Database Info

Possibly simlocked?

Is it possible I bought a simlocked I9020A? Works fine on at&t but my tmo simcard wont work at all (no edge). I got it off craigslist but did a factory reset, so figured anythng the previously owner did should be undone.

Aren't all GSM Nexus devices unlocked by default, only difference being GSM/3G frequencies?

So why did you buy an att nexus s when you have T-Mobile?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

If you're able to make calls with the tmo sim then it is already sim unlocked. Though I am not sure why you're not getting edge.
Btw, is it rooted?
Sent from my Nexus S

Wrong apn settings?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

yeat I thought I'd at least get edge with a Tmo sim in. I use ATT in the US, the Tmo sim is my womans and was just to test it since since we are traveling to Europe in two weeks.

It won't hurt to check your IMEI and /efs
Sorry, didn't see that it works on AT&T :/

You should get Edge at least. Guess there's something wrong somewhere else. Talk to your carrier. If you can use some features it's not simlocked at least.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Rem3Dy said:
Wrong apn settings?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
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I would try adding a tmo apn. Not sure if it'll work but worth a shot.
Sent from my Nexus S

I have the same problem, but the other way around. I have an I9020T which does not seem to work at all with AT&T. I've made many phone calls to Tmobile, to AT&T, and to Samsung's tech support. I haven't found a resolution, yet. The last thing that was told to me by the AT&T tech support person this evening, was that perhaps I need a newer simcard - one that is fully compatible with this newer model of phone.
I'm also prepared for the possibility that the phone has a hardware defect, however I don't want to send it in for an RMA until I'm absolutely certain.
Samsung (after checking my IMEI) has told me that the phone is definitely sim-unlocked and usable on any carrier.
A couple helpful hints when talking to any tech support person:
Make sure that they cross check your IMEI number. They have a database, and if they can establish some facts about your phone that way, it can really expedite the process.
Also, be aware that tech support people step through flow charts with you, and they usually aren't actually very technically savvy. If you can get them started on a constructive tack - they'll find the right flow chart, and you might get a lot more help than if you simply call up and say "it doesn't work."

[Q] Does unlocking mean any cell operator use?

Hi!
Quick question - if I buy Google Galaxy Nexus for Verizon and unlock it - does it mean I will be able to use any GSM operator?
Up to the moment I was only buying only unlocked phones and had no opportunity to mess with a locked device, but here is a real chance to save a buck by means of ebay and so called Verizon phones..
Thanks!

Negatory. It would only work on other cdma carriers. Pretty useless. Unlocking is only really worth a damn for gsm devices. There is not even a SIM card slot on the VZW GN, other than the LTE SIM that goes there, but that's not compatible with gsm.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App

Yep. Plus if you travel a lot, cdma is utterly useless because of all the processes required to sign it up to a carrier.

So say I were to buy an AT&T phone and use my T-Mobile pay as you go 4G monthly SIM in it... Smooth sailing, right?
I'm currently under the impression that it's more of a phone to phone issue, rather than a definitive yes or no. Doesn't help I've been locked up in CDMA since I started playing around with phones.

Well for me the unlocking mobile it is preaty useless (in my opinion of course)

Thanks a lot for help!
Without all of your advice I'd have ended up with $550 spent on a phone which can't be used
I have a corporate GSM SIM card (11 years old it is) with local Russian cell phone operator, and I have to stick with it...

net_wonder said:
Without all of your advice I'd have ended up with $550 spent on a phone which can't be used
I have a corporate GSM SIM card (11 years old it is) with local Russian cell phone operator, and I have to stick with it...
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Click to collapse
Good god 11 year old sim?! pics!

TJBunch1228 said:
Negatory. It would only work on other cdma carriers. Pretty useless. Unlocking is only really worth a damn for gsm devices. There is not even a SIM card slot on the VZW GN, other than the LTE SIM that goes there, but that's not compatible with gsm.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
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Actually the verizon galaxy nexus does have a sim slot and there is a possibility it could be used with GSM carriers. This theory started with the Rezound. So when you pop in a sim, you can turn off LTE and select GSM. Everything works except outgoing SMS (don't know about 3rd party messenging apps).

Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A

UVClay said:
So say I were to buy an AT&T phone and use my T-Mobile pay as you go 4G monthly SIM in it... Smooth sailing, right?
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Not quite. Phone functions would be ok. But for data you would have only 2G (edge). No 3G or 4G.
Sent from HTC G2

Crashdamage said:
Not quite. Phone functions would be ok. But for data you would have only 2G (edge). No 3G or 4G.
Sent from HTC G2
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Not 100% true. The Skyrocket is pentaband and can be used on t-mobile.

Questions about this phone unlocked.

Is it true I can simply put an at&t sim card in the phone and use a dumb phone plan if I buy an unlocked ones? Also does it get at&t 3g?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Besides SIM unlocking you need to perform the US band unlock as described both here, on Rootzwiki, and who knows where else, to use the DROID2 GLOBAL on AT&T or T-Mobile.
As AT&T uses standard WCDMA bands, yes, it will work with their 3G voice/data network as long as the band unlock hack is in place.

Gasai Yuno said:
Besides SIM unlocking you need to perform the US band unlock as described both here, on Rootzwiki, and who knows where else, to use the DROID2 GLOBAL on AT&T or T-Mobile.
As AT&T uses standard WCDMA bands, yes, it will work with their 3G voice/data network as long as the band unlock hack is in place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I couldn't find any posts that were newer than a year ago. Now to find someone selling one here with everything done.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

I doubt there are a lot of band unlocked D2Gs on sale as reflashing the SBF image breaks the hack.
You can perform the hack yourself provided you buy a SIM unlocked device.
Refer to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=22769743 for instructions. Do note that whenever you soft-brick your device you will need to SBF back to 2.4.x and apply this hack.
Remember to never ever update the device to 4.5.629.

Thanks. Hopefully I get lucky but its Greta to have that link
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Gahh Its Lee said:
Is it true I can simply put an at&t sim card in the phone and use a dumb phone plan if I buy an unlocked ones? Also does it get at&t 3g?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
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Dumb phone plan from who? If you get everything done (band unlock as described in the other posts) you can use your phone with an AT&T SIM and don't need any plan at all from Verizon. Is the theory that AT&T won't recognize it as a smart phone because it is not one that they ever sold?

silver6054 said:
Dumb phone plan from who? If you get everything done (band unlock as described in the other posts) you can use your phone with an AT&T SIM and don't need any plan at all from Verizon. Is the theory that AT&T won't recognize it as a smart phone because it is not one that they ever sold?
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I guess so. I found a list of every phone that works for att dumb plans and it was on it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Any non-carrier-locked GSM phone that has compatible bands can work on AT&T's network. You don't even need a list, just check which bands AT&T uses and check the phone's tech specs.

Gasai Yuno said:
Any non-carrier-locked GSM phone that has compatible bands can work on AT&T's network. You don't even need a list, just check which bands AT&T uses and check the phone's tech specs.
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Click to collapse
I think the problem is that people don't want AT&T to recognize the phone as a smartphone and helpfully add on a data package on postpaid plans, (presumably these people are intending to use Wifi for data). The claim was made that some people had moved a SIM from dumb phone to a smartphone purchased elsewhere, and suddenly they got billed for a data package. See, for example, http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/can-at-t-really-add-a-pricey-data-plan-onto-your-wireless-bill/2667
In the past, there were posts saying that you were "safe" if you used a model that AT&T had never sold, as their system would not be able to recognize it as a smartphone. Not sure how true this really is!

They probably detect it based on IMEIs. But yeah, it's just a speculation without clear facts.

Using 3G data in Europe

So I'm looking into traveling to Portugal this summer and I'm wondering if I can grab a 3G data only card from Vodofone and pop it into my S3. I know the phone needs to be unlocked for this to work and I have seen a long involved tutorial on here on how to unlock the phone, but I've also heard Verizon will unlock a phone for you if you are a customer in good standing. Is this true? If I can get Verizon to unlock my phone should I theoretically be able to use this data sim card in Portugal?
Also, I know Vodafone lets you make calls to other Vodafone users for free, will I be able to do this if a get a sim card with some prepaid data on it only? Am I still considered to be on Vodafone's cellular network?
Thanks so much!
As a side: If anyone has an experience with Vodafone's 3G in and around the Lisbon area let me know how it is!! I'm mainly looks to tether my phone to a laptop and do some development work while I'm over there.

Would you happen to have that link yo the process of where you can unlock the phone? Or you just mean the process for changing the apn
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

djteotancolis said:
Would you happen to have that link yo the process of where you can unlock the phone? Or you just mean the process for changing the apn
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
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I'm pretty sure the thread they're referring to is the GSM travel thread. If using a JB TW rom, one just needs to edit the apn's like you mentioned.

Got it, thanks!
I've also heard that the Verizon GSIII does not have the radio's for internation GSM 3G, is this correct?

skytbest said:
Got it, thanks!
I've also heard that the Verizon GSIII does not have the radio's for internation GSM 3G, is this correct?
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I would say that's incorrect given the thread I posted which contains plenty of user experiences contradicting that statement. I'm eager to do this myself if I travel again this year.
The primary thing you just need to do is have an international sim and also use one of the mentioned apps that adjusts your APNs.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

SlimSnoopOS said:
I would say that's incorrect given the thread I posted which contains plenty of user experiences contradicting that statement. I'm eager to do this myself if I travel again this year.
The primary thing you just need to do is have an international sim and also use one of the mentioned apps that adjusts your APNs.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
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Thank you! When you say 'international sim' do you mean just a sim from another country or do I have to ask for some specific type of sim card? Meaning, if I got to a Vodafone kiosk and get a prepaid sim card would it work?

skytbest said:
Thank you! When you say 'international sim' do you mean just a sim from another country or do I have to ask for some specific type of sim card? Meaning, if I got to a Vodafone kiosk and get a prepaid sim card would it work?
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Yes, I mean a sim from another country.
From what I've read, that's pretty much what you do. You just pay for whichever plan you want then follow those steps in the link. I can't speak from experience so I'm useless there. Depending on the carrier and country, some folks seem to have gotten HSPA others have gotten 2G. I'd love to know what you're results were after your trip either here or in that thread.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

trying to change my verizion.s3 to att help..

if this is the wrong spot please move...question i have the s3 from verizion i535 non rooted running update 4.1.2..how do i get this phone to work on att and are net 10 or tmobile..sorry i dont know...can i do this with out flashing or rooting..thanks

no

dewhashish said:
no
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no I cant be done point blank..are can I root then switch it? if so do you have a link so I can learn to root it..

Questions and request for assistance go in the Q&A section not in the General section.
Thread has been moved..
The short answer is no it can not be done Verizon is a cdma phone the other is a GSM phone.
Have a great day!

Post #48. If you do not have data, you need to root and edit your APNs using the steps on the first page. Highest speeds you'll get for T-Mobile/AT&T are Edge (2G).

edfunkycold said:
The short answer is no it can not be done Verizon is a cdma phone the other is a GSM phone.
Have a great day!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, there is a GSM setting on the phone, and from my understanding, the GS3 is a world phone, and I think the I535 has the proper antennas to work on AT&T's 4G network, but I may have to look into that. It was something me and one of my coworkers were gonna try, but never got around to and he is now in the military, he had a AT&T GS3, me a Verizon, and we were gonna SIM swap and see if it worked. Hardware seems to support it would, but the big question is why?

edfunkycold said:
Questions and request for assistance go in the Q&A section not in the General section.
Thread has been moved..
The short answer is no it can not be done Verizon is a cdma phone the other is a GSM phone.
Have a great day!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gsm would be with the sim card right? I have a micro sim in my phone...

chrisrook said:
Actually, there is a GSM setting on the phone, and from my understanding, the GS3 is a world phone, and I think the I535 has the proper antennas to work on AT&T's 4G network, but I may have to look into that. It was something me and one of my coworkers were gonna try, but never got around to and he is now in the military, he had a AT&T GS3, me a Verizon, and we were gonna SIM swap and see if it worked. Hardware seems to support it would, but the big question is why?
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Click to collapse
Unless there's a breakthrough in this bounty thread, highest speeds you'll see on AT&T or T-Mobile are Edge. Hardware supports "up to" HSPA in other countries given differences in frequencies. Not sure I get your question of "why?" though. Samsung made this phone to support virtually every carrier in the US and it makes more sense to hardware lock (or carrier lock or whatever the technical term is) phones to only have access to most common frequencies in that region.

My question as to why is to the whole carrier swap. When you sign a new contract, you get a new phone, adding a customer owned device doesn't change plan price, but does maintain the upgrade eligibility. As far as I know, the major players haven't started releasing specs on next years devices. So, why the want to take a Verizon GS3 to AT&T is what i'm wondering.

Agreed, although I could understand if he said T-Mobile it makes good sense on their new plans. This just isn't a good idea trying to bring it to AT&T
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

chrisrook said:
My question as to why is to the whole carrier swap. When you sign a new contract, you get a new phone, adding a customer owned device doesn't change plan price, but does maintain the upgrade eligibility. As far as I know, the major players haven't started releasing specs on next years devices. So, why the want to take a Verizon GS3 to AT&T is what i'm wondering.
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Oh, ok I follow you now. I'm sure they'll elaborate if they feel the need.
screwyluie said:
Agreed, although I could understand if he said T-Mobile it makes good sense on their new plans. This just isn't a good idea trying to bring it to AT&T
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
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Yea, I always thought AT&T had similar pricing as Verizon (expensive) but I'm not one to inquire into folks personal decisions on switching carriers with this phone. I'm only interested in doing so when I travel overseas. Everyone has different needs, you know?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4

I have read there's no issue using the phone overseas.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

screwyluie said:
Agreed, although I could understand if he said T-Mobile it makes good sense on their new plans. This just isn't a good idea trying to bring it to AT&T
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
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Well tmobile is my 1st choice but i just wanted to cover all my bases...btw thanks guy...recap it can work buy simply putting the sim card in the phone but to get data i must root it...?

screwyluie said:
I have read there's no issue using the phone overseas.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
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That's the good part, I just need to travel lol
ultralow said:
Well tmobile is my 1st choice but i just wanted to cover all my bases...btw thanks guy...recap it can work buy simply putting the sim card in the phone but to get data i must root it...?
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Click to collapse
Yup, same process for AT&T and T-Mobile so long as you have the respective sim. I'm unsure if you can edit and save APNs on stock which is why I say if you have no data then you need to root for the method I linked to. You can get calls easily on stock, just have to adjust Network Mode accordingly.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4