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Hi folks,
I'm looking at BestBuy and they are offering both an unlocked version, and a cheaper Verizon version (monthly payment plan which equates to a ~$30 discount). At face value, makes sense to me.
However, my understanding was that FCC rules that all LTE devices would be SIM unlocked. So can somebody please explain to me what the difference is between these two versions? Is the Verizon variant actually locked?
NegativeOne said:
Hi folks,
I'm looking at BestBuy and they are offering both an unlocked version, and a cheaper Verizon version (monthly payment plan which equates to a ~$30 discount). At face value, makes sense to me.
However, my understanding was that FCC rules that all LTE devices would be SIM unlocked. So can somebody please explain to me what the difference is between these two versions? Is the Verizon variant actually locked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had Verizon phones for the past 2 years and they were both unlocked outta the box even though I purchased them through the payment plan. I passed them on to my brother whose on AT&T and they worked flawlessly. from my experience, all verizon phones are unlocked
I've inspected the Verizon phone in the store, and it literally is an unlocked s9 plus, same model and all.
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
I know that Verizon and Sprint (or better said Sprint iPhones) are always unlocked.
So, if you have the chance of walking into bestbuy, just take a GSM sim with you and insert it into a Verizon S9+. if it picks up signal and you can place a call, than it's unlocked.
Has anyone been able to confirm? The first Verizon shipments have started to arrive by now. Rumor was this was the first phone they were going to lock, they announced that they were going to start in January.
I've picked up an unlocked S9+ from Samsung and I'm on the Verizon network. Somethings I'm starting to notice... I don't have the "Advanced calling" options, so I can't do WiFi calling. I also don't have OEM Unlock in my developer options. I'd deal with Verizon's bloat for WiFi calling...
Phluffy said:
I've picked up an unlocked S9+ from Samsung and I'm on the Verizon network. Somethings I'm starting to notice... I don't have the "Advanced calling" options, so I can't do WiFi calling. I also don't have OEM Unlock in my developer options. I'd deal with Verizon's bloat for WiFi calling...
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I've noticed the same I just put my Verizon sim into my unlocked so plus, no wifi calling for me it's not a issue and I've noticed that all the Verizon bloat I was dealing with on my s9 plus is gone.
NegativeOne said:
However, my understanding was that FCC rules that all LTE devices would be SIM unlocked. So can somebody please explain to me what the difference is between these two versions? Is the Verizon variant actually locked?
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Click to collapse
Oh, how wrong you are. ATT, T-Mobile, and Sprint all lock their LTE devices. Verizon had been the one exception due to a deal with the FCC when they acquired some 4G bandwidth. However, now that the head of the FCC is a muppet/puppet/ahole, Verizon has decided that they no longer need to obey that agreement and are locking their phones. Not 100% sure if they started with the S9 series or not.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...es-to-its-network-to-prevent-armed-robberies/
Averix said:
Oh, how wrong you are. ATT, T-Mobile, and Sprint all lock their LTE devices. Verizon had been the one exception due to a deal with the FCC when they acquired some 4G bandwidth. However, now that the head of the FCC is a muppet/puppet/ahole, Verizon has decided that they no longer need to obey that agreement and are locking their phones. Not 100% sure if they started with the S9 series or not.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...es-to-its-network-to-prevent-armed-robberies/
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This was my understanding, Verizon is going to start locking their devices again. Hopefully not with the S9....
My understanding is:
The phones are the same model. Verizon loads their devices with bloatware and they no longer sale their phones unlocked, unless it's paid in full. You can still call customer service and get an unlocking code if you want. Verizon will run specials on their devices, specially if you buy it making monthly payments on it, because this means you're their customer.
Unlocked Galaxy phones are the phones without bloatware, just as Samsung wanted them to be. You'll get updates from Samsung instead of from a carrier. Those are the differences.
Phluffy said:
I've picked up an unlocked S9+ from Samsung and I'm on the Verizon network. Somethings I'm starting to notice... I don't have the "Advanced calling" options, so I can't do WiFi calling. I also don't have OEM Unlock in my developer options. I'd deal with Verizon's bloat for WiFi calling...
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Try installing "Carrier Services" from the Play store.
Phluffy said:
I've picked up an unlocked S9+ from Samsung and I'm on the Verizon network. Somethings I'm starting to notice... I don't have the "Advanced calling" options, so I can't do WiFi calling. I also don't have OEM Unlock in my developer options. I'd deal with Verizon's bloat for WiFi calling...
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Not to mention video calling
NegativeOne said:
Try installing "Carrier Services" from the Play store.
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That's the first time I've seen this recommendation. What does it do? Does it enable Verizon wifi calling and video chat?
Hi all, I purchased an unlocked S9+ from Samsung yesterday and was hoping to get some answers about this used with Verizon.
I'm trying to avoid that stupid "activation" fee so I went with unlocked. When I went to place an order, there's an option to have it activated through either Verizon, AT&T, but and TMobile (or Sprint, don't remember). I called Samsung and asked if I choose to skip the activation from their site, pop the SIM card from a phone (S7 Edge) with an existing line into it, will there be an activation fee? They told me to call Verizon about it.
So I chat with a Verizon rep online and they told me if I wanted to bring my own phone, there will be a new line fee and an activation fee. A new line fee even though I'm just replacing a phone on an existing line of mine??
So what I'm asking here is, have any of you guys who purchased the unlocked model and had it activated on Verizon, was there some stupid fees that followed?
Thanks
I have a Verizon S9+ running on T-Mobile. While still on the Verizon firmware, the T-Mobile card would pick up the signal, but wouldn't make or take any calls, and the phone kept telling me that I have a non-Verizon SIM card inserted. Flashed unlocked firmware and TMB USERDATA and the phone works great including WiFi Calling.
Phluffy said:
I've picked up an unlocked S9+ from Samsung and I'm on the Verizon network. Somethings I'm starting to notice... I don't have the "Advanced calling" options, so I can't do WiFi calling. I also don't have OEM Unlock in my developer options. I'd deal with Verizon's bloat for WiFi calling...
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Click to collapse
jaszek said:
I have a Verizon S9+ running on T-Mobile. While still on the Verizon firmware, the T-Mobile card would pick up the signal, but wouldn't make or take any calls, and the phone kept telling me that I have a non-Verizon SIM card inserted. Flashed unlocked firmware and TMB USERDATA and the phone works great including WiFi Calling.
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Yeah but what are the chances of getting a Verizon rom and being able to flash it on a phone thats been out 3 days?
GigaSPX said:
Hi all, I purchased an unlocked S9+ from Samsung yesterday and was hoping to get some answers about this used with Verizon.
I'm trying to avoid that stupid "activation" fee so I went with unlocked. When I went to place an order, there's an option to have it activated through either Verizon, AT&T, but and TMobile (or Sprint, don't remember). I called Samsung and asked if I choose to skip the activation from their site, pop the SIM card from a phone (S7 Edge) with an existing line into it, will there be an activation fee? They told me to call Verizon about it.
So I chat with a Verizon rep online and they told me if I wanted to bring my own phone, there will be a new line fee and an activation fee. A new line fee even though I'm just replacing a phone on an existing line of mine??
So what I'm asking here is, have any of you guys who purchased the unlocked model and had it activated on Verizon, was there some stupid fees that followed?
Thanks
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I work for a certain Authorized Retailer and what that person is bull****. All you have to do is pop your sim card into the other phone and good to go, as long as your previous device was an android phone.
wrichards2009 said:
Yeah but what are the chances of getting a Verizon rom and being able to flash it on a phone thats been out 3 days?
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https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s9-plus/how-to/g965u-g965u1-firmware-links-t3763487
Just saiyan
Sorry for the noob question, just got the unlocked version of the S9+. I have build G965U1UES2ARF4. Read some stuff on other forums, thought I had it figured out, but got confused as I read more.
I would like to enable Volte/Wi-Fi Calling. I understand I have to flash AT&T firmware via Odin. I am not clear on what files and how to do it on Odin. Any help would be appreciated.
Also, if I flash to AT&T, do I lose whatever comes with my current ARF4 build? For example, I have FM radio enabled. Do I lose that because I am going over to the AT&T firmware where I think it is disabled? Is my phone no longer unlocked? Do I get bloatware?
Last question, when I flash, is it the same as a factory reset?
Any help appreciated. Thanks.
-FF
You will not able to use wifi or volte on an unlocked Galaxy s9, even if you install the att firmware, I tried. Some have reported if you have an att branded phone with sim give that IMEI number to att support and then transfer the sim to the Galaxy and it may work, I have not tried it. Wifi and Volte will work with t mobile with no problems, I have not tried Verizon.
I have an unlocked variant on Verizon. With their firmware, VOLTE and Wi-Fi calling will work, but not video calling.
Wifi calling will not work on unlocked version with Verizon VoLTE will work
thecarp1975 said:
I have an unlocked variant on Verizon. With their firmware, VOLTE and Wi-Fi calling will work, but not video calling.
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There is a hack for that which I use: Place your line's SIM in a real Verizon device. Leave it in long enough that the VZW website sees the line as the new IMEI and device model (should only take a couple minutes). Go into Service Blocks and remove the block on Video Calling. Put the SIM back in the original device). Voila. You've got Video Calling.
The system doesn't care to check once the line is activated. But if it's activated with a U1 device, it turns that block on. If you use this hack and turn the block off, they never check.
CrazyApe18 said:
There is a hack for that which I use: Place your line's SIM in a real Verizon device. Leave it in long enough that the VZW website sees the line as the new IMEI and device model (should only take a couple minutes). Go into Service Blocks and remove the block on Video Calling. Put the SIM back in the original device). Voila. You've got Video Calling.
The system doesn't care to check once the line is activated. But if it's activated with a U1 device, it turns that block on. If you use this hack and turn the block off, they never check.
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CrazyApe, I have AT&T as my carrier. Any clue if this hack will work on AT&T?
uzupan said:
You will not able to use wifi or volte on an unlocked Galaxy s9, even if you install the att firmware, I tried. Some have reported if you have an att branded phone with sim give that IMEI number to att support and then transfer the sim to the Galaxy and it may work, I have not tried it. Wifi and Volte will work with t mobile with no problems, I have not tried Verizon.
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I went to the AT&T store the other day and they already had the IMEI from my Galaxy. So I wonder if I switch from an AT&T branded phone back to the Galaxy that the IMEI number of the Galaxy will just re-register.
FightinFlip said:
CrazyApe, I have AT&T as my carrier. Any clue if this hack will work on AT&T?
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It will. But it's more manual. Verizon will pick up the new IMEI automatically. My understanding is that AT&T will require a call in to support while the SIM is in the real AT&T device. You ask them to associate your line with the new IMEI while it is still in the genuine device. Once that's done, you can move the SIM to the device you really want to use.
CrazyApe18 said:
It will. But it's more manual. Verizon will pick up the new IMEI automatically. My understanding is that AT&T will require a call in to support while the SIM is in the real AT&T device. You ask them to associate your line with the new IMEI while it is still in the genuine device. Once that's done, you can move the SIM to the device you really want to use.
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Thanks. One concern is that Wifi calling is nowhere located on my unlocked Galaxy. I was hoping it would be disabled somewhere but it's nowhere to be found. Do you know once I pop my SIM back in if a WiFi calling option will just appear somewhere in the settings?
FightinFlip said:
Thanks. One concern is that Wifi calling is nowhere located on my unlocked Galaxy. I was hoping it would be disabled somewhere but it's nowhere to be found. Do you know once I pop my SIM back in if a WiFi calling option will just appear somewhere in the settings?
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I wish I could help on that. With Verizon, the menu is there in the firmware at all times. As is video calling. Maybe AT&T hides it until the provisioning checks out. I don't know.
Volte not working
I have purchased s9 pluse from canada and now i am in india and volte services r not working can any tell me what do.
OK, so I was with T-Mobile forever, and I bought this phone from them at launch. I decided to switch over to MetroPCS by T-Mobile because it's cheaper, so I paid off my phone then unlocked it (Even though I didn't need too, the Metro SIM worked in it before I unlocked it).
It worked fine for two weeks, and I had WiFi calling and everything, and then the RJ5 (I believe?) update came out, and when my phone booted up it said new sim detected, and WiFi calling was gone. My APN settings were set to MetroPCS', so I set it back to the T-Mobile one since it's essentially the same network, but the WiFi calling option is *completely* gone; it's not there, trust me. I call MetroPCS support and they said they can't enable it for devices that weren't bought from them, and I tried to argue like sure you can, send it up to a higher level support team, but I could hardly understand her and gave up.
I went into a MetroPCS store and they had a spare T-Mobile SIM, popped it in, boom WiFi calling was back.
Come OneUI Pie update one, I opt in and update, and voila, WiFi calling is back!
I just downloaded the second update last night, and now it's gone again. This **** is driving me crazy, if anyone can help me figure out a way to fix this I will love you forever.
Wow, that was a gripping good yarn! I think there's a good chance that if you switch to the unlocked G965U1 firmware, it might work. I have an unlocked Verizon S9+ running on TMO, and once I flashed it to U1, wifi calling and volte worked automatically. I'm not positive how it will be with Metro but it is worth looking into. When you flash the collect unlocked firmware, when the phone boots up it will detect your sim and then reboot and configure all the settings for you.
P.S. I don't suppose there's Metro firmware out there?
I don't think there's Metro firmware, because my updates still come from T-Mobile. T-Mobile owns Metro. So what you're saying is flash the firmware via Odin and my phone would be like truly unlocked and I would get updates from Samsung rather than T-Mobile? I don't want to go through all this if it isn't a a certain fix, but sadly there's no way to tell that.
YrrchSebor said:
Wow, that was a gripping good yarn! I think there's a good chance that if you switch to the unlocked G965U1 firmware, it might work. I have an unlocked Verizon S9+ running on TMO, and once I flashed it to U1, wifi calling and volte worked automatically. I'm not positive how it will be with Metro but it is worth looking into. When you flash the collect unlocked firmware, when the phone boots up it will detect your sim and then reboot and configure all the settings for you.
P.S. I don't suppose there's Metro firmware out there?
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I don't think there's Metro firmware, because my updates still come from T-Mobile. T-Mobile owns Metro. So what you're saying is flash the firmware via Odin and my phone would be like truly unlocked and I would get updates from Samsung rather than T-Mobile? I don't want to go through all this if it isn't a a certain fix, but sadly there's no way to tell that.
For some carriers, the Wifi calling requires the phone to have carrier firmware. Verizon is one. I bought my 9+ from Samsung unlocked, and it didn't have wifi calling on Verizon until I reflashed the phone (using Patched ODIN) to a Verizon firmware and Wifi calling works... as does the Verizon bloat, but most of that can be disabled with Package Disabler pro or similar app.
creedicd said:
For some carriers, the Wifi calling requires the phone to have carrier firmware. Verizon is one. I bought my 9+ from Samsung unlocked, and it didn't have wifi calling on Verizon until I reflashed the phone (using Patched ODIN) to a Verizon firmware and Wifi calling works... as does the Verizon bloat, but most of that can be disabled with Package Disabler pro or similar app.
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I don't think MetroPCS has it's own firmware for the s9+. Plus, they're owned by T-Mobile now. The plan I'm on is called MetroPCS by T-Mobile lol. This is driving me nuts.
C-4Nati said:
I don't think MetroPCS has it's own firmware for the s9+. Plus, they're owned by T-Mobile now. The plan I'm on is called MetroPCS by T-Mobile lol. This is driving me nuts.
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Out of curiosity I read around a little bit and it seems to be really hit and miss, which definitely seems to match up with your experience. I did find this post on Reddit from someone saying they got Wi-Fi calling to work with a Metro Sim: https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/co...g_volte_not_working_with_metropcs_sim/cymnvhf
Have you come across that, tried any of that?
YrrchSebor said:
Out of curiosity I read around a little bit and it seems to be really hit and miss, which definitely seems to match up with your experience. I did find this post on Reddit from someone saying they got Wi-Fi calling to work with a Metro Sim: https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/co...g_volte_not_working_with_metropcs_sim/cymnvhf
Have you come across that, tried any of that?
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I have not, thanks for the link, I shall try that. Funnily enough, there was a hotfix pushed out last night and WiFi calling not working was on that list. I now have the WiFi calling icon in the notification bar, and it shows like it's on, but it doesn't actually work, and me pressing it does nothing. The setting itself still isn't in connections or anywhere in the settings. This is so dumb, lol.
I just order a att lg G8X on eBay for a really good price. It's unlocked. But my question is, will it work on verizon?
The byod website says no. But a rep I talked to on the phone says it will. Any experiences?
I certainly hope you didn't purchase it from me. Why are you purchasing something when Verizon already says it won't work?
Cherb1990 said:
I just order a att lg G8X on eBay for a really good price. It's unlocked. But my question is, will it work on verizon?
The byod website says no. But a rep I talked to on the phone says it will. Any experiences?
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I have the Unlocked Sprint version working on verizon. Only trick I had to do was for LTE. After activation on first boot up the APN settings for verizon were blank, un-editable, and I didn't have the menu button to create a new APN. I figured out a work around by powering on the phone with the activated verizon sim, with the phone on swapped with a deactivated sim (mintsim I think), swapped back to activated verizon sim, (AP now editable) edited and saved APN with verizons info found online. In case you run into the same issue on the AT&T version I hope this helps. One outstanding issue is SMS takes like 20 seconds to send, super annoying. MMS and RCS work fine.
You might want to double check the bands. I don't see CDMA bands on the ATT version.
I bought this phone new but was told it was carrier locked, and so I bought the obligatory 2 months of Verizon prepaid so I could justify using it unlocked. After I cancelled my prepaid account, the agent wanted to give me the unlock code, but said there wasn't one, or she was having an issue trying to get one. I have the phone running on TracFone now (operating on the Verizon network through TracFone,) but I am persistently getting the SIM card warning "The SIM card is not from Verizon Wireless." When I hold down the notification, it says "SIM card. These notifications can't be modified."
Anyone know how to remove the SIM card check or block that notification? Everything else seems to be working fine.
Check out the stock restore thread in roms, kernels, and development. You can flash the retail firmware on the Verizon variant. That should remove all the Verizon bloat and the Verizon sim notification. Unfortunately being it is a Verizon variant, it cannot be bootloader unlocked or rooted to change built in functions of the phone
tha_mechanic said:
Check out the stock restore thread in roms, kernels, and development. You can flash the retail firmware on the Verizon variant. That should remove all the Verizon bloat and the Verizon sim notification. Unfortunately being it is a Verizon variant, it cannot be bootloader unlocked or rooted to change built in functions of the phone
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I appreciate that tip. I will say the only other thing I've noticed is that the phone no longer connects to the 5G network. It stays on LTE, whereas before it would switch back and forth. Must be provisioned that way since I'm with an MVNO.
Yes if you are not on Verizon you can't access their 5G, visual voicemail, or wifi calling. I had straight talk for years on the Verizon network. Works well but no Verizon features. What is rediculous in my opinion is I believe Verizon actually purchased straight talk not too long ago?
tha_mechanic said:
Yes if you are not on Verizon you can't access their 5G, visual voicemail, or wifi calling. I had straight talk for years on the Verizon network. Works well but no Verizon features. What is rediculous in my opinion is I believe Verizon actually purchased straight talk not too long ago?
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Verizon was set to buy TracFone from American Movil, and I'm assuming that sale also includes the other MVNOs that American Movil runs in the US, including Straight Talk, Walmart Family Wireless, Safelink Wireless, etc.