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question about a branded phone

i got a question, i just got interested in buying a phone, and lots of people tell me its of a certain brand name, Vodafone for example. I was wondering, what are my limitations with a branded phone? I want to use the phone in a diferent country, and with a diferent company, is there a way to unlock it, and have all its features availible as if it was unbranded??

Your post is very vague. Basically the phone has a little bit to do with how you can use it and ROM or Operating systems has a lot to do with it. For example, I have an AT&T phone which is a HTC Raphael. The brand on it means it originally is only able to work on the AT&T network. It has features only to be used with AT&T and when it is put on the AT&T network it reports to their servers. The fact that it is AT&T also means the hardware is GSM based (the type of radio in it and how it joins the network space). You can flash a customize from onto this phone to allow for use on any GSM carrier or you can unlock the phone to be only used on any network but you would not be able to use some of the AT&T specific features.
I hope this answered your basic questions.

pegun said:
Your post is very vague. Basically the phone has a little bit to do with how you can use it and ROM or Operating systems has a lot to do with it. For example, I have an AT&T phone which is a HTC Raphael. The brand on it means it originally is only able to work on the AT&T network. It has features only to be used with AT&T and when it is put on the AT&T network it reports to their servers. The fact that it is AT&T also means the hardware is GSM based (the type of radio in it and how it joins the network space). You can flash a customize from onto this phone to allow for use on any GSM carrier or you can unlock the phone to be only used on any network but you would not be able to use some of the AT&T specific features.
I hope this answered your basic questions.
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that is exactly what i wanted to know.. where i am from, i use a prepaid sim, of a foreign company, and everytime i travel, i have a diferent companie's prepaid sim in my phone, i dont want to be bound to only 1 company, i want to be able to use the phone's features, and not be obligated to only use AT&T's sim cards for example. So flashing a Rom, of unlocking, maked the phone become just like the rest of the factory unlocked, if i understood correctly?

A branded or carrier phone by default is typically only locked to the carrier's SIM, and typically has carrier specific software on it, like a media store, or internet portal, ect. If you unlock the phone, and flash an unbranded ROM (i.e. an XDA ROM, or an original HTC ROM) then there is no real difference between a branded phone and an unbranded phone besides carrier added labeling on the faceplate.

sonus said:
A branded or carrier phone by default is typically only locked to the carrier's SIM, and typically has carrier specific software on it, like a media store, or internet portal, ect. If you unlock the phone, and flash an unbranded ROM (i.e. an XDA ROM, or an original HTC ROM) then there is no real difference between a branded phone and an unbranded phone besides carrier added labeling on the faceplate.
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THank mate, i got it now.. i didnt understand those things since i never had to deal with branded or company slavery

[Q] Why does my bootloader say "AT&T" with no SIM?

I bought an ATT frequency compatible NS (from negri) before it was available on ATT. Everything works as expected on ATT. However, the other day I removed my SIM, did a factory wipe, and then rebooted back into the bootloader and noticed that it reported "ATT" as my network even without the SIM installed. Does this mean my phone is somehow locked to ATT now? I don't care for my personal use but when I end up selling this thing later my expectation was that the next owner could use whichever frequency compatible carrier they choose. I don't have a way to test this with a different SIM. What's the deal here?

If you bought it from AT&T then it can only use AT&T's data networks. T-Mo and AT&T both use SIM so you can switch them out, but only shfor 2g/edge and voice.

That's just carrier info, if it wasn't a Google Nexus phone it would have influence on the phone. There's no downside of having a ATT in the bootloader carrier info.
Some ppl spread rumors that only "free", eg EUR (for Europe), phones get updates via Google, but it has yet to be proofed.

ellesshoo said:
I bought an ATT frequency compatible NS (from negri) before it was available on ATT. Everything works as expected on ATT. However, the other day I removed my SIM, did a factory wipe, and then rebooted back into the bootloader and noticed that it reported "ATT" as my network even without the SIM installed. Does this mean my phone is somehow locked to ATT now? I don't care for my personal use but when I end up selling this thing later my expectation was that the next owner could use whichever frequency compatible carrier they choose. I don't have a way to test this with a different SIM. What's the deal here?
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No nexus phone is sold sim locked, even the carrier subsidized versions.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

andythefan said:
If you bought it from AT&T then it can only use AT&T's data networks. T-Mo and AT&T both use SIM so you can switch them out, but only shfor 2g/edge and voice.
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I said where I bought it (negri electronics) before it was even available from ATT.
The 9020a is frequency compatible with ATT, Canadian carriers, some others elsewhere in the Americas, and will do 2G/gprs in nearly every region.
My question was about the phone reporting ATT as the carrier info in the bootloader w/out a sim. Phone has zero relation to att other than it happens to support UMTS on the same bands.

krohnjw said:
No nexus phone is sold sim locked, even the carrier subsidized versions.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
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I realize this from reading it everywhere. I just find it odd for att to show even with no SIM. Maybe it just reports whatever the last installed sim was?

ellesshoo said:
I realize this from reading it everywhere. I just find it odd for att to show even with no SIM. Maybe it just reports whatever the last installed sim was?
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The carrier info is independant from your last SIM card. Atm there's no hint to what the carrier info in bootloader is used for. For the European version (VDF, O2, EUR) you can change them around as you please via Odin w/o any effect on your phone.

krohnjw said:
No nexus phone is sold sim locked, even the carrier subsidized versions.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
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If I understand that correctly: Any Nexus S, in its AT&T version bought at any Best Buy store in the USA is 100% SIM unlocked, correct?
But, what about the Operating system itself, Android: Does a Nexus S AT&T version bought at a Best Buy store has the pristine original version of Android as Google intended, with all its features (and describes on www (dot) google (dot) com/nexus/#/tech-specs ) ?
I have read of cases that, for instance, Nexus S AT&T phones from Best Buy had its tethering feature disabled ? If so, is this a tinkering of the OS by the carrier or store no matter the SIM (i.e. if I put in a SIM from my country's carrier, it'd still have tethering blocked)? or this presumed "disablement" of tethering is SIM/carrier dependent (i.e., not an Android alteration per se)?
Any comments on this are well appreciated. I plan on buying soon a Nexus S on Best Buy during a next trip to the USA. The phone will be used in Mexico where my carrier uses the same frequencies as AT&T or 3g.
Thanks in advance.

[Q] AT&T unlocking ?

HI,
I'm thinking of buying AT&T 1020, but I from Europe and don't want to wait any exclusive period to over (like 920) so I can unlock the phone.
Did someone tried this already to unlock 1020 bought from AT&T ?

Evidently there are reports of people getting AT&T to unlock their devices, but not everyone has been successful so your mileage may vary.

I called at&t to unlock and the rep said the device can't be unlocked till 2014. I called back and asked for a manager, I explained to him that I bought it at full price and the phone is not on a contract. I was actually told if a device is bought at full price then yes it can be Unlocked. the manger put me on hold and then returned with the unlock code just fight the issue with at&t and ask for a manager even if you have to call several times that is as long as you bought it full price.

Yes, I tried
Yes, I tried. Got very complicated Code with easy instruction. Now At&t Nokia Lumia 1020 phone is Unlocked. Thanks for attphoneunlockingshop(dot)us site's Support team.
Thanks

smrkhn124 said:
Yes, I tried. Got very complicated Code with easy instruction. Now At&t Nokia Lumia 1020 phone is Unlocked. Thanks for attphoneunlockingshop(dot)us site's Support team.
Thanks
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so i have a at&t phone 1020...i think that is already unlock, in fact i can use every sim; but i have problem with thetering; when i try to active the option, the phone say that i must contact at&t for thetr abilitation. A solution?

tailele said:
so i have a at&t phone 1020...i think that is already unlock, in fact i can use every sim; but i have problem with thetering; when i try to active the option, the phone say that i must contact at&t for thetr abilitation. A solution?
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try to install another language keyboard beside english one..this was working solution for AT&T 920.

boril said:
try to install another language keyboard beside english one..this was working solution for AT&T 920.
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i think to have already the italian Keyboard and the English so

Yes, I've got the same problem. Have you solved it?
Phone was unlocked with code provided by ATT rep, but tethering isn't working. I know that AT&T phones from Microsoft stores were unlocked by personnel without problems.
https://twitter.com/bongiozzo/status/383679862638387200 here is my conversation Nokia Care US (AT&T admitted that phone fully unlocked in their systems) with no resolution.
I've got additional Russian keyboard - so it doesn't look like solution.
Actually I've experienced once this problem when was using Lumia 920 with AT&T SIM in USA business trip. When I returned to Russia I couldn't share internet with the same error message.
So I launched Access Point from Settings which sets parameters to Cellular, MMS and Internet Sharing. Problem was solved.
But I don't have Access Point in my Lumia 1020 setting. Moreover, firmware of ATT Lumia 1020 is older than official Russian firmware of Lumia 920.
What is possible solution to enable internet sharing? It's critical for me.
Does flashing solve this problem? What ROM can I use for Lumia 1020?

I think the tethering is set by the carrier and even though you have you're phone unlocked, you can't get tethering working unless you're able to flash a ROM that enables it OOTB. I had a problem with an HTC 8X from Rogers on ATT. Could never solve the problem even though ATT help desk tried to help me for hours.
sergey.polyakov said:
Yes, I've got the same problem. Have you solved it?
Phone was unlocked with code provided by ATT rep, but tethering isn't working. I know that AT&T phones from Microsoft stores were unlocked by personnel without problems.
https://twitter.com/bongiozzo/status/383679862638387200 here is my conversation Nokia Care US (AT&T admitted that phone fully unlocked in their systems) with no resolution.
I've got additional Russian keyboard - so it doesn't look like solution.
Actually I've experienced once this problem when was using Lumia 920 with AT&T SIM in USA business trip. When I returned to Russia I couldn't share internet with the same error message.
So I launched Access Point from Settings which sets parameters to Cellular, MMS and Internet Sharing. Problem was solved.
But I don't have Access Point in my Lumia 1020 setting. Moreover, firmware of ATT Lumia 1020 is older than official Russian firmware of Lumia 920.
What is possible solution to enable internet sharing? It's critical for me.
Does flashing solve this problem? What ROM can I use for Lumia 1020?
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Nokia 1020 AT&T Tethering unlock solution
I bought my Nokia 1020 from NegriElectronics unlocked (AT&T).
It worked very well in Canada (Rogers), Portugal (Vodafone), Spain (Vodafone). So no question it was unlocked. But Tethering was not working.
I got in touch with Negri and they pointed out this article: http://www.wpcentral.com/issues-internet-sharing-windows-phone-try-out-diy-fix
But I could not apply the workaround because the Cellular Settings did not allow me to add a second APN. I could only update the existing or delete it and add it again.
Anyway, I found this page: http://discussions.nokia.com/t5/Pool-of-Knowledge/Nokia-Windows-Phone-8-App-Updates/td-p/1640082
They had a QR code on it to update the Access Point settings app (My Phone did not have it, probably removed by AT&T). Link to QR Code: http://imgur.com/ZLdL6
After I installed the AccessPoint from the QR code, it added to my phone settings an Access Point configuration. Then I could follow the original steps from the WPCentral article.
My Nokia 1020 is now unlocked for Tethering, and I did not have to call AT&T or dial 611...

boril said:
HI,
I'm thinking of buying AT&T 1020, but I from Europe and don't want to wait any exclusive period to over (like 920) so I can unlock the phone.
Did someone tried this already to unlock 1020 bought from AT&T ?
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I know im "a little" late but i bought mine at the MS Store in SFO and called AT&T afterwards and after ~45min and 3 different people i had to exlpain myself (plus i was customer of a goPhone once back in 2008) i finally got my unlock code
Works like a Charm here in Germany with Vodafone (except for LTE ofc coz of the different bands).

Penecho said:
I know im "a little" late but i bought mine at the MS Store in SFO and called AT&T afterwards and after ~45min and 3 different people i had to exlpain myself (plus i was customer of a goPhone once back in 2008) i finally got my unlock code
Works like a Charm here in Germany with Vodafone (except for LTE ofc coz of the different bands).
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Hi everyone, anyone know where I can unlokc my lumia 1020 from at&t? cellunlocker.net said me that they cannot do that.. please I listen there are issues with at&t...

Seems like you are doing a little bit of spamming.
You made a similar post for a lumia 520
Leading to the same site.

at & t operator nokia lumia 1020
People tell me what could be wrong, my phone lock on at & t operator nokia lumia 1020.Problema next when I enter the unlock code there 10 attempts and is considered to be only the first, and then stands on the 9th and nothing happens even slightly enter these codes unlock ((((how to fix it?
nokia lumia 1020
orepator at & t
IMEI: **************
the first time you enter the code does not write an incorrect PIN, and the following are not considered an attempt to not error sim cards ((((what is this?

Please remove your imei in your post.......

Verizon HTC ONE M8 to work in Canada?

Hello all, I have an HTC One M8 that I bought while working in the US for a year. I am back in Canada and want to use it with Rogers or Bell doesn't matter who. I thought it was unlocked so I could use with anything but apparently I was miss-guided.
When I put in a Rogers SIM card it says SIM from Unknown Source or something along those lines. When I go into about in settings I can see that it picks up the signal for rogers and also shows my cell phone number. I'm guessing there is some sort of way I can make this thing work here?
Can I overwrite the ROM and put a Rogers ROM in? I have no clue. This is about as far as I get with phone tech.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi!
Verizon M8 is sold "internationally unlocked", so Verizon customers can use it everywhere in the world: not just the CDMA networks (Verizon's) but also in GSM networks (most widely spread standard). I live in Spain and mine works in a GSM/LTE network perfectly and it does too in France, Germany or Italy.
For your mobile to work in Canada, you have to make sure your phone is sim unlocked. If you purchased it to verizon you can ask them to remotely unlock it, as you've paid for it, and they will. They may take some time, but they will. Once it is sim unlocked, you will be able to use it with any other operator's sim.
Note that, even when it is sim unlocked (and functional), you may be receiving a notification of "unknown sim" when the phone starts and an icon in the tray. It's just a software issue, as it will work, but to make it dissapear you have to do much more complicated things (unlock the bootloader, get root privileges) and i'm not sure it is worth if you're not familiarized with these sort of things.

Question about unlocking SIM on a BNIB t-mobile s7 for use on Verizon

So like the title says I have a brand new never started/updated t-mobile s7 and I'm looking to use the phone on the Verizon network where I currently have a plan.
I've never unlocked SIMs before so I figured I'd check here first, I don't want to brick the phone obviously..
So my question is how do I go about doing this? I see t-mobile has an app that unblocks the SIM for customers, however I'm not a customer and do not plan on using t-mobile network.
I found some dodgy websites that claim to be able to do it but I'm not sure how I feel about handling over my information to them especially without at least some third party confirmation that the service actually works and is not a scam.
Does anyone have some input on what to do?

Flash the 930U firmware to it. This should allow it to be SIM unlocked.

Try calling tm you just never know they may just give you the unlock codes. I had a phone lock to att once, gave them a ring and they gave me the codes, just be nice.

I used the tmobile unlock app on device. The app checks if you qualify same as a rep would.
Sent from my SM-G930T using XDA-Developers mobile app

So I got the phone unlocked but only to find out the T-Mobile s7 is GSM, Verizon runs on CDMA which is not compatible.
Now that I have it unlocked, would it be possible to flash the Verizon s7 software and have it connect?
I assume I'll need to root the phone in order to do that but will the hardware interact properly with the Verizon software?

2003WRB said:
So I got the phone unlocked but only to find out the T-Mobile s7 is GSM, Verizon runs on CDMA which is not compatible.
Now that I have it unlocked, would it be possible to flash the Verizon s7 software and have it connect?
I assume I'll need to root the phone in order to do that but will the hardware interact properly with the Verizon software?
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CDMA and GSM are two different frequency bands, and use separate hardware. Meaning, they are physically not compatible.

2003WRB said:
So I got the phone unlocked but only to find out the T-Mobile s7 is GSM, Verizon runs on CDMA which is not compatible.
Now that I have it unlocked, would it be possible to flash the Verizon s7 software and have it connect?
I assume I'll need to root the phone in order to do that but will the hardware interact properly with the Verizon software?
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The good news for you is that the S7 sold in the United States all contain the same hardware, the same actual components, so they all physically are capable of handling both GSM and CDMA networks. Also good for you is that now that the phone is unlocked, you can either flash the Verizon firmware or flash the "U" firmware on your device. Normally speaking, this would be really bad advice for any other device, but for the S7 it is possible.
I have the T-Mo S7 flat, and I am running the latest U firmware on AT&T, though I have flashed many and sold them for Verizon.
Don't fret, be happy, and Merry Christmas!

will this allow lte+,in order words can I make a call and still browse the internet on verizon?