Sim unlock galaxy s3 on verizon? :( - General Questions and Answers

Can someone please help me with me new galaxy 3s? I just bought it from USA and i want to use it on Greece but it is locked on verizon.... What should i do?

That's an 800MHz/1900MHz CDMA phone. If Greece is like the rest of Europe and uses GSM, the phone doesn't have the radios to work there, so you can't use it. (The SIM is for data, not voice, but you need the basic connection to the network for it to work, and a CDMA phone won't connect to a GSM network.)
You should sell the phone to someone in the US (who wants a Verizon phone - it can't be "unlocked" for other carriers) and buy the GSM version of the phone.

Rukbat said:
That's an 800MHz/1900MHz CDMA phone. If Greece is like the rest of Europe and uses GSM, the phone doesn't have the radios to work there, so you can't use it. (The SIM is for data, not voice, but you need the basic connection to the network for it to work, and a CDMA phone won't connect to a GSM network.)
You should sell the phone to someone in the US (who wants a Verizon phone - it can't be "unlocked" for other carriers) and buy the GSM version of the phone.
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New Verizon phones have worldwide roaming ability (including the S3) so it should work on any GSM carrier outside the US.
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium

gagdude said:
New Verizon phones have worldwide roaming ability (including the S3) so it should work on any GSM carrier outside the US.
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
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It is a sch i535rwb 4g phone. How can i check if it has a worldwide roaming phone? Also what should i do so that i can use it in Greece?

You need the SGH T999 (The GSM variant of the SGSIII) The Verizon variant should NOT work in Greece on a Greek carrier.

ItzCrooK2UxD said:
You need the SGH T999 (The GSM variant of the SGSIII) The Verizon variant should NOT work in Greece on a Greek carrier.
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Are you sure for that? If i am not wrong this is an US version too, whats the diference and i can use sgh t999 in Greece?

I used to think it was native but apparently not. You can still enable worldwide roaming though.
Here's the thread, you need to do some hackery
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1809314
Sent from my MB508 using xda premium

You can just root it and and flash the synergy mod rom and it will work on any carrier

Does it actually have a SIM card slot or just a built in one?
If you're looking to use it primarily in your area I'd look for a different phone - sell or trade this one. I've heard the GSM can be used but that it's pretty terrible and certainly not what you'd want for a primary phone.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Related

[Q] Nexus S SIM unlock?

Hey NSers.
I bought a Nexus S just about the week it came out from Best Buy, but I've decided to move on to another phone. I had thought that purchasing it from Best Buy meant that it shipped unlocked, with no specific carrier, but I just tried an AT&T SIM card in the phone, and it gets no service.
I called T-Mobile, but the woman I spoke to informed me that they couldn't request an unlock code because it's not a phone they actually support.
So I'm wondering how I can unlock it.
Right now, its bootloader is unlocked and it's rooted, if that makes any difference (I'm hoping there will be something easy I can do that doesn't involve contacting either Google or Samsung).
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
your nexus s IS unlocked as of google phones.
the problem is that the nexus s does not support (hardware) AT&T cellular bands.
there is a specific model of the nexus s (I9020A if i'm not wrong) that support those AT&T bands.. sorry.
Gonizahavy said:
your nexus s IS unlocked as of google phones.
the problem is that the nexus s does not support (hardware) AT&T cellular bands.
there is a specific model of the nexus s (I9020A if i'm not wrong) that support those AT&T bands.. sorry.
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Oh, really? I thought it supported AT&T GSM bands, but not the 3G bands.
And no worries. It's an i9020T, so maybe it's unlocked but still works only with TMo. Darn.
willentrekin said:
Oh, really? I thought it supported AT&T GSM bands, but not the 3G bands.
And no worries. It's an i9020T, so maybe it's unlocked but still works only with TMo. Darn.
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I think he meant to say it does not support at&t 3g bands. It should work on any GSM carrier, but may not work on 3g.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
OuncE718 said:
I think he meant to say it does not support at&t 3g bands. It should work on any GSM carrier, but may not work on 3g.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
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Right. But if I put in an AT&T SIM, it should work with AT&T's GSM frequencies, right? I'm really not looking forward to calling Samsung tomorrow.
I should go to best buy and ask if you can swap it for a i9020A.
avili said:
I should go to best buy and ask if you can swap it for a i9020A.
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I9029A isn't sold in best buy. I'd go to AT&T and get a new sim card. Your phone should work just fine on AT&T, u just won't have 3G.
I've had a similar experience with the Canadian carriers, however if the carrier supports GSM bands it will work (like previously said) it's when the carrier only supports HSDPA (like Koodo in Canada does) then you need the specific Nexus S (i9020A in your case).
You could also try adding the APN to see if that will allow you to connect (Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Access Point Names (APN)) - the details can be found on the forums / your carriers website.
Works for me.
willentrekin said:
Right. But if I put in an AT&T SIM, it should work with AT&T's GSM frequencies, right?
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Works for me. I live in NYC, and I picked up a Nexus S at Best Buy over the Easter break as a quick temp phone till I got my Captivate fixed.
No 3g, but it certainly works on Edge. Makes calls, data works, syncs with google apps, etc.
Maybe you're just in a poor reception spot for ATT...
Thanks for the advice. Will retry. I'd wanted to confirm AT&T would work before I put it on eBay.

What carriers can use?

I am currently using the phone as a pure wiiFi item. I will be coming out of contract with them and do not plain to get a nother contract. I know that att has a pay as you go for $.10/min with a $15 for 100mb. Belive it or noth that is enough for me for data as I normly only us the phone for about 20 min and 10-15 mb a mounth.
What I was woundering is if I unlock the phone are there other carriers I can go to with this phone so that I can compair? Thank for any help on this.
Yes, when you unlock you can choose any carrier of your choice
Big Dog Infuse I997 ICS CatyRom
Which country are you in? You basically need to check what bands the carrier you want to switch from uses. They need to match what your infuse can use otherwise it won't work.
The phone supports: UMTS 850/1900/2100 and GSM 850/900/1800/1900. I think T-mobile runs on a different band but I don't know for sure as I live in Canada. Here in Canada you can use this phone on Rogers (the carrier that sells it), Bell, Virgin, Fido but I don't think it will work on WIND. If memory serves me correctly it might not work on T-mo, Verizon or Sprint (because Sprint and Verizon are on CDMA). If you are in the US you might want advice from someone other than me though.
It works on t mobile because mine is unlocked and my daughter has used it with her T-Mobile sim
Sent from my DROIDX using xda premium
dman3285 said:
It works on t mobile because mine is unlocked and my daughter has used it with her T-Mobile sim
Sent from my DROIDX using xda premium
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yeah but umts bands are incompatible so you still only get 2g.
Isn't it possible to band unlock the infuse, but it requires more than the typical efforts. wasn't some group offering to do it for $50 if you send your phone to them?
Straight Talk. Uses AT&T's networks. But you have to buy a phone off of them with a sim.
Sent from my SGH-I997
There are different types of carriers in America and there are many things scarier can,do to lock certain devices to the network. Tmobile and att are gsm carriers and have some compatibility But they use different bands. The talk works and edge works. No 3g.
Sprint and Verizon are cdma and are not compatible. However Verizon,has phones that are both gsm and cdma and can,work on att. Nextel has Sim cards but are iden. Boost is also half cdma and half iden. And begin is basically sprint.
Then there are the no contract deals like strait talk. Problem is the Sim may be locked to the phone and even if you know the phone has a Sim and is working off atts network it may not work. The strait talk thing is only known to work if you buy a $200 Nokia smartphone and many of those have Tmobile Sims that are locked to the phone. I'm not sure how to tell the tmo version from the att version without looking at the Sim itself. Strait talk seems to just buy rights to use other networks, I've seen phones at Walmart with gsm on the box and others with cdma on the box. I think they use all the major networks depending on the phone.
I also saw an ad for simple mobile. Seems promising but appears to be Tmobile
So no 3g.
In Canada almost all carriers are 100% compatible with att phones. All but one but I forgot the name. So if you're Canadian you have options.
Do not know if you know about this- New T-Mobile Monthly4G $30 Unlimited Web & Text with 100 min of talk
email delivery or purchase monthly cards at Super Walmart.
Can not post link but go to Walmart dot com and search for the card I listed above.. sorry
Consumer Cellular is an AT&T reseller - in fact AT&T phones treat their SIMs as an AT&T SIM, don't even need to unlock.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk
Entropy512 said:
Consumer Cellular is an AT&T reseller - in fact AT&T phones treat their SIMs as an AT&T SIM, don't even need to unlock.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk
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Thanks, good to know. Might have to look into a consumer cellular Sim and an i777. I wonder if it will work with lte in the future (the Sim that is. not the phone) but I can,worry about that when my area gets lte and the next generation,phone comes out.

can sim be used if phone have Bad ESN

i want to buy a d2g with a Bad ESN but i am planning to use a sim in it so i am wondering if its possible to flash it and get it to work or im just wasting my time
Will you be using the phone on Verizon? If not you should be okay
Sent from my XT894 running ICS
“Bad ESN” means the phone is blocked on VZW's CDMA network. Nothing more, nothing less.
You can use it with any GSM carrier (including AT&T and T-Mobile, provided you perform the band unlock) and any CDMA carrier that is compatible with the device (MetroPCS being at least one in the USA).
danifunker said:
Will you be using the phone on Verizon? If not you should be okay
Sent from my XT894 running ICS
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no i'm in jamaica so i will be using digicel network

[Q] How to Switch to Verzion with T-Mobile's myTouch 4G Slide

Hi guys I have a question hopefully someone can help me with. I have the myTouch 4G Slide from T-Mobile but I want to use it on Verizons network. I know how to root and unlock the boot-loader but are there any other steps I need to take before this is functional? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Version uses sim cards right? If so just search the threads here on how to sim unlock your phone, I believe I read one or two here before. You can also have it unlocked by tmo if your on contract with them or you can buy sim unlock codes
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Verizon uses CDMA. The MT4GS is a GSM phone, so there is no way to use it on Verizon's service. It doesn't have a radio that is compatible with Verizon's towers.
HappyKhicken said:
Verizon uses CDMA. The MT4GS is a GSM phone, so there is no way to use it on Verizon's service. It doesn't have a radio that is compatible with Verizon's towers.
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Exactly! There is absolutely no way to get this phone, or any GSM phone that I know of, to work on Verizon's system. Even T-Mobile's new LTE service is different than the LTE from Verizon (not that this phone can work on either of those, either).
Haha, couldn't remember myself, hence the foggy reply! CDMA is such a pain, makes me wonder why anyone uses a carrier with it, I mean unless you never travel or want your phone to only ever work with one carrier....
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
demkantor said:
Haha, couldn't remember myself, hence the foggy reply! CDMA is such a pain, makes me wonder why anyone uses a carrier with it, I mean unless you never travel or want your phone to only ever work with one carrier....
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
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There are a few Verizon and Sprint (both CDMA carriers) that have GSM backup. They market them as their "World Phones". The iPhone5 is one of them. If the phones have the GSM portion unlocked (Verizon automatically unlocks theirs, Sprint will unlock on request after a certain amount of time), you can use a foreign SIM and the GSM radio of those phones. But, you have to be careful, the phones default to the CDMA and if you have roaming turned on, in some countries that could be a VERY expensive oversight with roaming charges.

[Q] Carrier Trade

I was wondering if you guys could help me understand something as I don't know much about cellular carriers. I currently own a Lumia 920 on att and was looking to trade it for a galaxy s3. I found someone who will trade with me, but he is on Verizon and the phone is with Verizon. I applied on att for an unlock code so that he would be able to use it, but I'm not sure how the whole GSM vs cdma works. What would I have to do to make this swap work if that's even possible?
thanks in advance.
It is cdma vs gsm networks. The gs3 on Verizon can work on gsm networks but was not designed to be utilized solely on a gsm network. I would stick with s phone from your current provider
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium

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