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Galaxy S7 US Internal Hardware Differences?

Hi everyone, I heard a rumor that the Galaxy S7 has identical internal hardware across all carrier models in the US, and that the antenna bands are simply switched on and off in the firmware. Thus, if I were to buy the AT&T Galaxy S7 (930A), could I flash the firmware to T-Mobile (930T) and have full 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE support with all of the necessary carrier bands? Or would I still be missing a few?
I'm assuming that I would be flashing the firmware from Samobile with Odin and that I need to carrier unlock the phone and the bootloader first.
For those wondering why I want to do this, there's a huge sale on the AT&T model on Samsung's store.

shanez1215 said:
Hi everyone, I heard a rumor that the Galaxy S7 has identical internal hardware across all carrier models in the US, and that the antenna bands are simply switched on and off in the firmware. Thus, if I were to buy the AT&T Galaxy S7 (930A), could I flash the firmware to T-Mobile (930T) and have full 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE support with all of the necessary carrier bands? Or would I still be missing a few?
I'm assuming that I would be flashing the firmware from Samobile with Odin and that I need to carrier unlock the phone and the bootloader first.
For those wondering why I want to do this, there's a huge sale on the AT&T model on Samsung's store.
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I think the only difference in terms of hardware is the processor. The international version seems to be better on battery too.
The big difference overall is that you probably can't root the US version since the bootloader is blocked.
Check these links out for the processor/battery comparison:
http://beebom.com/snapdragon-820-vs-exynos-8890/

charliebigpot said:
I think the only difference in terms of hardware is the processor. The international version seems to be better on battery too.
The big difference overall is that you probably can't root the US version since the bootloader is blocked.
<Can't include link in quote due to XDA's spam thing>]
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I meant between the versions in the US (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, etc.). If there's no differences, then all I have to do is change the software.
I didn't know that the US S7 can't be rooted. Can you unlock the bootloader?

shanez1215 said:
I meant between the versions in the US (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, etc.). If there's no differences, then all I have to do is change the software.
I didn't know that the US S7 can't be rooted. Can you unlock the bootloader?
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I have a us Cellular s7 edge, currently running the 935u firmware. The s7 carrier models in the united States are basically all the same. There is a root available just check out the other carriers forums. The bootloader cannot be unlocked at the moment.

thescorpion420 said:
I have a us Cellular s7 edge, currently running the 935u firmware. The s7 carrier models in the united States are basically all the same. There is a root available just check out the other carriers forums. The bootloader cannot be unlocked at the moment.
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That's interesting (and kind of scummy for samsung to do especially since they have carrier exclusive sales).
Is the hardware the same for the s6 too?

Confirmation of the bands each carrier version supports

First unfortunately it's not just one version for all the carriers as some had suggested. The GSM providers phones do not support CDMA. The T-Mobile version is the only one with the new band 66 LTE. The AT&T version is the only one that supports band 30 (the fastest band in my area)
SEE FULL SPECS by following the links
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/galaxy-s8-sprint
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/galaxy-s-8-at-t
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/galaxy-s8-t-mobile
http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/galaxy-s8-verizon

So the Verizon model is missing at&t frequencies?

Turb0wned said:
So the Verizon model is missing at&t frequencies?
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Seems it had them all. I'm curious as to why the att version is. Band 17 if att themselves use the 17 in many places. It's actually one of the main bands of att and they don't have it showing
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

osmosizzz said:
Seems it had them all. I'm curious as to why the att version is. Band 17 if att themselves use the 17 in many places. It's actually one of the main bands of att and they don't have it showing
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
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Band 12 includes band 17. If the phone truly doesn't support band 17, then I suspect that AT&T advertises the band as 12 and 17 to support it.

Guys check this eBay listing, there's something funny about it, 232298704354
Selling cheaper, one unit, faster than official shipping.
The seller feed back is off from picture to details of feedback and also the items sold are entirely different than phones.
Think it's a hacked account?
Sent from my SM-G935U using Tapatalk

So what it seems like to me (im not including sprint nor did I even pay attention to it) is that the Verizon model should work great with both AT&T and Tmobile if one wanted to switch. Looks like the verizon model would be the closes to the factory unlocked model, even more so if they really dont have any Verizon branding on them. But, what is 3G TD-SCDMA that is on the GSM models?

It appears that Samsung's website is showing the same unlocked model for all carriers (G950U*), although I'm not sure why the LTE bands supported are listed (slightly) differently for each carrier. Confusingly, this is a different model than the phones being sold directly by each carrier (G950P for Sprint, G950A for AT&T, G950V for Verizon, G950T for T-Mobile). You can see that that LTE bands supported by those models are different that the G950U as well (the carrier-specific versions seem to have a subset of the LTE bands supported by the unlocked version). I was not able to locate a spec sheet for the G950P.

dustbuster said:
It appears that Samsung's website is showing the same unlocked model for all carriers (G950U*), although I'm not sure why the LTE bands supported are listed differently for each carrier. Confusingly, this is a different model than the phones being sold directly by each carrier (G950P for Sprint, G950A for AT&T, G950V for Verizon, G950T for T-Mobile). You can see that that LTE bands supported by those models are different that the G950U as well. I was not able to locate a spec sheet for the G950P.
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What was wrong with the links to each carrier i provided plus the pictures i uploaded?

954wrecker said:
What was wrong with the links to each carrier i provided plus the pictures i uploaded?
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The links you provided are all to the Samsung website. The Samsung website does not have the same models that the carriers themselves are selling, as I tried to explain above.

dustbuster said:
The links you provided are all to the Samsung website. The Samsung website does not have the same models that the carriers themselves are selling, as I tried to explain above.
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So you want me to believe the 4 carrier versions Samsungs selling are not the same phones that the 4 carriers themselves are selling?

The phones I ordered from samsung are not the same as I would have gotten from the carriers directly? I'm sorry but i think it's you that is confused.

954wrecker said:
So you want me to believe the 4 carrier versions Samsungs selling are not the same phones that the 4 carriers themselves are selling?
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The evidence indicates that they are likely different... but you can believe whatever you want.

dustbuster said:
The evidence indicates that they are likely different... but you can believe whatever you want.
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Thanks but the links you provided prove absolutely nothing that you said

dustbuster said:
It appears that Samsung's website is showing the same unlocked model for all carriers (G950U*), although I'm not sure why the LTE bands supported are listed (slightly) differently for each carrier. Confusingly, this is a different model than the phones being sold directly by each carrier (G950P for Sprint, G950A for AT&T, G950V for Verizon, G950T for T-Mobile). You can see that that LTE bands supported by those models are different that the G950U as well (the carrier-specific versions seem to have a subset of the LTE bands supported by the unlocked version). I was not able to locate a spec sheet for the G950P.
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I don't see where the carriers list their model numbers anywhere...
Actually, here's other preorders from carriers:
AT&T (Says U)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/how-to/galaxy-s8-s8-waiting-t3581697/post71861643
Sprint (Also says U)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/how-to/galaxy-s8-s8-waiting-t3581697/post71876304

It's the same model phone but with different FW. It is possible that specific carrier models only support their own network bands thru FW. In the past, the Samsung would actually have different radio and antenna hardware in the phones.
Given the proper FW I believe the s8 series will function identically no matter which carrier model is used provided the SIM is unlocked.
My 2 cents
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

equake said:
It's the same model phone but with different FW. It is possible that specific carrier models only support their own network bands thru FW. In the past, the Samsung would actually have different radio and antenna hardware in the phones.
Given the proper FW I believe the s8 series will function identically no matter which carrier model is used provided the SIM is unlocked.
My 2 cents
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That's exactly how the US S7 variants were, only difference was the firmware installed. I'm hoping for the same.

Using an unlocked (by someone) sprint S8+ on GSM, will get all GSM frequencies?

Question for those who know more than I do... If someone gets a sprint S8+ unlocked (A SPRINT DEVICE THAT HAS BEEN UNLOCKED NOT A FACTORY UNLOCKED DEVICE) to use on GSM (T-mobile, AT&T, etc) will it get all the GSM/LTE freqencies and bands for usa gsm services like T-mobile, AT&T, etc... Or are the SPRINT S8+ crippled on the GSM frequencies?

Araltd said:
Question for those who know more than I do... If someone gets a sprint S8+ unlocked (A SPRINT DEVICE THAT HAS BEEN UNLOCKED NOT A FACTORY UNLOCKED DEVICE) to use on GSM (T-mobile, AT&T, etc) will it get all the GSM/LTE freqencies and bands for usa gsm services like T-mobile, AT&T, etc... Or are the SPRINT S8+ crippled on the GSM frequencies?
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If you flash the U1 firmware that comes from the unlocked US phones, you should be good if the phone's already network/SIM unlocked-that firmware doesn't have the carrier bloat, but it detects the SIM card inserted and will adjust the network stuff accordingly so that it operates on the right bands, etc. If you'd prefer to have all the carrier apps/ bloat as well, there are several threads on carrier switching. Flashing the U1 firmware is fairly straightforward and easy, and most carrier features work; Switching from Sprint firmware to another carrier's firmware is a bit more involved but still totally doable. You're going to have to do one of the two though.
Edit: All of the US models have the exact same hardware, with all of the same radios...the unlocked model is the exact same as a variant from T-Mobile/Sprint/etc. It's just the CP & CSC firmware files that dictate the network stuff.

À

SM-G930T flashed to G930U with AT&T bands - Possible?

Hello,
Haven't been here for a while and saw the treads saying the G930T is flashable with the unlocked version, so I am excited to do that when I get home. I currently using Cricket, which is a subsidiary of AT&T, so I was thinking of flashing the AT&T bands. Would this cause any problems? I saw others have flashed the T-Mobile with no problems to keep wifi calling, but considering I don't need those, would I even see a performance increase for using the AT&T bands on the G930T? That is the only reason I was considering it.
Lastly, I was on the Sammobile site, but there are two versions of the 930U listed, one as USA and one as USA: T-Mobile (https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930U/). Do I need to use one over the other?
Thanks for the help!

Use H2o sim on SM-G930T

So I bought a T-Mobile unlocked Galaxy S7 (SM-G930T) after reading that there was no difference between unlocked phones except for bloatware. It seems now like that was not entirely correct. My H2o Wireless sim uses the AT&T network, but in my new phone it gets little or no reception almost everywhere I go. It works great in the unlocked Nexus 5 that I'm trying to replace. I have found some scary instructions on these forums and elsewhere that would enable more frequency bands or convert my phone to a SM-G930U. Is that the right way to go, or is there a simpler way to get my old sim card working?

The different variants of the S7 come with carrier specific firmware, so the T-Mobile firmware may not use the modem in the same way as AT&T expects.
Flashing the G930U firmware is probably a good idea, and it's not too difficult http://updato.com/how-to/how-to-install-an-official-samsung-stock-firmware-using-odin
I was also under the impression the G930T was SIM locked by default, unless you got them to unlock it.

Beanvee7 said:
I was also under the impression the G930T was SIM locked by default, unless you got them to unlock it.
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This G930T was labeled "T-Mobile unlocked" on Ebay. I doubt that it got any special treatment. My H2o sim card works, just not very well.
Digging a little deeper, the app Network Cell Info Light tells me I'm using bands 2, 4, and 12. It also tells me I'm using band 5 if I run a USSD code. Bands 2, 4, and 12 are used by both T-Mobile and AT&T, so those make sense. Band 5 is used by AT&T but not T-Mobile, so I don't know why they have that one enabled (or maybe the list of bands I found is wrong). Unfortunately, the same app doesn't display which bands are in use by my Nexus 5 so I can't compare. If I could use AT&T's other bands (17 and 30) maybe things would work better.

Flashing the G930U firmware or even the G930A firmware (although I think the G930A is now the G930U) could change the bands. All of the USA models use the same modem, so if some bands are enabled on one and not the other, it would entirely be firmware.

Beanvee7 said:
Flashing the G930U firmware or even the G930A firmware (although I think the G930A is now the G930U) could change the bands. All of the USA models use the same modem, so if some bands are enabled on one and not the other, it would entirely be firmware.
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Thank you. I'll probably follow your firmware how-to once I can find a chunk of time to work on it. Why do you suppose the G930A and G930U are the same while the G930T is different? Maybe I bought the wrong one. I went with the G930T because I read a few places that it had the least bloatware.

From memory AT&T used to have their own specific branded model like T-mobile, but they eventually discontinued the G930A and just started offering the unbranded version.
Then I believe from that point onwards G930A's just got the G930U firmware updates. So they were once different but aren't any more.
G930U would have the least bloatware because it's the non carrier unbranded version of the phone, most people will flash it over their own phone to remove bloat. G930T may be the least bloated of carrier branded phones, but G930U is least bloated overall.
From a technical level the phones are all identical, it's just how the carrier has customised their firmware. You having the G930T isn't really a problem because you can just flash any other USA model firmware and get the same experience as if you bought it from them branded as theirs.

I flashed a SM-G930U firmware (SM-G930U_2_20181023083753_yako40hi3m_fac.zip) using Odin3 v3.13. That got rid of the T-Mobile bloatware, which is nice, but I still have the same signal problems I had before. Any other ideas? I wonder if this model has an antenna or some other piece of hardware that limits the frequency bands. I very briefly saw Network Cell Info Lite pick up a signal on Band 30, which I had never seen before. Maybe I'll see more of that if I get a chance to take the phone farther from home.