Related
[I'd like to create a thread to collect information for all variants of the R530. I'll update this first post with additional information people give during discussion. Sorry it is here in the Verizon sub, but this is the closest model]
The SCH-R530 is a special flavor of the Samsung Galaxy S3 with sub-favors: (you should probably puke now)
SCH-R530U is a US Cellular variant
SCH-R530C is a Cricket variant
SCH-R530M is a MetroPCS variant
SCH-R530X is a Generic variant
I suspect these are all the same hardware, but just different ROMs. I would like to confirm this.
I would like to know and post the newest firmware versions for each. (at least the names, if not the ROM files themselves) I'd like to know if ROMs are compatible, if modem firmwares are compatible, if bootloaders are compatible. The small community of owners need to pull together as much as possible.
Model -- Hardware Version / Firmware Versions / Baseband
SCH-R530U --
SCH-R530C --
SCH-R530M --
SCH-R530X -- R530X.01 / JSS15J.R530XWWUBMK4 / R530XWWUBMK4
Please post if you can add to this information!
I'm working on my dad's SCH-R530X (Generic CDMA). It was on a regional CDMA provider that he was not happy with -- he paid $500 to them in January for the phone. Edit: Today, he's on PagePlus, but without data for some reason.
Concerns (that someone may be able to help me with):
Once you go to KK 4.4 you can not go back? Your bootloader is updated and will not boot 4.3?
I'm running 4.3, can I root -> replace recovery -> custom ROM ... without tripping the KNOX warranty void? I've read that saferoot will not trip KNOX?
This phone seems to have an odd Call Audio Quality problem. While listening during a phone call (on the R530), the other party's voice cuts out. Specifically, it cuts out when the other person isn't speaking in their mic close enough or loud enough. It's as if the R530 is filtering out anything under a certain volume level. I've turned off Call Equalizer and Noise Reduction to try to solve this problem. I believe I've read people say a firmware/ROM update from US Cellular fixed this problem.
So you can see, I have some constraints: Still in warranty and don't want to void it by tripping KNOX. Want to try a newer firmware for call audio problem. Don't want to brick phone with incompatible firmware, unless US Cellular will work on this X/Generic phone.
Help would be appreciated.
I do have the USC and Cricket variants but the USC version is soft bricked.
HW: R530C.01
Firmware: JSS15J.R530CVVUCMK3
Baseband: R530CVVUCMK3
Also fyi, this and the USC version requires a sim card.
motoyola said:
I do have the USC and Cricket variants but the USC version is soft bricked.
HW: R530C.01
Firmware: JSS15J.R530CVVUCMK3
Baseband: R530CVVUCMK3
Also fyi, this and the USC version requires a sim card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks... I'll add the info. I think I'll make a spot to record if it has a SIM slot too -- as my 530X does not have a SIM slot and was labeled with a little sticker "3G CDMA"... but the MEID starts with a "9" and LTE visible in DFS.
syserr said:
Thanks... I'll add the info. I think I'll make a spot to record if it has a SIM slot too -- as my 530X does not have a SIM slot and was labeled with a little sticker "3G CDMA"... but the MEID starts with a "9" and LTE visible in DFS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a regional version of the s3 as well, d2xar (sch-r530x) on Inland Cellular, primarily based in the north west US. as far as i can tell, i havent dissasembled my phone to see if there is a lte radio, in the original build.prop for my phone it is disabled on boot so it will not consume power since it is not being used. thus the 3g cdma only sticker. for the us cellular version i do not know if there is a kitkat firmware but if there is there is always the possiblity you will not beable to go back. as for the generic version it is only on 4.3 right now. eitherway the higher the bootloader version is better for customroms due to recoveries and features working better. as for saferoot i dont remember if it trips the warranty bit or not since ive long since written a custom recover to the device which tripped it but i do know itll make the stock rom list itself as custom in the settings after being rooted. also something to keep in mind with a custom rom is, unless you have the apns for your carrier eg, pageplus, usc, ect. you will not have mms capabilities. Im still tearing my build.prop and apn back up apart to see if i can include some of that info into a custom rom to fix mms, or a recovery that will inject it after a rom flash.
Update?
Lrs121 said:
I have a regional version of the s3 as well, d2xar (sch-r530x) on Inland Cellular, primarily based in the north west US. as far as i can tell, i havent dissasembled my phone to see if there is a lte radio, in the original build.prop for my phone it is disabled on boot so it will not consume power since it is not being used. thus the 3g cdma only sticker. for the us cellular version i do not know if there is a kitkat firmware but if there is there is always the possiblity you will not beable to go back. as for the generic version it is only on 4.3 right now. eitherway the higher the bootloader version is better for customroms due to recoveries and features working better. as for saferoot i dont remember if it trips the warranty bit or not since ive long since written a custom recover to the device which tripped it but i do know itll make the stock rom list itself as custom in the settings after being rooted. also something to keep in mind with a custom rom is, unless you have the apns for your carrier eg, pageplus, usc, ect. you will not have mms capabilities. Im still tearing my build.prop and apn back up apart to see if i can include some of that info into a custom rom to fix mms, or a recovery that will inject it after a rom flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any update to this? I have the sticker too and it'd be great to have LTE on since this phone supports it, it seems. I've made this post
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/general/s3-d2xar-cdma-how-to-set-straight-talk-t3012846
uplusion23 said:
Any update to this? I have the sticker too and it'd be great to have LTE on since this phone supports it, it seems. I've made this post
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/general/s3-d2xar-cdma-how-to-set-straight-talk-t3012846
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last I checked there was a bug with the d2lte builds that break the ability to set apns... I made a cm10.2, I think, build that allowed changing the APN. Um if I remember right the physical design of the d2xar has hardware similar to the Verizon s3. I still don't know if there is an lte modem in the phone since there doesnt seem to be a sim card slot, though there maybe an integrated uicc. I haven't played with it much since I switched to using my nexus 5 on T-Mobile.
Lrs121 said:
Last I checked there was a bug with the d2lte builds that break the ability to set apns... I made a cm10.2, I think, build that allowed changing the APN. Um if I remember right the physical design of the d2xar has hardware similar to the Verizon s3. I still don't know if there is an lte modem in the phone since there doesnt seem to be a sim card slot, though there maybe an integrated uicc. I haven't played with it much since I switched to using my nexus 5 on T-Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got to the service mode settings, which oddly enough it listed GSM and CDMA. Quite weird. To get there was even weirder. Sadly the D2xar doesn't support TWRP Recovery, and the only one that works is CWM by Philz.
uplusion23 said:
I got to the service mode settings, which oddly enough it listed GSM and CDMA. Quite weird. To get there was even weirder. Sadly the D2xar doesn't support TWRP Recovery, and the only one that works is CWM by Philz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yah I noticed that to when I was digging around for apns for my old carrier. As for twrp I got around that problem by building my own version using cyanogenmod and the d2lte device files. It made cyanogenmod delta updates possible on the d2lte build. Which are really nice. My source is floating around github, though you'd have to do a little digging to find everything. I do have precompiled twrp images on my webserver that I try to keep up to date for my friend who's brother has the same phone. If you go to my site its safe to ignore the certificate warnings, I have it set to force HTTPS and the reason the warning pops up is because I self signed it instead of paying for a company like verisign
Sorry for my superbly late reply. I've done a ton of digging with this phone. Turns out it only supports Evdo. So no LTE sadly. Even worse, using the Test Menu I can't bands to USA bands, only the (800 or 850?) Hz Global band. I can't get a connection. Well. The bars are listed as 2-3 generally, but it says "Roaming Indicator Off". I have the latest and only baseband, too.
(Wow. After two months of fiddling, as of typing this, I turned on cellular service, which is usually in Airplane mode, I got a " 3G" connection for the first time. Only for a second.)
I don't think I'll be able to switch this over to Straight Talk any time soon, though. I'll check your GitHub soon for that TWRP.
---------- Post added at 11:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 AM ----------
uplusion23 said:
Sorry for my superbly late reply. I've done a ton of digging with this phone. Turns out it only supports Evdo. So no LTE sadly. Even worse, using the Test Menu I can't bands to USA bands, only the (800 or 850?) Hz Global band. I can't get a connection. Well. The bars are listed as 2-3 generally, but it says "Roaming Indicator Off". I have the latest and only baseband, too.
(Wow. After two months of fiddling, as of typing this, I turned on cellular service, which is usually in Airplane mode, I got a " 3G" connection for the first time. Only for a second.)
I don't think I'll be able to switch this over to Straight Talk any time soon, though. I'll check your GitHub soon for that TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, just of now I've been unable to re-acquire the "3G" that caused me to have a boost of hope. Now even when I attempt calling which it usually would bring me to the Verizon automated system, asking to make a collect call, since around here is primarily Verizon, I can't even get it to call. It now states that no mobile network is available, even when I have 2-3 bars.
You have no "3g" because your keys are wrong. Y'all need some QPST and see the whole logon process and baseband messages. Then you can really troubleshoot your phone.
I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 on the Straight Talk network. I check for software updates and it tells me the software is up to date however it says my phone is running off of 4.4.2 instead of the Lollipop or the one just under. Does anyone know if Lollipop 5.0 or 5.1 has reached the S3 yet? Or how to manually update my phone software so its not so low?
flash a custom rom with 5.x for your model.
nxb said:
flash a custom rom with 5.x for your model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phone is not rooted so how do I do that? I need or to be updated. My phone doesnt work right on 4.4.2
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app
you will have to root, trip knox and lose your warranty... there is no way to go back. on verizon you may be screwed if you have signed/locked bootloaders. search on XDA about unlocked bootloaders for verizon. also: http://androidforums.com/threads/verizon-verizon-bootloader-unlock.856221/
aaaand... make sure to back up your mmc boot partitions so you can debrick if you mess up.
p.s. prepare to learn a lot of technical things. if that sounds annoying and you don't want to spend a lot of time on it you might be better off buying a used phone.
nxb said:
you will have to root, trip knox and lose your warranty... there is no way to go back. on verizon you may be screwed if you have signed/locked bootloaders. search on XDA about unlocked bootloaders for verizon. also: http://androidforums.com/threads/verizon-verizon-bootloader-unlock.856221/
aaaand... make sure to back up your mmc boot partitions so you can debrick if you mess up.
p.s. prepare to learn a lot of technical things. if that sounds annoying and you don't want to spend a lot of time on it you might be better off buying a used phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not using Verizon. I'm using straight talk on a Verizon phone
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app
ST only has GSM AT&T and CDMA verizon... if you have an I535 past 4.3 you have locked bootloader problems.
Needing the pit file for the SCH-R530C. PLEASE! I am at the end of my tether. Thank you in advance, DaMoose
DaMoose517 said:
Needing the pit file for the SCH-R530C. PLEASE! I am at the end of my tether. Thank you in advance, DaMoose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have any idea if the 530c and the 530x share a similar partition table? If they do then I can pull the one from my 530x
Lrs121 said:
Do you have any idea if the 530c and the 530x share a similar partition table? If they do then I can pull the one from my 530x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not know. I'd love to take the chance, but the risk of totally bricking the R530C is there . . . heck, let me try it.
Hi guys,
I have a white Galaxy S6 Edge 64 GB Sprint model, SM-G925P and lots of trouble. I did not buy it from Sprint, as I'm not from US, instead traded my black 32 GB SM-G925F for this model, which is the international model. Thought that 32 extra gigs would not hurt and that the white one would be less off a fingerprint magnet.
Unfortunately, during the trade, I did not pay attention to a very important aspect: mobile data. I checked voice calls, camera and wi-fi as well, thought that everything should be fine. Mobile data is available only while accesing the settings and does not show while sliding from the top of the phone for the control panel.
As I got home, I discovered afterwards that I cannot make the update from 5.0.2 to 5.1.1 and that I cannot change the language from English to Romanian. The next day, I took the phone to a GSM service and they made the 5.1.1 update and mobile data work. I still can toggle it on/off only in the settings. The big issue is that I can use only 3G mobile data and that upsets me a lot. Of course, the guy that I made the trade with isn´t anymore to reach. Please let me know if I can do anything about 4G. I am really pissed off right now. Thank you very much!
Hi,
I'm also wondering if there's something possible. I already tried QPST and QXDM for enabling more bands but it didn't work. I guess it's something with the modem. Since the 925F uses a different chipset than the 925P it's not possible to use that one, but I found out that the G9250 has the same chipset as the G925P and supports an extreme amount of bands (more than the 925F). But since our bootloader is locked it's not possible to flash the modem. And even then there could be a lot of problems. So we have to enable the bands in the modem.bin. But that's quite hard and I still haven't found out how to do it, but it's our only hope. (G9250 Bands: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=7836&c=samsung_sm-g9250_galaxy_s6_edge_td-lte_samsung_zero)
Thank you for your answer mkalter,
I am by no means a developer and never rooted a phone, but if there is any solution that won´t brick up the device, I'll gladly try it. It is very upsetting to know that I cannot use 4G on it just because a provider doesn´t want so. Had to learn the hard way to triple check a phone when trading it.
I just solved the issue by selling the phone. Mods can close the thread.
So I just bought a new Z3 replacement for my older one on Ebay. The problem is that it's not the same as my last one. The new one doesn't connect to any sort of ATT internet no edge, hspa, or LTE. I'm able to make calls and send sms but no mms. the APN settings are identical to my other Z3 which works just fine. Another thing I found strange was that it's running android 4.4.4 and It says it's up to date. Any ideas?
The fact it's stuck on 4.4.4 is not good.
What model is it? D6603/53/33?
What does the about phone section of settings say?
You can try flashing the latest firmware for it via flashtool and that should get it all working.
It will update the baseband etc which should help with mobile data
Dobsgw said:
The fact it's stuck on 4.4.4 is not good.
What model is it? D6603/53/33?
What does the about phone section of settings say?
You can try flashing the latest firmware for it via flashtool and that should get it all working.
It will update the baseband etc which should help with mobile data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone and the box say D6603. I was thinking about flashing it but decided not to thinking that I might return it. but I'll give it a shot.
I might be crazy but I had another theory, that it's actually a different model flashed with a D6603 rom. I'm not sure if the bands are limited by hardware or software, it's just a conspiracy theory I have.
DrPie001 said:
The phone and the box say D6603. I was thinking about flashing it but decided not to thinking that I might return it. but I'll give it a shot.
I might be crazy but I had another theory, that it's actually a different model flashed with a D6603 rom. I'm not sure if the bands are limited by hardware or software, it's just a conspiracy theory I have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's possible.
The model number shown in settings is determined by the build.prop so if it's a D6603 ROM it will say so.
I'm not entirely sure how you could determine the model.... And the phones are almost identical in hardware apart from the D6633 which has the second SIM slot.
What I don't understand is why it is stuck on 4.4.4.
If it is genuine then flashing an up to date FTF should be the solution.
Tbh i would be safe and return it.
I don't trust second hand phones personally because more often than not the seller doesn't disclose the full history of the device.
You can try flashing it but if you make it worse it gives the seller an excuse to say you can't return it.
Message them and explain the problem and see if they will accept the return
Dobsgw said:
That's possible.
The model number shown in settings is determined by the build.prop so if it's a D6603 ROM it will say so.
I'm not entirely sure how you could determine the model.... And the phones are almost identical in hardware apart from the D6633 which has the second SIM slot.
What I don't understand is why it is stuck on 4.4.4.
If it is genuine then flashing an up to date FTF should be the solution.
Tbh i would be safe and return it.
I don't trust second hand phones personally because more often than not the seller doesn't disclose the full history of the device.
You can try flashing it but if you make it worse it gives the seller an excuse to say you can't return it.
Message them and explain the problem and see if they will accept the return
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah thanks for the advice I'm just going to return better safe than sorry.
Hi,
I was recently gifted an unlocked ATT S8+ (SM-G955U) which I'm trying to activate to my Verizon account. I've read conflicting information about this, and after going to the Verizon store and calling them directly I'm thoroughly confused.
The rep on the phone told me that the phone is "incompatible" with their network based on the IMEI number. From what I gather, the hardware (and model numbers) on all the major carrier's S8+s are the same and simply have different firmware. I've also read that they're interchangeable. Has anyone successfully gotten the ATT S8+ on Verizon? I'm almost feeling like it's something where I would need to jump through more hoops and speak to a manager to get them to do it, but before I did I wanted to get others input. Thanks!
I heard that the phone will work, you'll need to flash the Verizon firmware onto the AT&T phone.
Thanks Richie. Do you think that Verizon is telling me that the IMEI is "incompatible" because I may need to flash another firmware to enable CDMA? Or are some versions of the S4+ really incompatible on their network.
May there be possible success to get them to activate it anyway?
kebas239 said:
Hi,
I was recently gifted an unlocked ATT S8+ (SM-G955U) which I'm trying to activate to my Verizon account. I've read conflicting information about this, and after going to the Verizon store and calling them directly I'm thoroughly confused.
The rep on the phone told me that the phone is "incompatible" with their network based on the IMEI number. From what I gather, the hardware (and model numbers) on all the major carrier's S8+s are the same and simply have different firmware. I've also read that they're interchangeable. Has anyone successfully gotten the ATT S8+ on Verizon? I'm almost feeling like it's something where I would need to jump through more hoops and speak to a manager to get them to do it, but before I did I wanted to get others input. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kebas239 said:
Thanks Richie. Do you think that Verizon is telling me that the IMEI is "incompatible" because I may need to flash another firmware to enable CDMA? Or are some versions of the S4+ really incompatible on their network.
May there be possible success to get them to activate it anyway?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you already have an active Verizon SIM card? Like in another phone?
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Do you already have an active Verizon SIM card? Like in another phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not - only because I'm coming from an S4 (which has the larger SIM card). I had to get a new one.
kebas239 said:
Hi,
I was recently gifted an unlocked ATT S8+ (SM-G955U) which I'm trying to activate to my Verizon account. I've read conflicting information about this, and after going to the Verizon store and calling them directly I'm thoroughly confused.
The rep on the phone told me that the phone is "incompatible" with their network based on the IMEI number. From what I gather, the hardware (and model numbers) on all the major carrier's S8+s are the same and simply have different firmware. I've also read that they're interchangeable. Has anyone successfully gotten the ATT S8+ on Verizon? I'm almost feeling like it's something where I would need to jump through more hoops and speak to a manager to get them to do it, but before I did I wanted to get others input. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The IMEI thing and Verizon not provisioning your phone to activate on their network is the ONLY obstacle you have.
All the US S8/S8+/Note8 variants are identical and can be cross-flashed to whatever carrier you want. You can easily grab the VZW firmware and flash it on to your AT&T device, fully converting it, however the IMEI won't be in Verizon's system since your particular phone wasn't sold by Verizon.
Somehow get around that and your phone will be fully compatible on VZWs network.
kebas239 said:
Thanks Richie. Do you think that Verizon is telling me that the IMEI is "incompatible" because I may need to flash another firmware to enable CDMA? Or are some versions of the S4+ really incompatible on their network.
May there be possible success to get them to activate it anyway?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry about what Verizon reps are telling you because most often than not they are following a standard procedure. And they only Input your IMEI into a service like this one:https://www.verizonwireless.com/bring-your-own-device/#checkDevice
As your IMEI is for an AT&T phone, the brand model has an A appended at the end (as in AT&T).
However, you should still investigate this issue and try the steps recommended by the other guys. You will be able to use your phone with a VZV sim without reaching to Verizon
kebas239 said:
Hi,
I was recently gifted an unlocked ATT S8+ (SM-G955U) which I'm trying to activate to my Verizon account. I've read conflicting information about this, and after going to the Verizon store and calling them directly I'm thoroughly confused.
The rep on the phone told me that the phone is "incompatible" with their network based on the IMEI number. From what I gather, the hardware (and model numbers) on all the major carrier's S8+s are the same and simply have different firmware. I've also read that they're interchangeable. Has anyone successfully gotten the ATT S8+ on Verizon? I'm almost feeling like it's something where I would need to jump through more hoops and speak to a manager to get them to do it, but before I did I wanted to get others input. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an AT&T S8 + on Verizon's network, had to unlock the phone, I did flash VZV firmware.
Works for me.
Thanks all for the responses! So it does look like I can do it then, but I just need to get Verizon to activate the new SIM. Think if I could find another phone that's compatible, throw the SIM in, activate, then switch the SIM to the S8+ it would work? (Assuming I've flashed the Verizon firmware on it).
Also, I'm trying to find out how to flash the phone properly. I don't really need root, but I'll take it if its easy. Thinking in my scenario, I'd follow this thread, correct?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...opment/rom-s8-allcarriersrootedstock-t3659232
kebas239 said:
Thanks all for the responses! So it does look like I can do it then, but I just need to get Verizon to activate the new SIM. Think if I could find another phone that's compatible, throw the SIM in, activate, then switch the SIM to the S8+ it would work? (Assuming I've flashed the Verizon firmware on it).
Also, I'm trying to find out how to flash the phone properly. I don't really need root, but I'll take it if its easy. Thinking in my scenario, I'd follow this thread, correct?
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ve...opment/rom-s8-allcarriersrootedstock-t3659232
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, if you can get VZW to activate a nano SIM then all you have to do is pop it in your S8+, and it will work perfectly.
You don't HAVE to flash the Verizon firmware, but you'll won't be able to use certain features such as VoLTE and WiFi calling with the ATT firmware, so I recommend it. Not a necessity though.
To change carrier firmware, follow this thread:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/how-to/snap-guide-flashing-standard-fw-carrier-t3627255
Can't help you with rooting. Sorry, I stopped rooting my phones long ago.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Yes, if you can get VZW to activate a nano SIM then all you have to do is pop it in your S8+, and it will work perfectly.
You don't HAVE to flash the Verizon firmware, but you'll won't be able to use certain features such as VoLTE and WiFi calling with the ATT firmware, so I recommend it. Not a necessity though.
To change carrier firmware, follow this thread:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/how-to/snap-guide-flashing-standard-fw-carrier-t3627255
Can't help you with rooting. Sorry, I stopped rooting my phones long ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is great information! I'll call back Verizon and knowing all this I have something to back myself up with to at least try to convince them to activate the SIM (if not, I'll find a temporary phone to activate).
Thank you (and everyone else) for all the help!
I was able to get Verizon to activate the SIM and IMEI of the new S8. When I checked my account online to verify, it shows the correct numbers. Unfortunately, the phone is still not able to make calls or connect to the mobile network.
Following this, I rooted and flashed a deodexed stock ROM/firmware that is compatible with all carriers. This made no difference in the issue.
On the status bar, normal reception for my area is shown. There is no data (LTE/3G, etc.) connection, however. In looking at the APN settings, there are multiple Verizon options to choose. "Verizon Internet" (VZWINTERNET) is what is selected. Under the network operators, Automatic is selected. I tried changing it to Manual, but I do not get an option to select Verizon. Only ATT or T-Mobile. Under SIM Card Status, It's says that I'm on an unknown network.
Any ideas on what I could do to diagnose this? Sorry for all the questions, but I want to be able to get this phone to work so bad!
Thanks!
Success! I was about to give up, but decided to try a few more things.
1) To register a new SIM on VZW, it needs to initially go into a VZW based phone to work correctly. Once doing this, I saw some changes:
- I could now see my phone number.
- Verizon was an option under the network operators setting.
This did not solve my problem, however, as I still could not connect to the network. When selecting VZW, the request would fail and say to try again later. So onto the next (and last!) thing I did...
2) Download VZW firmware and flash via ODEN (The Comsey version, but I don't think that matters). I added the BL, AP, CP & CSC (included in the zip file) using the default options. I found this firmware at the below link and grabbed the latest version. The download was very slow for me (I had to run it overnight), but numerous posters stated that they are a reliable source so I took a chance.
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s8-plus/SM-G955U1/VZW/download/G955U1UES2AQL1/201500/
I'm just so glad everything is working now. Thank you so much to all who have responded to the thread to guide me in the right direction! Hope this helps someone else who may be having the same trouble.
I got a Metro by T-Mobile phone unlocked on eBay and while the phone no longer rejects MVNO sims, it won't connect to any network either. It still connects when I put the Metro sim back in but it won't connect with sims from Lyca, Tello or Hello Mobile, all T-Mobile MVNOs. The phone is a TCL 30 XE 5G (T767W) and I bought two of them new and they both have the same problem. I'm new to the T-Mobile network and I don't know if I'm missing something. I've never had this kind of trouble on Verizon or AT&T. Has anyone else run into a problem like this? I appreciate any help anyone can offer.
Thanks!
Look inside here:
How to Check If Android Phone is Unlocked or Locked
Before buying a new Android Phone, it is best to check if Android Phone is Unlocked or Locked. Here are 2 ways to check the Simlock status of your Android phone.
www.unlockboot.com
xXx yYy said:
Look inside here:
How to Check If Android Phone is Unlocked or Locked
Before buying a new Android Phone, it is best to check if Android Phone is Unlocked or Locked. Here are 2 ways to check the Simlock status of your Android phone.
www.unlockboot.com
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According to that site my phone is unlocked but it still won't connect to any network unless the original Metro sim is installed.
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
According to that site my phone is unlocked but it still won't connect to any network unless the original Metro sim is installed.
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Maybe you need to enter service menu and change your radio settings or maybe you need to flash a different modem for your specific model number.
I know you said you bought them new but can you confirm that their IMEI is intact?
Droidriven said:
Maybe you need to enter service menu and change your radio settings or maybe you need to flash a different modem for your specific model number.
I know you said you bought them new but can you confirm that their IMEI is intact?
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Thank you for your reply! Both phones were shipped to me from Metro by T-Mobile. The phones were able to connect with an MVNO sim when I set the radio to 2G only mode but that option disappeared when the phones updated to Android 12 and now they can't connect at all. Even before the update, the phones would frequently disconnect and I had to set them back to 2G only mode to get service back so there was always something wrong. I'm pretty good with computers but I've never flashed a phone before and I've been suspecting that I would have to do that with these phones. I'll be happy to check their IMEI numbers if you could let me know what I'm looking for. I'd also like to learn more about flashing a new modem as you mentioned above that sounds like it might address the problem. And if you wouldn't mind letting me know where I could find the service menu?
Thanks in advance!!
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
Thank you for your reply! Both phones were shipped to me from Metro by T-Mobile. The phones were able to connect with an MVNO sim when I set the radio to 2G only mode but that option disappeared when the phones updated to Android 12 and now they can't connect at all. Even before the update, the phones would frequently disconnect and I had to set them back to 2G only mode to get service back so there was always something wrong. I'm pretty good with computers but I've never flashed a phone before and I've been suspecting that I would have to do that with these phones. I'll be happy to check their IMEI numbers if you could let me know what I'm looking for. I'd also like to learn more about flashing a new modem as you mentioned above that sounds like it might address the problem. And if you wouldn't mind letting me know where I could find the service menu?
Thanks in advance!!
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After they updated, have you tried booting into recovery and wiping the cache partition(not factory reset)? Sometimes, after updates, wiping cache is necessary to remove conflicts between previously existing data and the new update.
If you are getting a connection of any kind then your IMEI is fine.
Flashing a modem is sometimes necessary but it can have risks if you flash the wrong thing.
I'm not familiar with TCL devices or how they are flashed. Typically, to flash a different modem requires downloading a firmware that has the modem that you want/need then extracting the modem from the firmware then flash the extracted modem onto the device.
Methods to access service/radio menu different from device to device, I don't know how it is done on TCL devices. Most of the time it is done by using your dialer and dialing a specific code, if there is a dialer code for your device, you should be able to find it with a Google search for:
"TCL 30 XE 5G dialer menu code"
Or
"TCL 30 XE 5G service menu"
Droidriven said:
After they updated, have you tried booting into recovery and wiping the cache partition(not factory reset)? Sometimes, after updates, wiping cache is necessary to remove conflicts between previously existing data and the new update.
If you are getting a connection of any kind then your IMEI is fine.
Flashing a modem is sometimes necessary but it can have risks if you flash the wrong thing.
I'm not familiar with TCL devices or how they are flashed. Typically, to flash a different modem requires downloading a firmware that has the modem that you want/need then extracting the modem from the firmware then flash the extracted modem onto the device.
Methods to access service/radio menu different from device to device, I don't know how it is done on TCL devices. Most of the time it is done by using your dialer and dialing a specific code, if there is a dialer code for your device, you should be able to find it with a Google search for:
"TCL 30 XE 5G dialer menu code"
Or
"TCL 30 XE 5G service menu"
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I was able to find my phone's service mode or engineering mode (hope they're the same thing) and get service back by setting the phone to 2G only mode again but that doesn't solve the problem of it losing service when LTE or 5G are turned on. Are there any other settings I could try changing?
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
I was able to find my phone's service mode or engineering mode (hope they're the same thing) and get service back by setting the phone to 2G only mode again but that doesn't solve the problem of it losing service when LTE or 5G are turned on. Are there any other settings I could try changing?
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Can you use the service menu to find out which bands/frequencies and network type the current modem/radio is using?
Can you find out which bands/frequencies and network type that your carrier network is using?
Compare them to see if they are compatible.
Or, try calling customer support for your carrier, there may be something they need to do in their system from their end to get your device to connect.
Droidriven said:
Can you use the service menu to find out which bands/frequencies and network type the current modem/radio is using?
Can you find out which bands/frequencies and network type that your carrier network is using?
Compare them to see if they are compatible.
Or, try calling customer support for your carrier, there may be something they need to do in their system from their end to get your device to connect.
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What do you mean by network type?
There are a lot of options to choose from, several of them list bands. Is there a specific menu I should look for?
The carrier I have the phone on is Tello which is a T-Mobile MVNO. I've also tried Lyca and Hello Mobile both are also Tmo MVNOs and all three had the same problem. The phones are from Metro by T-Mobile so everything should be compatible. Tello customer service has tried to help but they can't figure it out.
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
What do you mean by network type?
There are a lot of options to choose from, several of them list bands. Is there a specific menu I should look for?
The carrier I have the phone on is Tello which is a T-Mobile MVNO. I've also tried Lyca and Hello Mobile both are also Tmo MVNOs and all three had the same problem. The phones are from Metro by T-Mobile so everything should be compatible. Tello customer service has tried to help but they can't figure it out.
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But, are the bands that are presently available on the device within the range of bands that your carrier uses? Do the network and the device use the same bands? If so, you shouldn't need to flash a different modem, if not, you may need a different modem.
Did you boot into recovery and wipe the cache partition to remove any potential conflicts caused by updating to android 12?
Are you certain that the SIM(s) you are trying to use is/are valid and active? If they have been previously deactivated, they won't work
Don't skip through my posts and only answer part of my questions. Let's cover the bases without skipping an answer to a question. Otherwise, it could lead to a wild goose chase that could have been avoided by answering everything I ask.
Droidriven said:
But, are the bands that are presently available on the device within the range of bands that your carrier uses? Do the network and the device use the same bands? If so, you shouldn't need to flash a different modem, if not, you may need a different modem.
Did you boot into recovery and wipe the cache partition to remove any potential conflicts caused by updating to android 12?
Are you certain that the SIM(s) you are trying to use is/are valid and active? If they have been previously deactivated, they won't work
Don't skip through my posts and only answer part of my questions. Let's cover the bases without skipping an answer to a question. Otherwise, it could lead to a wild goose chase that could have been avoided by answering everything I ask.
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Sorry about the confusion. I did wipe the cache and in the past I've done a full factory reset from recovery mode it didn't help. And this problem already existed before the update to Android 12. It started the moment I changed sims. The phones only ever worked right with the original Metro sim and still do. That's why I wasn't sure if they were unlocked right but they don't reject other sims either.
The sims are active and have never been deactivated and now that I can force the phones back into 2G mode again, I can make and receive calls and use 2G data.
As for the bands I'm finding in the service menu, this is where it gets weird. They're all selected, there must be over a hundred bands turned on including bands I know this phone doesn't support.
I have confirmed the phone supports all the same bands that Tello uses. Tello uses the same bands as T-Mobile.
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
Sorry about the confusion. I did wipe the cache and in the past I've done a full factory reset from recovery mode it didn't help. And this problem already existed before the update to Android 12. It started the moment I changed sims. The phones only ever worked right with the original Metro sim and still do. That's why I wasn't sure if they were unlocked right but they don't reject other sims either.
The sims are active and have never been deactivated and now that I can force the phones back into 2G mode again, I can make and receive calls and use 2G data.
As for the bands I'm finding in the service menu, this is where it gets weird. They're all selected, there must be over a hundred bands turned on including bands I know this phone doesn't support.
I have confirmed the phone supports all the same bands that Tello uses. Tello uses the same bands as T-Mobile.
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Ok, thanks for confirming.
It is weird, everything seems to be in place. Have you made sure your APNs(Access Point Names) are set correctly for the network?
I can't be certain that you have all of your network and radio settings set correctly because I have no idea what settings you have, what the options are or if there are any tucked away somewhere that isn't obvious.
If everything is right on your end, it may be something on their end that they need to get right.
Droidriven said:
Ok, thanks for confirming.
It is weird, everything seems to be in place. Have you made sure your APNs(Access Point Names) are set correctly for the network?
I can't be certain that you have all of your network and radio settings set correctly because I have no idea what settings you have, what the options are or if there are any tucked away somewhere that isn't obvious.
If everything is right on your end, it may be something on their end that they need to get right.
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Yeah, the APN was the first thing I checked and Tello confirmed it too.
I can send you screenshots of the service menus if that would help.
Tello is now saying the phone might not be "fully unlocked" I don't know what that means. Is there more than one way to lock a phone? Did T-Mobile come up with another way of locking their phones? A screen in the settings menu does warn the phone is still locked and it isn't yet eligible to be unlocked but it accepts the sim and connects to 2G at least. Could Tello be on to something here?
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
Yeah, the APN was the first thing I checked and Tello confirmed it too.
I can send you screenshots of the service menus if that would help.
Tello is now saying the phone might not be "fully unlocked" I don't know what that means. Is there more than one way to lock a phone? Did T-Mobile come up with another way of locking their phones? A screen in the settings menu does warn the phone is still locked and it isn't yet eligible to be unlocked but it accepts the sim and connects to 2G at least. Could Tello be on to something here?
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There are couple of different kinds of "unlocked"
There is SIM/carrier unlock and there is bootloader unlock. They two completely different things and have nothing to do with each other.
Have you tried going through the carrier unlock process yourself to confirm it has been done correctly?
Droidriven said:
Have you tried going through the carrier unlock process yourself to confirm it has been done correctly?
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I don't know how to do that.
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
I don't know how to do that.
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Generally, there is a website that you go to to get an unlock code.
Google search:
"TCL 30 XE 5G (T767W) SIM unlock"
Droidriven said:
Generally, there is a website that you go to to get an unlock code.
Google search:
"TCL 30 XE 5G (T767W) SIM unlock"
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Click to collapse
My understanding is that Metro phones can't be unlocked with a code. Instead, they're unlocked by a preinstalled carrier app when the phone becomes eligible for an unlock, which my phone isn't. In my case, I bought an unlocking service from eBay which had me hook up my phone to my PC via USB for the unlock. Is there another way to check?
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
My understanding is that Metro phones can't be unlocked with a code. Instead, they're unlocked by a preinstalled carrier app when the phone becomes eligible for an unlock, which my phone isn't. In my case, I bought an unlocking service from eBay which had me hook up my phone to my PC via USB for the unlock. Is there another way to check?
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You got scammed, whether they did it on purpose or not is another question. They probably didn't rob you on purpose, it is just a matter of there never being any kind of guarantee that a 3rd party unlocking service works on every device. You took that chance when you chose to go that route.
If there is an app that is supposed to be used, why is your device not eligible to unlock via the app? You will have to use the official unlock method if/when it is eligible, hopefully the 3rd party unlock service hasn't done anything that conflicts with the official method.
I suggest that, in the future, don't make gambles or look for shortcuts when buying devices without being 100% certain that you are buying from a reputable source that guarantees their products and services. It is best to buy directly from the carrier/manufacturer or from Swappa. I wouldn't buy from eBay unless I could confirm that there was a legitimately proven unlock method for the specific model number that I'm considering purchasing before I actually purchase the device.
If you can return the device and get your money back, I suggest you do it or report it to eBay to see if they will protect your purchase since what you got is not what you agreed to purchase.
Droidriven said:
You got scammed, whether they did it on purpose or not is another question. They probably didn't rob you on purpose, it is just a matter of there never being any kind of guarantee that a 3rd party unlocking service works on every device. You took that chance when you chose to go that route.
If there is an app that is supposed to be used, why is your device not eligible to unlock via the app? You will have to use the official unlock method if/when it is eligible, hopefully the 3rd party unlock service hasn't done anything that conflicts with the official method.
I suggest that, in the future, don't make gambles or look for shortcuts when buying devices without being 100% certain that you are buying from a reputable source that guarantees their products and services. It is best to buy directly from the carrier/manufacturer or from Swappa. I wouldn't buy from eBay unless I could confirm that there was a legitimately proven unlock method for the specific model number that I'm considering purchasing before I actually purchase the device.
If you can return the device and get your money back, I suggest you do it or report it to eBay to see if they will protect your purchase since what you got is not what you agreed to purchase.
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I got the phones new from Metro not eBay. The only thing I got from eBay was the unlocking service which cost me $8. And I didn't pay anything for the phones either as they were free with the purchase of one month of Metro service. So there's really no point in returning the phones and I'm not gonna bother opening a case with eBay over $8.
Metro won't unlock the phones until I've paid for six months of their service.
A quick search on eBay comes up with multiple sellers offering unlocks for my specific phone model locked to Metro. I've been thinking about just trying to get the phones unlocked again by another seller but everything and everyone seems to be telling me the phones are already unlocked so I don't know what I should try next. Is there a way to check if the phones are really unlocked?
WhatsWrongWithThisPhone said:
I got the phones new from Metro not eBay. The only thing I got from eBay was the unlocking service which cost me $8. And I didn't pay anything for the phones either as they were free with the purchase of one month of Metro service. So there's really no point in returning the phones and I'm not gonna bother opening a case with eBay over $8.
Metro won't unlock the phones until I've paid for six months of their service.
A quick search on eBay comes up with multiple sellers offering unlocks for my specific phone model locked to Metro. I've been thinking about just trying to get the phones unlocked again by another seller but everything and everyone seems to be telling me the phones are already unlocked so I don't know what I should try next. Is there a way to check if the phones are really unlocked?
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You've already used methods to check if it is unlocked. Obviously, the service you paid for didn't work, you can't get your money back for that, those services don't come with any guarantee. As I said, you can take another chance and try another 3rd party service that also is not guaranteed or you can wait and do it the official way. I'm betting the unlock service is a waste of time and money and you'll have to wait and do it the right way. That is the cost of blindly taking a shortcut.