I'm a T-Mobile Prepaid customer using a simple $19 phone but am planning to purchase a no-contract smart phone, say Samsung Galaxy S 2 or HTC Amaze 4G.
If I buy one of these for T-Mobile Prepaid, am I locked in there, or the phone is useful even if I might move onto another carrier such as Verizon or ATT, or to another Plan within T-Mobile later?
xdabyk said:
I'm a T-Mobile Prepaid customer using a simple $19 phone but am planning to purchase a no-contract smart phone, say Samsung Galaxy S 2 or HTC Amaze 4G.
If I buy one of these for T-Mobile Prepaid, am I locked in there, or the phone is useful even if I might move onto another carrier such as Verizon or ATT, or to another Plan within T-Mobile later?
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Click to collapse
No you are not locked in if you buy a phone off contract. You will not be able to move to verizon or sprint with the phone though, because they use CDMA and not GSM like the rest of the world.
you can outright buy the phone, but check to see if they have a pre-paid plan/data plan for that phone, it will not be unlocked so you cannot move. You can request t-mobile to unlock it though, but you will not get the same 4g speeds
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
lowandbehold said:
No you are not locked in if you buy a phone off contract. You will not be able to move to verizon or sprint with the phone though, because they use CDMA and not GSM like the rest of the world.
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Click to collapse
Thank you. Does that mean I can use the Samsung Galaxy S2 No-Contract Model I buy from/for T-Mobil Prepaid now for other carriers of GSM? May I understand from your reply message(s) that T-Mobile is a GSM format carrier(and so is AT&T?) as opposed to Verizon and Sprint being a CDMA guys? If so, I can use the phone as long as my next carrier is a GSM guy? Does this make sense?
djjuice said:
you can outright buy the phone, but check to see if they have a pre-paid plan/data plan for that phone, it will not be unlocked so you cannot move. You can request t-mobile to unlock it though, but you will not get the same 4g speeds
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Click to collapse
To: djjuice -
Thank you. I will do some homework in order to understand what "locked", "unlock" and " . . . will not get the same 4g speeds" mean.
Even unlocked the phone may not support the 3G or "4"G data speed between TMobile and AT&T. The AT&T Galaxy S II will not run on TMobile 3G data, only Edge (2G) data, because they run on different frequencies, same thing with the TMobile Galaxy S II does not support AT&T frequencies. If you buy the phone off contract from TMobile, they should unlock it for you, but there is no guarantee it will work (fully) anywhere else.
If you buy a phone off of craigslist even though you are buying it off contract you cannot guarantee it can be unlocked freely. For example if you buy an AT&T phone used from someone, AT&T will not unlock it for you for free until it's a certain number of months old (based on when the first person bought it from AT&T). You would have to pay a third party for an unlock code (if there is no help here on xda to unlock it).
It's best to just buy a phone for the carrier you plan on using. That ensures its going to work, and that it will work at full speed. If you really think you are going to switch to AT&T buy one of their branded phones, or Verizon etc. Verizon and Sprint both use CDMA, but they are very resistant to allowing another carriers phone on their network. Plus their 4G networks are different types (Verizon uses LTE, Sprint WiMax) so they wouldn't work fully regardless.
Thank you, quarlow.
My budget is around $600 max. So I'm inclined to purchase an HTC Amaze 4Z or Samsung Galaxy S2 for use for T-Mobile Prepaid at Target or at T-Mobile. T-Mobile Net Shop is selling Galaxy S2 Re-Furbished at a discount price. Hear Galaxy S2 have high rate of initial failures and therefore maybe better to buy a re-furbished one that has failed once and was repaired by qualified repairman. Below is how I come to think of buying a smart phone now. I've been happy with a simple prepaid phone buying 100 minutes at a time, which lasts more than a year for me. I also use a Sony Clie, a PDA running Palm Desk Top, which has gone obsolete long time ago. With a smart phone such as Galaxy or Amaze 4Z, I can leave not only the PDA but also a digital camera home. I do not need to access my PDA data over internet. I will import necessary data from my PC to my new smart phone either via cable or via WIFI before going out. That's why I want to remain "Prepaid Customer" not a customer with monthly fees. (Besides, I am not so much interested in leaving my data at ISP's servers.)
Thank you.
I haven't heard of high failure on the Galaxy S II's for TMo. But I have seen several studies showing refurbished devices have lower failure rates because they can have problem components replaced, and have to pass full qa testing twice.
If you are going to put all your data on your phone via USB on the computer, or wifi, then data compatibility won't matter. That changes the whole issue of taking it to another carrier. Any att or TMo phone that is unlocked will make and receive phone calls, text messages and mms messages just fine on the other network. You will only notice the difference when web browsing, or downloading files. If you aren't going to do that, then it wont make a difference.
Knowing that and your budget I would say get a international version of the phone. Get the Galaxy S II (i9100), or the Galaxy Note, or the Galaxy Nexus. All of those phones are top tier, and international versions will receive updates quicker. The Nexus being the Google device will be the first ICS device to get the next version of android, so its the most future proof. The GSM version of any of those phones will likely come unlocked.
The i9100 has a 4.3" screen, and 1.2Ghz dual core Exynos chip. The TMo version has a 4.5" screen (same resolution) with 1.5Ghz dual core qualcomm chip. The bigger screens did have issues with splotches and vertical lines far more than the 4.3" screen. With them being the same resolution the smaller screen is crisper. The Exynos chip is made by Samsung and widely regarded as the better chip, even at a slower speed. It also comes with a more powerful gpu than the qualcomm chip. So, the graphics are better, and games run better. The att version (i777) is almost exactly the same as the i9100, except it has the U.S. norm of 4 buttons, vs the international 3 buttons. The dev support on xda for the i9100 is unmatched by any other phone, its an amazing device with a huge support and user base.
The Galaxy Note is a 5.3" half phone half tablet with a stylus, and 1.4Ghz dual core Exynos chip. Its screen is a whopping 1280x800 resolution. But, for some that's too big.
The Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65" screen with 720p resolution (this screen is pentile which means it doesn't have as many sub pixels as it could. Its hard to explain, Google pentile vs rgb and there should be plenty of explinations. But, most reviews say at that resolution you need a microscope to tell). But the real strength with that device is that its the pure Google device. Its running Android the way its meant to be ran, unbloated and unrestricted. That is the Rolls Royce of Android phones for the next year. The Nexus S is last years Google device, and will be the first gingerbread device with an official ICS upgrade, if it isn't already upgraded. Its like a Mercedes at this point, its got the pure android experience, but its running last years tech: 4" screen, 1Ghz single core hummingbird chip.
I'm sure that is way more information than you ever wanted to know, but I hope it helps.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
quarlow said:
Even unlocked the phone may not support the 3G or "4"G data speed between TMobile and AT&T. The AT&T Galaxy S II will not run on TMobile 3G data, only Edge (2G) data, because they run on different frequencies, same thing with the TMobile Galaxy S II does not support AT&T frequencies. If you buy the phone off contract from TMobile, they should unlock it for you, but there is no guarantee it will work (fully) anywhere else.
If you buy a phone off of craigslist even though you are buying it off contract you cannot guarantee it can be unlocked freely. For example if you buy an AT&T phone used from someone, AT&T will not unlock it for you for free until it's a certain number of months old (based on when the first person bought it from AT&T). You would have to pay a third party for an unlock code (if there is no help here on xda to unlock it).
It's best to just buy a phone for the carrier you plan on using. That ensures its going to work, and that it will work at full speed. If you really think you are going to switch to AT&T buy one of their branded phones, or Verizon etc. Verizon and Sprint both use CDMA, but they are very resistant to allowing another carriers phone on their network. Plus their 4G networks are different types (Verizon uses LTE, Sprint WiMax) so they wouldn't work fully regardless.
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Click to collapse
Actually the T-mobile SGSII supports AT&T 3g.
lowandbehold said:
Actually the T-mobile SGSII supports AT&T 3g.
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Click to collapse
Att 3G runs on 850 and 1900, with preference on 1900 generally. The TMo looks to have 850, but not 1900. So like the vibrant the support will be spotty at best. It may work in some places, but not everywhere.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
To quarlow and lowandbehold -
Very informative! Thank you very much.
I will stay with the plan to go for a Galaxy S2(i1900) or an HTC Amaze 4Z for TMO Prepaid. If there be good prepaid phone service(s) available from other carrier(s), I'd definitely want to learn about.
Related
My current carrier is tmobile and I own a my touch 3g and I am looking for a better android running phone.
So what would be a good unlocked android phone to buy? Other than the ones tmobile offers. I have seen a few sites with unlocked android phones for any carrier.
HTC Espresso: myTouch 3G Slide
thricemin said:
My current carrier is tmobile and I own a my touch 3g and I am looking for a better android running phone.
So what would be a good unlocked android phone to buy? Other than the ones tmobile offers. I have seen a few sites with unlocked android phones for any carrier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking of grabbing a myTouch if you want to unload yours - send me a message if you do decide to change.
There is a simple two word answer that can't be beat: Samsung Vibrant. It's the T-Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy S and should be the best/most powerful phone T-Mobile has as of this month when it comes out. $199.99 with a 2-year contract rpice. Not sure how much full retail is but then there is the ATT version which has a crazy low full retail price of $349.99.
You should check out the Nexus One unlocked and start rocken
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=559
Hello,
I'm a probably future owner of an i897 but I have some questions about the hardware and models variations
I like in Brazil and my 3G carrier use 2100 MHZ (Where I live) and 850 MHz on other states (3g on Roaming). I have an unlimited data plan, but with a max speed of 300 kbps (so far).
I'm looking for the best GSM android phone: Fast processor, huge screen (4" or bigger), big resolution (at least 800 x 480), TV output, Wi-Fi, Internet tethering, GPS. All roads lead to I9000 or i897.
At first I thought choose the i897, because it uses both 850 MHz and 2100 MHz, so I'll have 3g anywhere in Brazil. BUT and you can see my data plan have a speed limit of 300kbps, so I don't know if I'll use the full potential of 3G, at least for now. Eventually I'll upgrade my data plan to a 1 MBPS plan.
I can also get i9000 but it will work only in few states. Probably it work for one year (As I don't intend to travel too much in the next year), but after one year I can change my carrier and some carriers here only use 850 MHZ 3G. So choosing the i9000 I will narrow my future options.
What I trying to ask (or answer) is whether is better to have an i897 with full country 3G BUT with an extremely "locked" firmware of if I should get the i9000 with a better firmware option but with restricted 3G (3G with 70% coverage).
In order to answer that I have other 'sub-questions':
1) Does i897 have the FM radio hardware? Would a future firmware/ROM update enable it?
2) Does i897 GPS works (I recall AT&T Blocking GPS on blackberry phones)
3) I saw some comments (other phones) that some ROMs messed up with 3G band. The 3G frequency is a hardware or software configuration?
4) Some sellers are already selling, here in Brazil, unlocked i897 phones. Is possible to unlock the phone but a ROM update or I'll have to pay for unlock codes?
5) Which other features AT&T decided to lock (Removed from their ROM) on this phone?
6) Is there an I9000 variant with front facing camera?
5) One very important question: Aside from Droid x (which is not GSM) and HTC evo (which also if not a GSM phone) is the Samsung i897/i9000 the best android phone available?
I also thought about getting a Motorola XT720 but it is only US$ 50 cheaper and have a slower processor and no 850 MHZ 3G. Also thought about the HTC Desire (A8183 Australian model that have both 850 and 2100
MHZ 3G) but so far I find the i897 the best option (although I would love having front facing camera that the Desire have).
Any other options?
Thanks
Jose Morais
In answer to your question(s), the phone you want is the best one for you ...
1. No, the i897 is not supporting an FM radio at this time, and I'm not sure if the hardware is present as I refuse to open my phone to look. AT&T's specifications page does not list FM radio as a feature either, but that doesn't mean its not there and disabled.
2. Yes the GPS works, it is spotty for some and Samsung has admitted to there being an issue that will be resolved by an upcomming OTA update.
3. (For WM Phones): It's not so much the ROM as it is the Radio software, which may, or may not, be changed in the ROM. Different versions of the radio software can improve performance for some and worsen it for others. I'm am not sure how the radio software is handled by an Android device, as this is the first one I've owned, but I imagine is is very similar. Just be aware of what you are doing, and how to undo it if something is amiss.
4. There is a thread on this board about unlocking the i897, and as of my last reading yesterday, there is no known way to unlock this phone...yet. There was even a report of someone selling "unlocked" i897 phones on e-bay, which were
later found to be firmly SIM locked. I would advise you read that thread, and be very aware of what you are buying if someone is advertising an unlocked i897.
5. AT&T has blocked (or tried to anyway) non-market apps from installing, and WiFi tethering apps from displaying in the android marketplace. There are work arounds for all of this already.
6. Yes, the are Galaxy S phones with FFC. Not sure if any of them are GSM. Keep in mind that transmitting live video is bandwidth intensive and your plan, and upload speed, may not be robust enough to handle it. On that note, I can find no data that either supports or denies this phone having HSUPA capability which would go a long way towards being able to use a FFC as intended.
7. Your last question is entirely subjective to perspective and intended use.
Were I you I would get the phone that most suits my needs and my HOME network. You may want to wait a bit and see what pans out with this phone.
In Brazil the i897 should not currently be an option you should consider until AT&T has made a definitive decision about unlocking the phones, or a third party solution is possible. The Samsung Galaxy S platform is going to be releases in 110 countries. Brazil being probably one of the bigger cell phone markets, is going to get a variant of the Galaxy S lineup in the near future, you best option will be to wait on a phone like this to be released and then pick it up.
Battlehymn,
Thanks for the answers. I have an expectation when using my phone and now I'm trying to find which phones can fullfill this expectation. That's why sometimes the phone that I (think) want may not be the best for me. I hope i897 will the "the one".
I also think it's the best to think about a phone that will work with 3G on my home state. I897 will work, but as well as i9000. Maybe the best option, as you sugested, is to wait a little to see how i897 works in terms or ROM and unlock.
@rajendra82
Sure. My carrier will start selling the i897 here in few months, but I don't really want to buy it here: An iphone 3GS 16GB brought in a store cost around 3.000 Brazilian reais (around US$ 1,650) while it can be purchased for US$ 400 in the US. I asked a friend of mine to bring me a US phone but I have up to next week to decide which one he should buy.
Thanks
don't buy the captivate if you don't have att you'll be dissapointed because it won't work!
get something that does, if you must get an android device, the nexus 1 with the ATT bands (I think thats what you're looking for?) is you're best bet. they're still available online at places but you are most definitely running out of time
Telstra in Australia run on 850/2100 3G, and I'm pretty sure some networks in Canada do aswell. Keep an eye on on those carriers for a compatible Galaxy S to be released soon.
Major Clod said:
Telstra in Australia run on 850/2100 3G, and I'm pretty sure some networks in Canada do aswell. Keep an eye on on those carriers for a compatible Galaxy S to be released soon.
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Click to collapse
I have a friend of mine that will travel to US next on august 13th, so I decide which phone I'll bet before he leaves. I don't think there will be Telstra ou Canada versions of the i9000 by than. Will have to decide about buying I9000, i897 or HTC Desire in the next two weeks...
Hello, I need some help in choosing my new phone I have an opportunity to buy Samsung Galaxy S for $700 here in Russia but I really don't like its iPhonish design but it's possible to buy some replacing backplates and firmware support is better than Captivate's one I think.
And I really love the Captivate's design, it really looks fantastic! But I am not really sure if it will be unlockable by the end of this summer when I come back home, so it's very risky.
Advise me something, please
P.S. Sorry for 2 themes in different thredes but I really have only 1 day to choose.
btw Samsung Galaxy S is HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100
so it's better to buy AT&T Data plan for 3g internet? because t-mobile has 1700/2100 and is 2100 enough for normal 3g?
If you're interested in the Captivate and are buying it outright ($500, so it's a bit cheaper), I would get a commitment from AT&T that they'll allow you to unlock it first. I read here somewhere that AT&T said they have a 10 month exclusivity contract with the Captivate and there won't be any unlocks until then. I agree with you, I like the Captivates design a ton compared to the other Galaxy S phone designs.
Is gyroscope so important in Captivate and has anybody tried to use Samsung Galaxy's face camera?
I would go with the galaxy s if i could. More broadly released and has that physical homebutton which i feel is much needed.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
why does the international version of galaxy s does not have the gyro where the US branded versions have it? Moreover, the US version has 6 axis where as the international one has only 4
The gyro is what gives it the extra two axises.
Hello everyone,
As you can see I am a newbie and this is my first post. Excuse me if a thread like this was made before, but after searching on the web I recently found out that I can use my E71 sim card on AT&T phones. I would like people's opinion on which phone I should buy? I also hear from fellow students that CES 2012 just happend. Should I wait for the new phones or just purchase a phone that is out now?
Thanks and much appreciated
Depends what you want, how much you can afford a month and how much your willing to spend on a phone. If your looking for prepaid virgin mobile is good, they have the motorola triumph, htc wildfire s, lg optimus v, lg optimus slider and samsung intercept (all are android) look up some planes on the internet, at&t prepaid is good but metro pcs has nice 4g phones and android phones, I see you want to no whats the best phone from straigt talk, i dont no much about the phones but check out metro,virgin, and at&t
HTC Wildfire S (VM) "s-off" "rooted" Stock Rom
Well I just read up on how ST has a loop hole and you can use mainly AT&T phone and some T-Mobile phones with the right 3G frequencies. I was willing to spend no more than $250 for a phone, but I don't know how long the loop hole is going to be open so I don't want to spend a lot on a phone and it not work. I was looking at the Atrix but various sites aren't every accurate when it came to comparing it to the Infuse or Inspire and other phones.
Do u want prepaid? For 250 you can by a nice prepaid phone
HTC Wildfire S (VM) "s-off" "rooted" Stock Rom
Straight Talk offers 2 android phones. The LG Optimus Q and the Samsung Galaxy Precedent.
If u want more android for prepaid id say metro pcs or virgin mobile
HTC Wildfire S (VM) "s-off" "rooted" Stock Rom
From what I read can't I just use any phone from AT&T and use my sim card on it? The phones from ST are entry level android and I want a full fledge android phone if there is such a thing.
Yes, you can use any AT&T smartphone on Straight Talk, I did it for about a year. For under $250, I'd try and get an AT&T band Nexus S, an Infuse, or maybe a Galaxy S2 if you can go an extra $100 higher. It's definitely worth the extra cash.
My local Walmart thinks there will be a new Android phone available in February 2012 for Straight Talk, any idea on make/model? or if worth the wait?
Look at virgin mobile, 4g is coming this year but all there other Android is 3g
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App
I have been doing some reading and is it worth buying a 4G phone, since ST doesn't use 4G yet. Until they upgrade their bands?
Android311 said:
Look at virgin mobile, 4g is coming this year but all there other Android is 3g
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're missing the point of the OP. He's not asking for recommendations for carriers, or phones on other carriers. He's only interested in StraightTalk, and since ST's GSM phones (at least, the E71) runs on AT&T, you can just stick the E71's SIM card in an AT&T phone and use it. He's asking for good/cheap AT&T phones to run on StraightTalk.
So, to answer the OP's question, I would probably try to go with a Nexus S (look for the AT&T band one, like entropism said), or maybe a used iPhone 4.
Hello
I'm looking at replacing my S4 with an S7. My carrier in the US is AT&T and that won't be changing. I've been looking at different unlocked versions and can't find a solid representation of what the real world differences are. I know they have different processors. Some say a band is missing, but does that matter. I don't use android or samsung pay, but i know there is a difference here too. I found one comment about some kind of samsung 'coverage' plan, but what is that?
Best Buy has US unlocked phones for about $700. B&H Photo has an International phone for about $640. Its a lot of money either way. Is one phone really better or different than that other?
I am planning a trip through Canada and maybe to Europe. I assume either would take a SIM from those areas and I could avoid getting raped by international fees.
Here is a summary of question I can think of:
Does the US unlocked phone from BestBuy have a warranty or insurance or anything like that?
Can the US phone be rooted. I only do this to remove apps I don't use.
Is the hardware one vs the other really better or just different?
Does a dual SIM do anything useful?
Does a band being missing make a real world difference?
Is there a good comparison somewhere to that can decide on a phone to purchase?
It comes with a limited warranty as stated on their site:
"This device is not warrantied through the manufacturer. This device has a limited 1 year warranty provided by CCR Warranty. To obtain technical or warranty assistance, please contact CCR Warranty at 866-579-8436."
What I don't know is how useful/limited that warranty is. I'd like the HTC 10 but the unlocked S7 is my runner up, and the warranty issue is one of the major factors in my hesitation.
I do believe it can be rooted.
As far as I know, through research, the only major difference between the two is battery life.
Hello, I'll just go straight to the answers.
1. I'm going to assume that if you go through a carrier (att, t-mobile etc etc.) they will offer an insurance plan. You will have to go to third party insurance for the international version
2. As far I know, the US version does not have a root option yet. Because of the locked bootloader.
3. Hardware will depend on which version you choose. Both are very good.
4. Dual sim is as the name implies, you'll be able to use 2 separate sim cards with their respective #s. that's the only benefit really.
5. Missing radio bands is something you may have to do some research on depending your location.
6. I'm sure YouTube or some online site will have some reviews/comparison of both.
I just looked at the best buy website again and something is different. The S7 listed for $690 is definitely the international version and not the US version. When I looked last month I was positive that the phone was listed as a US phone ... huh
A little late
a little late to the thread but just wanted to share what I learned while researching the matter.
There is an US unlocked version of the S7 (g930u) and available through a few places (Best Buy, B&H, Ebay). It goes for $679.99 retail and I have not been able to find one that goes for less. Probably because it just came out end of June. The biggest benefit of it is that it has a bunch of bands and CDMA-compatible. Thus, you can get full connection with AT&T and TMobile. Downside is no wifi calling or VOLTE (as those seem to be locked by the carriers to their own phones).
The international versions (930f/930fd) are both available on Ebay/Swappa for about $500. Upside are that they have the Exnyos chip and no bloatware. You can also root and flash them with new ROM. Another thing is that you get updates earlier. I got Marshmallow on my s6 a month or so before AT&T released its update. Downsides are no Samsung Pay or WiFi Calling/VOLTE and the biggie...missing bands. I had a g920i and it was missing support for bands 29 and 30 on AT&T...this led to poor LTE and indoor reception at times. I would have to turn on/off the mobile data switch sometimes to get good connection.
Finally, we have carrier based versions, which loads you down with bloatware and has the Snapdragon chip. But, it does support all features of your carrier. Slower updates also an issue and lack of support of all bands internationally are additional drawbacks. Cost is also about $500.
Personally, I am going with an unlocked 930a. Bloatware sucks but I can delete or disable almost all of them. Snapdragon seems pretty powerful to me. Samsung Pay, Wifi Calling, and Band support are just too important for me. Note, make sure you ask the seller on Ebay/Swappa about whether the phone is unlocked.
Hope that helps.
I did a lot of research into this before buying my S7 but was kind of screwed since I'm on Verizon (CDMA)...
Since you're on AT&T you have more options.
There are two different processors in the two different models, Snapdragon 820 in the US CDMA capable and an Eyxnos in the International GSM ONLY phone.
After doing my research, I personally recommend the Eyxnos, which I couldn't get :/
If for nothing else, better battery life, by far. Do some research into the comparison between the two.
However! When buying from Best Buy be careful!
Last I checked, on their website, the black/onyx S7 was an unlocked US Snapdragon 820 phone.... while strangely enough the other two, gold and silver? were both unlocked US (actually international) Eyxnos phones.
Also, last I checked Samsung themselves only sell the CDMA snapdragon processor model to the US.
Unless Best Buy made a mistake listing the Eyxnos processor, it is the only way to get that model without buying an "internationally sourced" phone on ebay.
Just a few notes:
1) The G930u is fully compatible with all the US Carriers
2) VoLTE works on both T-Mobile and Verizon
3) Wi-Fi Calling works on T-Mobile and potentially Verizon (but I am not positive about Verizon).
The big downside to the G930u is that for whatever reason it is not receiving updates from Samsung when its branded siblings are.