Not including myself, the rest of my family is on Verizon. My daughter recently upgraded her S3 so I have it now as a handmedown. I have AT&T
and have been using it with their sim. (Verizon doesn't lock their smartphones) I get normal voice coverage but can't get anything more than
edge on data. I have 2 APN's programmed that I found here. One is HSPA+ and the other is for LTE. If the sim is in an AT&T phone, I get LTE
coverage but in the S3, nothing more than as mentioned. Is this because AT&T doesn't have the IMEI registered on their end or is it something else?
I'd really like to get more out of this phone. Any ideas?
Thanks ahead of time,
Todd
Related
Hey everyone,
I just searched this topic and didn't find any definitive answers so I thought I'd ask...
Anyways is the VZW Galaxy S4 SIM unlocked out of the box? I keep reading the new VZW releases in 2012 and onwards are according to the VZW forums and website but then I found a post of someone asking VZW for an unlock. It its an official code its easier to just ask VZW as I meet all the requirements (1+ year customer). Also I read that on the S3 the APN settings are blocked on the default VZW firmware unless rooted. Is the APN settings on the S4 open (changeable) by default?
Also what's a realistic battery life you guys are getting out of this phone?
Am comparing phones and need a phone that is:
1. SIM Unlocked and APN settings changable that has VZW's US CDMA and LTE bands PLUS ALL the international bands (the 4 GSM and 4 UMTS international bands).
2. Has HSPA+21 at least.
3. Long battery life to last the day.
4. Rootable so I can get rid of VZW crap and increase the battery life.
I've also not seen any international VZW phones with HSPA+42 dual carrier like Apple's iPhone 5. I'm also debating getting a Android versus iOS phone...
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Recently took my S4 to Brazil and spent a fair bit of time talking to Verizon Global Support before the trip. One of the questions I asked was whether the phone was SIM unlocked so that I could purchase a SIM card while in Brazil and use local service down there. The VZW rep assured me the phone was indeed unlocked, but I did not use a Brazilian SIM card while on travel so I cannot confirm via personal experience.
I can confirm that it is unlocked. I put an active att sim card in, that then allowed me to add the correct apn info. I was then able to make calls and use data.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
willzzz88 said:
Hey everyone,
I just searched this topic and didn't find any definitive answers so I thought I'd ask...
Anyways is the VZW Galaxy S4 SIM unlocked out of the box? I keep reading the new VZW releases in 2012 and onwards are according to the VZW forums and website but then I found a post of someone asking VZW for an unlock. It its an official code its easier to just ask VZW as I meet all the requirements (1+ year customer). Also I read that on the S3 the APN settings are blocked on the default VZW firmware unless rooted. Is the APN settings on the S4 open (changeable) by default?
Also what's a realistic battery life you guys are getting out of this phone?
Am comparing phones and need a phone that is:
1. SIM Unlocked and APN settings changable that has VZW's US CDMA and LTE bands PLUS ALL the international bands (the 4 GSM and 4 UMTS international bands).
2. Has HSPA+21 at least.
3. Long battery life to last the day.
4. Rootable so I can get rid of VZW crap and increase the battery life.
I've also not seen any international VZW phones with HSPA+42 dual carrier like Apple's iPhone 5. I'm also debating getting a Android versus iOS phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SCH-I545 has Quad band GSM/EDGE frequency's (850/900/1800/1900) and Quad band UMTS/HSPA (850/900/1900/2100) As well as AWS bands for LTE (1700/2100) so it should get LTE on T-Mobile. However, it does not have the capabilities to get LTE on AT&T since the SCH-I545 does not have the frequency's to operate on AT&T's LTE network but it will get HSPA+ on both networks. It will work on Sprint as well but it will not get LTE since its two LTE bands, (700 and 1700/2100), are not compatible. Sprint operates on the same CDMA/ Ev-Do bands as VZW so you will get 3G. I can confirm that i have used the SCH-I545 with an AT&T SIM card and i got HSPA+ speeds.
echo1030 said:
The SCH-I545 has Quad band GSM/EDGE frequency's (850/900/1800/1900) and Quad band UMTS/HSPA (850/900/1900/2100) As well as AWS bands for LTE (1700/2100) so it should get LTE on T-Mobile. However, it does not have the capabilities to get LTE on AT&T since the SCH-I545 does not have the frequency's to operate on AT&T's LTE network but it will get HSPA+ on both networks. It will work on Sprint as well but it will not get LTE since its two LTE bands, (700 and 1700/2100), are not compatible. Sprint operates on the same CDMA/ Ev-Do bands as VZW so you will get 3G. I can confirm that i have used the SCH-I545 with an AT&T SIM card and i got HSPA+ speeds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The AWS is there but not activated yet. for now you will only get EDGE on t-mobile unless in a refarmed are you will pickup HSPA. you will however pickup all AWS tis summer when verizon activates that band on our phone.
SOURCE: I'm on the 30$ a month prepaid with t-mobile. edge sucks but it works.
att sim in verizon sg4
Silentgray said:
I can confirm that it is unlocked. I put an active att sim card in, that then allowed me to add the correct apn info. I was then able to make calls and use data.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I have had the same outcome, voice and data work, BUT data is only HPSA+ at best. Do you get 4G LTE or found a way to get it?
Thanks!
ddckylec said:
Hi,
I have had the same outcome, voice and data work, BUT data is only HPSA+ at best. Do you get 4G LTE or found a way to get it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but that is because i am not in an area where ATT has LTE turned on. South Dakota is still on the waiting list. Verizon uses different frequencies for LTE then ATT does.
Verizon has never locked their phones, even the CDMA ones. If you put a non Verizon SIM in you can change the APN settings
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk
It seems that I cannot get any straight information whether Verizon galaxy s4 works with Metro PCS. After all update to 4.3 and rooted, I try different carriers sim card such as tmobile, att, they all work fine both voice and data, but when I try Metro PCS sim and set APN correctly, phone does not have any network. Does anybody have any idea? If so, do I need to do full metro pcs flash? Please advise.
I have a Note II. It was an AT&T phone but I had it unlocked. Seems to be OK on Metro. I used the T-mobile APN epc.t-mobile etc. Download speed depends on location I've seen up to 33 down and 18 up but mostly a lot less. Although they are using the t-mobile infrastructure the phone doesn't work as good as my T-mobile Note 1. The signal is spotty and phone service is inconsistent. I paid for a month so I will see.
Sorry i can't help your specific situation but it seems to work with T-mobile so I don't see why it wouldn't with Metro PCS.
Hello All,
A family member recently purchased a VZW S5 and now I've helped to move them from VZW over to T-Mobile.
The phone is factory unlocked, and with the addition of the T-Mo SIM + the T-Mo APN, everything is up and running.
The key issue I am seeing is the signal strength vs. that of a true T-Mobile Handset. Example, in my house, I have 4 bars on my T-Mo Galaxy Note 3 but 1 bar on the VZW Galaxy S5. Additionally, it's constantly switching from LTE to H+ to 3G.
I've rooted the S5, custom ROM'd it, and even did the mod to unlock all of the different LTE bands but this hasn't helped.
The phone was running the latest FW from Verizon with the most recent Modem, but I'm wondering if there is another modem I could flash that is T-Mobile oriented that may help to improve the service.
Please let me know, thank you!
- Taxmaster
Taxmaster said:
Hello All,
A family member recently purchased a VZW S5 and now I've helped to move them from VZW over to T-Mobile.
The phone is factory unlocked, and with the addition of the T-Mo SIM + the T-Mo APN, everything is up and running.
The key issue I am seeing is the signal strength vs. that of a true T-Mobile Handset. Example, in my house, I have 4 bars on my T-Mo Galaxy Note 3 but 1 bar on the VZW Galaxy S5. Additionally, it's constantly switching from LTE to H+ to 3G.
I've rooted the S5, custom ROM'd it, and even did the mod to unlock all of the different LTE bands but this hasn't helped.
The phone was running the latest FW from Verizon with the most recent Modem, but I'm wondering if there is another modem I could flash that is T-Mobile oriented that may help to improve the service.
Please let me know, thank you!
- Taxmaster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding is that the phone simply doesn't have the hardware for all of the bands. It's not as simple as just flashing, to my knowledge. For example, I don't think the phone supports 2100 which is used by Tmobile in some areas.
I just went through the same process. Enabled the bands, tried different modems, no improvement. Finally, bought a T-Mobile S5 and sold the Verizon. Performance is far better, plus it supports Wi-Fi calling.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Hello,
I have been trying to search for this information for a bit already. I just ordered an unlocked AT&T Alpha unlocked from amazon.com and I would like to use it with the METRO PCS $60 unlimited 4G plan. Will this work? I couldn't tell if I needed to have the phone rooted or just unlocked.
Thanks!
I have phone unlocked and have been using it on tmo without issues for a couple of weeks now
Thanks for the reply. I am assuming that it should work on the network, since Metro PCS and TMO are the same network. I want to go with Metro PCS to save the $20 per month for the same maxed out plan. I read reports of people using other phones, like the One M7 and were able to get it working on Metro PCS along with being able to do the tethering trick.
Anyways, thanks again for the reply.
stivelio said:
I have phone unlocked and have been using it on tmo without issues for a couple of weeks now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am planning to get 850A to use on Wind mobile(Canada)
does it work on tmobile HSPA network?
I have this phone Galaxy Alpha 850M
on Metro PCS right now.
I have excellent voice and call quality
no texting issues etc and lock onto signal extremely well.
Just drop a SIM in set up with Metro and will be fine IF international factory unlocked 850M .
You will have LTE and drop to 3G H H+ during calls usually with voice and Data and even have E in very bad signal areas- all the Bands are in the Phone.
Better speaker than AT&T Qualcomm and cool , black menus.
4 G LTE Metro PCS Branded phones have VoLTE so you have Voice and Data while staying on LTE Band-
This phone of course lacks the Metro Software to do that so will always drop to 3G H or H + during calls or where LTE Signal is weak but still an excellent phone.
For WIND MOBILE - the 850M I have has the 1700 and 1900 Bands for 3G,H, H+ ( 1700 shows up sometimes in Service Menu but not listed in most specs for 850M).
The LTE bands are :
700/850/1800/1900/2100/2600 AND
AWS .
So you should be good in Canada since most Carriers are same Bands as TMobile/Metro USA..
I have the AT&T 850A and I use it on my T-mobile network.
I just disable all the ATT software n once you do that, you dont see it anymore. Its in hiding. Hotspot will work if you root it, but all ATT have blootloader lock. Wifi calling will not work.
This is my secondary phone I use for when I go jogging. My primary phone is the Note 4.
Thanks for the replies. I got the phone and it is working wonderfully on Metro PCS but the odd thing is that it is on the AT&T network and not T-mobile. I have no idea why. I thought Metro was only for T-mobile but it works just great! Cute phone and quick.
For those looking at this thread, I got an unlocked AT&T branded phone from Amazon.Com and it does work on Metro PCS. However I haven't tried the WiFi bypass yet.
Wow. That is weird but good.
You mean you have a Metro PCS Sim but the phone is showing AT&T ?
That is probably just the phone Booting under AT&T but actually on Metro PCS with Tmobile Towers.
On lower left corner you will see Metro PCS..after start up.
Are you getting LTE ?
And when you make a call does Status change to 3G ?
No it isn't. The contract has Metro PCS printed next to AT&T. I never saw that before.
So I'm switching from verizon to T-Mobile after this month and I was wondering what would be the best way to flash the T-Mobile firmware and get rid of the verizon firmware?
Firmware is not the problem. TMO & ATT have GSM radios, Verizon & Sprint are CDMA. Your Verizon S5 *will not* connect to the t-mobile network no matter what firmware you are running. T-mobile probably still has a very generous trade-in program.
Actually the Verizon S5 should work as it contains an LTE radio, meaning GSM functionality is present. Furthermore, the Verizon model comes unlocked as per FCC regulations. You will need to set the proper APNs to get connectivity on the Verizon S5, however.
Short answer: The S5 works on TMO.
I just made the same switch two months ago. I had two S5s and an S4. My dad is still using his VZW S4 on TMO and I used both of my S5s. However, the coverage seemed to be less than optimal and I wanted the WiFi calling options so I bought two used TMO S5s and my dad is getting a Kyocera Hydro. Even with the cellspot extender my dad's S4 won't make a call at his house.
I guess I got it wrong. DOH! Thanks for setting me straight. So what about going the other way, would a TMO S5 work on the Verizon network?