Hello, so i need to see some answers, and also know what is the best for any consumer who will be buying a phone anytime soon
So, i am not living in the states, but i will soon and i will upgrade my phone as well...
And some of my friends mentioned me having a contract.. and i am wondering whether it is a good idea or not.. and there are many ways to see it and i even have some concerns about some stuff that i am not sure of, and it will be discussed in these parts:
1-How much do we have to pay extra in a month if we ever got a locked phone? is it much more than an unlocked contract?
2-If so, which do you think is the best for a contract?
3-If you are going to have a contract, would you have it for one year or two years? why?
4-Are there any pros of having a locked phone? do you have a guarantee for it or a warranty? would you be able to give them back your locked phone and get a discount for your upgrade or anything closer in that matter?
5-Does having a locked phone means that it is somehow different than the unlocked one? example: would i be able to install the same rom on both of them or i need to have a specific rom for the locked phone?
6-is there anyway that you can buy a phone unlocked, but you would have to pay for it in months?
7-Would rooting a locked device voids warranty, or somehow is breaking a rule in the contract?
8-Do i need to wait for the carrier update for the locked phone? or would i be able to install an international update and get it stock? if i could, would that ever damage the contract?
and anymore information would be really helpful.. would really love to see what the community here are interested in and what they usually avoid doing..
an off-topic question: Do you think i should wait for the new phones to come? i am really interested on having a HTC M8 right now, but seems like the new "hima" is going to be released soon, any thoughts of what i should do? Thank you
(as a non-american)
I thought a locked phone simply ment that your mobile subscription was locked to your carrier for a given amount of time. And you can do whatever you want with your phone except changing carrier for the specified time. (?)
I don't think that is how it works, especially with the warranty..
as well as i have seen that there are different roms of the phone that are specific for let's say T-Mobile, i really don't know the nature of this contract..
Related
Hi everyone,
Sorry I'm a newbie here and I'm hoping that I came into the right place to post this question. I badly need some advice.
Let me introduce myself, I am from Thailand and just a student. I know all my life I wanted that Samsung Galaxy S 2 android phone but it seems I can't make it to that real amount of money. So, from thinking too much I came with a plan to buy a phone there in US, those with contracts because they are much cheaper (please correct me if I'm wrong). And let my friend carry with him when he got back into our place. Please be guided that he's on the US now and am planning to be back on November so I got plenty of time to save and buy it.
My question is.
1. Is it possible to buy online from those carriers like AT&T, Sprint and etc considering I am from Thailand?
2. If the answer to question no. 1 is yes, I'm thinking that I will have a locked phone meaning I can't use it with other GSM (other SIM). So can I unlock it?
3. I heard some things like "Flashing Custom ROM". Is it okay? Will it unlock for phone if you do that?
I know my motives aren't so good but this is the only way I think is the best. Thanks a lot guys! Have a good day everyone.
Best Regards,
Paolo
galangdj said:
Is it possible to buy online from those carriers like AT&T, Sprint and etc considering I am from Thailand?
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No.
10char
galangdj said:
1. Is it possible to buy online from those carriers like AT&T, Sprint and etc considering I am from Thailand?
2. If the answer to question no. 1 is yes, I'm thinking that I will have a locked phone meaning I can't use it with other GSM (other SIM). So can I unlock it?
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Just as WierdPirate mentioned above, it is( unfortunately for you) not possible to that.
Why?
First of all, for you to get the Galaxy S II, you need to sign a contract. For you to personally do that you must:
a) Be a legal U.S Resident
b) Be at least 18 Years Old
c) Have a valid U.S Address
Be aware of the following, even if you do manage to do acquire one in some way:
The device may come cheap but you sign a two year contract with the carrier in question, another hurdle to overcome.
There may be ways to avoid sales taxes, but that won't compensate for it not working outside the US.
Hope this helps.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/10/samsung-brings-out-galaxy-s-iii-developer-edition-for-verizon/
Q&A
Who is this for?
Samsung and Verizon Wireless recognize that there are many enthusiasts and professional developers that are interested in customizing their device with third-party ROM software. Unlocking the bootloader can put the stability of the phone in jeopardy; therefore, only experienced developers should attempt to unlock the bootloader.
What about the other carriers?
Other versions of the Galaxy S III are sold with a user-unlockable bootloader as a standard feature. Those models are available directly from the respective carriers.
Where can I buy the Galaxy S III Developer Edition?
The Developer Edition will be sold online directly from Samsung. When the device is available for purchase, it will be sold through the Samsung developer portal at developer.samsung.com
Why is Verizon Wireless' version locked?
Depending on the device, an open boot loader could prevent Verizon Wireless from providing the same level of customer experience and support because it would allow users to change the phone or otherwise modify the software and, potentially, negatively impact how the phone connects with the network. The addition of unapproved software could also negatively impact the wireless experience for other customers. Unlocking the device also voids the warranty.
Has Samsung always unlocked the bootloader on its phones?
While not all previous Samsung Android devices have had an easily unlockable bootloader, all of our other current Galaxy S III flagship lineup, and all Nexus-branded devices, support the standard bootloader unlocking procedure.
What happens if I load custom software and damage ("brick") my phone?
Problems caused by your unlocking the bootloader and installing custom software will not be covered by the warranty. Problems with third-party and customized bootloader software can cause irreparable harm to the Galaxy S III. Users interested in performing these actions should proceed with caution and at their own risk. Out of warranty Galaxy S III Developer Edition devices will be serviced directly through Samsung, and service charges will apply.
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Who's up for burning down some Verizon stores?
agreed. an absolute joke!?!?
Does NOT belong in the development forum!
Sent from my Galaxy S III
Normally I'd say it doesn't belong on the development forum, but this is obviously a very hot development-associated topic, and devs and followers are all interested in any updates regarding the bootloader status. This is important because it has implications for devs working to unlock the regular citizen's version--with an unlocked phone to play with, they'll be able to attack from the other side as well.
Boy did they give the the middle finger. So unlocked bootloaders and difrrent roms mess up the system, So they give us a locked bootloader and say its Samsungs falt but then let them sell us a unlocked bootloader phone and say its ok to use on your network. Thats some ****ed up ****
if samsung did this right tho, they would give us the key to unlocking the bootloaders for the verizon phones that have locked ones. leaving us with a $249-$300 phones that have unlocked bootloaders, compared to almost full retail. but that could never happen could it? (;
cadams122593 said:
if samsung did this right tho, they would give us the key to unlocking the bootloaders for the verizon phones that have locked ones. leaving us with a $249-$300 phones that have unlocked bootloaders, compared to almost full retail. but that could never happen could it? (;
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Maybe this is samsungs way of saying f-u verizon lol
Locked
Damn I really feel bad for you guys.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Mr.Highway said:
Locked
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unlocked
yeah, that really sucks. looks to me like jumbo mumbo they are making up to they 'gave a response'
Let them know what you think of their policy with your wallet. I will never be a Verizon customer.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Any chance devs can take the boot loader from this dev phone and put it on the regular S3?
K.AuthoR said:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/10/samsung-brings-out-galaxy-s-iii-developer-edition-for-verizon/
Who's up for burning down some Verizon stores?
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Please retain from smoking bath salts. That's all I ask.
dreamsti said:
Any chance devs can take the boot loader from this dev phone and put it on the regular S3?
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I suppose that's the million dollar question. If that happens, great. Then everybody sort of comes out happy with their phones.
cadams122593 said:
if samsung did this right tho, they would give us the key to unlocking the bootloaders for the verizon phones that have locked ones. leaving us with a $249-$300 phones that have unlocked bootloaders, compared to almost full retail. but that could never happen could it? (;
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What if Samsung, doesn't have the keys to give us? What if Verizon generated the keys, signed the boot, and then flashed our phones?
I just wanted to say how TROLOLOL this is, I feel bad for you guys on Verizon but I do find it kind of amusing, Verizon pulled this same sh*t with the Droid Razr, that shipped with a Locked BL and what was the answer have Moto offer a no warranty Dev Version...same thing just a diff manufacturer.
I do think its stupid of VZ for locking it down the way they did. But, it is a device thats used on their network, and if thats what they want to do, than so be it.
We all have seen it time and time again, a warranty claim for a bricked phone. We drove them to doing this. And, there will be a developer phone.
I will miss all the flashing I use to do. Even stock, this phone rocks. I dont think they are giving us the finger, I think they looking out for their best interests for the most part.
they should unlock it for us if we ask them and sig somthing saying if we **** it up then were ****ed and have to buy a new one. i have no proubs with that
Here's what I think we should do, and I'm sure some people will say it won't work and they are probably right. We should all set a universal time sometime this week, such as Friday, to call Verizon and ask for bootloader unlocks. I have found out recently that for some employees Verizon had Samsung bootloader unlock their non-dev phone. I have spent the last hour *****ing at Samsung and Verizon.
Here's the facts.
Samsung can unlock it with a file they already have
Verizon has to request it
Verizon says they don't want a bootloader unlocked phone on their network but then told Samsung to make a developer edition. Samsung did not sneak and build a dev phone like Verizon makes it sound, Samsung was told to build it.
Samsung doesn't even care to unlock it, their not just cause of Verizon's order not to.
Certain Verizon employes have recieved the unlock(not for personal reasons)
I say we all call in the same hour and raise hell and maybe they'll hear that we are more than just a few people. Even if everyone doesn't want to do this I will keep calling them and wasteing their time. Having an unlocked phone is a big deal to me and the fact that their employees are allowed to blows my ****ing mind. They think it's ok for their own guys to develope but not us!? Are you ****in kidding me?
So like I said I will keep wasting their time. For you all thinking that I'm also wasting my time? Your right, and I would rather waste it aggravating them than wasting it looking for bootloader unlock updates that will never come. Just like the current S4 and S3 bootloader.
shootind5nukes said:
Here's what I think we should do, and I'm sure some people will say it won't work and they are probably right. We should all set a universal time sometime this week, such as Friday, to call Verizon and ask for bootloader unlocks. I have found out recently that for some employees Verizon had Samsung bootloader unlock their non-dev phone. I have spent the last hour *****ing at Samsung and Verizon.
Here's the facts.
Samsung can unlock it with a file they already have
Verizon has to request it
Verizon says they don't want a bootloader unlocked phone on their network but then told Samsung to make a developer edition. Samsung did not sneak and build a dev phone like Verizon makes it sound, Samsung was told to build it.
Samsung doesn't even care to unlock it, their not just cause of Verizon's order not to.
Certain Verizon employes have recieved the unlock(not for personal reasons)
I say we all call in the same hour and raise hell and maybe they'll hear that we are more than just a few people. Even if everyone doesn't want to do this I will keep calling them and wasteing their time. Having an unlocked phone is a big deal to me and the fact that their employees are allowed to blows my ****ing mind. They think it's ok for their own guys to develope but not us!? Are you ****in kidding me?
So like I said I will keep wasting their time. For you all thinking that I'm also wasting my time? Your right, and I would rather waste it aggravating them than wasting it looking for bootloader unlock updates that will never come. Just like the current S4 and S3 bootloader.
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I will say that even Motorola released a tool on their website to unlock some of their devices. It was a slim list but still. HTC did as well so who knows. I mean the Vendors have to balance customer needs and carrier needs because ultimately they are the boss.
So, we'll see. It would be awesome to see this happen but at the same time, if it does happen, would people blow Verizon up for service on their devices because of irreparable damage?
In my own personal opinion, this phone was expensive and we should be allowed to do as we please with it.
How do you know Verizon employees have unlocked phones unless you yourself are a Verizon employee? I work for an indirect retailer and I've never heard of this happening.
joshua.justice said:
How do you know Verizon employees have unlocked phones unless you yourself are a Verizon employee? I work for an indirect retailer and I've never heard of this happening.
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The only kind of "unlocking" I've heard a carrier employee do or request is a sim unlock. Nothing more.
Putting the claim of a flashable unlocked bootloader aside - Verizon and AT&T have made their position very clear. Phones on their network will be locked. Developer edition phones, which as the name suggests are primarily for development use are granted that but also are un-subsidized. They're not denying it to you, you have a choice. You're just unhappy with the choice you have to make, and respectfully that's an issue between you and Verizon.
Thread closed before it goes any further south.
Hi,
I have just pre-ordered my S6 through EE.
The thing is, my EE contract is just one I had left over from years ago and thought I'd use it to upgrade. My main number that I use is with O2.
I explained this to EE, and they were as helpful as ever (not) and explained that they will not allow the phone to be unlocked during the 1st six months of the upgrade. Now, this is based on what they have said even with me offering to pay. However, if I was to get the phone unlocked by not going through EE, would this likely cause any problems? I suppose I'm just wondering whether they are able to monitor the IMEI number or anything.
What are people's thoughts?
Sorry, just realised this should have gone in the Q&A section, not the general. If a mod can perhaps move if required.
I'm not 100% on what you are asking so sorry if I get the wrong end of the stick.
If you are referring to unlocking an EE phone they can't really tell, they will just have the details of the purchased device on the system (unless you tell them) so you can swap to whatever network. There shouldn't be any problems as nothing is really changed apart from a few lines of code saying you can use any network. Be careful as some companies provide fake codes to unlock, I have seen a suggestion to use www.samsungcodesource.com but a local shop may offer it where by you wont have to pay if they cannot unlock it.
Good luck :good:
Fill in this form, depending on your circumstances you might have to pay them £8 https://myaccount.ee.co.uk/device-unlock/
I got the code for my S6 in 3 days
forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s6/samsung-galaxy-s-6--s-6-edge-unified-development/kernel-stockmod-kernel-t3100395
How has nobody found a solution to this? Surely it's a software thing. You'd have thought some badass member somewhere with enough of a chip on their shoulder against Verizon would have figured a way around this.
Too bad there isn't a bounty for it.
jdkzombie said:
How has nobody found a solution to this? Surely it's a software thing. You'd have thought some badass member somewhere with enough of a chip on their shoulder against Verizon would have figured a way around this.
Too bad there isn't a bounty for it.
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I doubt it is a simple or easy as it being simply a "software thing", and I completely believe it could/would never be done...but @wr3cckl3ss1 is on the case!
you can see a bit of how he's progressing HERE and HERE and HERE
It's unfortunate; this was actually the reason I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile lol. It appears the Verizon variant of the Pixel 6 remained locked all this time so I wouldn't bet on much different with the Pixel 7 :/ Hopefully somebody finds something for those with the VZW variant.
simplepinoi177 said:
I doubt it is a simple or easy as it being simply a "software thing", and I completely believe it could/would never be done...but @wr3cckl3ss1 is on the case!
you can see a bit of how he's progressing HERE and HERE and HERE
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Nice!
Surely it couldn't be a hardware lock!?
Does anyone know how to read and interpret a Magisk log? And can show or tell me what's missing
jdkzombie said:
Nice!
Surely it couldn't be a hardware lock!?
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The issue here is 2 java applets.....nothing hardware.
Too bad we didn't have a Verizon inside agent. Tell us wtf they do to lock it. Because isn't that against Googles Tos? It's sold as an unlock able device.
jdkzombie said:
Too bad we didn't have a Verizon inside agent. Tell us wtf they do to lock it. Because isn't that against Googles Tos? It's sold as an unlock able device.
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It's Verizon that demands it. But it's Google's own code that puts the lock in place...so they're both at fault.
wr3cckl3ss1 said:
It's Verizon that demands it. But it's Google's own code that puts the lock in place...so they're both at fault.
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Weird. Strange that this would still be a thing. Not like the device was cheap to purchase.
My question is why is Verizon so "gung-ho" about it? More than any other carrier (other carriers eventually allow to unlock the bootloader)? I could understand when they used to repair their own devices (so they didn't want the liability and the headaches of when customers messed with the devices); but that's the not the case anymore. Outside of their greedy archaic grasp on tethering and to load unremovable bloatware, I don't know what they have to fear of unlocked bootloaders & root access.
Who knows.
I'm willing to throw money towards a bounty that removes Verizons strangle hold on devices. I don't mind their service, and the signal is good where I live, but I like customization. And I'd love to try some new kernals to change up the CPU scheduler and power plans to stop the phone from bringing the 4 big cores online for casual use.
Just get the unlocked version and use with Verizon service. What's the upside with having the Verizon variant?
Because it's not that simple. You can't swappa sell a phone you're making any payments towards. And the phone is too new for trade in with another carrier of any type.
VZW variants have been locked since the OG Pixel days aside from that small window before taking an OTA you could unlock if it was on a certain version. Sadly I don't see this changing anytime soon and if you want to unlock BL and root get the unlocked version from the Google Store. There's really little incentive buying Pixels from Verizon now. With Pixel Pass and Google Store financing those are good options if you can't drop all the money up front.
Just buy the unlocked model. Some retailers have awesome trade in deals coming from the 6 series or iPhones. It works just as well on Verizon and avoids the 36 month committment.
I hate how Verizon shuts down the option for unlocking the bootloader and rooting, but it is easier to purchase a device from them because your payments will coincide with your regular monthly cell bill, you already pass the credit check when you open an account with them (no need to apply for one with Google Synchrony Financing), and I just went through with this with my wife's phone but unless you qualify enough to cover the Pixel (my wife qualified for the Pixel 7, not the P7P at the storage capacity we wanted), you're stuck paying all (up to $1400 [P7P 512GB w/ 2 year protection & tax]) up front -- where there's virtually no risk of this if you purchase through Verizon (they want to lock you in to years-long contract and you already passed the credit check)! So there's (some of) the benefits....
*but it's still more worth it beyond any of these "benefits" to get it from Google Store unlocked....
Lol. Here's a simple solution. Buy the unlocked version. Who changes carriers because of a bl lock? WTF?
At this point I think we all know that Verizon isn't going to unlock the Bootloader. if you want an unlocked bootloader, it is easier, and more guaranteed to just buy the unlocked version from Google vs trying to find vulnerabilities in the bootloader and having to worry about it being patched each month.
Not sure if this is still in effect, but many years ago, if you purchased an unlocked phone instead of the Verizon branded one, WiFi calling wouldn't work. I'm not sure if there was something missing from the phone that Verizon needed to make it happen, or if Verizon was just screwing over those who purchased unlocked versions.
andygold said:
Not sure if this is still in effect, but many years ago, if you purchased an unlocked phone instead of the Verizon branded one, WiFi calling wouldn't work. I'm not sure if there was something missing from the phone that Verizon needed to make it happen, or if Verizon was just screwing over those who purchased unlocked versions.
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it's working perfectly fine with my device....it also worked with my Pixel 5 (also unlocked variant from Google Store)....