unit). Checked with other operators and, luckily, some did operate them. Just try different operators.
WaseemAlkurdi said:
It may be a compatible band range issue.
Operators in Asian countries operate very strange bands (especially China, for political reasons, and Korea).
As I have heard, you cannot travel and bring a smartphone from outside China as the airport cops will confiscate it AND because it won't work.
Operators are the worst liars ever. Rogers, a Canadian operator, repeatedly told me that its Nexus 5 was locked. They lied. Again. And again. Over different shops. But a quick Google search revealed that North American Nexus devices are ALL unlocked. Don't trust your operator.
I'm quite sure it is the bandwidth. Ask your (destination) operator if it operates your device's bands. It also happened with me. Almost tricked by an operator called Vidèotron into buying a SIM card, but it turned out that they don't operate the bands my dad's Note II (Saudi Arabian unit). Checked with other operators and, luckily, some did operate them. Just try different operators.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the message. Yes, I also think it is a problem of bandwidth. I guess China Telecom version of Galaxy Grand 2 doesn't work with UMITS 2100MHz, which is a common bandwidth in Japan. I was just able to use it in China, Macau & Hong Kong. It's a good device but useless in Japan...
Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Blacklisted phone
victoriaa22 said:
Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be able to resell the phone with a *disclaimer* that it is blacklisted, I would recommend Swappa over Ebay though, (I got a really decent chunk of change for my Galaxy S Blaze that I sold on there), and then use the proceeds from that to acquire a phone that isn't stolen.
I got mine unlocked in a repair shop at gaffar market,delhi,india for rs 3200 inr and it was blacklisted on tmobile's website, when bought it was unlocked but after few days it automatically got locked to tmobile.
I mean to say if i can get it done in india you guys can also get it done in your countries.
You would have to do a firmware swap - which you could do yourself - you just won't be able to use it on that particular carrier, even via an MVNO on that carrier. My own S7 is ex-VZW (network locked); but I could take it to T-Mobile (and did) via firmware swap. My carrier (Tracfone) uses both VZW and T-Mobile towers ; while VZW was out, T-Mobile, however, works fine. If you sell the phone post-swap, include documentation that a firmware swap was done, so the buyer does not try to take it to T-M by mistake - some folks insist on following the labelling unless expressly told not to. (My S7 still has VZW labelling.)
PGHammer said:
You would have to do a firmware swap - which you could do yourself - you just won't be able to use it on that particular carrier, even via an MVNO on that carrier. My own S7 is ex-VZW (network locked); but I could take it to T-Mobile (and did) via firmware swap. My carrier (Tracfone) uses both VZW and T-Mobile towers ; while VZW was out, T-Mobile, however, works fine. If you sell the phone post-swap, include documentation that a firmware swap was done, so the buyer does not try to take it to T-M by mistake - some folks insist on following the labelling unless expressly told not to. (My S7 still has VZW labelling.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Indeed You Can
Anthonyx82x said:
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A blacklisted IMEI only affects the blacklisted carrier in question - it does not affect ALL carriers. (I cannot take my Snapdragon S7 to Verizon or that side of Tracfone due the IMEI being Verizon-blacklisted; however, it does not affect T-Mobile or the T-Mobile side of Tracfone - which is a separate network/carrier - which is why I was able to take the phone there.
. In your case, your Note 4 has a T-Mobile blacklisted IMEI; therefore, you can take it to AT&T Mobility, Verizon, the Verizon half of Tracfone, or Sprint - you simply need the apropos firmware and SIM. If the phone itself has T-Mobile labeling/branding, and you are trying to sell it, you should include documentation indicating what was done, and why (honesty). The biggest issue is sellers that DON'T do that (document what was done) or worse - don't do a firmware/ROM change for a phone with a blacklisted IMEI. So you can actually use it as a phone - you just can't take it to the original carrier.
victoriaa22 said:
Hello all,
Like many others, I unknowingly bought a blacklisted phone on eBay. It's a Samsung S7 with T-Mobile from the US. I live in Costa Rica, and I'm trying to use a SIM from a local service provider. Sending the phone back for an uninteresting list of various reasons is impossible at this point. So, I am attempting to unlock it.
I rooted the phone with SuperSu thinking that would work, now I know better. After hours and hours of research, I found a xda dev that can remove the lock, but with my slow internet speed, he says it's impossible.
I was suggested to use one of the paid services, but I'm concerned that if my slow connection will not work for the xda dev, why would it work for a paid unlock service? My connection is 5/1. Anyone have any luck buying the expensive @$$ service and successfully receiving the code with a slow connection?
Is there really no way around the T-Mobile Unlock App?
Is there truly no DIY process or program that I can do, being that the paid unlock services may not to work?
I really need this phone to work. I just moved to Costa Rica, and I use my phone to work. So, I am pretty damn stuck between a rock and a hard place with spikes. I'm pretty desperate, almost willingly to pay my last money to a dumb unlock service.
But some of the services say that it will not work if the phone is blacklisted.
I just don't know what my options are at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try https://www.gsmzambia.com/.
You need a Windows PC with Teamviewer.
Anthonyx82x said:
Firmware swap? So you're saying you can take a Note 4 on T-Mobile that is blacklisted and you can fix the problem just by flashing a new firmware from AT&T? Am I understanding that correctly or no? Because I have a Note 4 that is on T-Mobile that someone left at my GF's work and never came back for, so they wanted to throw it away, so I took it, I rooted it, deleted all the bloatware and have it working great as a small tablet, but I can't use it as a phone because it is blacklisted. Been trying to find a way to use it for years now with no luck, I will not dish out any money to one of those sites, I don't trust them. If there is a way I can do it myself I would surely try it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I am saying - that and a SIM from a carrier other than the one that blacklisted the IMEI - I took my own phone from VZW to T-Mobile (Tracfone supports both carrier networks). Because it was an internal swap (same MVNO), it cost me nothing.
Hi,
first of all I know this is a well discussed topic, I know there are already threads and I know the verizon unlocking policy. I bought a used Z Force via Ebay, got it shipped to my home in Germany. When it arrived, it suffered from the Wifi and Bluetooth issue, but it worked with my sim card. I shipped it back to America because a phone without bluetooth and wifi is useless for me. Motorola replaced it with a new phone (I'm sure about this, the new phone Motorola sent me has a different IMEI.) Bluetooth and Wifi work now - but it won't read my Simcard. It recognizes my PIN and accepts it, but it wont connect to the german GSM network, although bands are compatible, I've checked that before. It does not even read the number from the Sim, and I've got a notification that the inserted Sim is not a Verizon Sim. How do I get this phone working with my german carrier? Is this one really locked? I've called Verizon, they sent me to motorola. Motorola wants to send an unlock code to my german carrier. But as far as I know all verizon phones are unlocked from the start, so I do not really get the problem? Does anyone have an idea or could explain me whats going on here? Thank you very much,
rtuz2th
Strange, because I bought three Verizon Moto Z Force from eBay shipped to Egypt and all 3 are working fine for more than year now.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Okay, just in case anyone faces the same problems - the Simcard I used was defective, although it was a new one from my german carrier. Got a new simcard and everything works fine.