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Hey guys. After researching many possible smartphones in the market right now, I am going to go with my first smartphone ever and possibly the best one right now (in my opinion): the Samsung Galaxy S2.
However, I live in the U.S. in which I do not think the SIM-capable unnerfed galaxy S2 will ever be coming out here.
Anyhow, I was hoping people who have bought the unlocked version of the S2 would be able to help me. My questions are as follows:
1) Which online vendor is the best place to buy an unlocked version of the S2? I have been researching many possible sites for the past few months. It seems NewEgg.com, Amazon.com, and Expansys-usa.com are most mentioned contenders. The question then becomes… which one to buy from? Who to trust? Anyone have experience in this arena?
2) From several reviews online, it seems people worldwide have been getting unlocked S2s with different starting languages/manuals. Are they all the same? Are there any fundamental differences in hardware or settings? If so, which one is best? It seems there are different versions with various configurations, such as with/without NFC. Hmm...
3) My main carrier in the U.S. is AT&T. What would I need to do to experience compatibility with this network? I would like to get HSPA+ (~ 4G speeds as claimed by AT&T, so to speak). Is there a special SIM from AT&T or tweaking within the phone I need to do to achieve this? Do I have to tell notify AT&T as well? What do I need to do to ensure compatibility with that network & the speeds I would like to achieve?
Phew. That is all. Thank you!!!!
As far as I know, the international version of i9100 is quad-brand 3G which matches AT&T. You can get 1 on amazon for around $700 USD
OR
you can get a LOCKED i9100m from Bell or Virgin Canada, then unlock it. This phone is 599.99 in Canada.
Isn't the Bell version CDMA-only? Does it offer SIM?
Anyhow, I'll try my hands on an international unlocked version. Now, the question still remains... which one to buy from? Amazon.com has many resellers. NewEgg and Expansys-USA are single resellers, but I would probably have to ask where they get theirs from.
Are there any differences in getting it via from the UK, Korea, India, etc? I would also need an adapter that can be plugged in the US.
Ok there lots of information if you used search feature
Cheapest place to buy currently is www.expansys-usa.com, you get it for 658.99 and you get additional $10 off with lsjuly10 voucher.
You get hspa+ speeds with att and you can also use $15 unlimited non smartphone plan with sgs2.
Search around and you can find lots of info on this. Hope this helps
Edit : just to answer your other question, you get us adapter along with the phone from expansys, amazon. You might mostly get a phone with uk firmware but it shouldn't really matter. Once you get the phone you can flash whatever firmware you want thru odin.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Thank you very much for the coupon!!!
Searching around, it seems like Expansys-USA might be the best bang for the buck to purchase the unlocked version.
I also tried e-mailing NewEgg.com and some Amazon.com vendors. NewEgg.com said their S2 was "made in China." Hmm. I am unsure if it means it is a Chinese version. One vendor from Amazon.com said it was "unsure of where the device came from."
I'm assuming since there's an Expansys-UK, the Expansys-USA may be coming from UK. Is the UK version good? I guess UK (since it's in English) would be best for me...
I've also heard some versions do not have NFC. Does the UK version have NFC or working NFC in the states?
Just get the bell one from canada and save yourself some money, its full hspa+ , meaning it will work with att 3g in the states. If you buy the european ones you'll likely pay upwards of 800$ I'm thinking...
Are the Bell ones unlocked? Where would I be able to find one? Any online resellers that are selling them? I thought the Bell ones were CDMA-only? Or do they also have SIM-card capabilities?
Driving up to Canada and purchasing one is not too feasible for me.
Alazarin said:
Are the Bell ones unlocked? Where would I be able to find one? Any online resellers that are selling them? I thought the Bell ones were CDMA-only? Or do they also have SIM-card capabilities?
Driving up to Canada and purchasing one is not too feasible for me.
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The bell ones are locked. Can be easly unlocked. They are sim ones. I using the one i bought with bell on telus
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Alazarin said:
Are the Bell ones unlocked? Where would I be able to find one? Any online resellers that are selling them? I thought the Bell ones were CDMA-only? Or do they also have SIM-card capabilities?
Driving up to Canada and purchasing one is not too feasible for me.
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Nope, bell has been ditching its CDMA network for well over a year... All their new phones are gsm. Well not just driving up I'm saying ordering online from canada would probably even be cheaper than buying a european phone, and they are the same phone, no nfc, same model.
I`m living in UK and I bought my SGS2 1 month ago from ebay. was sealed and is factory unlocked. It`s 100% original, not a fake. As far as I now if is factory unlocked it`s working in USA on At&t H+ speed, and you don`t need to unlock. If you want you can order from UK or wait when will be release in USA. Hope this help. Good luck!
unleashed12 said:
Nope, bell has been ditching its CDMA network for well over a year... All their new phones are gsm. Well not just driving up I'm saying ordering online from canada would probably even be cheaper than buying a european phone, and they are the same phone, no nfc, same model.
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Do you have any recommendations to reliable online Canadian resellers?
The hard part is that I'm still deciding whether to buy from Expansys-USA (cheaper), Clove (great reviews + most reliable), or from an online Canadian reseller (could be even cheaper + more reliable since I live in the U.S.?). My main criteria is that:
I would like to buy the phone that was made in Korea, but for the UK/CA market (thus, factory sealed) and comes with a US adapter (not add-on). That seems to be the best one, but I am unsure which one would provide that.
Hey,
I am thinking of buying this phone, but I want to know whats the difference between the AT&T version and the international version or UK version?
There are so many versions, I want to know what is the difference and which one is the best one to buy?
Please let me know as I am confused.
Thanks.
UK version is the same as the international version.
The at&t version is the same as the international version but with 4 buttons rather than 3 on the international version.
The tmobile USA version is totally different soc and almost a totally different phone.
Sprint sgs2 is also different as it has a cdma radio.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
I guess I am going to get the Internation version/UK, good decision?
With the ISGS2 you get:
- No carrier-added bloatware
- Unrestricted tethering
- Updates directly from Samsung
- No carrier mandated s/w & h/w changes
- Two year warranty if bought in the UK or from Expansys-USA
- You can use the data for non-Smartphones plan and get fake-4G for $10 a month
With the ASGS2 you get:
- Insurance and warranty support from AT&T
- Hobbled tethering
- NFC (but nothing to do with it)
- Four capacitive buttons vs. the Samsung multi-function hardware home key
- Screen display mode has been removed
- Dive (phone tracking) has been removed
- No FM radio
- Dependency on AT&T for updates if you don't root and they've been known to suck
If you're buying the phone outright they're almost the same price now. The only reason to get one from AT&T is if you're concerned about insurance and/or warranty service. If the ISGS2 breaks you'll be without for a few weeks while it's repaired overseas.
I wont be using the phone in USA, I will be using it in Canada. So I guess International version is better?
I dont need NFC, and looks like AT&T removed alot of features/softwares and made the phone limited....?
Can someone tell me is this SGS2 exact same as International version: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/Samsung...MOB_shophmpg_BAN_GalaxySII_mass_071911_TM_ALL ?
Thanks.
awaisuk said:
I wont be using the phone in USA, I will be using it in Canada. So I guess International version is better?
I dont need NFC, and looks like AT&T removed alot of features/softwares and made the phone limited....?
Can someone tell me is this SGS2 exact same as International version: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/Samsung...MOB_shophmpg_BAN_GalaxySII_mass_071911_TM_ALL ?
Thanks.
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Any carrier phone is going to have modifications made to it by the carrier. Although, the Canadian carriers don't seem to molest them as much as the U.S. carriers. A phone purchased from a carrier is locked to that carrier. Some provide unlock codes for phones purchased outright, others don't. You can also get an unlock code from an online service - do a search. I don't know if Bell provides warranty support for phones purchased from them and used on other carriers. It's something you should investigate.
nexus prime is coming in a couple of days from now
I am planing to buy samsung galaxy S2 4GLTE version. I already have non us variant which supports only 3G. But when I insert any local US sim card it uses only GPRS no 3G nor 4G data support. So I would like to buy a new fone. If any one could clear me before I go for the right one. I am interested to go for either Galaxy s2(T-mobile or ATT) or Note.
My Queries are :
Can I Buy any of above one's from amazon.... & buy prepaid sim card & use it as long as I am here ?
I dont want those annual contracts & stuff. As I am a frequent flyer I would like to have a prepaid one.
Can I unlock that fone & use it in the country I visit ?
AjaYrUlUez said:
I am planing to buy samsung galaxy S2 4GLTE version. I already have non us variant which supports only 3G. But when I insert any local US sim card it uses only GPRS no 3G nor 4G data support. So I would like to buy a new fone. If any one could clear me before I go for the right one. I am interested to go for either Galaxy s2(T-mobile or ATT) or Note.
My Queries are :
Can I Buy any of above one's from amazon.... & buy prepaid sim card & use it as long as I am here ?
I dont want those annual contracts & stuff. As I am a frequent flyer I would like to have a prepaid one.
Can I unlock that fone & use it in the country I visit ?
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To get T-Mobile 3G service, you must purchase a T-Mobile phone.
Also, offtopic for these forums, which are for the AT&T I777 which is almost identical to the I9100 especially in terms of band support. Just like the I9100, the 777 doesn't do AWS.
Yes I have planned to purchase a new fone But I have a query that can I buy it on amazon & use prepaid sim card?
Like for ex : I but note on amazon for $249 & buy t-mobile/ATT sim card for 10 -$15.
Can I use all 3g/4G/LTE services ? with recharging it monthly as i go?
Apart from that Can i unlock the note & use it in other countries ?
Most retailers only sell the phone with new or upgraded contracts. You might have to buy direct from AT&T at full retail price if you don't want a contract.
Note is around $620 on Amazon, not $250. If you're seeing a Note for $250, that is the price with a 2-year contract with AT&T for the inferior AT&T version of the device.
AT&T and international devices will not get 3G service on T-Mobile USA. (The one exception is the Skyrocket, and that requires flashing a different radio firmware.)
Basically, if you want a phone that gets 3G on T-Mobile, you need to buy a phone from T-Mobile or a Galaxy Nexus. If you want a phone that gets 3G elsewhere including AT&T - well if you have an I9100 that should work as-is.
If you're paying full off-contract price for a device, your best bet is the GSM Galaxy Nexus - being pentaband HSPA, it is the only device that will get 3G on AT&T, T-Mobile, and almost any other provider out of the box. There's no point to the Skyrocket if you aren't getting a contract subsidy.
okay Thanks for the reply. So i guess i have these options :
1. Use att sim my galaxy s2 which i dont want to.
2. Go for G nexus sounds good to me. (where shall i buy it from in LA/online)
Finally once i get nexus where do i buy a prepaid sim card ?
AjaYrUlUez said:
okay Thanks for the reply. So i guess i have these options :
1. Use att sim my galaxy s2 which i dont want to.
2. Go for G nexus sounds good to me. (where shall i buy it from in LA/online)
Finally once i get nexus where do i buy a prepaid sim card ?
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Click to collapse
Don't people get paid to shop for other people in LA? Just sayin..
Sent from my SGH-I777 using XDA App
AjaYrUlUez said:
okay Thanks for the reply. So i guess i have these options :
1. Use att sim my galaxy s2 which i dont want to.
2. Go for G nexus sounds good to me. (where shall i buy it from in LA/online)
Finally once i get nexus where do i buy a prepaid sim card ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as prepaid SIMs - this is not the right forum to ask. If you're wanting to get 3G service with a T-Mobile SIM, you need to look elsewhere. These forums are specific only to the SGH-I777, which is the AT&T variant of the phone you already have.
So, I see Best Buy are going to be selling this for $600 SIM-free, a good £100 cheaper than the UK.
What sort of issues will I see using the device in the UK if I buy it in the US? Will HSPA+ work? What about LTE?
Careful there: if it's the AT&T model, full price doesn't mean it's unlocked; it's just the price without the 2 year contract.
It is still alot cheaper buying it this way if you want a SIM free phone, the only issue is whether it will be possible to unlock it. I have found 1 site where they 'claim' to be able to unlock it for $79.99!!!
Im considering this as I really really want the cyan version, how likely do you think it will be that there will be a hack to unlock this?
psalmu said:
Careful there: if it's the AT&T model, full price doesn't mean it's unlocked; it's just the price without the 2 year contract.
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Well, that's just terrible.
Oh well, back to the drawing board.
edgedemon said:
It is still alot cheaper buying it this way if you want a SIM free phone, the only issue is whether it will be possible to unlock it. I have found 1 site where they 'claim' to be able to unlock it for $79.99!!!
Im considering this as I really really want the cyan version, how likely do you think it will be that there will be a hack to unlock this?
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If it is like Lumia 900 of AT&T, you will have to wait 6 to 8 months to get any unlock code from anyone, regardless how much you paid.
Also, AT&T itself is selling 920 for $449 without contract. 3rd party retailer will always sell for higher prices than AT&T because they don't get paid otherwise for contract free phones. But there is a slight chance that Best Buy can price match AT&T price for you.
On the other hand, Rogers version of 920 from Canada is selling for not much more and is known to be unlocked.
Both probably won't work with EU's LTE bands.
foxbat121 said:
If it is like Lumia 900 of AT&T, you will have to wait 6 to 8 months to get any unlock code from anyone, regardless how much you paid.
Also, AT&T itself is selling 920 for $449 without contract. 3rd party retailer will always sell for higher prices than AT&T because they don't get paid otherwise for contract free phones. But there is a slight chance that Best Buy can price match AT&T price for you.
On the other hand, Rogers version of 920 from Canada is selling for not much more and is known to be unlocked.
Both probably won't work with EU's LTE bands.
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So you are saying it will not support LTE 1800Mhz?
Tsury said:
So you are saying it will not support LTE 1800Mhz?
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Att here only uses 700Mhz for lte. Att phones typically come with 700Mhz and 1700Mhz bands. Even my dev version of 920 which supports more bands than att version only has 700/850/1700/2100 lte bands.
The RM820 (North American model) also has support for LTE 1900 (doesn't help anyone in Europe though).
so... is unlocking a cell phone tough?
the price is really very low.
pay extra 79.99$ is still cheaper than buying one in Europe. (but i hate the logo ._. )
but as edgedemon said, they just CLAIM that they can.
unlocking a phone must do this way?
or can jb the phone and install something to unlock?
or.. flashing the ROM?
Any idea how I'd go about getting a Rogers phone when I'm in the US? They're Canadian, right?
I'm not so concerned about LTE if it does HSPA+ on European frequencies.
What about flashing a US Device with a EU's Rom ?
I'm a real noobie in that domain !
In France LTE bands are 800 and 2600 ...
thx for advices !
Well, the rumour goes that all the 920s have all the bands available, but only the certain ones for that region are activated in software.
If that's true, then some day someone might work out how to flash the Radio ROM. But I doubt flashing the software ROM (which you can do just now) will make any changes to the radio ROM, so we'll need to wait until/if someone cracks it.
That goes for the 3G bands... I don't know if the phones come with all LTE bands available (and it's still a rumour that they even have all 3G bands)
elyl said:
Well, the rumour goes that all the 920s have all the bands available, but only the certain ones for that region are activated in software.
If that's true, then some day someone might work out how to flash the Radio ROM. But I doubt flashing the software ROM (which you can do just now) will make any changes to the radio ROM, so we'll need to wait until/if someone cracks it.
That goes for the 3G bands... I don't know if the phones come with all LTE bands available (and it's still a rumour that they even have all 3G bands)
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Many thanks for your answer... I think I'm gonna buy it into my country ...
Slaybz said:
What about flashing a US Device with a EU's Rom ?
I'm a real noobie in that domain !
In France LTE bands are 800 and 2600
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AT&T device (a) can't be unlocked, so you can't use it with anything other than an AT&T SIM and (b) won't have European LTE frequencies.
I have been buying the AT&T versions for years now, extending my contract term and trying the NEXT plan. But with the bigger carriers locking the software down I want to buy an international version, but I'm unsure where to get one.
interesting, I was looking at us version of Samsung site and realize they do not sell latest smartphones provider free and unlocked;
you have to try the Canada site, looks like up north here, we can buy Samsung phones unlocked, even the newest ones
There are a number of sites that deal with overseas international phones. You can also find them on Amazon.com quite easily. Here is one http://welectronics.com/gsm/SAMSUNGSMPHONES.shtml take note they are selling a 32GB & 64GB only version, not sure if they can't get the 128GB option, or it will come later.
Order Directly from Samsung or Use eBay Amazon Walmart Best buy or this super place swappa.com
Buying an international version sounds like a good idea.
biggstkk said:
I have been buying the AT&T versions for years now, extending my contract term and trying the NEXT plan. But with the bigger carriers locking the software down I want to buy an international version, but I'm unsure where to get one.
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Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat. Just need to make sure the international version will support AT&T's LTE bands. If they do, I'll be going this route as well.
Try GSM Nation. Thet have the unlocked and at&t compatible version. Pre-Ordered mine.
Do not even try Canada. Yes we have stuff that work on pretty much all GSM carriers, but never can you buy an unlocked phone unless it's Google, Chinese made or bought overpriced on Sony's website. Samsung Nevers sells unlocked here. Got to use typical methods
Canada is not really international per se, Its networks are set up almost if not identical to those in the US, hence almost all devices are identical to those available in the US market.
There are however, few retailers that sells international versions of devices here in Canada. NCIX.com and Expansys Canada are the first 2 that come to mind. Its just a little more tougher to find as some retailers either don't post the complete information or don't even know their own inventory as some may carry the international versions without even knowing it.
Any other suggestions?
Buy an unbranded one off eBay.