I have a Sprint-branded S7. It's unlocked. I want to switch to T-Mobile.
Sprint changed its S7 bootloader to v5 in November 2017. All other carriers, including T-Mobile, are on bootloader v4 or earlier.
The problem: You can't flash to an older-version bootloader. You'll just get an error. The phone has efuses that prevent it.
Are there any workarounds?
Specifically, I want to switch this S7 from Sprint's G930PVPS5BRA1 to T-Mobile's G930TUVS4BRA1 (bootloader version emphasized).
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
Beanvee7 said:
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
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Click to collapse
Unlocked is also on bootloader v4: https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-s7/SM-G930U/. That is why I suspect this v5 bootloader is a trick by Sprint to frustrate switching.
Booloaders are all locked on US S7s you can not switch Stock ROMs
You could SIM unlock and use a T-Mobile SIM though (paid)
Or sell that phone and buy a tmobile one
*Detection* said:
Booloaders are all locked on US S7s you can not switch Stock ROMs
You could SIM unlock and use a T-Mobile SIM though (paid)
Or sell that phone and buy a tmobile one
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This phone has the domestic unlock by Sprint, so I can switch stock ROMs. I did exactly that last summer when Sprint and T-Mobile's ROMs both had v4 bootloaders.
Because it is unlocked, you are right that I can also put in a T-Mobile SIM while it has the Sprint ROM. However, it will not see all T-Mobile bands until I put T-Mobile firmware on it. I noticed that last summer, and there are other anecdotal reports of this on the internetzors.
novasource said:
This phone has the domestic unlock by Sprint, so I can switch stock ROMs. I did exactly that last summer when Sprint and T-Mobile's ROMs both had v4 bootloaders.
Because it is unlocked, you are right that I can also put in a T-Mobile SIM while it has the Sprint ROM. However, it will not see all T-Mobile bands until I put T-Mobile firmware on it. I noticed that last summer, and there are other anecdotal reports of this on the internetzors.
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Pretty certain that all bootloaders on the US model S7s are locked meaning you cannot switch stock ROMs, other than Verizon to the G930U, maybe others to that U firmware, but I don't own the snapdragon variant so just going on what I've read here on XDA
All Snapdragon US S7s are bootloader locked, meaning no custom anything
As for certain bootloaders of each stock ROM I don't know
But I do know SIM unlock and bootloader unlock are two completely different things, switching from one carrier ROM to another does not unlock the SIM to that carrier
*Detection* said:
Pretty certain that all bootloaders on the US model S7s are locked...
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They are locked against unauthorized/custom software, but there is nothing that stops you from putting authorized software on them. As all US variants are hardware-identical, all carrier ROMs are by definition authorized on any.
novasource said:
They are locked against unauthorized/custom software, but there is nothing that stops you from putting authorized software on them. As all US variants are hardware-identical, all carrier ROMs are by definition authorized on any.
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I see, but what would be the point of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile stock ROM?
Surely just different OEM bloat?
*Detection* said:
I see, but what would be the point of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile stock ROM?
Surely just different OEM bloat?
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While the hardware supports all bands, the ROMs do not have all bands enabled. From personal experience last summer, if you have the Sprint ROM on the phone, your phone will not see all T-Mobile bands. There are plenty of anecdotal reports of this on the internet.
novasource said:
While the hardware supports all bands, the ROMs do not have all bands enabled. From personal experience last summer, if you have the Sprint ROM on the phone, your phone will not see all T-Mobile bands. There are plenty of anecdotal reports of this on the internet.
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I was under the impression that only SIM unlocking would solve that?
So you are saying that by managing to flash from Sprint to T-Mobile, a Sprint S7 is now able to use the T-Mobile network without a SIM unlock ?
*Detection* said:
I was under the impression that only SIM unlocking would solve that?
So you are saying that by managing to flash from Sprint to T-Mobile, a Sprint S7 is now able to use the T-Mobile network without a SIM unlock ?
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SIM unlocking only appears to permit you to put your phone on another network. It does not appear to enable all your phone's bands. To enable another network's bands, you appear to have to switch ROMs. If there's another way of doing that, I'm interested!
novasource said:
SIM unlocking only appears to permit you to put your phone on another network. It does not appear to enable all your phone's bands. To enable another network's bands, you appear to have to switch ROMs. If there's another way of doing that, I'm interested!
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My guess is you would first need to perform the actual SIM unlock, and then move over to the preferred network ROM to have 100% of their bands and abilities
If your phone was originally on Sprint, and you managed to flash to T-Mobile, my guess is that your T-Mobile SIM would still not work until you SIM unlocked
CSC change is what determines which features work and don't, for example on o2 CSC I can get WiFi calling, but with XEU (also UK ROM) I cannot, even though my carrier is o2, basically I bought the phone on XEU but unless I switch manually over to O2 CSC I cannot use that feature
*Detection* said:
My guess is you would first need to perform the actual SIM unlock, and then move over to the preferred network ROM to have 100% of their bands and abilities
If your phone was originally on Sprint, and you managed to flash to T-Mobile, my guess is that your T-Mobile SIM would still not work until you SIM unlocked
CSC change is what determines which features work and don't, for example on o2 CSC I can get WiFi calling, but with XEU (also UK ROM) I cannot, even though my carrier is o2, basically I bought the phone on XEU but unless I switch manually over to O2 CSC I cannot use that feature
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Yes. Another way of putting this is that SIM unlock and band unlock are different. Sprint can unlock the SIM and let me put other carriers' SIMs in my phone. However, that doesn't unlock all the bands. That is only doable by flashing that carrier's ROM. Due to Sprint's curious choice to upgrade its bootloader, I am locked out of doing that.
I have previously been in a state where my CP was from a different-version SM-G930U ROM, while the rest was from an SM-G930P ROM, and I got repeated "Security notice" warnings from the Samsung software.
HELP
Beanvee7 said:
No work arounds I've ever seen, US snapdragon models are all bootloader locked which prevents you doing any major modifications at a firmware level.
You'll either have to wait for a v5 of the firmware you want, or try the carrier unlocked G930U v5 firmware which might work better with T-Mobile.
I believe this is also the same for the unlocked bootloader on Exynos models, but only if you get the newest drag firmware version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am somewhat experienced in this but not enough to be sure. I have sm-g30U factory unlocked by sam and got oreo update and hate. How may I check my versions or rather where might I find the proper software to downgrade to nougat . I dont understand why people keep saying "930U sprint, or vzw" . When its unlocked its not any carrier only the carrier you happen to use as its a dual sim right ? though today im with vzw i may not be tomorrow. Anyway can i flash backwards , I saw a few videos where it was done on sammobile and if not I would love to get any info in rooting it to help my battery not liking the oreo so i can help at least with bloatware. any help would be appreciated
nocamp said:
I dont understand why people keep saying "930U sprint, or vzw"d
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There's two types of unlock.
* Bootloader unlock, which allows you to modifies the phones boot partition. It's required for custom ROM's and recovery.
* Carrier unlock, which is just whether your phone allows any SIM or only a specific carrier.
The G930U is carrier unlocked, you can use any SIM, but it's still bootloader locked like every other US model S7, which means no boot modifications.
As a result you can't rollback the G930U because of the locked bootloader, and you can root it but only but using an engineering bootloader which comes with many side affects.
Does only the number matter or does also the letter? For example, say Im deciding between U5 and S5, how would the efuse work?
DeeXii said:
Does only the number matter or does also the letter? For example, say Im deciding between U5 and S5, how would the efuse work?
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Yes just the number , cell carriers tend to use the letter S while Samsung unbranded tend to use the letter U. But the number tells you the version boot loader .
So I have one plus 7 pro with the international firmware installed but I have been having trouble getting the device unlocked the T-Mobile app does not work it keeps saying I am unlocked but when I reboot with a non T-Mobile SIM the phone tells me that it's locked yes I have paid off my phone and have had $100 on my account it's been cleared with T-Mobile
Have you had the phone activated with an active SIM inside of it for 40+ days?
Guavamypickle said:
Have you had the phone activated with an active SIM inside of it for 40+ days?
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Yes, that's what T-Mobile states you need to fulfill in order unlock your device.
If you're not the original owner, they WILL NOT unlock it.
you need to be on t-mobile firmware
Flash back to the T-Mobile firmware with MSM Download Tool, then unlock with the app. Then flash to the international firmware again with MSM Download tool then you'll be able to fastboot oem unlock without issues.
Hi, I have a problem with my note 20 ultra and I would like to know precise info because is very important. I live in Italy, and I buy a note 20 ultra sm-n986u in the USA to get the snapdragon variant, which is much better of the version selled here in Europe. The phone was At&t locked, but the seller give me a code to unlock it to insert my italian sim. All is working well, except the fact that the phone never recieve updates due to the fact that I'm not in the USA. So I need to flash a new firmware with odin. So this is the problem:
1) Should I flash an n986u firmware (with At&t bloatware)? In this case I will lose my unlock code?
2) Can I flash a n986u1 firmware to de-brand the phone from At&t? In this case I will lose my unlock code?
3) If I lose my unlock code, will the same code work again?
I searched in theese forum an answer, but no one can give me a precise information, only hypothesis. I think it is a very difficoult argument, but it's very important to me. Can someone help me? Thanks.
Flash it with U1 firmware and it will do auto update. you won't lose the unlock.
randy_c said:
Flash it with U1 firmware and it will do auto update. you won't lose the unlock.
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Are you 100% sure about that? I will remove At&t limitations and bloatware and keep my unlock code (no need to reinsert it)?
Lol I have att unlock phone for the last several years and did it all the time
randy_c said:
Lol I have att unlock phone for the last several years and did it all the time
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So basically unlocked phones are brand phones (att, spring, verizon ecc) in which someone already insert the code? And it stays forever?
FedeAle said:
So basically unlocked phones are brand phones (att, spring, verizon ecc) in which someone already insert the code? And it stays forever?
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Yes at&t phone
randy_c said:
Yes at&t phone
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Click to collapse
Ok thanks! Then I will flash U1 firmware if I it keep unlocked. Tell me, does in USA companies uses 4g+? My note stays only on "4G LTE", while my old phone used to stay with "4g+" network.
Seems I can get a great deal on a US unlocked Note20, but for my use case I want to dual sim it with a physical Verizon Sim and a T-Mobile e-Sim.
Can I do this with the unlocked phone, or is there a way to flash the firmware to the T-Mobile ROM to be able to do this? Do I lose anything by buying a U1 generic unlocked version?
jrapps said:
Seems I can get a great deal on a US unlocked Note20, but for my use case I want to dual sim it with a physical Verizon Sim and a T-Mobile e-Sim.
Can I do this with the unlocked phone, or is there a way to flash the firmware to the T-Mobile ROM to be able to do this? Do I lose anything by buying a U1 generic unlocked version?
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I am using the same setup with a U1 device. Flash TMobile firmware, instructions are in one of the threads here.
I have question if I flash T-Mobile firmware, what bloatware comes with it. Secondly both sims can be non-T-Mobile or eSim can be only T-Mobile and nano sim from other carrier?
Both sims can be non TMobile.
the website says i am ineligible.
if it is straight-up impossible, what model of 5G ace do we know for a fact IS unlockable?
i intend to use with T-Mobile in the US.
Not AT&T, not Verizon. Not a used phone with a relocked bootloader.
RETIEF said:
Not AT&T, not Verizon. Not a used phone with a relocked bootloader.
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i beleive it is the ATT varient of the phone, but i am using a TMO sim card with it and it works just fine. no carrier lock here.
mathew2214 said:
i beleive it is the ATT varient of the phone, but i am using a TMO sim card with it and it works just fine. no carrier lock here.
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You cannot unlock the bootloader on the AT&T variant.
RETIEF said:
You cannot unlock the bootloader on the AT&T variant.
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is there a list of varients and model numbers we know for certain CAN be unlcoked?
I have read of a large number
I have RETUS. It is unlocked. This I know for certain. I can only know for certain what I have experienced.