PSA Samsung selling VZN & T-Mo Note 8 (Unlocked) for $549 or less - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions & Answers

Hey, with the Note 9 release, looks like we don't need to wait long for the price drop on the Note 8.
Samsung's own site is selling the T-Mobile (Orchid Color Only) 64GB Unlocked Note 8's for $549, while the Verizon variant is $599 (but requires activation). Trade-ins accepted as well. An old iPhone 5s will knock the price to under $500 for me.
I have a quick question to add to the news. If I had the option to get T-Mo or Verizons variant sold from Samsung, and would use it between both carriers (6 months with Verizon, 6 months with T-Mo)... which one should I get? Does the T-Mo not offering CDMA the ultimate reason to go with Verizons? Or enough bloatware and lack of compatible features (Video Calling, T-Mo's unlimited hotspot, etc.) from Verizons variant enough to get the other? And they would remain stock firmware the whole time...

I actually took advantage of this as well as the employee discount...ended up at $452 after trade in. I went with the T-Mobile model and immediately set it up with Teltik plan. So far no issues however if you try to use the device unlock with the app on the phone it does say it cant be unlocked. I figured since Teltik is tmobile no rush to get a hold of them and try to unlock it via the phone.

Related

[Q] Buy in US or INDIA? IS ulocked = rooted?

Hi, I am a complete noob.
I am in india, but will stay in US for 4 years starting august 1. So, where is is better to buy this phone? In US or INDIA?
Also, if I buy a unlocked phone in India or US, do I have to root it? In other words, is a unlocked phone a rooted phone? Or is unlocking and rooting different things?
unlocking and rooting are 2 different things.
Unlocked = You can put any sim card in and it should work (almost) anywhere in the world
Rooted = You have administrator level access to all of the files on the phone, so you can edit, delete or add as you please
Almost guaranteed, the phone will not be rooted when you buy it, especially if you are buying it new. If you are buying along with a specific carrier's plan, chances are it won't be unlocked, but if you are paying full price (~$700 USD) it will almost surely be unlocked.
I'd advise buying the international version (there is no US version yet), because it will be unlocked and therefore work in the US with a US sim card.
international?
What is the international version?
If I buy a unlocked version, then after reachig US, I must buy a FREE phone from ATT and use that sim card in the galaxy s2 ... right? Will it work?
Also, i cannot use T-Mobile since they use 1700 frequency for 3g, and galaxy does not support it
gowtham.n.mail said:
What is the international version?
If I buy a unlocked version, then after reachig US, I must buy a FREE phone from ATT and use that sim card in the galaxy s2 ... right? Will it work?
Also, i cannot use T-Mobile since they use 1700 frequency for 3g, and galaxy does not support it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The international version is the version sold outside of the US, mainly Europe and Asia. It has a exynos processor. The Indian version has a tegra 2 processor (which is a little slower). You should get the exynos version. But that's up to you.
Yes, it will only work on ATT. See here about plans...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1166543
Prepaid will be $50 (no tax), but might get bad throttled speeds. Not sure on this though.
If you go the contract, regular post-paid way. It will be $40 for 450 minutes + $15 for data + $10 for 1000 text messages + tax = $65 + tax, with tax it will be about $75. This is if you are using an international version. If you buy an ATT version you will have to pay more for data.
Thanks,
How do i get exynos in INDIA? I want to buy from amazon, but they dont ship to india . Where can i get it?
Or, can I go to US, buy it from amazon, and buy a prepaid $50 plan with some cheap phone, and use that sim in galaxy s2?
Which option do u recommend?
ImDonly1 said:
The Indian version has a tegra 2 processor (which is a little slower)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure ? How come no one has seen a tegra 2 SII till now ? There's no tegra 2 SII. Devices with tegra 2 processor are not called SII. Maybe you are talking about this device, which is galaxy Z.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9103_galaxy_r-3967.php
ImDonly1, You are an idiot. Please check your facts before you post something as stupid as what you did here. All galaxy s2 phones run on exynos processors.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
well but in usa , you will get almost cell for free with better plan.
Good luck
hey friend, your options are just few and quite easy if you are set on buying galaxy s2 only.. see you could get in india for Rs.31000 which will be an unlocked s2 that u can later bring with you to US where u can buy a used or brand new prepaid no.. otherwise you could order from amazon using this link:
amazon.com/Samsung-i9100-Unlocked-Smartphone-Touchscreen/dp/B004QTBQ2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310555675&sr=8-1
jst fill in the url, i cant post links yet
Its the Euro version/unlocked which should not be any problem also for u also and costs the same price... The only drawback i can think of is that wen you order from amazon you will not get a samsung warranty or be able to see the set before giving away you hard earned bucks unlike if you purchase from authorized dealer anywhere in india with warranty.
The third and last option you have is you could use your current phone for next month or so and wait till s2 is officially launched in US so you could get a nice 2 year plan which would be your last but relatively more efficient option since you mentioned you are surely going to stay for 2+ years..
The choice is yours and yours alone! but watever you decide, you sure will forget everything once u have the S2 all to yourself.. Sometimes its pays of to be patient! all the best buddy
I wont buy from amazon, because no warrenty. So, i have 2 options left...buy in india, or buy directly from ATT, after they launch.
Calculations ...
Option 1 (buying unlocked phone)
Cost of unlocked phone - $700
Cost of plan - $50 per month in prepaid. Assuming 2 year stay ($50 * 24 = $1200)
Cost of some dumb phone for prepaid - $10
SO total cost is 700+1200+10=$1910.
Option 2 (buy from ATT)
Cost (expected) of phone - $300
Cost of plan - $40 for voice, $10 for messaging, and $25 for 2 GB per month data plan. SO totally $75 + taxes = $80. For 2 years contract - $80 * 24 = 1920
SO total cost is 300+1920=$2220.
Thus, Option 1 is cheaper. Also in option 1 everything (including data) is unlimited .
Why is prepaid so much cheaper than postpaid!! Are there some disadvantages in prepaid that I dont know??
I heard that in prepaid, the 3G data speed will be slower that postpaid!! Is it TRUE !! ??
if i weighed my options like you then id definitely pick option 1 since in prepaid you can always keep a check on how much you are spending whereas i have noticed with postpaid ppl tend to get carried away even if they swore they wudn't at start.. just my opinion. and one more thing you should consider is that most places you would spend time usually has wifi connection and you can prioritize in s2 so that it always uses a wifi connection wen available over a 3g one as i have been doin.. will save a lot on data costs if it is not unlimited.. plus speed is generally faster i am guessing from my observation.. haha so u now know wat u must do!!! that is get a set in india and have no regrets after but i am still a new user of smartfone having switched from blackberry after many years.. it would be wise to wait and see what other users have to say as well since i am a very new member here and my advice wont seem much helpful..
^thanks
You ment internet is faster in wifi over 3g or internet being faster in postpaid over prepaid?
wifi over 3g.. prepaid vs postpaid i have no clue! btw the at&t plan as of now is only for samsung I997 Infuse 4G.. be warned that they are totally different phones and dont evn think of it being a substitute for S2.. i am not aware yet of the exact release of S2 in us officially with or without a plan so it would be wise to look into that otherwise i recommend you buy a warrantied s2 from india itself asap.. good luck buddy

Debating on carrier for my Note

I don't like AT&T and I'm with T-Mobile. AT&T plans give you very little for what they charge and their stupid roll-over minutes mean diddle squat to me. I've been with them at least twice in the past 10 years.
I was planning on getting the international version and possible going with RedPocket since I heard they use AT&T towers anyway. I would get 3g without the ball and chain.
On launch day I went to go see the Note with my husband. When I got to the mall, Samsung was having an event for the Note and I kind of got sucked in with the hype because I've been drooling over it for months. I went to the AT&T store and the manager shockingly honored an online price for the Note so I decided to get one. Ok, I got 2 since the deal was good and I needed a second line for my husband. He loyally feeds my phone addiction and goes with what ever plan/network I want. The other one is sitting in the box and is nicknamed "termination fee coverage" since he could care less about the awesome sexy beast, A.K.A. my new boyfriend who is 5.3".
When I got home I unlocked it and I have been switching back and forth between the networks. I used my AT&T Dell streak on T-Mobile before and was fine with the crappy speed for a while because most of the time I had Wi-fi. After the Streak I had the Galaxy S2 and got hooked on the speed.
I don't have long to decided because AT&T will charge to migrate my phone over after a certain period. I also currently have 2 sets of numbers with each carrier and don't want a double bill.
My debate is this, is it worth giving up a decent plan, so I can always have the full potential speed of my Note? I do plan on rooting it soon to get rid of the crap and open the potential. I will be paying about the same for less minutes on our family plan.
Devs are working on getting 3G to possibly work for Tmo. It can use the 1700 band that tmo uses for 3G. I would say give it some time. I use Simple Mobile which uses Tmo and I'm waiting to see if they get it to work.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App
I think it's a question of what will irk you more- a less than stellar plan or a slower phone. If your dislike for AT&T trumps your need for speed then lose them. If you think you'll frequently be in a non wifi situation and regret not having the full speed, stick with AT&T.
Read the AT&T contract carefully. If memory serves if you cancel with in the first month and keep the phone you are charged the difference in price paid vs. full price of the phone per/device not the early disconnect fee. I may be wrong about this but when I was reading it on Thurs. Im pretty sure I saw something to that effect
Thanks all...
Yikes! I never read my phone contracts. Funny how I spend so much time reading and researching my gadgets but mindlessly sign my life away.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
csmith7502 said:
I don't like AT&T and I'm with T-Mobile. AT&T plans give you very little for what they charge and their stupid roll-over minutes mean diddle squat to me. I've been with them at least twice in the past 10 years.
I was planning on getting the international version and possible going with RedPocket since I heard they use AT&T towers anyway. I would get 3g without the ball and chain.
On launch day I went to go see the Note with my husband. When I got to the mall, Samsung was having an event for the Note and I kind of got sucked in with the hype because I've been drooling over it for months. I went to the AT&T store and the manager shockingly honored an online price for the Note so I decided to get one. Ok, I got 2 since the deal was good and I needed a second line for my husband. He loyally feeds my phone addiction and goes with what ever plan/network I want. The other one is sitting in the box and is nicknamed "termination fee coverage" since he could care less about the awesome sexy beast, A.K.A. my new boyfriend who is 5.3".
When I got home I unlocked it and I have been switching back and forth between the networks. I used my AT&T Dell streak on T-Mobile before and was fine with the crappy speed for a while because most of the time I had Wi-fi. After the Streak I had the Galaxy S2 and got hooked on the speed.
I don't have long to decided because AT&T will charge to migrate my phone over after a certain period. I also currently have 2 sets of numbers with each carrier and don't want a double bill.
My debate is this, is it worth giving up a decent plan, so I can always have the full potential speed of my Note? I do plan on rooting it soon to get rid of the crap and open the potential. I will be paying about the same for less minutes on our family plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Red pocket and love it...plus they roll over your unused data which is sweet.
am wondering what should i do too.....came from tmobile....for $98 bucks i had unlimitted calls, text, web, insurance, and international calls and text....with att i pay the same and only 450 mins, and no international
what is this red pocket service,,,,,does it have lte? is the internetet 4G.....
i dont know if i should go back to tmobile.....
whats the cheapest or best plan to have for the note, with unlimitted calls and 4g?
the go phone options seems better and cheaper than being on contract, it does not make sense to me...
can i switch to a prepay plan? and how much would i have to pay to change? i became a new att member....and pay 300 for the note....if i cancel do i just pay the 325 ETF? and take my note somewhere else?

Hrmm..should I stick with the I717 or go international

Let me first state my situation.
I am in a contract with unlimited data on Verizon with my galaxy nexus.
Despite not wanting to have a contract with two providers, I wanted the galaxy note so badly, I got the note on AT&T with a so so contract (3 gb data, unlimited texting, 450 minutes).
I live in Seattle so there is no LTE here.
I am worried that a superior phone will come out soon (SG III) or perhaps a quad core note and then I will be stuck in two contracts without many options.
So I can either take back my note and get the AT&T version and go with Straightsim and save a good chunk of money ($100/month on AT&T vs $45/month on Straighttalk). In Seattle, straight talk uses AT&T's network so I think my service will be about the same except I will have unlimited data/minutes/texting.
Or, I can take back my Note and get the international version and put it on Straighttalk.
Or, I can stay put.
If I buy a note off contract, I will have the option to get the Samsung Galaxy S III or Note II when it comes out (on Verizon or AT&T)...
Kind of think that getting into a contract for a phone without LTE speeds seems a bit absurd.
Also, the international version has more developers (for now) and a better cpu.
What do you guys think? If I wasn't in another contract on Verizon, I'd just stay put and hope that LTE comes to Seattle this summer.
I read that the Note will come out on VZW if you can wait.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
Tikerz said:
I read that the Note will come out on VZW if you can wait.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought about that. One thing I forgot to mention is that for some reason at the office, my galaxy nexus (and before that, Galaxy S) get's terrible reception unless I am near a window.
AT&T customers at work get reception even in conference rooms in the middle of the building, so I was hoping that my AT&T note would as well (which it does).
I just don't like being cut off for 8 hours a day from calls and texts.
I guess since life isn't all flowers and unicorns, my verizon has great data speed (LTE) but my AT&T can actually make calls....lol
Guess it would be too much to have it all in one phone
I had the same problem with Verizon. Loved the LTE speed when I had reception but for 10 hours a day at work I was lucky to keep 1 bar of 3G. I got fed up and went back to AT&T. I do have LTE here in Phoenix so switching was easier. Though I did lose unlimited data on VZW, I'm much happier with AT&T, this Note, and their LTE is way faster right now.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk
Who cares what phone is released. No difference between them in WA since there is not att lte and the note doesn't support vzn lte.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
I'm buying one today from ATT. Was gonna get the international however, being my area is getting LTE in June the ATT version makes sense.
wangjaroni said:
Let me first state my situation.
I am in a contract with unlimited data on Verizon with my galaxy nexus.
Despite not wanting to have a contract with two providers, I wanted the galaxy note so badly, I got the note on AT&T with a so so contract (3 gb data, unlimited texting, 450 minutes).
I live in Seattle so there is no LTE here.
I am worried that a superior phone will come out soon (SG III) or perhaps a quad core note and then I will be stuck in two contracts without many options.
So I can either take back my note and get the AT&T version and go with Straightsim and save a good chunk of money ($100/month on AT&T vs $45/month on Straighttalk). In Seattle, straight talk uses AT&T's network so I think my service will be about the same except I will have unlimited data/minutes/texting.
Or, I can take back my Note and get the international version and put it on Straighttalk.
Or, I can stay put.
If I buy a note off contract, I will have the option to get the Samsung Galaxy S III or Note II when it comes out (on Verizon or AT&T)...
Kind of think that getting into a contract for a phone without LTE speeds seems a bit absurd.
Also, the international version has more developers (for now) and a better cpu.
What do you guys think? If I wasn't in another contract on Verizon, I'd just stay put and hope that LTE comes to Seattle this summer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would take it back and try to get one on Craigslist. I got mine by trading my SII and throwing in some cash also. I know Straight Talk is cheaper but have you thought about Red Pocket? They give you unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data for $59.99 but the good thing about there plan is that your unused data rolls over to the next month. I have over 5GB now. I have read where Straight Talk is very fussy when you use a lot of data. Just a suggestion.
wangjaroni said:
Let me first state my situation.
I am in a contract with unlimited data on Verizon with my galaxy nexus.
Despite not wanting to have a contract with two providers, I wanted the galaxy note so badly, I got the note on AT&T with a so so contract (3 gb data, unlimited texting, 450 minutes).
I live in Seattle so there is no LTE here.
I am worried that a superior phone will come out soon (SG III) or perhaps a quad core note and then I will be stuck in two contracts without many options.
So I can either take back my note and get the AT&T version and go with Straightsim and save a good chunk of money ($100/month on AT&T vs $45/month on Straighttalk). In Seattle, straight talk uses AT&T's network so I think my service will be about the same except I will have unlimited data/minutes/texting.
Or, I can take back my Note and get the international version and put it on Straighttalk.
Or, I can stay put.
If I buy a note off contract, I will have the option to get the Samsung Galaxy S III or Note II when it comes out (on Verizon or AT&T)...
Kind of think that getting into a contract for a phone without LTE speeds seems a bit absurd.
Also, the international version has more developers (for now) and a better cpu.
What do you guys think? If I wasn't in another contract on Verizon, I'd just stay put and hope that LTE comes to Seattle this summer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hold on a lil longer, MWC is just around the corner...you neva kno whats comin next, its worth the wait, neways id suggest you buy the att version, if you dont wanna wait.. LTE gonna roll out pretty soon..best of luck
Get the international version and jump on straight talk..when note 2 or sgs3 comes out then sell on eBay and switch to next.
Sent from my GT-N7000
MrDSL said:
Get the international version and jump on straight talk..when note 2 or sgs3 comes out then sell on eBay and switch to next.
Sent from my GT-N7000
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are there any downsides to getting the international version?
The one thing I have been worried about is warranty. I see Amazon sells one with a warranty but the others don't have them...
I'd want the white one (only the dark blue one has a US warranty)
alnova1 said:
I would take it back and try to get one on Craigslist. I got mine by trading my SII and throwing in some cash also. I know Straight Talk is cheaper but have you thought about Red Pocket? They give you unlimited talk and text and 2GB of data for $59.99 but the good thing about there plan is that your unused data rolls over to the next month. I have over 5GB now. I have read where Straight Talk is very fussy when you use a lot of data. Just a suggestion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never heard of Red Pocket before.
Which network do they use (AT&T or)? Do they have HSPA+ or just normal 3g?
How are their speeds?
The Note 2 won't come out anytime soon. The Note just came out in November. The international version has no carrier bloat and has a better processor. It's also already starting to get ICS.
AT&T has LTE and a guaranteed warranty.
You get a 2 year warranty from Samsung...if you buy from expansys USA they help send it off for you..
I use ensquared for damage etc...
No downside that lve had so far. I also am not getting lte anytime soon.
Sent from my GT-N7000
MrDSL said:
You get a 2 year warranty from Samsung...if you buy from expansys USA they help send it off for you..
I use ensquared for damage etc...
No downside that lve had so far. I also am not getting lte anytime soon.
Sent from my GT-N7000
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with Mr DSL on this. Got my white att note preordered on the 14th. I'm disappointed by its performance.and the att bloatware etc. Bought the white international last week. To me I noticed the performance right away. Both stock but the international seems way faster no lag. Killer battle life etc
I don't have lte where I live so I'm keeping the international version. And selling my att note for 500 quick sale on craigslist and only out 200 bucks etc.paid 699.99 on amazon for the international version. Oh and love the physical home button and no att branding or bloatware.
But its all bout what u want. Also never wait for something down the road enjoy and get what u like..
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Also if you want ics anytime soon the inter.. is a better bet. Who knows when at&t will release an update.
Also if you're worried about the next best thing the inter.. version should have better resell value since it has no branding.
Oh and of course the physical home button.
Sent from my GT-N7000
MrDSL said:
You get a 2 year warranty from Samsung...if you buy from expansys USA they help send it off for you..
I use ensquared for damage etc...
No downside that lve had so far. I also am not getting lte anytime soon.
Sent from my GT-N7000
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy enough to wait past MWC now but GSIII unofficial news may also happen hopefully within the next few weeks..
OP should have 30 days to return it to AT&T if he wants to exercise that option..personally at this point I'm leaning toward intl GT-N7000 if I decide to get a Note. Eventhough I'm close to an LTE market, ~80% of the time have fast Wi-Fi access & when I don't only ~5% of that time would be in LTE currently.
When I played with the AT&T I was disappointed not to be able to find the Video Maker & screen mode of the GT-N7000 possibly a result of the differing chipset..
Is the following eXpansys staffer (in France posing to the -usa site) incorrect saying 1 yr coverage?
http://www.expansys-usa.com/ft.aspx?k=253235
"Eilertsen
177 Posts
Join Date:
13 October 2011
Occupation:
Quality Engineer
Location:
Montpellier, France
Hello,
On the Galaxy Note we are covering 1 year warranty from Expansys. So if Samsung locally can not help you then you can contact us directly and we'll be able to get the handset repaired for you.
I hope this answers your question.
Kenneth Eilertsen (Quality Engineer, eXpansys)"
http://www.expansys-usa.com/samsung-galaxy-note-5-3-android-tablet-221966/
Are people here using straighttalk-(price certainly sounds better)-if so how is the coverage-service in real life use vs.:
http://www.straighttalk.com/Coverage
http://www.straighttalk.com/FAQ
-Thx
Strange how Expansys just dropped off of Amazon. I was ready to pull the trigger.
I would have had the international and the AT&T side by side to compare.
1 year warranty to me seems good enough as in a year later, I'll be on the next best thing and if the phone were faulty, I'm sure it would have broken within the first year.
I want to try red pocket because I've read around that if you use too much data on straight talk, they will close your account.
With red pocket it is 2gb a month but it rolls over. I probably use that much but I also have my Nexus with LTE, so I doubt i'm going to be using a lot of data off wifi on the Note.
Now the place selling the cheatest note on Amazon is this place:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/detail...ER&isCBA=&seller=A1A0163V84UKHW#aag_legalInfo
for $675. Expansys was at $650. Not sure why they are no longer on Amazon because their website seems to infer that they are still in stock.
Their website only says dual band though and Amazon says quad band.
I'd prefer to buy from Amazon just because I'm a big customer of theirs and I have recourse with Amazon if I have problems with Expansys.
Dailysteals.com has the n7000 for $599 at the moment if anyone is interested. I'm sticking with this i717, but I'm not sure why.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
I have had the skyrocket then i had the n7000 and am now waiting on my i717 and straight up if you are in a lte area get the lte version it is crazy fast my skyrocket was probably 10 times faster than my n7000 when i was on lte that's why i sold the n7000.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
offwiththeface said:
I have had the skyrocket then i had the n7000 and am now waiting on my i717 and straight up if you are in a lte area get the lte version it is crazy fast my skyrocket was probably 10 times faster than my n7000 when i was on lte that's why i sold the n7000.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. I have LTE already on Verizon and there is no LTE here, so it's a no brainer for me.
Amazon keeps on doing strange stuff with different sellers. I had finally got comfortable with buying from Expansys and now they've been replaced with a ton of other sellers at higher prices.
I guess expansys ran out.

[ROLL CALL] Which Note 8 Variant Are You Getting?

Are you getting International, or the one for your carrier? And why?
International, Exynos processor, Deep sea blue. will use it with ATT
Carrier version (T-Mobile). Why? Because I didn't want to end up backordered until October, or have to wait for an international one to ship. Plus, I didn't want any fuss with any of the features. I have a different device I use to satisfy playing around with ROMs and customization when the mood strikes
Unlocked US black version. I have an international S8+ and realized I'd be missing WiFi calling and the U.S. version of Samsung pay. So going with the US version.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
VZW. Due to the 480 bill credit for my S7 Edge. 20 bucks a month is cheap for a phone of this quality IMHO.
I could have saved 150 more if I had kept my BB pre order but I cancelled it on Tuesday and ordered direct from VZW and got it yesterday.
AT&T... Because they suck and I need Wifi calling...

Question Possible to buy a SIM-unlocked bootloader-unlockable G9S9B Pixel 6?

I have a dual-SIM setup, with a personal T-mobile eSIM for personal use, and a Verizon physical SIM (provided by my employer) for work. I would like to get a Pixel 6 that I can use with both, including especially the mmWave bands. It looks like model G9S9B is what I want, while the default unlocked phone on the google store is GB7N6, which doesn't support n257/258/260/261. My questions:
1) If I buy a "Verizon" Pixel 6 on the Google store (presumably G9S9B, since it's $100 more expensive), will it be SIM-locked to Verizon, or can I use it with other carriers? Also, I've heard sometimes Verizon phones don't let you unlock the bootloader, which would be catastrophic for me, so I also want to make sure a Verizon phone purchased through the google store let's me unlock the bootloader. Given that the AT&T pixel 6 is more expensive, I'm thinking the Verizon one is probably SIM-locked, otherwise who would waste $40 buying a phone through AT&T.
2) Is it even possible to buy a Verizon pixel if you don't have access to a Verizon account? As I mentioned, my Verizon SIM is from work, so I don't have an account number or password or anything. The google store won't let me add the Verizon pixel 6 to my account without logging into Verizon or creating a new account. I definitely don't want to sign up for new Verizon service. Also, I noticed that for the Pixel pro, the Verizon phones are actually available with good options like more storage, so presumably if there weren't some catch people would be buying Verizon phones while the unlocked and Fi models are sold-out, so there's probably something wrong with them (even though unlike the non-pro, the pro seems to be G8VOU whether Verizon or not, at least according to this web page which has only one 6 pro model in the US market https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/10082009).
Thanks for any advice.
I would think you could buy one from best buy for Verizon with the activate later option. They have the buds promo as well just fyi
Yes, but unfortunately that one will almost certainly be boot-locked, and possibly carrier-locked as well. If I can't download my T-mobile eSIM to my phone, that would be a problem. I unfortunately think I may need to get the bigger phone to get mmwave on a completely unlocked device, even though the hardware for what I want exists.
I thought Best Buy's unlocked version was the G9S9B. That's why it cost a bit more than the $599 price.
Nope, Best Buy has $599 for 128GB and $699 for 256GB, same price as GB7N6 on the google store. Only Verizon and AT&T seem to offer G9S9B, plus the google store if you select Verizon. But of course you can't know for sure until you actually buy the phone.
15xda said:
Nope, Best Buy has $599 for 128GB and $699 for 256GB, same price as GB7N6 on the google store. Only Verizon and AT&T seem to offer G9S9B, plus the google store if you select Verizon. But of course you can't know for sure until you actually buy the phone.
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They changed their inventory then. They had it for the same price as AT&T earlier this week.
mmWave isn't a big deal. It's an extremely short range 5g service that is currently being installed in large facilities that have high people densities - places like sports arenas and airports. However due to the limited range of the service and the fact that most objects (like glass and walls) effectively block the signal, it is never going to be available "city wide" during the life expectancy of today's new phones. Only the largest cities have any mmWave coverage currently and even then it is limited to only 1-2 of these large facilities. When Verizon advertises that Charlotte has mmWave coverage, they mean inside the airport and football stadium and that's it.
So unless you spend a huge % of your time in airports or large sports arenas in large cities, personally I wouldn't pay extra money for a mmWave antenna. For the average person, mmWave is simply not going to be used very much - if at all.
sic0048 said:
So unless you spend a huge % of your time in airports or large sports arenas in large cities, personally I wouldn't pay extra money for a mmWave antenna. For the average person, mmWave is simply not going to be used very much - if at all.
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Yeah, I hear you. However, I live in a big city and spend a lot of time in airports, and am constantly frustrated by how poor my connectivity is even with both Verizon and T-mobile SIMs in my phone. That said, I have a Pixel 4a without 5g ("sunfish"). So it's possible that sub-6 and in particular T-mobile band N41 would already improve my life significantly. It's just frustrating that the exact hardware I want is being made, just not sold unlocked.
Only the 6 PRO works with VZW mWave unlocked. The unlocked regular 6 does not have the mWave...

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