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Hello All,
I have been a hard-core Windows Phone guy since the first Windows Mobile devices. I came to Windows Mobile when the Palm devices went away. I stayed loyal to Windows Phone as long as I could. The Lumia 950XL was not a bad device, but when mine started deteriorating recently, I tried the HP Elite X3 at a cost of over $1,000.
I’ll make this long story short. This device is junk. There are no apps left, and the ones that are left don’t work on this device. Windows Phone is dead, and I can’t wait on a “Surface Phone” which we may or may not ever see.
I have ruled out an apple device. I have never had an Android device, but have pretty much decided on an S8+. I’m U.S. AT&T, but I work in Africa and have a local sim card there. I need an unlocked, “real” dual-sim device. By “real”, I mean both sims must be fully functional (active) simultaneously. No switching back and forth.
So, my question is; does anyone know if Samsung will release an unlocked dual-sim S8+? If so, when? If not, can anyone recommend a high-quality, unlocked, dual-sim device?
Thank you!
Dave
PS: For Sale: Like new HP Elite X3 with two cases and all accessories. I think I also have a Sony Beta HiFi in the garage.
Isn't there an international dual-SIM, unlocked version of the S8+ available?
Just checked and found this:
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Factory-Unlocked-Smart/dp/B06XXR799Q
This is probably available in the Middle East and Indian markets.
Another alternative for you could be the OnePlus 3T at less than half the cost.
https://oneplus.net/ca_en/3t
Hope that helps.
April 28th samsung will release another version of the s8 I think it's unlocked but I know for sure is exynos... sorry I couldn't help out more
Thanks Rajeshr. I looked at the comments to the Amazon ad. It looks like this is not a dual-sim device, even though it states it is. I am looking at the 1+. Thanks.
Thanks also mlock420 (& a happy day-late 420). I will follow this closely. Must have an unlocked, real dual-sim. Will check the 28th. Thanks.
rajeshr said:
Isn't there an international dual-SIM, unlocked version of the S8+ available?
Just checked and found this:
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Factory-Unlocked-Smart/dp/B06XXR799Q
This is probably available in the Middle East and Indian markets.
Another alternative for you could be the OnePlus 3T at less than half the cost.
https://oneplus.net/ca_en/3t
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, youll want that, youll also want to custom rom your phone too which will only be availble with the exynos varient. Its not enough to get an unlocked sim these days, for maximum compatibility between countries/networks you'll also need an unlocked bootloader, so dont get snapdragon usa model! Get international exynos!
XATAGuy said:
Thanks Rajeshr. I looked at the comments to the Amazon ad. It looks like this is not a dual-sim device, even though it states it is. I am looking at the 1+. Thanks.
Thanks also mlock420 (& a happy day-late 420). I will follow this closely. Must have an unlocked, real dual-sim. Will check the 28th. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the Amazon link is not a dual-SIM one, but there will be dual-SIM S8+'s released in certain markets on the 28th.
---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------
cantenna said:
Yea, youll want that, youll also want to custom rom your phone too which will only be availble with the exynos varient. Its not enough to get an unlocked sim these days, for maximum compatibility between countries/networks you'll also need an unlocked bootloader, so dont get snapdragon usa model! Get international exynos!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not debating the custom ROM part being better (although I hold slightly differing views from you on that point), but why would you state that you need a custom ROM for maximum compatibilities between countries/networks?
rajeshr said:
Yeah, the Amazon link is not a dual-SIM one, but there will be dual-SIM S8+'s released in certain markets on the 28th.
---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------
I'm not debating the custom ROM part being better (although I hold slightly differing views from you on that point), but why would you state that you need a custom ROM for maximum compatibilities between countries/networks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, for maximum compatibility you need to be able to quickly flash the carriers csc with twrp, see xda S7 sub forum/superman rom for s7 for more info
cantenna said:
Sure, for maximum compatibility you need to be able to quickly flash the carriers csc with twrp, see xda S7 sub forum/superman rom for s7 for more info
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't an unlocked device have access to the requisite/correct CSC files for each individual region\carrier?
rajeshr said:
Wouldn't an unlocked device have access to the requisite/correct CSC files for each individual region\carrier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will still work without, it just may not work as well.
Google xda galaxy s7 csc selector superman rom for more info.
Hi All,
It's been a long while since I have posted something, but I have been using and reading up on XDA with much gratitude since I joined in 2010. The community represented here is just awesome in every way, and I would like you all to know that. I wanted to ask you guys for advice on the following matter:
I currently own a galaxy note 5 in the Netherlands, which I have purchased in Dubai. I decided on the dual sim model, since I find the dual sim capability for my work and private sim very important. The phone has done me well in the last 18 months (worked without any trouble in NL, and is rooted), but now I think it's time to replace it. My new phone of choice would be the Galaxy S8 plus, preferably the 6GB model. Of course this would also need to be the dual sim version, otherwise I could just buy the normal version here in the Netherlands. I have some friends living over in Hong Kong, which would allow me to buy the phone there.
Now for the hard part. Not only does the phone need to be dual sim, it also needs to support all dutch bands (including volte if possible) and it must be able to be rooted (adblock on its own is enough reason to justify that, let alone all other possibilities). I am used to flashing kernels and roms on my phones, as per the consice instructions found on this forum.
The phone that meets my criteria seems to be the SM-G9550 (6GB) that can be bought in Hong Kong. Would you guys please advise me on whether you think that would function here in the Netherlands and whether I can root it? And if not, what would you advise me to do given the above?
Thanks a ton in advance
@kimi4life
The G9550 is the Chinese/HK variant of the GS8+, and while it does support LTE Bands 3, 7 and 20 (those used by Vodafone NL), the combination of bands, known as Carrier Aggregation (or 4G+), may or may not work. Moreover, VoLTE and WiFi calling (if applicable) will NOT work with this variant.
The reason behind this, is the CSC. Since the G9550 is only sold in China and Hong Kong, it does not have a Netherlands CSC (Carrier Specific Customization), so you'll have all Chinese and possibly even carrier bloatware for China.
There is a way to get a G955FD CSC (EU variant) on your G9550 (CN/HK variant) phone by rooting it and flashing a custom ROM and CSC switcher, you can check Nicholaschum's thread in the Discussion section on how to do that. Do keep in mind that doing all that voids KNOX and there is no way to reset the KNOX counter.
However, the Chinese variant has no custom ROMs, and you'd be better off with the Exynos G955FD variant.
I wouldn't recommend going through all the trouble though, the 64GB/4GB S8+ is pretty good on its own. If you pick up a G955FD, and pop in a Netherlands SIM card, it'll automatically switch to the right CSC based on your country and what carrier you're on. This variant can be rooted, has a few decent stock based custom ROMs, and gets software updates more often than the Chinese variant. You will also have no issues about LTE band compatibility since the 955FD fully supports all networks in Netherlands.
murtaza02 said:
@kimi4life
The G9550 is the Chinese/HK variant of the GS8+, and while it does support LTE Bands 3, 7 and 20 (those used by Vodafone NL), the combination of bands, known as Carrier Aggregation (or 4G+), may or may not work. Moreover, VoLTE and WiFi calling (if applicable) will NOT work with this variant.
The reason behind this, is the CSC. Since the G9550 is only sold in China and Hong Kong, it does not have a Netherlands CSC (Carrier Specific Customization), so you'll have all Chinese and possibly even carrier bloatware for China.
There is a way to get a G955FD CSC (EU variant) on your G9550 (CN/HK variant) phone by rooting it and flashing a custom ROM and CSC switcher, you can check Nicholaschum's thread in the Discussion section on how to do that. Do keep in mind that doing all that voids KNOX and there is no way to reset the KNOX counter.
However, the Chinese variant has no custom ROMs, and you'd be better off with the Exynos G955FD variant.
I wouldn't recommend going through all the trouble though, the 64GB/4GB S8+ is pretty good on its own. If you pick up a G955FD, and pop in a Netherlands SIM card, it'll automatically switch to the right CSC based on your country and what carrier you're on. This variant can be rooted, has a few decent stock based custom ROMs, and gets software updates more often than the Chinese variant. You will also have no issues about LTE band compatibility since the 955FD fully supports all networks in Netherlands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a ton for the clear explanation! It would seem the G955FD would be the best choice then. I'm not sure if these are also sold in HK, i'll just check online if they are. Small bummer on the storage space, since I've heard it is not expendable when using the second sim. Then again, if I go abroad I might as well switch out one of the sims and place an SD card.
kimi4life said:
Thanks a ton for the clear explanation! It would seem the G955FD would be the best choice then. I'm not sure if these are also sold in HK, i'll just check online if they are. Small bummer on the storage space, since I've heard it is not expendable when using the second sim. Then again, if I go abroad I might as well switch out one of the sims and place an SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
955FDs aren't available in HK, but the dual SIM S8+ has been launched in the UK and is available in Dubai as well.
In fact, I bought my 955FD in Dubai as well.
murtaza02 said:
955FDs aren't available in HK, but the dual SIM S8+ has been launched in the UK and is available in Dubai as well.
In fact, I bought my 955FD in Dubai as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has just launched in the Netherlands I heard. Ordered it at the Samsung shop just now - looking forward to it!
kimi4life said:
It has just launched in the Netherlands I heard. Ordered it at the Samsung shop just now - looking forward to it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, congratulations!
You'll really enjoy it.
murtaza02 said:
Well, congratulations!
You'll really enjoy it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks again for the advice! I'll get back to you on the best way to root when I received it
my friend is brining me over a G9550 from HK over the weekend. o2 in the UK have not cleared the s8/s8+ for wifi calling and volte yet, but when they do, where is the link to root and install custom rom and csc on it so i can hopefully get it to work with these services?
im getting the phone for free, so i can't complain with free!
mikey_sk said:
my friend is brining me over a G9550 from HK over the weekend. o2 in the UK have not cleared the s8/s8+ for wifi calling and volte yet, but when they do, where is the link to root and install custom rom and csc on it so i can hopefully get it to work with these services?
im getting the phone for free, so i can't complain with free!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check Nicholaschum's thread in the S8+ Forums for the Korean variant.
murtaza02 said:
Check Nicholaschum's thread in the S8+ Forums for the Korean variant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will the korean exynos firmware or custom rom built for that device even work for the snapdragon G9550?!
No need to root for adblocker, you can get adblocker through "Adhell" or "Disconnect for samsung browser" in play store. I don't think rooting is worth it on such a new device with many functions out of the box. Substratum also got samsung support without root.
mikey_sk said:
will the korean exynos firmware or custom rom built for that device even work for the snapdragon G9550?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it won't.
I have a G9550 (6GB/128GB) from Hong Kong and can confirm Vodafone 4G does not work on it, only 3G
nugget123 said:
I have a G9550 (6GB/128GB) from Hong Kong and can confirm Vodafone 4G does not work on it, only 3G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd considering it supports the necessary bands.
Have you set it to LTE mode?
murtaza02 said:
That's odd considering it supports the necessary bands.
Have you set it to LTE mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it would support it straight out the box too but it only connects to 3G:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fsz6fqvop0ke7z3/2017-07-03 08.50.30.png?dl=0
nugget123 said:
I thought it would support it straight out the box too but it only connects to 3G:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fsz6fqvop0ke7z3/2017-07-03 08.50.30.png?dl=0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure you have the APNs right?
Dial *#2683662# and tell me if a Service Mode menu pops up.
Erm I did get some OTA configurations when I put my Vodafone sim card in but I didn't accept them settings as it was browser changes and I didn't think they affected my data connection, could they be it?
It said:
service mode
menu not exist
press back to continue
current command is 1000
Edited to add:
I just looked in my access point list in settings and it does come up with Vodafones access point settings
Edited again to add:
I spoke to Vodafone who checked my APN settings and assured me they were correct
Edited again again to add:
Added the APN settings manually, restarted my phone and now it works with 4G ?
nugget123 said:
I have a G9550 (6GB/128GB) from Hong Kong and can confirm Vodafone 4G does not work on it, only 3G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i put a vodafone uk sim in it and and it works perfectly on 4G
both slots gve me 4g, o2 in slot 1 and voda in slot 2
only thing i dont get anymore is 4G+ - any help on this?
mikey_sk said:
i put a vodafone uk sim in it and and it works perfectly on 4G
both slots gve me 4g, o2 in slot 1 and voda in slot 2
only thing i dont get anymore is 4G+ - any help on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because the Chinese variants don't support carrier aggregation on the same bands used by networks in the UK.
I have 4g+ in china and Hong Kong but not here on voda uk
I've just bought a galaxy s8 plus on gumtree and just realised it's an American unlocked version. I wanted to flash EE firmware to enable Wi-Fi calling but I'm not sure if it's still possible using Odin as the uk phones have different chipsets.
Can anyone confirm either way?
Thanks in advance.
sjred_uk said:
I've just bought a galaxy s8 plus on gumtree and just realised it's an American unlocked version. I wanted to flash EE firmware to enable Wi-Fi calling but I'm not sure if it's still possible using Odin as the uk phones have different chipsets.
Can anyone confirm either way?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Snapdragon variant phones don't support the band's here in the UK so I don't think it will work. Vice versa an exynos variant won't work in the US
sofir786 said:
Snapdragon variant phones don't support the band's here in the UK so I don't think it will work. Vice versa an exynos variant won't work in the US
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was afraid that would be the case.
Thanks for letting me know.
sofir786 said:
Snapdragon variant phones don't support the band's here in the UK so I don't think it will work. Vice versa an exynos variant won't work in the US
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone does work ok here in the UK along with 4g. I don't expect to get. As good coverage though. Are you sure it wouldn't work?
sjred_uk said:
I've just bought a galaxy s8 plus on gumtree and just realised it's an American unlocked version. I wanted to flash EE firmware to enable Wi-Fi calling but I'm not sure if it's still possible using Odin as the uk phones have different chipsets.
Can anyone confirm either way?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
flash exynos rom on snapdragon , great idea if you want a brick. No joke, it won't work for sure. and if you flash the Exynos firmware with odin , including bootloader , it would be an hard brick, won't turn on , no more recovery or download mode, just completely bricked. So just no. and wifi calling is nothing to do with the phone but with your carrier and or your current subscription. if your carrier doesn't support wifi calling you won't have that option, so other firmware or even force to show that option changes nothing as you would have the same carrier .
and of course a csc (firmware depend of the country) works only with the right SIM card , I mean samsung block the phone if you use an American SIM card on a European phone. European phone works only with European SIM card and European carrier
sjred_uk said:
The phone does work ok here in the UK along with 4g. I don't expect to get. As good coverage though. Are you sure it wouldn't work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying to flash an EE UK firmware that's designed for exynos variant will fail, the 2 aren't compatible, so whatever you have with it you are u unfortunately stuck with
sofir786 said:
Trying to flash an EE UK firmware that's designed for exynos variant will fail, the 2 aren't compatible, so whatever you have with it you are u unfortunately stuck with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK thanks very much for your help.
Regards
Simon
sjred_uk said:
OK thanks very much for your help.
Regards
Simon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of curiosity, what sim is in there atm?
sofir786 said:
Out of curiosity, what sim is in there atm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an unlocked phone no sim card with it. It says unlocked on the box. The model number is smg955u1
sjred_uk said:
It's an unlocked phone no sim card with it. It says unlocked on the box. The model number is smg955u1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I just realised what you meant.
It's got my EE SIM in it.
sjred_uk said:
Sorry I just realised what you meant.
It's got my EE SIM in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah okay cool, Have you checked if it's ever been rooted at all at any point?
sofir786 said:
Snapdragon variant phones don't support the band's here in the UK so I don't think it will work. Vice versa an exynos variant won't work in the US
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude what?
http://m.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=United+Kingdom
https://www.frequencycheck.com/mode...-sm-g950u1-sm-g950w-samsung-dream#frequencies
Supports all 3 lte bands used by the UK, 800 1800 and 2600.
Supports all 3 GSM bands used by the UK.
Supports all 3 utsm bands used by the UK.
So in other words you were 100% incorrect
All of the high end phones have been quad band in the us for years.
I really hope this guy didn't just blindly listen to you and dump his phone for cheap.
---------- Post added at 04:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:51 AM ----------
sjred_uk said:
I've just bought a galaxy s8 plus on gumtree and just realised it's an American unlocked version. I wanted to flash EE firmware to enable Wi-Fi calling but I'm not sure if it's still possible using Odin as the uk phones have different chipsets.
Can anyone confirm either way?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other person could not be more incorrect your phone works fine in the UK, along with every other high end us phone for the last like 10 years
I hope you still have it and didn't dump it for cheap because someone decided to open their big mouth without actually checking that their gut reaction has any basis in reality.
I don't know if there is full CSC support for the UK carriers, but all u1 phones are direct from Samsung and sim unlocked at the factory so you will be able to pop any uk sim in there and be able to use data/sms/voice etc no problem. What provider do you use? I can check my /system/omc directory and see if it's preinstalled by the standard is CSC package.
It's also quite likely that if not you can install the local CSC package that comes with exynos phones on yours. Not only are the other posters 100% wrong about the SD/exynos phones habing incompatible operating systems*, but even if there was a shred of truth to it the CSC package is mostly config files and images and whatnot anyway, so there little execution going on
*It has nothing to do with exynos or snapdragon they are both arm64 lol. If anything it's because Samsung kneecapped them to make sure it wasn't possible for licensing/snapdragon bootloader security or some other stupid thing.
wildermjs8 said:
Dude what?
http://m.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=United+Kingdom
https://www.frequencycheck.com/mode...-sm-g950u1-sm-g950w-samsung-dream#frequencies
Supports all 3 lte bands used by the UK, 800 1800 and 2600.
Supports all 3 GSM bands used by the UK.
Supports all 3 utsm bands used by the UK.
So in other words you were 100% incorrect
All of the high end phones have been quad band in the us for years.
I really hope this guy didn't just blindly listen to you and dump his phone for cheap.
---------- Post added at 04:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:51 AM ----------
The other person could not be more incorrect your phone works fine in the UK, along with every other high end us phone for the last like 10 years
I hope you still have it and didn't dump it for cheap because someone decided to open their big mouth without actually checking that their gut reaction has any basis in reality.
I don't know if there is full CSC support for the UK carriers, but all u1 phones are direct from Samsung and sim unlocked at the factory so you will be able to pop any uk sim in there and be able to use data/sms/voice etc no problem. What provider do you use? I can check my /system/omc directory and see if it's preinstalled by the standard is CSC package.
It's also quite likely that if not you can install the local CSC package that comes with exynos phones on yours. Not only are the other posters 100% wrong about the SD/exynos phones habing incompatible operating systems*, but even if there was a shred of truth to it the CSC package is mostly config files and images and whatnot anyway, so there little execution going on
*It has nothing to do with exynos or snapdragon they are both arm64 lol. If anything it's because Samsung kneecapped them to make sure it wasn't possible for licensing/snapdragon bootloader security or some other stupid thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a long and in depth reply.
I did reply to the guys post earlier stating that it the phone works absolutely fine on 4g LTE. I just thought he misunderstood me. Or vise versa. I've not dumped the phone because it works fine. Even if I can't get WiFi calling sorted I will still be keeping it. As long as I can still get updates ota I will be happy..
I bought a note 5 a few months ago not realising it was an AT and T model. That was a pain because it was stuck on lollipop and wouldn't accept any ota updates without an AT AND T sim card.
So I was just a bit wary of that happening again. But with this phone being unlocked I'm sure updates will be just the same as UK phones. (hopefully).
Just for the record my phone is running on E.E. carrier.
I've not checked if it's ever been rooted before.
How would I check?
Would a root checker app do this?
Thanks again
Simon.
sofir786 said:
Ah okay cool, Have you checked if it's ever been rooted at all at any point?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
The phone is not rooted now but I'm not sure how to check if the phone has been rooted before in the past.
Thanks
sjred_uk said:
Hi
The phone is not rooted now but I'm not sure how to check if the phone has been rooted before in the past.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no way to tell if the phone has been system rooted which is all that you can do to the us s8
sjred_uk said:
I've just bought a galaxy s8 plus on gumtree and just realised it's an American unlocked version. I wanted to flash EE firmware to enable Wi-Fi calling but I'm not sure if it's still possible using Odin as the uk phones have different chipsets.
Can anyone confirm either way?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my Galaxy S8 from New York, after a while I realized that my phone is US unlocked version, now I live in UK and I don't get any updates for my phone at all since last year, I tried to flash it but it didn't work.
Hey Guys,
What would you recommend as the best model of the Note 20 Ultra to get? I have access to purchase the US unlocked, the International unlocked or the Korean Unlocked variant. I was concerned about using SamsungPay, yet I think I will let that ship sail. I am more concerned about overall performance and value. I will not be rooting. I use to for years on here, yet have not done so for the last 4 Note models. Just can't decided which would be the best one to purchase. Yet I need to get my pre-order in soon. I currently live in Japan. What are you thoughts?
cezeff said:
Hey Guys,
What would you recommend as the best model of the Note 20 Ultra to get? I have access to purchase the US unlocked, the International unlocked or the Korean Unlocked variant. I was concerned about using SamsungPay, yet I think I will let that ship sail. I am more concerned about overall performance and value. I will not be rooting. I use to for years on here, yet have not done so for the last 4 Note models. Just can't decided which would be the best one to purchase. Yet I need to get my pre-order in soon. I currently live in Japan. What are you thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my recommendation would be to get the version which has all the required bands to work well in Japan.
That said i would not get the international one though because it has the crappy exynos 990 in it.
both US and Korean variants have the snapdragon 865+. i known rooting doesnt matter but just for information the US and Canadian models cannot be rooted due to the locked bootloader
force70 said:
my recommendation would be to get the version which has all the required bands to work well in Japan.
That said i would not get the international one though because it has the crappy exynos 990 in it.
both US and Korean variants have the snapdragon 865+. i known rooting doesnt matter but just for information the US and Canadian models cannot be rooted due to the locked bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply. Both the Korean and the US variant would work the same for LTE here... I'm going with the Korean version as it has twice the storage for the same price.... If for some crazy reason I do root it later, it looks like it would be doable with the Korean model in flashing a generic worldwide wide rom(?).. It seems there was pretty healthy development on the snapdragon Korean version of the note 10 plus...I don't think that I will ever push it has enough to fully use the chipset, yet it's a good piece of mind to have when spending so much money, that you got the best performance you can buy.... because any variant isn't 100% completely compatible with all the LTE bands in Japan, I would feel better getting the chipset that has the best energy efficiency as well... I'll be going with mystic white as it give me the greatest flexibility in swapping skins and cases, plus the grey framed camera bump looks better in my opinion
force70 said:
my recommendation would be to get the version which has all the required bands to work well in Japan.
That said i would not get the international one though because it has the crappy exynos 990 in it.
both US and Korean variants have the snapdragon 865+. i known rooting doesnt matter but just for information the US and Canadian models cannot be rooted due to the locked bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am stuck in this too, live in Canada
I need Dual SIM ( not avail for North American version )
I need rooting
I checked but the HK bands dont work for my carriers 5G
So - should I buy a Note 20 Ultra with Exynos? where I am not getting its worth OR go for a Note 10 + instead International but with Exynos for $1200 CAD
inningsdefeat500 said:
I am stuck in this too, live in Canada
I need Dual SIM ( not avail for North American version )
I need rooting
I checked but the HK bands dont work for my carriers 5G
So - should I buy a Note 20 Ultra with Exynos? where I am not getting its worth OR go for a Note 10 + instead International but with Exynos for $1200 CAD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I definitely wouldnt buy exynos this year..the 990 is total crap.
last year the snapdragon was still better but I don't think the performance margin was a big.
what carrier you with?
inningsdefeat500 said:
I am stuck in this too, live in Canada
I need Dual SIM ( not avail for North American version )
I need rooting
I checked but the HK bands dont work for my carriers 5G
So - should I buy a Note 20 Ultra with Exynos? where I am not getting its worth OR go for a Note 10 + instead International but with Exynos for $1200 CAD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me 5G is nice, yet not super important due to the fact Japan just turned on 5G for commercial use 2 months ago and still have yet to flesh it out properly. NTT Docomo, the largest of the 3 carriers, expects only 2.5 million subscribers by March 2021... In short I'm saying how much access will you have to 5G in your area?... Is it top priority if you are getting great speeds on LTE already?
I went with the HK version over the Korean version for the dual sim capability....
As far as rooting I think both the HK and Korean versions were enjoying some success on the Note 10+ forums... You might want to check how things went with rooting development on those models , with expectations for probably the same level of support
SM-N986N(KR) is being 80$ cheaper than the hong kong version. Should I go for the korean one or hong kong one? Is there any significant difference between the two? Which one usually gets the updates first? Do both of them not support eSim?
HK version as it is dual sim...KR is single sim... No e-sim on HK version., Can't say for the KR, yet it probably won't have e-sim...HK is carrier free, while depending on the version of KR you buy it will have some carrier specific apps installed...Also Samsung Pay has been verified to work in different countries on the HK, while the KR version normally requires a Korean sim for Samsung Pay....Updates just depends, probably KR first but updates from Samsung has been good these days.... As you are be here, there are other threads explaining things extensively, please check those before creating any new threads. I have the HK version and using it in Japan with no problems.
---------- Post added at 06:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...o-hk-cn-sm-n9860-sd-ultra-5g-dualsim-t4144567
This is a very in-depth thread covering the in and out of the HK version.... If you can swing the extra $80, then it's highly advise to go with the HK version... You also need to verify the frequency bands supported by the HK/KR to ensure they provide the proper coverage for you please cellular service.... frequencycheck.com is a good reference site
cezeff said:
HK version as it is dual sim...KR is single sim... No e-sim on HK version., Can't say for the KR, yet it probably won't have e-sim...HK is carrier free, while depending on the version of KR you buy it will have some carrier specific apps installed...Also Samsung Pay has been verified to work in different countries on the HK, while the KR version normally requires a Korean sim for Samsung Pay....Updates just depends, probably KR first but updates from Samsung has been good these days.... As you are be here, there are other threads explaining things extensively, please check those before creating any new threads. I have the HK version and using it in Japan with no problems.
---------- Post added at 06:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...o-hk-cn-sm-n9860-sd-ultra-5g-dualsim-t4144567
This is a very in-depth thread covering the in and out of the HK version.... If you can swing the extra $80, then it's highly advise to go with the HK version... You also need to verify the frequency bands supported by the HK/KR to ensure they provide the proper coverage for you please cellular service.... frequencycheck.com is a good reference site
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Thanks for the suggestion. I'm also gonna use it in japan too. How is the battery and overall experience so far?
erbold said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm also gonna use it in japan too. How is the battery and overall experience so far?
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Absolutely love the phone and the battery life for me had been great.... Depending on your mobile provider you get in Japan, will affect battery somewhat, yet I think carrier aggregation really helps out..I have NTT Docomo and no issues at all when though the phone over covers 3 out of 5 bands... You have to let the battery optimization work for about a week... As time goes along the phone will learn your patterns and you will see more and more improvements to the battery life... People expect stellar out of the box without realizing the smart tech and learning curve the battery has to go through... I'm able to use Samsung Pay with the HK model in Japan using US cards, so that's a very big win... Any other Japan specific questions just let me know and be sure to use that "thanks" button in these forums, it goes a long way
Samsung pay works flawlessly with my N986O (HK version) BUT. I can't add my UK loyalty cards as it is expecting HK retailers and shops, but both credit and debit cards added and worked 100% fine, you'll be registered with Samsung Pay HK
Edit 1: Far as loyalty cards go, adding a card not on the list, i.e manually seems to work fine
Has anyone had the chance to test out the Korean N986N in the UK? What's the experience so far?
I upgraded from the Exynos UK to the HK N9860, but I'm getting disappointed in how slow the firmware updates are. It's still on ATH1, while other devices have gone through ATH3/5/9 and now on ATI2/3/5/6.
The Korean N986N looks like it's been getting updates regularly. I was thinking of returning the N9860 and purchasing the N986N, and flash it with KOO unbranded CSC.
Anyone done a similar thing and can give their experience? 5G working OK (UK)? Does the phone still have bloatware on KOO CSC? Does KOO have Smart Call (Hiya)?
Thanks!
roryh86 said:
The Korean N986N looks like it's been getting updates regularly. I was thinking of returning the N9860 and purchasing the N986N, and flash it with KOO unbranded CSC.
Anyone done a similar thing and can give their experience? 5G working OK (UK)? Does the phone still have bloatware on KOO CSC? Does KOO have Smart Call (Hiya)?
Thanks!
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Same question here. Would the N986N ever be able to flash another region firmware & CSC in the future? Or it would forever be locked to KR? Thanks!
I'm a totally new Samsung user and regretted not being aware and search about this before getting the KR version, just because it seems to be the cheapest of all Snapdragon variants
peterng1618 said:
Same question here. Would the N986N ever be able to flash another region firmware & CSC in the future? Or it would forever be locked to KR? Thanks!
I'm a totally new Samsung user and regretted not being aware and search about this before getting the KR version, just because it seems to be the cheapest of all Snapdragon variants
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Can you take a screenshot of your Software Information page (settings>about phone>software information) so we can see which CSC came with your phone? Did it have any logo when you boot up the phone and any bloatware you can't uninstall? Why are you regretting?
roryh86 said:
Can you take a screenshot of your Software Information page (settings>about phone>software information) so we can see which CSC came with your phone? Did it have any logo when you boot up the phone and any bloatware you can't uninstall? Why are you regretting?
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Here you go,also no logos. The phone here all present as unlocked. Well I mean they are all unlocked. They don't come tied to a carrier, any software you have to download load on your own as far as carrier specific
roryh86 said:
Can you take a screenshot of your Software Information page (settings>about phone>software information) so we can see which CSC came with your phone? Did it have any logo when you boot up the phone and any bloatware you can't uninstall? Why are you regretting?
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It's KTC, KT Telecom. I have Package Disabler Pro and have disabled most of the KT bloatware. But some stuff are deeply integrated into the OS like Korea localization content in apps & menus, Samsung Daily cards, carrier services in Settings and all. I'm hoping to get rid of them.
Also the inability to use Samsung Pay. At first i thought as long as i buy a variant that's not one of the official models for my country. I won't be able to use Samsung Pay. And that is a trade off I'm willing to make when it comes to performance (my country is Exynos). What I didn't know was there areother Snapdragon variants that can be flashed with an unrestricted CSC from my country and work with Samsung Pay.
pcriz said:
Here you go,also no logos. The phone here all present as unlocked. Well I mean they are all unlocked. They don't come tied to a carrier, any software you have to download load on your own as far as carrier specific
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Ah, that's good news. So the KOO CSC is branding free, no Korean settings integration etc. Have you noticed any features missing? Like Smart Call (Spam identification/Hiya)? VoLTE working outside Korea? 5G working OK?
peterng1618 said:
It's KTC, KT Telecom. I have Package Disabler Pro and have disabled most of the KT bloatware. But some stuff are deeply integrated into the OS like Korea localization content in apps & menus, Samsung Daily cards, carrier services in Settings and all. I'm hoping to get rid of them.
Also the inability to use Samsung Pay. At first i thought as long as i buy a variant that's not one of the official models for my country. I won't be able to use Samsung Pay. And that is a trade off I'm willing to make when it comes to performance (my country is Exynos). What I didn't know was there areother Snapdragon variants that can be flashed with an unrestricted CSC from my country and work with Samsung Pay.
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Instead of trying to disable the Korean apps, have you tried changing the CSC to the unbranded KOO variant like the user above? I changed my HK N9860 from TGY to BRI, I'm sure you should be able to do the same and change it from KTC to KOO and it will remove all those apps and Korean settings.
roryh86 said:
Ah, that's good news. So the KOO CSC is branding free, no Korean settings integration etc. Have you noticed any features missing? Like Smart Call (Spam identification/Hiya)? VoLTE working outside Korea? 5G working OK?.
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To clarify I am in Korea with a Korean simcard in my phone. I made no csc modifications.
There is a hiya service but no settings for that or spam calls.
I don't use 5G service but it should be running fine out of the box on any of the carriers here.
As far as volte outside of korea, given the state of the world it might be a bit before I test that.
pcriz said:
To clarify I am in Korea with a Korean simcard in my phone. I made no csc modifications.
There is a hiya service but no settings for that or spam calls.
I don't use 5G service but it should be running fine out of the box on any of the carriers here.
As far as volte outside of korea, given the state of the world it might be a bit before I test that.
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Oh okay.
So when you go to your Phone app, and go to settings, you don't see an option called "Caller ID and spam protection"?
You should also see at the bottom of the Phone app, next to contacts on the right there should be "Places"
roryh86 said:
Oh okay.
So when you go to your Phone app, and go to settings, you don't see an option called "Caller ID and spam protection"?
You should also see at the bottom of the Phone app, next to contacts on the right there should be "Places"
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No I just have a call recording option there.
pcriz said:
No I just have a call recording option there.
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Damn...