Just wondering if it's possible. What I was thinking is keeping the Infuse until the SGS II comes out and then selling the Infuse and with the cash I get for it pay for the SGS.
Do I need to do anything special to my Infuse before selling it (say on craigslist)? Never done anything like this before and was just wondering if it was possible.
So far this Infuse is rooted w/ Infused v2.1. Would I need to unlock the phone? Or is the phone pretty much unlocked already with the ROM I installed?
Eddie Bombay said:
Just wondering if it's possible. What I was thinking is keeping the Infuse until the SGS II comes out and then selling the Infuse and with the cash I get for it pay for the SGS.
Do I need to do anything special to my Infuse before selling it (say on craigslist)? Never done anything like this before and was just wondering if it was possible.
So far this Infuse is rooted w/ Infused v2.1. Would I need to unlock the phone? Or is the phone pretty much unlocked already with the ROM I installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you stay in contract and pay your bill for the 2 years you can do anything you want with the phone.
It's not unlocked unless you specifically have unlocked it. Rooting and loading a ROM does not automatically unlock it.
Depending on who you sell it to keeping it rooted might be good. That's a choice you have to make. When I sell a device I usually give the buyer the option to have it rooted or not.
What ever you do just make sure you remove all accounts from your phone, especially your gmail account.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA Premium App
Personally, I would suggest using Odin to go back to stock, then going in and formatting both the internal and external sd cards so that you remove any of your information on them.
Just my two cents.
i am from other country so do not know much about att contract policy.
i wanna know if eddie sell his phone and do not fulfill his contract then what will be consequence for buyer of phone as well as eddie?
is there any chance that phone's imei be blocked/blacklisted on account of no payment?
are you guys required return phone to att if you terminate your contract midway?
The contract is just an agreement to pay for the voice and data plan for two years, and there is a standard fee for breaking it (starts at $325, less $10 per month you've paid or something), and no obligation to return the phone in this case. I can't swear that AT&T won't blacklist the phone in the case of an unpaid bill, though it seems unlikely. I assume they would simply cut off service to the person's SIM and sic a collection agency on them.
Att's prepaid service, GoPhone, and devices, are unable to be resold. Contract phones can. Do not know why, but its stated in the terms of service for each.
rohit3192 said:
are you guys required return phone to att if you terminate your contract midway?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just have to pay an early termination fee, which is like $300 and goes down each month towards zero. It's basically a loan for the cost of your phone.
No matter what the phone is yours to keep.
I've sold about 5 phones over the passed few years and everyone I was under contract. I've never had an issue nor did the buyer. You don't have to do anything special. AT&T doesn't have to be notified for any reason. It's your phone. I've even told reps I was selling my phone while I was getting an upgrade and they didn't care one way or the other. Just make sure all your personal data it wiped. That's a must.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
Wipe Data
Oh,I can recall i bought a phone from lady (USA resident) and she handed over me phone with sim card with all contacts and sms and there were some snaps also in phone
Even a pic of lady and she was beautiful
Focustom said:
I've sold about 5 phones over the passed few years and everyone I was under contract. I've never had an issue nor did the buyer. You don't have to do anything special. AT&T doesn't have to be notified for any reason. It's your phone. I've even told reps I was selling my phone while I was getting an upgrade and they didn't care one way or the other. Just make sure all your personal data it wiped. That's a must.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok thanks for the info. So Odin back to stock, then unlock and sell?
So if I want to return the Verizon SGS3, what's the best way to do this? The only reason is the locked bootloader, and I haven't received the box yet (nor obviously opened it.)
Is it best to return it as a defective device? (Without opening it, as I was relying upon the assumption that it would be unlocked like all of Samsung's previous devices, which have been all unlocked, including other carrier's SGS3s, and furthermore that it would be substantially similar to the SGS3 available to other carriers.)
Is there a good way to avoid a restocking fee?
Would it be better to ebay it and pick up a Nexus (though I hear that the camera sucks.)
Would it be better to switch to another carrier? Is there an obvious ETF loophole? Do I avoid ETF if I just return the device before activating it?
Sprint has unlimited and they have an unlocked SGS3. Does it have LTE inside? Will it work with their upcoming LTE network?
This bootloader lock is ridiculous. I want to go as close to AOSP as possible on the best possible hardware, which appears to currently be the SGS3, but I don't intend upon sticking with the carrier's software update strategy over the next 2 years of a contract.
I suppose you could refuse the package. Then it goes back to them and I don't believe they can charge you the restocking fee, as you never accepted the package to begin with.
Good luck with that 30 activation fee though.
The Nexus camera isn't that bad.
Just sell the GS3 online and you'll make a killing from someone who has no upgrade to use.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I second the package refusal. They can't charge you if you never received it. How much is the restocking fee anyway?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Has yours even shipped? If not go to the pre order page hit check status and type your information in then hit cancel and enter the last 4 of your SSN.
No need to return.................
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1756885
I called their Online Sales.. 1-866-338-7390
My order has completed, but hasn't shipped yet, so they will create a ticket to *see* if the warehouse can cancel before it ships, then will send an email to you...
So you can try .. I'd do it ASAP if your looking to do this .. they just opened for the day..
bbeelzebub said:
I suppose you could refuse the package. Then it goes back to them and I don't believe they can charge you the restocking fee, as you never accepted the package to begin with.
Good luck with that 30 activation fee though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will be returning it in 14 days if Verizon doesn't officially unlock. It is a defective unit in my opinion so I will NOT be paying restocking fee. I am considering switching to Sprint...so much cheaper and will meet my needs just as well...
macdroid01 said:
I will be returning it in 14 days if Verizon doesn't officially unlock. It is a defective unit in my opinion so I will NOT be paying restocking fee. I am considering switching to Sprint...so much cheaper and will meet my needs just as well...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, i'm waiting to see what happens, if it is in fact encrypted i'm returning (it would be a long while b4 anything happens w/ an unlock, if it happens at all) if its not encrypted and just locked i'll wait until one of the marvelous devs of the XDA community crack it, hell they already got root.
But if its encrypted i will politely and firmly tell VZW to shove it and refund me or give me a nexus, no way in hell i'm paying restocking fees
Since it appears that we can write to the internal flash, AND boot from an unsigned recovery partition, (and also write a modified system.img!?) I think we're going to be ok here. Booting from an unsigned recovery means that we can basically do anything. It's still a pain, but much less of a PITA than if booting from unsigned partitions at all was restricted. (So it appears this is somewhere between a HTC-esque S-ON and S-OFF.)
Mine has already shipped.
macdroid01 said:
I will be returning it in 14 days if Verizon doesn't officially unlock. It is a defective unit in my opinion so I will NOT be paying restocking fee. I am considering switching to Sprint...so much cheaper and will meet my needs just as well...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the unit work as intended in Verizon's eyes? Are you trying to do something you shouldnt but a designed protocol is preventing you from doing it? If the answer is yes to either question, then its not defective.
I took a long shot and took my never turned on S3 to the Verizon store to see about swapping for a Nexus. Since I bought online they could do nothing in store. The only two options are returning using the pre-paid shipping label included with the phone or selling. A return is guaranteed to incur the $35 fee. From what I've read the bootloader is probably encrypted and therefore will never be broken by the devs. The current level of enthusiasm reminds me of 2 years ago when I bought my DroidX, and we all know how that turned out. Sure they finally figured out 2ndinit and enabled some non stock kernels, but it was really like running a VM on an underpowered PC and basically sucked.We enthusiasts need to come to terms with the fact that verizon doesn't want or need us. They currently are and will continue to do quite well financially without us. I plan on seeing how this playsout over the next several days and then I'll probably return mine and buy a used Nexus. The next step, and I'll guarantee you it's coming, will be for them to not allow you to change devices if you're on unlimited data, unless you purchase at full price directly. Get ready to decide whether you want a superior network and be treated like an iSheep, or to be an android enthusiast.
My plan is buy the phone on the 10th, if this isn't fixed by the return window I'll return it as defective and be asking for my money back for the SD card I purchased, along with anything else I buy for it, since I won't need them with the Galaxy Nexus.
Sent from my DROIDX
burpootus said:
I took a long shot and took my never turned on S3 to the Verizon store to see about swapping for a Nexus. Since I bought online they could do nothing in store. The only two options are returning using the pre-paid shipping label included with the phone or selling. A return is guaranteed to incur the $35 fee. From what I've read the bootloader is probably encrypted and therefore will never be broken by the devs. The current level of enthusiasm reminds me of 2 years ago when I bought my DroidX, and we all know how that turned out. Sure they finally figured out 2ndinit and enabled some non stock kernels, but it was really like running a VM on an underpowered PC and basically sucked.We enthusiasts need to come to terms with the fact that verizon doesn't want or need us. They currently are and will continue to do quite well financially without us. I plan on seeing how this playsout over the next several days and then I'll probably return mine and buy a used Nexus. The next step, and I'll guarantee you it's coming, will be for them to not allow you to change devices if you're on unlimited data, unless you purchase at full price directly. Get ready to decide whether you want a superior network and be treated like an iSheep, or to be an android enthusiast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope I will be able to swap mines out for a nexus. I pre ordered mine in store. What really grabbed me about the s3 was being able to watch videos while texting. I have a really long story about how my pre order went down as well, but I won't get into that.
I don't even have my phone yet, and I feel extremely disappointed.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
What if my phone is accidentally dropped before the 14 days are up? Can I still return it and get charged only the restocking fee? Maybe the fed-ex wasn't careful with the phone?
burpootus said:
I took a long shot and took my never turned on S3 to the Verizon store to see about swapping for a Nexus. Since I bought online they could do nothing in store. The only two options are returning using the pre-paid shipping label included with the phone or selling. A return is guaranteed to incur the $35 fee. From what I've read the bootloader is probably encrypted and therefore will never be broken by the devs. The current level of enthusiasm reminds me of 2 years ago when I bought my DroidX, and we all know how that turned out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly what has me worried. I have a DX that I am greatly anticipating getting rid of (even though Jonman's CM9 port is rockin') and I pre-ordered the SGS3 largely BECAUSE it had an unlocked bootloader.
Sure they finally figured out 2ndinit and enabled some non stock kernels, but it was really like running a VM on an underpowered PC and basically sucked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2nd-init doesn't allow you to run a custom kernel. There are other methods that will allow you to boot a custom kernel, but they lack basic functionality, like CDMA radios, partly because much of that is built into the kernel. 2nd-init does allow you to run a custom OS on top of the stock kernel. This is where a lot of the difficulties come in. Right now, for example, I am running a GB kernel with an ICS rom (CM9). Getting drivers that talk to the GB kernel and the ICS API is tricky, to say the least. Again, Jonman's CM9 is BOSS and continually getting better, but it is noticeably crippled because of the locked/encrypted bootloader.
We enthusiasts need to come to terms with the fact that verizon doesn't want or need us. They currently are and will continue to do quite well financially without us.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I agree with you. IHMO, they should be sued for anti-trust violations. They have the best product, in terms of their network, and they are using that as leverage against their customers and preventing an open market. Pretty much all the major carriers do this to some degree, but Verizon is the worst offender.
I plan on seeing how this playsout over the next several days and then I'll probably return mine and buy a used Nexus. The next step, and I'll guarantee you it's coming, will be for them to not allow you to change devices if you're on unlimited data, unless you purchase at full price directly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As of 28 June, 2012 (about a week or so ago), this is already true. That's why I pre-ordered the SGS3 when I did. I was eligible for a contract renewal (and therefore a subsidized phone) on July 20th, and I pre-ordered on the 21st. You can continue on the same contract indefinitely, but if you want a subsidized phone, you have to switch to their "shared everything" plan.
Get ready to decide whether you want a superior network and be treated like an iSheep, or to be an android enthusiast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Part of my point on the anti-trust violation, especially when you consider the practice of subsidized phones and the issue mentioned directly above.
ez unlock
satadru said:
Sboatloader with an app calledc want to return the Verizon SGS3, what's the best way to do this? The only reason is the locked bootloader, and I haven't received the box yet (nor obviously opened it.)
Is it best to return it as a defective device? (Without opening it, as I was relying upon the assumption that it would be unlocked like all of Samsung's previous devices, which have been all unlocked, including other carrier's SGS3s, and furthermore that it would be substantially similar to the SGS3 available to other carriers.)
Is there a good way to avoid a restocking fee?
Would it be better to ebay it and pick up a Nexus (though I hear that the camera sucks.)
Would it be better to switch to another carrier? Is there an obvious ETF loophole? Do I avoid ETF if I just return the device before activating it?
Sprint has unlimited and they have an unlocked SGS3. Does it have LTE inside? Will it work with their upcoming LTE network?
This bootloader lock is ridiculous. I want to go as close to AOSP as possible on the best possible hardware, which appears to currently be the SGS3, but I don't intend upon sticking with the carrier's software update strategy over the next 2 years of a contract.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can now unlock your boatloader with an app called ez unlock!
Rbh0909 said:
You can now unlock your boatloader with an app called ez unlock!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why did you necro this thread? im sure after 2mo that person figured out what ez unlock is lmao
Hello all, and first off, let me say congratulations on getting official CM10 and CWM support!
Here's my story (and before anyone asks, I have searched the forums for an answer, but was unsuccessful with finding my specific questions): I am currently on AT&T (was Alltel before they were bought out) with an HTC Aria and my contract for a grandfathered plan was up long ago. It is time for me to upgrade to something a little more modern and I have settled on the Blaze because of its size (I'd like a GNex, but my hands are too small) and a number of reasons. But the biggest reason is that, as I understand, it has full compatibility with both AT&T and T-mobile's 3g (4g for t-mobile) and 2g/EDGE networks.
I don't really like AT&T as a company and I also really like the monthly 4g plans that t-mobile offers. My problem is that according to t-mobile's prepaid coverage map, I won't have data service for most of the area I travel back and forth in (upper midwest USA). And as much as I dislike AT&T, they have good 3g service almost everywhere I go. So, I'd like to be able to take my current sim card and switch it and a t-mobile sim at will while I test out both service providers.
Therefore, my questions are as follows:
1) Where is the best place to buy a blaze off contract? I'd like to get one on ebay because of the price (~$200 is what I have set aside for a new phone), but there aren't that many there, and even fewer that specifically say they are unlocked - which leads to question 2.
2) Can I unlock any phone that is not on a contract (basically anything I would buy used online)? I spoke with a rep from T-mobile and he seemed to indicate that I could only unlock a phone if I was the original purchaser of it and the plan (and account) to go with it. Therefore, according to him, I would have to make sure the phone I bought was already unlocked, otherwise there would be no chance of unlocking it in the future. I would think (possibly incorrectly) that as long as I have a t-mobile account (I plan on buying and activating the $30 monthly 4g plan as soon as I receive the device to compliment my current ATT service), they shouldn't have a problem with giving me the unlock code because they did not subsidize the phone. Could anyone clear this up?
3) There are a number of sites claiming to sell unlock codes for a myriad of devices. I would consider something like that if there was no other way to unlock a second hand phone, but only if I was sure it would work and the site was legit. Are any of these sites legitimate and have you had experience with any of them?
It would be considerably cheaper and easier to find a used device that isn't unlocked, but like I said, I'm not sure if that would bite me in the rear because there is a strong chance that I will stick with AT&T due to them having service where I travel. Thanks for taking the time to read this text wall, and I can't wait to join the Blaze community! Keep up the good work!
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Hello all, and first off, let me say congratulations on getting official CM10 and CWM support!
Here's my story (and before anyone asks, I have searched the forums for an answer, but was unsuccessful with finding my specific questions): I am currently on AT&T (was Alltel before they were bought out) with an HTC Aria and my contract for a grandfathered plan was up long ago. It is time for me to upgrade to something a little more modern and I have settled on the Blaze because of its size (I'd like a GNex, but my hands are too small) and a number of reasons. But the biggest reason is that, as I understand, it has full compatibility with both AT&T and T-mobile's 3g (4g for t-mobile) and 2g/EDGE networks.
I don't really like AT&T as a company and I also really like the monthly 4g plans that t-mobile offers. My problem is that according to t-mobile's prepaid coverage map, I won't have data service for most of the area I travel back and forth in (upper midwest USA). And as much as I dislike AT&T, they have good 3g service almost everywhere I go. So, I'd like to be able to take my current sim card and switch it and a t-mobile sim at will while I test out both service providers.
Therefore, my questions are as follows:
1) Where is the best place to buy a blaze off contract? I'd like to get one on ebay because of the price (~$200 is what I have set aside for a new phone), but there aren't that many there, and even fewer that specifically say they are unlocked - which leads to question 2.
2) Can I unlock any phone that is not on a contract (basically anything I would buy used online)? I spoke with a rep from T-mobile and he seemed to indicate that I could only unlock a phone if I was the original purchaser of it and the plan (and account) to go with it. Therefore, according to him, I would have to make sure the phone I bought was already unlocked, otherwise there would be no chance of unlocking it in the future. I would think (possibly incorrectly) that as long as I have a t-mobile account (I plan on buying and activating the $30 monthly 4g plan as soon as I receive the device to compliment my current ATT service), they shouldn't have a problem with giving me the unlock code because they did not subsidize the phone. Could anyone clear this up?
3) There are a number of sites claiming to sell unlock codes for a myriad of devices. I would consider something like that if there was no other way to unlock a second hand phone, but only if I was sure it would work and the site was legit. Are any of these sites legitimate and have you had experience with any of them?
It would be considerably cheaper and easier to find a used device that isn't unlocked, but like I said, I'm not sure if that would bite me in the rear because there is a strong chance that I will stick with AT&T due to them having service where I travel. Thanks for taking the time to read this text wall, and I can't wait to join the Blaze community! Keep up the good work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.) Good luck. Not many people are willing to sell their blaze, especially after the past couple weeks three weeks ago you could have had a lot of takers ebay would be your best bet
2.) Tmobile rep led to you like they're supposed to. anybody can request an unlock code for their phone. Naturally if you're on their plan, they'll verify that you are the owner of the account, but still. That being said, just because you can ask doesn't mean they'll give out. If you had a plan (not prepaid) for a year or two in good standings with no late payments and said you were going out of the country for a couple months and want to use your phone on a foreign gsm network, they'd bee more inclined. As a brand new prepaid customer, good luck. Best of buying it unlocked or getting the unlock code elsewhere.
3.) I've had success and failure here. Most places are what they say, but some won't deliver. Always do research. Google that site or business to see if anybody has complained. And use paypal when you can, you could always claim you didn't get the service you paid for. Same goes with ebay buyer protection.
that chapter book out of the way, always always always research as much as you can. For all you know, I could be lying through my teeth right now
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
jparnell8839 said:
1.) Good luck. Not many people are willing to sell their blaze, especially after the past couple weeks three weeks ago you could have had a lot of takers ebay would be your best bet
2.) Tmobile rep led to you like they're supposed to. anybody can request an unlock code for their phone. Naturally if you're on their plan, they'll verify that you are the owner of the account, but still. That being said, just because you can ask doesn't mean they'll give out. If you had a plan (not prepaid) for a year or two in good standings with no late payments and said you were going out of the country for a couple months and want to use your phone on a foreign gsm network, they'd bee more inclined. As a brand new prepaid customer, good luck. Best of buying it unlocked or getting the unlock code elsewhere.
3.) I've had success and failure here. Most places are what they say, but some won't deliver. Always do research. Google that site or business to see if anybody has complained. And use paypal when you can, you could always claim you didn't get the service you paid for. Same goes with ebay buyer protection.
that chapter book out of the way, always always always research as much as you can. For all you know, I could be lying through my teeth right now
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. I would also consider buying one brand new from t-mobile if I knew I could unlock it right away. Do you think they would unlock a prepaid blaze if I bought it brand new and at full price from them through this link? http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/Samsung-Galaxy-S-Blaze-4G-No-Annual-Contract
Otherwise I'll be sure to buy one unlocked off ebay, as it seems that most unlock codes are $25 to $50, which would negate pretty much any cost savings by buying one off ebay that wasn't unlocked.
Code:
[INDENT][/INDENT]
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Thanks for the advice. I would also consider buying one brand new from t-mobile if I knew I could unlock it right away. Do you think they would unlock a prepaid blaze if I bought it brand new and at full price from them through this link? http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/Samsung-Galaxy-S-Blaze-4G-No-Annual-Contract
Otherwise I'll be sure to buy one unlocked off ebay, as it seems that most unlock codes are $25 to $50, which would negate pretty much any cost savings by buying one off ebay that wasn't unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like the other reply. If you bought it from t mobile and said you had to go out of county for work. And would appreciate the unlock code to use other GSM networks. While away. They get commission, so if unlock is the deal breaker, they'll prob give it to you. Or if you ask enough pple. Nicely I'm sure someones bound to give it to you.
I don't recall an unlock code thread here on xda
I've been with t mobile for 12 years if I happen to stop at a t mobile (which I plan too) ill ask for code
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Hello all, and first off, let me say congratulations on getting official CM10 and CWM support!
Here's my story (and before anyone asks, I have searched the forums for an answer, but was unsuccessful with finding my specific questions): I am currently on AT&T (was Alltel before they were bought out) with an HTC Aria and my contract for a grandfathered plan was up long ago. It is time for me to upgrade to something a little more modern and I have settled on the Blaze because of its size (I'd like a GNex, but my hands are too small) and a number of reasons. But the biggest reason is that, as I understand, it has full compatibility with both AT&T and T-mobile's 3g (4g for t-mobile) and 2g/EDGE networks.
I don't really like AT&T as a company and I also really like the monthly 4g plans that t-mobile offers. My problem is that according to t-mobile's prepaid coverage map, I won't have data service for most of the area I travel back and forth in (upper midwest USA). And as much as I dislike AT&T, they have good 3g service almost everywhere I go. So, I'd like to be able to take my current sim card and switch it and a t-mobile sim at will while I test out both service providers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you considered a carrier like StraightTalk? StraightTalk is a MVNO which resells both T-Mobile AND AT&T service. You can specify what kind of SIM you want when you order it online. Their service prices are pretty good, and in theory their network is basically either AT&T or T-Mo depending on which one you pick.
I've seen mixed reviews on their service and whether or not they'd throttle you on excessive service... some great, some bad, so it'd be caveat emptor, but if your usage pattern doesn't change, you'll likely be fine. Either way, it's up to you to do your own research (as someone else mentioned).
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Therefore, my questions are as follows:
1) Where is the best place to buy a blaze off contract? I'd like to get one on ebay because of the price (~$200 is what I have set aside for a new phone), but there aren't that many there, and even fewer that specifically say they are unlocked - which leads to question 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like eBay. Craigslist can be a little scary because the phone may or may not be stolen. T-Mobile and AT&T have already started disabling phones by their IMEI that have been reported stolen by the user or by the insurance. Soon they'll also start sharing that database, so the phone won't work anywhere in North America if that's the case. There are plenty of scams when it comes to craigslist where a "brand new phone" is purchased and then suddenly reported stolen because it was noticed missing from a back room.
This was my biggest fear in buying my S3. On eBay you get to see things like ratings on the sellers so you can find someone trustworthy, like I did Also, make sure to exercise common sense. If something's too good to be true, it very well may be.
Goodbye_Alltel said:
2) Can I unlock any phone that is not on a contract (basically anything I would buy used online)? I spoke with a rep from T-mobile and he seemed to indicate that I could only unlock a phone if I was the original purchaser of it and the plan (and account) to go with it. Therefore, according to him, I would have to make sure the phone I bought was already unlocked, otherwise there would be no chance of unlocking it in the future. I would think (possibly incorrectly) that as long as I have a t-mobile account (I plan on buying and activating the $30 monthly 4g plan as soon as I receive the device to compliment my current ATT service), they shouldn't have a problem with giving me the unlock code because they did not subsidize the phone. Could anyone clear this up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can unlock any phone you buy, legal or otherwise. T-Mobile has never cared if I was the original purchaser or not, and they shouldn't. They'll only care if it's an original T-Mobile phone or not. T-Mobile will give you an unlock code for a phone as long as you've had 90 days of uninterrupted service. On prepaid they want you to have 60 days (I think) with enough of a balance in your account to pay for another month's service. Not sure about the prepaid requirements, but you can look those up online.
Also, if you just wanna test service, I wouldn't do the monthly 4g $30, I'd do a daily. $3/day gets you relatively unlimited access, and you only need a few days worth to make a decision. Plus, you likely wanna switch to one of the better all-you-can-eat plans, and wouldn't want to be stuck for a month with the cheaper plan. It isn't easy to switch until the month is up.
Goodbye_Alltel said:
3) There are a number of sites claiming to sell unlock codes for a myriad of devices. I would consider something like that if there was no other way to unlock a second hand phone, but only if I was sure it would work and the site was legit. Are any of these sites legitimate and have you had experience with any of them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had good luck purchasing codes from eBay. Never had them not work. But with everything eBay, make sure you're using someone reputable.
Goodbye_Alltel said:
It would be considerably cheaper and easier to find a used device that isn't unlocked, but like I said, I'm not sure if that would bite me in the rear because there is a strong chance that I will stick with AT&T due to them having service where I travel. Thanks for taking the time to read this text wall, and I can't wait to join the Blaze community! Keep up the good work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's cheaper to find it locked, then just get it locked and buy an unlock code later. If you aren't going to use AT&T service, then you don't need to SIM unlock the phone anyways. The phone will automatically work on t-mobile, unlocked or not. Finding a good carrier is difficult, I know.
If you decide to try straight talk, you could probably go with a T-Mobile SIM that wouldn't require unlocking the phone. If you find the service lacking, you could switch to an AT&T sim and then deal with unlocking the phone.
Hope this helps.
Good point about Straight Talk. I didn't mention it in my original post, but that was my third option for service. As for getting an unlocked device, I'll probably have to buy one whether it's locked or not pretty soon, after seeing how much activity has been going on here lately, lol. Ebay again seems to be the cheapest route for getting an unlock code, and I'll have their buyer protection and Paypal in case the code does not work. (I will first, of course, call and/or online request t-mobile for an unlock after I get my T-mo account setup. Maybe I'll get lucky about unlocking before their traditional 60 days of prepaid service - if not, off to ebay it is cause I need to get my current ATT sim + number on it asap)
As for ebay codes, I've seen some cheap services that promise to unlock a phone by setting up some software on my computer and plugging the phone into the computer. They then do the unlock online. They are a lot cheaper than the regular "give us carrier and IMEI and we email code" services also found on ebay and the like. Can I trust this unknown software to be running on my computer and hacking into my phone?
I have not seen or heard of T-mobile's daily plans (like the $3/day you mention). Could you provide a link to where I can find more info on these plans? Also, if you think the $30/monthly unlimited text, data, and 100 minutes plan isn't that great, what plan(s) would you recommend? I am certainly never going to sign another contract, so prepaid or monthly is the only long term option if I decide to kill my grandfathered AT&T data plan (which is looking less likely as I know that I can expect good service where I go). I'm thinking you may be pointing me to one of their plans that allows data roaming on T-mobile affiliates? Because their post-paid data map looks a lot better, even comparable to AT&T.
If it's a T-Mobile phone and you have T-Mobile as your carrier, you can call customer care and tell them you just got service with them and are going overseas and need it unlocked so you can use a foreign sim card in it. Thay usually works well.
If not, ask to speak to a supervisor. When transferred, ask the person if they are a supervisor or just an escalation rep. If they are not a supervisor, ask them if they can help you still.
If they won't, ask to speak to an actual supervisor and try again. If all else fails, you do have a window of time to cancel, so you can always tell them you are thinking of canceling and they will probably transfer you to a retention rep. That one's a gamble since you're bluffing.
If retention won't help, hang up in the middle of a sentence and call back. Chances are, you will get a different call center and you can say you got disconnected and try the process again.
That gives you up to 6 potential reps who can help... and they can. I was customer care for a couple years and then in corporate engineering for several years. They are flexible, you just have to play the game.
Probably not the answer you want, but it's what you will have to do to get it unlocked quickly
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Good point about Straight Talk. I didn't mention it in my original post, but that was my third option for service. As for getting an unlocked device, I'll probably have to buy one whether it's locked or not pretty soon, after seeing how much activity has been going on here lately, lol. Ebay again seems to be the cheapest route for getting an unlock code, and I'll have their buyer protection and Paypal in case the code does not work. (I will first, of course, call and/or online request t-mobile for an unlock after I get my T-mo account setup. Maybe I'll get lucky about unlocking before their traditional 60 days of prepaid service - if not, off to ebay it is cause I need to get my current ATT sim + number on it asap)
As for ebay codes, I've seen some cheap services that promise to unlock a phone by setting up some software on my computer and plugging the phone into the computer. They then do the unlock online. They are a lot cheaper than the regular "give us carrier and IMEI and we email code" services also found on ebay and the like. Can I trust this unknown software to be running on my computer and hacking into my phone?
I have not seen or heard of T-mobile's daily plans (like the $3/day you mention). Could you provide a link to where I can find more info on these plans? Also, if you think the $30/monthly unlimited text, data, and 100 minutes plan isn't that great, what plan(s) would you recommend? I am certainly never going to sign another contract, so prepaid or monthly is the only long term option if I decide to kill my grandfathered AT&T data plan (which is looking less likely as I know that I can expect good service where I go). I'm thinking you may be pointing me to one of their plans that allows data roaming on T-mobile affiliates? Because their post-paid data map looks a lot better, even comparable to AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have always stayed away from anything that requires a cable. If they can't get you a code based on your IMEI, I don't bother. I used one of those once and I don't remember if it ever worked or not.
The daily plans don't seem to be well advertised on the site. I found them this time around by going to the "no annual contract plans" and then scrolling down to the bottom for daily and other services. Check it out here. I believe their prepaid coverage map hasn't been updated in ages on the site. Supposedly their prepaid coverage map is about 98-99% like their postpaid one. The main difference between the two is that prepaid doesn't allow you to do conditional call forwarding. This is necessary if you want to use another service for voice mail instead of T-Mobile's crappy voicemail.
When I signed up for Tmo they gave me 30 days to confirm if I wanted the contract. You can get a plan and if you dont like it you can just return it before the first 30 days are up and only pay for the minutes you used. This was a big deal for me as I cam from ATT like you, but needed to knwo how well the Tmo service was. I would suggest getting the unlimited everything for $60 a month. Tmo I must say has pretty good customer service. I have had a few problems with them but all it takes is a little social engineering on the phone (saying sprint/whoever will pay your ETF) and you can get some pretty good stuff
I got $10 knocked off my bill for the duration (18months or so) off my bill for an overcharge I got. I also got two free blazes 2 months before my contract was up for free as well. Plus, when/if they are bought out there is a good chance contracts will be altered/changed allowing you to get out of your contract early
Thanks for all the advice, guys. I feel like I have all the knowledge I need to go ahead with my plans. Now I just have to play the waiting game for the "right" one to pop up on Ebay. I will report back to this thread when I receive my blaze and whether I was successful with unlocking it, and any first impressions.
On a side note, does anyone know if the new 64 GB microSDXC cards are supported by the blaze? I just know that I'm gonna feel the pinch of 32 GB eventually, lol. (I already had to be picky and choosy about what was on my 16 GB card before it died)
dispozable said:
When I signed up for Tmo they gave me 30 days to confirm if I wanted the contract. You can get a plan and if you dont like it you can just return it before the first 30 days are up and only pay for the minutes you used. This was a big deal for me as I cam from ATT like you, but needed to knwo how well the Tmo service was. I would suggest getting the unlimited everything for $60 a month. Tmo I must say has pretty good customer service. I have had a few problems with them but all it takes is a little social engineering on the phone (saying sprint/whoever will pay your ETF) and you can get some pretty good stuff
I got $10 knocked off my bill for the duration (18months or so) off my bill for an overcharge I got. I also got two free blazes 2 months before my contract was up for free as well. Plus, when/if they are bought out there is a good chance contracts will be altered/changed allowing you to get out of your contract early
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Click to collapse
when I had tmo a couple years ago it was 30 days. I just signed up early september, its down to 7 days :/
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Thanks for all the advice, guys. I feel like I have all the knowledge I need to go ahead with my plans. Now I just have to play the waiting game for the "right" one to pop up on Ebay. I will report back to this thread when I receive my blaze and whether I was successful with unlocking it, and any first impressions.
On a side note, does anyone know if the new 64 GB microSDXC cards are supported by the blaze? I just know that I'm gonna feel the pinch of 32 GB eventually, lol. (I already had to be picky and choosy about what was on my 16 GB card before it died)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope. there's not many devices out there that support SDXC yet. As time goes on, it'll gain more popularity, but lets face it, as awesome as it is, the blaze is only a mid range device. I wouldnt trade it for any other phone out there, i love my blaze, but still.
jparnell8839 said:
when I had tmo a couple years ago it was 30 days. I just signed up early september, its down to 7 days :/
nope. there's not many devices out there that support SDXC yet. As time goes on, it'll gain more popularity, but lets face it, as awesome as it is, the blaze is only a mid range device. I wouldnt trade it for any other phone out there, i love my blaze, but still.
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Click to collapse
Well, that's mildly disappointing, but it doesn't affect my decision making about the phone. I'll have to somehow get by with only 32GB of storage. Speaking of which, how close is a solution to the camera only being able to save to the paltry internal storage? I do like to take lots of pictures with my phone, so this is obviously something I would hope to find a solution to.
Goodbye_Alltel said:
Well, that's mildly disappointing, but it doesn't affect my decision making about the phone. I'll have to somehow get by with only 32GB of storage. Speaking of which, how close is a solution to the camera only being able to save to the paltry internal storage? I do like to take lots of pictures with my phone, so this is obviously something I would hope to find a solution to.
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You can do that with cm9. Idk why cm10 doesn't have it :/
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
jparnell8839 said:
You can do that with cm9. Idk why cm10 doesn't have it :/
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. In a sense, CM9 has a bunch more features. When CM10 started, they basically started from scratch, and the focus was on project butter and some other things. Then they had to start forward porting their CM9 additions into CM10. There are a bunch of things in CM10 now that weren't there just a week or two ago. I think the camera thing will come, just like other features. It seems like the features are starting to come quicker too.
Keep an eye on the changelog. It lists the changes with each release
Goodbye_Alltel said:
On a side note, does anyone know if the new 64 GB microSDXC cards are supported by the blaze? I just know that I'm gonna feel the pinch of 32 GB eventually, lol. (I already had to be picky and choosy about what was on my 16 GB card before it died)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a 64gig card off Newegg about 3 months ago and it's been working just fine in this phone. In fact, what I read online indicated that just about every "recent" Android phone had no problems reading them at all.
So hey, ther'es that.
And yeah, having 64gigs is nice, especially since this phone has such small amount of user storage on the phone.
Cirkustanz said:
I bought a 64gig card off Newegg about 3 months ago and it's been working just fine in this phone. In fact, what I read online indicated that just about every "recent" Android phone had no problems reading them at all.
So hey, ther'es that.
And yeah, having 64gigs is nice, especially since this phone has such small amount of user storage on the phone.
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Click to collapse
Is it standard sd or sdxc? I read the specs said it doesn't support it :/ but, trial and error trumps all I suppose
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
jparnell8839 said:
Is it standard sd or sdxc? I read the specs said it doesn't support it :/ but, trial and error trumps all I suppose
Sent from my CM10 powered Galaxy S Blaze 4G
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Click to collapse
all 64gb microsd are categorized as sdxc, and most of recent android phones do work with them.
I just switched to T-Mobile and got 3 Blaze phones. They should arrive today. I only took them because they were free, and I didn't want to pay for GS3's. I'll be selling one right away after the Note 2 is released. If your still looking for one in a couple weeks, lemme know.
Rob the plumber said:
I just switched to T-Mobile and got 3 Blaze phones. They should arrive today. I only took them because they were free, and I didn't want to pay for GS3's. I'll be selling one right away after the Note 2 is released. If your still looking for one in a couple weeks, lemme know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, can I ask a HUGE favor? can you not root them immediately?
I'm trying to help the dude that's been helping me with the CM access. He wants to get a copy of a partition in a virgin state (ie... not rooted or modified at all). He's trying to find a way to reset the flash counter. I'm trying to assemble a stock ROM that will be pre-rooted and won't trigger the counter.
If you can avoid rooting 1 (or better yet, 2 in case more testing necessary), I'd really appreciate it. And it'll help the community in the end
I won't root them. What do you need?
Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2
As the title would suggest, I going give my opinion on buying S9+. Again this is my experience and my opinions. I understand most of the community here is smart and don't need financial advice about how to spend their cash. I'll try to break it down into parts so people understand my opinion. So let's start:
So as many as you know S9 and S9+ was release 3/16/2018. There is 2 version of this phone you can get bloat or no bloatware. What do I mean? In San Diego where I live, my carrier is AT&T. They sell the S9+ at $789.99 if you do one of their payments plans. However if you want buy the device out right then the price is $940.99 this is the att version. I believe the same for Verizon and Tmoblie. But Tmoblie sell it at $839.99. If you are willing g to buy the unlocked version without carrier then it $839.99 however you have to buy it from a retailer like bestbuy or amazon.
My suggestion is to buy the phone out right and unlocked. The main reason is there is no bloatware. If you buy carrier version of the device out right from they add $100 more just to have bloatware. There is no difference hardware specs on the device. So why pay more just to have the carrier bloatware?
Now if that is not an option and you want to make payments, still buy the unlocked version and do payments with credit card. If you cant do that and you have to go thru your carrier then understand the payment plan and I advise against it. Right now all of the major carriers have deal where you can trade in your old Samsung up to $350 towards the S9 & + and its good. The catch is that credit goes towards your bill and not the device. That is crazy. Plus they give you an $150 Visa gift card. So in reality they are only giving $150 for the phone. I'm talking about AT&T. I'm pretty sure it's the same for the other carriers as well. Now my advice is to sell your device yourself and use that money towards the phone or come with at least half when you upgrade setup the payments wait a bill cycle and payoff the other half.
Honesty, buying this phone unlocked is the way to go. There is no reason to buy the carrier version since they just add bloatware and slow down performance. Plus you have the option of leaving your current carrier if they **** up your bill or there is a better deal out there.
I bought the ATT carrier locked version. The only "bloat" I see is a couple of games which I was able to uninstall. Not just deactivate, but actually uninstall. The ATT apps themselves I either uninstalled or use. Again, not disable but uninstall.
If you have the money to buy unlocked, good for you. However, the payment plans are 0% interest. Buying a 800-900 dollar phone on credit, your now paying more than what your claiming to save by buying it unlocked. Again, all the "bloat" I've noticed is uninstallable. On my last phone you could only disable them.
In my case I was able to sell my old device and only pay the difference. I considered just going through the carrier. Honestly I don't want to be held to a two year contract of paying off the device. Your right, buying a device on credit compaired to the carrier is cheaper with 0% interest. That not always going to be the case in the future. Again I'm just suggesting there options out there.
Certain cards, like best buys, offer 0% over 12 months. I upgrade every year with that and sell past generations phone and it covers about ⅔ the cost of the new phone
Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk
Though this doesn't apply to everyone, I agree with OP on going the unlocked route to ensure faster official updates directly from Samsung. I am actually going a step further and getting international unlocked model (with unlocked bootloader) as I can't imagine buying a phone that has manufacturer/carrier enforced locked boot loader.
Not really followed the Galaxy Series as of late but I'm thinking of importing the SD 845 variant (for emulation) and wondering how long until bootoader can be unlocked? Would love project treble ROMs on it.
And does the Google camera work on the SD 845 variant?
There are ups and downs to each way of doing it. Though you mention the upside of doing unlocked, there is a downside if you want to use some functions too.
One upside you didn't mention on the unlocked versions is you get the Caller ID function stock! Most carriers will charge $3 a month for their "supreme" service.
Downside of doing unlocked is you might miss out on additional carrier features as well.
- HD Calling (hit and miss on this odd one at least with Verizon on past phones)
- Wifi / VoLTE Calling
- Hotspot (there can be work around to this)