Why dual-sim 955FD is getting cheaper than single-sim 955F? - Samsung Galaxy S8+ Questions & Answers

Hi guys,
Here in Eastern Europe (and according to the recent AP article on eBay as well) dual-sim 955FD is cheaper than single-sim 955F.
Could someone explain why is it so? What problems may I have with custom ROMs and other flashables for 955FD? Some member explained here that CSCs are universal. Does it mean that main ROM part (not radio) is universal too and dual/single can be switched via some flag or so? In my opinion, dual-sim is more complicated technically (considering even extra cubic millimeters for the second sim, the hardware should be slightly 'compressed' comparing to 955F , not mentioning software complications ) .
The bottom line is... where is the catch (for modifications lover) ? Would/did you buy FD instead of F ?
Thanks

I bought the FD instead of the F as it was MUCH cheaper.
The box is either Korean or Chinese, I can't tell, but the device is exactly the same as a single sim variant. Both support microSD cards too

p0izn said:
Hi guys,
Here in Eastern Europe (and according to the recent AP article on eBay as well) dual-sim 955FD is cheaper than single-sim 955F.
Could someone explain why is it so? What problems may I have with custom ROMs and other flashables for 955FD? Some member explained here that CSCs are universal. Does it mean that main ROM part (not radio) is universal too and dual/single can be switched via some flag or so? In my opinion, dual-sim is more complicated technically (considering even extra cubic millimeters for the second sim, the hardware should be slightly 'compressed' comparing to 955F , not mentioning software complications ) .
The bottom line is... where is the catch (for modifications lover) ? Would/did you buy FD instead of F ?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If i have to guess most double SIM models are from Korea and else where in Asia because officially they dont get sold in Europe and "america" . To make one function in europe you have to open the package enter a sim from the home country and use it for 5min. So you buy a open box from a unknown seller. This might push the price down. This is pure guessing.

@From0toHero, I wouldn't agree on necessity of homecountry sim - there is a lot of offers on eBay of factory-sealed, country-unlocked 955FDs (no mentions about specific activation flow, should work OOTB).
But after some investigation I would agree that low price tag comes from gray import and blurry warranty scheme (declared as "US return address, foreign manufacturer warranty" ).
Though I've never bought officially imported and certified devices because in my country it automatically means cosmic price =)
As for ROMs compatibility , currently all ROMs are stock-based and F/FD compatible, but I'm interested in possible AOSP developments.

p0izn said:
@From0toHero, I wouldn't agree on necessity of homecountry sim - there is a lot of offers on eBay of factory-sealed, country-unlocked 955FDs (no mentions about specific activation flow, should work OOTB).
But after some investigation I would agree that low price tag comes from gray import and blurry warranty scheme (declared as "US return address, foreign manufacturer warranty" ).
Though I've never bought officially imported and certified devices because in my country it automatically means cosmic price =)
As for ROMs compatibility , currently all ROMs are stock-based and F/FD compatible, but I'm interested in possible AOSP developments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where are you from mate?

From Belarus.
Btw, appears that FD is officially here: the only retailer sells it for $1030.

I got et the distinct feeeling the s8 dual sim is much more widely released than previous samsung dual sim phones. mine is the Ltin American version i bought locally in the caribbean and it comes with officla Samsung warranty in-country. Previously, I had bought the s7 Edge from Amazon, it came with "international waranty", which actually meant NO international warranty, when i cracked the screen, i had to have the phone sent back to egypt (which is where the Amazon seller had sourced the phone from), local Samsung service refused to repair the phone even though i wasnt (and couldnt, as it was accidental damage by way of clumsy fingers)) asking for in-warranty repair but was going tonpay the full repaur price.
Not sure why these are cheaper - at 1030, there is nothing cheap about these. The 64gb s8 plus I got in Trinidad cost 910 US$ - thats the cheapest I could find in-country.

Note 7 FD or dualism were also cheaper. I have purchased both and only use one sim lol. Both worked perfectly.
Sent from my S8+Rooted

RizSher said:
I got et the distinct feeeling the s8 dual sim is much more widely released than previous samsung dual sim phones. mine is the Ltin American version i bought locally in the caribbean and it comes with officla Samsung warranty in-country. Previously, I had bought the s7 Edge from Amazon, it came with "international waranty", which actually meant NO international warranty, when i cracked the screen, i had to have the phone sent back to egypt (which is where the Amazon seller had sourced the phone from), local Samsung service refused to repair the phone even though i wasnt (and couldnt, as it was accidental damage by way of clumsy fingers)) asking for in-warranty repair but was going tonpay the full repaur price.
Not sure why these are cheaper - at 1030, there is nothing cheap about these. The 64gb s8 plus I got in Trinidad cost 910 US$ - thats the cheapest I could find in-country.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here in Switzerland i saw the 8+ 64gb singel sim for 749.- swiss. Thats around 780 Dollars.

p0izn said:
@From0toHero, I wouldn't agree on necessity of homecountry sim - there is a lot of offers on eBay of factory-sealed, country-unlocked 955FDs (no mentions about specific activation flow, should work OOTB).
But after some investigation I would agree that low price tag comes from gray import and blurry warranty scheme (declared as "US return address, foreign manufacturer warranty" ).
Though I've never bought officially imported and certified devices because in my country it automatically means cosmic price =)
As for ROMs compatibility , currently all ROMs are stock-based and F/FD compatible, but I'm interested in possible AOSP developments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased a 955FD in Kuwait city last December. Having an issue with No wifi calling in the USA, so can I flash the Deutsche Telekom software version for dual sim card and get wifi calling, and if so would it work on t mobile USA? Also would i change the csc at the same time?
Help

Related

Any known retailer will offer the Z5 DUAL Online ?

I'm sure, after using as provisional phone an asus zenphone 2, with dual-sim dual-active a dual-sim phone is now on my check list.
I never read about Sony plans to export to usa the Dual-Sim version (I consider they fail not selling it on amazon) for Unlocked Market.
So anyone known here where to purchase it online?
I live in the UK, and bought the dual sim verison of the Z3 from http://www.mobicity.co.uk/ They might sell the Z5, too - check with them.
The company is registered in England and I paid with paypal - I felt this gave me an added layer of protection. They claim phones have manufacturer's warranty but I am not sure Sony would honour it as I am not sure this model is meant to be sold in the US or the UK. In other words, I took a calculated risk knowing that, in case of problems, it would have been complicated to claim the warranty - which I am never too worried about as I tend to root my phones anyway, which voids the warranty.
Be very very sure to check network frequencies and compatibility. When I bought my Z3 dual, it wasn't compatible with my EE British sim (EE is a network). I had to upgrade the software. Searching on forums it turned out that other networks have the same problem, too. Anyway, I have had my Z3 for almost 10 months and I'm very happy with it
Thank you, I've checked the frequencies for the dual sim version and has no issues or restrictions with T-Mobile or AT&T. (LTE 2,4,12,17 is on both dual sim versions).
At the moment there is only one retailer selling it thru Amazon, but a bit expensive (900$) I hope soon more retailers sell it.
Enviado desde mi ASUS_Z00AD mediante Tapatalk
I got mine from this eBay retailer: www.ebay.com/usr/qd_us He has the dual-SIM variant too, and prices are pretty good
Mine was shipped from Taiwan to Canada in 3 days.
AcostaJA said:
Thank you, I've checked the frequencies for the dual sim version and has no issues or restrictions with T-Mobile or AT&T. (LTE 2,4,12,17 is on both dual sim versions).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes just checking the frequencies is not enough.
Look at this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3/help/z3-dual-d6633-sim-compatibility-issues-t2932027
The D6633 (Z3 dual sim) had a firmware that was incompatible with some carriers, and only once a new firmware came out did the phone become compatible with those carriers (EE in the UK and some others).
Why? I have no clue...
Of course I wish you won't have any issues, but bear in mind that, should you do, you may have very little recourse if you bought from a foreign vendor that, well, never guaranteed compatibility with your specific network.
Expansys offering Dual $669, however you only get 6 month warranty.
http://www.expansys-usa.com/tag2.aspx?tag=Sony-Xperia-Z5-Dual

U.S. Unlocked vs International Unlocked phone

Hello
I'm looking at replacing my S4 with an S7. My carrier in the US is AT&T and that won't be changing. I've been looking at different unlocked versions and can't find a solid representation of what the real world differences are. I know they have different processors. Some say a band is missing, but does that matter. I don't use android or samsung pay, but i know there is a difference here too. I found one comment about some kind of samsung 'coverage' plan, but what is that?
Best Buy has US unlocked phones for about $700. B&H Photo has an International phone for about $640. Its a lot of money either way. Is one phone really better or different than that other?
I am planning a trip through Canada and maybe to Europe. I assume either would take a SIM from those areas and I could avoid getting raped by international fees.
Here is a summary of question I can think of:
Does the US unlocked phone from BestBuy have a warranty or insurance or anything like that?
Can the US phone be rooted. I only do this to remove apps I don't use.
Is the hardware one vs the other really better or just different?
Does a dual SIM do anything useful?
Does a band being missing make a real world difference?
Is there a good comparison somewhere to that can decide on a phone to purchase?
It comes with a limited warranty as stated on their site:
"This device is not warrantied through the manufacturer. This device has a limited 1 year warranty provided by CCR Warranty. To obtain technical or warranty assistance, please contact CCR Warranty at 866-579-8436."
What I don't know is how useful/limited that warranty is. I'd like the HTC 10 but the unlocked S7 is my runner up, and the warranty issue is one of the major factors in my hesitation.
I do believe it can be rooted.
As far as I know, through research, the only major difference between the two is battery life.
Hello, I'll just go straight to the answers.
1. I'm going to assume that if you go through a carrier (att, t-mobile etc etc.) they will offer an insurance plan. You will have to go to third party insurance for the international version
2. As far I know, the US version does not have a root option yet. Because of the locked bootloader.
3. Hardware will depend on which version you choose. Both are very good.
4. Dual sim is as the name implies, you'll be able to use 2 separate sim cards with their respective #s. that's the only benefit really.
5. Missing radio bands is something you may have to do some research on depending your location.
6. I'm sure YouTube or some online site will have some reviews/comparison of both.
I just looked at the best buy website again and something is different. The S7 listed for $690 is definitely the international version and not the US version. When I looked last month I was positive that the phone was listed as a US phone ... huh
A little late
a little late to the thread but just wanted to share what I learned while researching the matter.
There is an US unlocked version of the S7 (g930u) and available through a few places (Best Buy, B&H, Ebay). It goes for $679.99 retail and I have not been able to find one that goes for less. Probably because it just came out end of June. The biggest benefit of it is that it has a bunch of bands and CDMA-compatible. Thus, you can get full connection with AT&T and TMobile. Downside is no wifi calling or VOLTE (as those seem to be locked by the carriers to their own phones).
The international versions (930f/930fd) are both available on Ebay/Swappa for about $500. Upside are that they have the Exnyos chip and no bloatware. You can also root and flash them with new ROM. Another thing is that you get updates earlier. I got Marshmallow on my s6 a month or so before AT&T released its update. Downsides are no Samsung Pay or WiFi Calling/VOLTE and the biggie...missing bands. I had a g920i and it was missing support for bands 29 and 30 on AT&T...this led to poor LTE and indoor reception at times. I would have to turn on/off the mobile data switch sometimes to get good connection.
Finally, we have carrier based versions, which loads you down with bloatware and has the Snapdragon chip. But, it does support all features of your carrier. Slower updates also an issue and lack of support of all bands internationally are additional drawbacks. Cost is also about $500.
Personally, I am going with an unlocked 930a. Bloatware sucks but I can delete or disable almost all of them. Snapdragon seems pretty powerful to me. Samsung Pay, Wifi Calling, and Band support are just too important for me. Note, make sure you ask the seller on Ebay/Swappa about whether the phone is unlocked.
Hope that helps.
I did a lot of research into this before buying my S7 but was kind of screwed since I'm on Verizon (CDMA)...
Since you're on AT&T you have more options.
There are two different processors in the two different models, Snapdragon 820 in the US CDMA capable and an Eyxnos in the International GSM ONLY phone.
After doing my research, I personally recommend the Eyxnos, which I couldn't get :/
If for nothing else, better battery life, by far. Do some research into the comparison between the two.
However! When buying from Best Buy be careful!
Last I checked, on their website, the black/onyx S7 was an unlocked US Snapdragon 820 phone.... while strangely enough the other two, gold and silver? were both unlocked US (actually international) Eyxnos phones.
Also, last I checked Samsung themselves only sell the CDMA snapdragon processor model to the US.
Unless Best Buy made a mistake listing the Eyxnos processor, it is the only way to get that model without buying an "internationally sourced" phone on ebay.
Just a few notes:
1) The G930u is fully compatible with all the US Carriers
2) VoLTE works on both T-Mobile and Verizon
3) Wi-Fi Calling works on T-Mobile and potentially Verizon (but I am not positive about Verizon).
The big downside to the G930u is that for whatever reason it is not receiving updates from Samsung when its branded siblings are.

International Unlocked S8 & S8+ In the US

Where are all the people that will be using the exynos variant in the US? I have been using international unlocked (F models) sammy phones since the s6 and I plan on sticking to this model. Where you guys ordering from? I usually get it from ebay (usually never-msrp) but it seems I might have to hold on a little longer as $970 for an 8+ is a little high.
I ordered from SamsungUK.. lets see if they honor the order.
i am checking into this place.
https://www.clove.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-s8-plus
It's that site correct that the F must first be activated in the E E A?
I'll wait for the Duos version a month later from start shipping, I'm using exynos galaxy/notes from the note 2 .
biship said:
It's that site correct that the F must first be activated in the E E A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure. i've never bought intl phone.
I have written to the samsung UK web page and they told me the sim free phone is "locked" to unnlocked you muts make a 5 minut call to a number but from the place the phone was intended to sell, the UK
When you do the checkout on Clove store, you can choose this option: "Samsung’s region lock stops use of this handset within your chosen country unless activated with a European SIM. I agree for Clove Technology to break the seal on the box, activate the phone and remove the region lock by completing a 5 minute call on the handset."
biship said:
It's that site correct that the F must first be activated in the E E A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clove is great and I ordered a S8+ from them too. I've ordered previous phones and accessories from them. They ship DHL overnight. Yes, EU phones are equipped with region lock to prevent them from being used outside their assigned selling region. You have to make a 5 minute phone call using a SIM from the phone's home region to unlock it. That's what Clove's doing for their international customers.
There are pros to buying from authorized resellers like Clove. EU phones have a two year warranty and Clove will act as a middleman on your behalf to get warranty work done if your phone ever needs it. You send it to them and they manage it through getting repaired and sent back to you. Having a "real" BTU phone is great for those that don't want to screw around with ODIN and multi-CSC to get updates. BTU is typically one of the first EU regions to get updates. We in the U.S. are lucky to get two for the life of the phone.
Only possible downside is getting Samsung Pay working since the framework isn't pre-installed as the UK doesn't currently support Samsung Pay. I've read the forums and some have gotten some of the features of Samsung Pay working on the S7-series but it's not a guarantee. I have a pre-order with AT&T and an order with Clove. I'm still debating which to go with primarily because I'm a heavy Samsung Pay user.
biship said:
It's that site correct that the F must first be activated in the E E A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doubt it. Every year on release there is this region lock, but when I get my phones, they're never region locked.
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
BarryH_GEG said:
Clove is great and I ordered a S8+ from them too. I've ordered previous phones and accessories from them. They ship DHL overnight. Yes, EU phones are equipped with region lock to prevent them from being used outside their assigned selling region. You have to make a 5 minute phone call using a SIM from the phone's home region to unlock it. That's what Clove's doing for their international customers.
There are pros to buying from authorized resellers like Clove. EU phones have a two year warranty and Clove will act as a middleman on your behalf to get warranty work done if your phone ever needs it. You send it to them and they manage it through getting repaired and sent back to you. Having a "real" BTU phone is great for those that don't want to screw around with ODIN and multi-CSC to get updates. BTU is typically one of the first EU regions to get updates. We in the U.S. are lucky to get two for the life of the phone.
Only possible downside is getting Samsung Pay working since the framework isn't pre-installed as the UK doesn't currently support Samsung Pay. I've read the forums and some have gotten some of the features of Samsung Pay working on the S7-series but it's not a guarantee. I have a pre-order with AT&T and an order with Clove. I'm still debating which to go with primarily because I'm a heavy Samsung Pay user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh this sounds more like it. I've never had to deal with region lock..
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
osmosizzz said:
Where are all the people that will be using the exynos variant in the US? I have been using international unlocked (F models) sammy phones since the s6 and I plan on sticking to this model. Where you guys ordering from? I usually get it from ebay (usually never-msrp) but it seems I might have to hold on a little longer as $970 for an 8+ is a little high.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question. Do you ever get samsung pay to work on those models ?. or samsung pay is something you never really use or cared for ?
BarryH_GEG said:
Clove is great and I ordered a S8+ from them too. I've ordered previous phones and accessories from them. They ship DHL overnight. Yes, EU phones are equipped with region lock to prevent them from being used outside their assigned selling region. You have to make a 5 minute phone call using a SIM from the phone's home region to unlock it. That's what Clove's doing for their international customers.
There are pros to buying from authorized resellers like Clove. EU phones have a two year warranty and Clove will act as a middleman on your behalf to get warranty work done if your phone ever needs it. You send it to them and they manage it through getting repaired and sent back to you. Having a "real" BTU phone is great for those that don't want to screw around with ODIN and multi-CSC to get updates. BTU is typically one of the first EU regions to get updates. We in the U.S. are lucky to get two for the life of the phone.
Only possible downside is getting Samsung Pay working since the framework isn't pre-installed as the UK doesn't currently support Samsung Pay. I've read the forums and some have gotten some of the features of Samsung Pay working on the S7-series but it's not a guarantee. I have a pre-order with AT&T and an order with Clove. I'm still debating which to go with primarily because I'm a heavy Samsung Pay user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got a samsung watch and use samsung pay through it with a Nexus 6P. Think I would be able to do the same with the S8? I use android pay also, so not being able to use samsung pay would not be a deal breaker.
The thing has has me confused about clove is that the device seems to be good bit less expensive than anywhere else. Cost for the S8+ with shipping is only 665 GBP ($829) as opposed to 779 GBP ($971) from Samsung UK site. Is that correct?
luch4galaxy said:
Question. Do you ever get samsung pay to work on those models ?. or samsung pay is something you never really use or cared for ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I never got Samsung pay to work on the international model. But recently I think they got it to work on the s7 edge somehow.
luch4galaxy said:
Question. Do you ever get samsung pay to work on those models ?. or samsung pay is something you never really use or cared for ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
PuffinNugz said:
I've got a samsung watch and use samsung pay through it with a Nexus 6P. Think I would be able to do the same with the S8? I use android pay also, so not being able to use samsung pay would not be a deal breaker.
The thing has has me confused about clove is that the device seems to be good bit less expensive than anywhere else. Cost for the S8+ with shipping is only 665 GBP ($829) as opposed to 779 GBP ($971) from Samsung UK site. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked clover and the price they showed me was 970 usd once I converted it (771 British pounds). That includes vat and shipping.
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
osmosizzz said:
I just checked clover and the price they showed me was 970 usd once I converted it (771 British pounds). That includes vat and shipping.
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I selected US for shipping, it automatically deleted the VAT option and lowered to 665 pounds. What exactly is VAT and why would I want it?
Nevermind, I see it's a tax, but it removed itself when I selected the US.
PuffinNugz said:
When I selected US for shipping, it automatically deleted the VAT option and lowered to 665 pounds. What exactly is VAT and why would I want it?
Nevermind, I see it's a tax, but it removed itself when I selected the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did it on my Computer and you're right..its cheaper than anywhere else. I may just pick it up now
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
Just a Newbee question here in regards to using the international models in the US. I am guessing that these international phone can only support GSM here in the US - no LTE on any US carrier.
I get that the international boot loader might be unlocked, and the international phones seem to come carrier unlocked. But if you don't travel international all the time and just live in the US - don't you guy miss the LTE speeds? Or is there any international models that support say ATT LTE bands?
The phone says it supports: LTE Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 17(700), 20(800), 28(700)
And ATT Uses 2, 4, 5, 17 1900, 1700 abcde, 700 bc
So would the internation phone support ATT LTE?
Flame Red said:
Just a Newbee question here in regards to using the international models in the US. I am guessing that these international phone can only support GSM here in the US - no LTE on any US carrier.
I get that the international boot loader might be unlocked, and the international phones seem to come carrier unlocked. But if you don't travel international all the time and just live in the US - don't you guy miss the LTE speeds? Or is there any international models that support say ATT LTE bands?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LTE works.
PuffinNugz said:
LTE works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the education! I usually buy TMOB as in the past they have unlocked bootloaders and LTE works on ATT. But if I read the tea leaves correctly, TMOB might be changing that for the S8. I guess no one knows for sure yet for the S8, but generally speaking, have the boot loaders on past Sammy international models usually unlocked?

EU model on Verizon?

Hey guys I just bought a OnePlus 8 off Amazon to replace my Pixel 2 XL. However today I noticed it's the EU model IN2013, NA is IN2015, I already knew not to buy IN2010 the Chinese version however I didn't know the US unlocked was a different model because nowhere I looked online mentioned it. I looked at the LTE bands before purchasing it and saw it supports all of Verizons bands (especially the critical band 13) so in theory it should still work right? My fear is when I give them the IMEI to enable CDMA Less on my line they will notice its an EU model that's "not approved on their network" and thus that will prevent it from working even though it supports all their bands.
Now to answer some questions:
Why did I buy this from Amazon instead of OnePlus?
Because it was $100 cheaper and the only way to get the Onyx Black color
Why didn't I buy the Verizon version?
Because it's $100 more expensive than the unlocked and it has a locked bootloader like all of Verizons phones
3mutts said:
Hey guys I just bought a OnePlus 8 off Amazon to replace my Pixel 2 XL. However today I noticed it's the EU model IN2013, NA is IN2015, I already knew not to buy IN2010 the Chinese version
...
Because it's $100 more expensive than the unlocked and it has a locked bootloader like all of Verizons phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I don't think they won't approve your device. I'm living in France so I don't know much about the Verizon Politics about that. But if they have common sense, they won't refuse just because it's not one of their devices, they may lose a lot of customers if they did so. There's a Verizon model to support their 5G, but for LTE it's all good.
In France, no carrier would dare doing that, because everybody buys their phones on internet, already unlocked and stuff...
There's a huge competition between carrier so they won't dare to be so restrictive on who can use their network or not. It'd be like "if you want to give me money, you have to pay me at least 600$+60$/month, who do you think I am, I'm not accepting just 60$ every single month", that makes no sense, only Karens thinks like that.
So LTE is cool, but I can't say that for the Verizon 5G
Hope this helped
I already knew 5g wasnt going to work but I don't care because Verizon uses mmwave 5g and that's not coming to my area any time soon. I just want to make 100% sure LTE works, right now I'm 90% sure but that IMEI thing has me worried, Verizon only allows approved devices on their network (absolute BS imo, if it supports all your bands it should just work). I don't know if they support only the American OnePlus 8 (IN2015) if so that would suck because hardware wise the IN2015 and IN2013 are virtually identical from what I could find with only a few bands missing from the IN2013 but they don't matter for Verizon

Question HK import in the UK

Hi guys,
I want to get the HK version of this phone (because general consensus seems to be the Snapdragon is better than Samsung's processor that comes in all the EU models) and I want to have a solid idea of what potential ramifications there are from doing this.
From what I gather, the HK model is SM-S9080.
I'm pretty clear on the ramifications from the actual importing of the device, such as loss of Samsung's warranty and things like that. What I'm struggling with is the technical aspects of it.
I've done some Google-fu to the best of my ability, but I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed by all the technical jargon, numbers, codes, etc that seem to be involved. Hopefully you can help me understand better...
I know that both Samsung Pay and Samsung Member Benefits will not work in the UK, however this does not bother me as I have no intentions of using those anyway.
The network provider I use in the UK is EE and, from what I can tell, the HK model supports all the necessary bands including 5G (source here: https://www.kimovil.com/en/frequency-checker/GB/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra ). However, I have heard that 5G could be arbitrarily deactivated in the UK by the software or hardware in the phone or something like that due to the model differences. Is this true?
Will there be any weird branding issues that can't be easily removed? By this I mean is it going to have weird chinese branding that can't be removed without flashing/rooting/etc (I'd personally prefer not to do any of that stuff). Could I just change the language to English and have it be visually indistinguishable from a 'native' UK model?
Will Google Play be affected? I don't know if there are any china-related politics that would impact my ability to use Google's services. Sorry if that is a stupid question.
What is a CsC and will it matter regarding the function of the phone? I've seen this term being used a lot while googling but I have no idea what it means or how exactly it affects the use of the phone.
How would updates work? Would there be any issues on that front?
Is there anything else I need to consider from a technical point of view that I have missed?
Hopefully these aren't stupid questions. Thank you in advance.
arstulex said:
Hi guys,
I want to get the HK version of this phone (because general consensus seems to be the Snapdragon is better than Samsung's processor that comes in all the EU models) and I want to have a solid idea of what potential ramifications there are from doing this.
From what I gather, the HK model is SM-S9080.
I'm pretty clear on the ramifications from the actual importing of the device, such as loss of Samsung's warranty and things like that. What I'm struggling with is the technical aspects of it.
I've done some Google-fu to the best of my ability, but I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed by all the technical jargon, numbers, codes, etc that seem to be involved. Hopefully you can help me understand better...
I know that both Samsung Pay and Samsung Member Benefits will not work in the UK, however this does not bother me as I have no intentions of using those anyway.
The network provider I use in the UK is EE and, from what I can tell, the HK model supports all the necessary bands including 5G (source here: https://www.kimovil.com/en/frequency-checker/GB/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra ). However, I have heard that 5G could be arbitrarily deactivated in the UK by the software or hardware in the phone or something like that due to the model differences. Is this true?
Will there be any weird branding issues that can't be easily removed? By this I mean is it going to have weird chinese branding that can't be removed without flashing/rooting/etc (I'd personally prefer not to do any of that stuff). Could I just change the language to English and have it be visually indistinguishable from a 'native' UK model?
Will Google Play be affected? I don't know if there are any china-related politics that would impact my ability to use Google's services. Sorry if that is a stupid question.
What is a CsC and will it matter regarding the function of the phone? I've seen this term being used a lot while googling but I have no idea what it means or how exactly it affects the use of the phone.
How would updates work? Would there be any issues on that front?
Is there anything else I need to consider from a technical point of view that I have missed?
Hopefully these aren't stupid questions. Thank you in advance.
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the csc is the carrier aspect of the phone , ie what bands of each type of network connections are used,and country specific bloatware , the csc is also what carrires the software restrictions based on the laws of the country it is coded for. you would get hongkong specific updates with a csc from that region as far as i can sumise, you may even need to use a hongkong routed vpn to receive them, but again thats a guess
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
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This is exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks mate.
Funnily enough that's the website I was looking at getting mine from too. I did email them to ask where they source their models from because I've read elsewhere that TGY is ideal for UK use but they haven't got back to me yet (weekend of course). Glad to hear they are selling TGY.
Only question I have would be about techinthebasket themselves. Roughly how long did it take to arrive and did it arrive sealed?
Hi mate, yeah I've used techinthebasket a few times now (I've bought a Note8 and a Surface Pro 4 from them previously) and it does take a little while for the items to arrive, even paying for expedited it still took 5 working days. All items were factory sealed too.
If it helps, I traded the Note8 for the Note9 directly to Samsung when the Note9 came out and I got the full £400 at the time. The SP4 developed the prolific screen shake fault after about a year and Microsoft replaced it free of charge.
p.dixon0 said:
All items were factory sealed too.
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Is this possible? I thought Samsung region-locks their phones until a call is made with a SIM from the 'home' region.
Don't these importers have to open up the box to do this so that you can actually use a UK SIM in it when it gets to you?
p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
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Click to collapse
You're my savior. Thank you a lot!
Buying it today
arstulex said:
Is this possible? I thought Samsung region-locks their phones until a call is made with a SIM from the 'home' region.
Don't these importers have to open up the box to do this so that you can actually use a UK SIM in it when it gets to you?
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I'm not sure to be totally honest. Both my Note8 and S22U came sealed with what looked like the same seals my Note9 came with directly from Samsung. Maybe techinthebasket open and reseal? Whatever they do or don't do the phone works as expected and didn't show any signs of being opened.
When I first started both phones (without a SIM) they were both in Chinese. When I put my UK SIM in they behave as expected.
The good thing with techinthebasket is that you can only pay with PayPal - as such, if you have any issues you're covered.
p.dixon0 said:
I'm not sure to be totally honest. Both my Note8 and S22U came sealed with what looked like the same seals my Note9 came with directly from Samsung. Maybe techinthebasket open and reseal? Whatever they do or don't do the phone works as expected and didn't show any signs of being opened.
When I first started both phones (without a SIM) they were both in Chinese. When I put my UK SIM in they behave as expected.
The good thing with techinthebasket is that you can only pay with PayPal - as such, if you have any issues you're covered.
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They gotta do what they gotta do, and if that means I get a Snapdragon phone for significantly less than a local Exynos then who am I to complain? Lol.
I just didn't know if they had found some way to circumvent region-locking without opening the box.
Exactly, as I say it's over £300 less for what is technically a better device
p.dixon0 said:
Exactly, as I say it's over £300 less for what is technically a better device
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Too bad that they deliver only in France,UK, Germany and not the rest of Europe...I would instantly sell my S22 Ultra if I have the occasion to buy a Snap S22 Ultra. Also, a big minus: you can't use eSIM which it's a really nice feature.
robi101012981 said:
Too bad that they deliver only in France,UK, Germany and not the rest of Europe...I would instantly sell my S22 Ultra if I have the occasion to buy a Snap S22 Ultra. Also, a big minus: you can't use eSIM which it's a really nice feature.
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There are plenty of websites out there that deal in grey imports. Unless I'm missing something there are probably sites that do deliver to your country.
I don't know if I'd call lack of eSIM a big minus though. Once I put my SIM card in a phone I pretty much just forget it exists until I buy a new phone. Do people really swap out their SIMs that often that an eSIM really matters?
arstulex said:
There are plenty of websites out there that deal in grey imports. Unless I'm missing something there are probably sites that do deliver to your country.
I don't know if I'd call lack of eSIM a big minus though. Once I put my SIM card in a phone I pretty much just forget it exists until I buy a new phone. Do people really swap out their SIMs that often that an eSIM really matters?
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If you're travelling in a country that doesn't support Roaming, then yeah, it's a good feature
The S9080 is dual SIM so you can still use a local SIM as well if you're traveling...
p.dixon0 said:
The S9080 is dual SIM so you can still use a local SIM as well if you're traveling...
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It's easy to say this, but I do prefer esims since I can purchase them online and I don't need to lose time in stores to purchase it.
I'm sure a saving of over £300 would offset the minor inconvenience. Personally, I have a tariff that gives me free roaming in Europe and the USA amongst others so it's a non-issue for me
p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First time reading 5G working on the SM-9080 outside of Hong Kong. What speeds are you registering?
p.dixon0 said:
I'm sure a saving of over £300 would offset the minor inconvenience. Personally, I have a tariff that gives me free roaming in Europe and the USA amongst others so it's a non-issue for me
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Yeah, I would save, but I would also throw money since no warranty it's provided to me
Also Widevine L3, so yeah, a big trade-in for some of us...I'll wait for the Honor Magic 4 Pro and get that device since it's superior.
About the same download speed as 4G+ for me, the upload speed is double though.
As a side note. This it's on O2UK in the North East of England in my house, where O2UK say there is poor 5G coverage.
robi101012981 said:
Yeah, I would save, but I would also throw money since no warranty it's provided to me
Also Widevine L3, so yeah, a big trade-in for some of us...I'll wait for the Honor Magic 4 Pro and get that device since it's superior.
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There's a year warranty provided by techinthebasket.
All my streaming services work as expected so not bothered about Widevine.
I'll continue to enjoy my phone while you think of another put down and wait for your superior device.

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