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Which Galaxy S7 to get for AT&T if bought outright and want to avoid bloat?

Quick background story, I've been using an HTC phone since the M7, and owned all the M Flagships and currently using an AT&T Branded M9. My wife is currently using a AT&T branded Galaxy S5. I really liked how open my HTC phones are, and all 3 of them had been able to be Fully SIM Unlocked, S-OFF, and can run any compatible ROM. The AT&T Branded GS5 of course only can use AT&T Software and its been a pain waiting on AT&T for patches and updates.
We're planning to replace them both with new Galaxy S7s and since we're planning to buy them outright, my question is which one should we buy? From I read it looks like all units have the same hardware, but the TMO variants seems to at least have the bootloader unlocked and should be SIM Unlocked if I bought it outright.
Our basic requirements.
- Sim unlocked(able)
- Bootloader Unlocked(able)
- Able to use Android Pay/Samsung Pay in the USA
- Rooting is nice but not required, and as long as it don't break A.Pay/S.Pay
- Able to work on AT&T with little or no issue (not missing any LTE Bands, etc)
- Open to get the Exynos model if can still support A.Pay/S.Pay in USA and elsewhere.
- Able to flash debloated or custom ROMs if needed
Its been awhile since i did any work on any Samsung Phones, so I don't know if its just as easy to flash ROMs and Recoveries like my HTCs
Thanks for any feedback on the matter.

You want the tmo version.

peachpuff said:
You want the tmo version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It figures as much. How easy or difficult is it to flash non-carrier rom? I know people are just started getting their S7s, did the s6 have any issues with flashing a clean rom and keeping all A.Pay and S.Pay?

There's no development currently on these phones since the sources haven't dropped yet since the phone hasn't technically launched, after mar 11 samsung will release some sources.
If you're looking to remove bloat on non-rooted phones your only options is this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ospolice.packagedisablerpro&hl=en with a rooted rom android/samsung pay wont work.

Last year with the S6 I know for sure the international versions worked just fine with AT&T's LTE network. But last year all models used the same modem (Shanon 333), but this year the international version and the U.S. version are different and both have integrated modem and that throws in an uncertainty. I see no reason why the International versions worked last year with Samsung's modem but not this year, but until someone reports with first-hand experience I would not pull the trigger on the international version (Exynos).
I used SM-G920I (S6) and SM-G928G (S6 Edge+) and both worked flawlessly on AT&T's network.

lopri said:
Last year with the S6 I know for sure the international versions worked just fine with AT&T's LTE network. But last year all models used the same modem (Shanon 333), but this year the international version and the U.S. version are different and both have integrated modem and that throws in an uncertainty. I see no reason why the International versions worked last year with Samsung's modem but not this year, but until someone reports with first-hand experience I would not pull the trigger on the international version (Exynos).
I used SM-G920I (S6) and SM-G928G (S6 Edge+) and both worked flawlessly on AT&T's network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you able to use Android pay or Samsung pay on those International models? Thanks

Goofytek said:
Are you able to use Android pay or Samsung pay on those International models? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Edit: Oh, wait. Android Pay = Yes, Samsung Pay = No.

lopri said:
No.
Edit: Oh, wait. Android Pay = Yes, Samsung Pay = No.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, still missing out on Samsung Pay eh, I wonder if there would be a non-carrier version of the phone we can get in the states with full support of all avaliable features and services. :fingers-crossed:

I'd like to bump this old thread for updates now that the S7 has been around for some time. I'm looking to get an S7, and it looks like the G930U variant might be the one to get now- is that right? I have the same requirements as the original poster, but I'll list them anyway:
-Able to work on AT&T with no issue (I read somewhere that some aspects of AT&T LTE are not supported? What impact does this have?)
-root is required (is it true that rooting prevents being able to encrypt the phone?)
-no bloat or bloat is removable (seems this is the main benefit of G930U?)
-SD card slot (seems like all US models have the SD card slot?)
Are there different versions of the G930U? Is this, for example, the right one: http://a.co/6QgYIxA ?
Thanks

U.S. Unlocked vs International Unlocked phone

Hello
I'm looking at replacing my S4 with an S7. My carrier in the US is AT&T and that won't be changing. I've been looking at different unlocked versions and can't find a solid representation of what the real world differences are. I know they have different processors. Some say a band is missing, but does that matter. I don't use android or samsung pay, but i know there is a difference here too. I found one comment about some kind of samsung 'coverage' plan, but what is that?
Best Buy has US unlocked phones for about $700. B&H Photo has an International phone for about $640. Its a lot of money either way. Is one phone really better or different than that other?
I am planning a trip through Canada and maybe to Europe. I assume either would take a SIM from those areas and I could avoid getting raped by international fees.
Here is a summary of question I can think of:
Does the US unlocked phone from BestBuy have a warranty or insurance or anything like that?
Can the US phone be rooted. I only do this to remove apps I don't use.
Is the hardware one vs the other really better or just different?
Does a dual SIM do anything useful?
Does a band being missing make a real world difference?
Is there a good comparison somewhere to that can decide on a phone to purchase?

It comes with a limited warranty as stated on their site:
"This device is not warrantied through the manufacturer. This device has a limited 1 year warranty provided by CCR Warranty. To obtain technical or warranty assistance, please contact CCR Warranty at 866-579-8436."
What I don't know is how useful/limited that warranty is. I'd like the HTC 10 but the unlocked S7 is my runner up, and the warranty issue is one of the major factors in my hesitation.
I do believe it can be rooted.
As far as I know, through research, the only major difference between the two is battery life.

Hello, I'll just go straight to the answers.
1. I'm going to assume that if you go through a carrier (att, t-mobile etc etc.) they will offer an insurance plan. You will have to go to third party insurance for the international version
2. As far I know, the US version does not have a root option yet. Because of the locked bootloader.
3. Hardware will depend on which version you choose. Both are very good.
4. Dual sim is as the name implies, you'll be able to use 2 separate sim cards with their respective #s. that's the only benefit really.
5. Missing radio bands is something you may have to do some research on depending your location.
6. I'm sure YouTube or some online site will have some reviews/comparison of both.

I just looked at the best buy website again and something is different. The S7 listed for $690 is definitely the international version and not the US version. When I looked last month I was positive that the phone was listed as a US phone ... huh

A little late
a little late to the thread but just wanted to share what I learned while researching the matter.
There is an US unlocked version of the S7 (g930u) and available through a few places (Best Buy, B&H, Ebay). It goes for $679.99 retail and I have not been able to find one that goes for less. Probably because it just came out end of June. The biggest benefit of it is that it has a bunch of bands and CDMA-compatible. Thus, you can get full connection with AT&T and TMobile. Downside is no wifi calling or VOLTE (as those seem to be locked by the carriers to their own phones).
The international versions (930f/930fd) are both available on Ebay/Swappa for about $500. Upside are that they have the Exnyos chip and no bloatware. You can also root and flash them with new ROM. Another thing is that you get updates earlier. I got Marshmallow on my s6 a month or so before AT&T released its update. Downsides are no Samsung Pay or WiFi Calling/VOLTE and the biggie...missing bands. I had a g920i and it was missing support for bands 29 and 30 on AT&T...this led to poor LTE and indoor reception at times. I would have to turn on/off the mobile data switch sometimes to get good connection.
Finally, we have carrier based versions, which loads you down with bloatware and has the Snapdragon chip. But, it does support all features of your carrier. Slower updates also an issue and lack of support of all bands internationally are additional drawbacks. Cost is also about $500.
Personally, I am going with an unlocked 930a. Bloatware sucks but I can delete or disable almost all of them. Snapdragon seems pretty powerful to me. Samsung Pay, Wifi Calling, and Band support are just too important for me. Note, make sure you ask the seller on Ebay/Swappa about whether the phone is unlocked.
Hope that helps.

I did a lot of research into this before buying my S7 but was kind of screwed since I'm on Verizon (CDMA)...
Since you're on AT&T you have more options.
There are two different processors in the two different models, Snapdragon 820 in the US CDMA capable and an Eyxnos in the International GSM ONLY phone.
After doing my research, I personally recommend the Eyxnos, which I couldn't get :/
If for nothing else, better battery life, by far. Do some research into the comparison between the two.
However! When buying from Best Buy be careful!
Last I checked, on their website, the black/onyx S7 was an unlocked US Snapdragon 820 phone.... while strangely enough the other two, gold and silver? were both unlocked US (actually international) Eyxnos phones.
Also, last I checked Samsung themselves only sell the CDMA snapdragon processor model to the US.
Unless Best Buy made a mistake listing the Eyxnos processor, it is the only way to get that model without buying an "internationally sourced" phone on ebay.

Just a few notes:
1) The G930u is fully compatible with all the US Carriers
2) VoLTE works on both T-Mobile and Verizon
3) Wi-Fi Calling works on T-Mobile and potentially Verizon (but I am not positive about Verizon).
The big downside to the G930u is that for whatever reason it is not receiving updates from Samsung when its branded siblings are.

SM-955F on ATT USA will Samsung Pay work?

Looking to purchase SM-955F from Clove and use in the USA with AT&T.
Will Samsung Pay work in the USA?
CC

Maybe. Can't know for sure until someone tried it out. A few of us will be testing this out
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

cc999 said:
Looking to purchase SM-955F from Clove and use in the USA with AT&T. Will Samsung Pay work in the USA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S7e'rs got it working. You have to install the right combinations of Samsung Pay Framework and the Samsung Pay App. Since the UK phones don't ship with the Framework pre-installed some people got better/easier results flashing a different "F" CSC ROM that included Samsung Pay pre-installed. BTU (the UK CSC) gets the most updates fastest so I'm not interesting in changing it. I'm getting a AT&T S8+ Wednesday so I'll pull the APKs (including S Pay) I may need from it to set up my UK phone. I'll post my findings and results.
In terms of Samsung Pay in the U.S., none of the S7e'rs ever got Amex cards to work so I doubt that'll change. Also, for Gear S3 owners, you can use the Gear version of S Pay on a UK phone without any gyrations.

Question
BarryH_GEG said:
The S7e'rs got it working. You have to install the right combinations of Samsung Pay Framework and the Samsung Pay App. Since the UK phones don't ship with the Framework pre-installed some people got better/easier results flashing a different "F" CSC ROM that included Samsung Pay pre-installed. BTU (the UK CSC) gets the most updates fastest so I'm not interesting in changing it. I'm getting a AT&T S8+ Wednesday so I'll pull the APKs (including S Pay) I may need from it to set up my UK phone. I'll post my findings and results.
In terms of Samsung Pay in the U.S., none of the S7e'rs ever got Amex cards to work so I doubt that'll change. Also, for Gear S3 owners, you can use the Gear version of S Pay on a UK phone without any gyrations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another question. I hear that if you put in an ATT sim into the SM-955F phone all the ATT bloatware gets
installed. Is this true? If so can you completely remove it?
Also can you completely remove the usual Samsung bloatware?
CC

cc999 said:
Another question. I hear that if you put in an ATT sim into the SM-955F phone all the ATT bloatware gets
installed. Is this true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Samsung's achieved the Holy Grail with U.S. phones. S8's for all the carrier phones are SM-G955U. So rather than having different model numbers (EG: SM-G955A), different per carrier s/w, and sometimes even carrier specific h/w modifications, all phones are the same with carrier s/w revisions occurring based on the SIM inserted. That's what you read.
International unlocked phones are completely pure. Meaning nothing about them is influenced in any way by a carrier. They'll be some regional additions (EG: UK specific browser bookmarks, pre-installed apps, etc.) but they can all be removed. The best part is getting updates directly from Samsung. With a phone as new and complex as the S8 there will be tons of updates both on the feature and bug elimination side.
As AT&T'rs we'll lose some stuff. Like HD Voice and NumberSync but gain things like Samsung's Smart Call which lets you dial businesses that you don't have the number for directly from the dialer. I've done both AT&T and grey market phones before and I'll post what we gain and lose once my UK S8 arrives.
http://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/smart-call/

Question SM-S9080 (China) bootloader inquiry

I see that this specific model (Released in China) I believe has support for custom ROM's one would assume the bootloader can be unlocked which would be quite surprising since this device carry's the snapdragon chipset which is used in US/CA models and is not able to have the bootloader unlocked. If possible could someone with a device please confirm as these variants are actually 300$ cheaper than the US/CA models and other Global variants. I can't imagine there would be any significant differences otherwise aside from the firmware would be China based and I might need to flash my own CSC package.

You can check in Settings - Developer Options - OEM Unlocking to see if your bootloader can be unlocked.

I'm aware of how to check, when you are yet to own the device then someone else would need to provide the insight. It's not exactly fesible to check another country's device and I'm sure the return policy is a bit harder.

You seem to be confused. You stated "the bootloader can be unlocked which would be quite surprising since this device carry's the snapdragon chipset which is used in US/CA models and is not able to have the bootloader unlocked". Just because the SoC is a Snapdragon doesn't mean the bootloader can't be unlocked, they've been making them for years. I own the Snapdragon device with an unlocked bootloader. So if you know how to check if you can unlock the bootloader why ask anyone else if it's possible? Don't be surprised if you can't flash different firmware, SM-R908N is an outlier but it can utilize Custom ROM's.
Guide to root Galaxy S22 Ultra (B/E/N/0), unlock bootloader and flash official firmware (noob friendly)
Your warranty is now void. If you root your device, Your KNOX status will be tripped. You can still pass the safety net after you root if you follow the instructions. Sorry for USA models, you can't root unless you can unlock your bootloader You...
forum.xda-developers.com
Not sure why you can't confirm price differences between the Korean and US devices, here's the appropriate links.
Korea
Samsung 대한민국 | 모바일 | TV | 가전 | IT
모바일 | TV | 가전 | IT
www.samsung.com
USA
Galaxy S22 Ultra, 128GB (Unlocked) in Phantom Black | Price & Deals | Samsung US
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra,Unlocked 128GB in Phantom Black. Save with Trade-in, and discover exclusive offers with
www.samsung.com
Your welcome!

varcor said:
You seem to be confused. You stated "the bootloader can be unlocked which would be quite surprising since this device carry's the snapdragon chipset which is used in US/CA models and is not able to have the bootloader unlocked". Just because the SoC is a Snapdragon doesn't mean the bootloader can't be unlocked, they've been making them for years. I own the Snapdragon device with an unlocked bootloader. So if you know how to check if you can unlock the bootloader why ask anyone else if it's possible? Don't be surprised if you can't flash different firmware, SM-R908N is an outlier but it can utilize Custom ROM's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure op knows how to check and knows the price difference since they mentioned it. They are asking someone that actually has the device to confirm

Solace50 said:
I see that this specific model (Released in Korea) I believe has support for custom ROM's one would assume the bootloader can be unlocked which would be quite surprising since this device carry's the snapdragon chipset which is used in US/CA models and is not able to have the bootloader unlocked. If possible could someone with a device please confirm as these variants are actually 300$ cheaper than the US/CA models and other Global variants. I can't imagine there would be any significant differences otherwise aside from the firmware would be korean based and I might need to flash my own CSC package.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will confirm that the Korean snapdragon note 20 ultra could be unlocked.
Rom support was slim though. Most did not explicitly mention the N model and since more people in the world are unlocked on exynos, most of the support was for that chipset.
Also the fact that snapdragons are locked in NA is because of the region not the chip it self. Other regions with them aren't bootloader locked.

pcriz said:
I'm pretty sure op knows how to check and knows the price difference since they mentioned it. They are asking someone that actually has the device to confirm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OP would be better served if he/she included a Model Number. The specific properties are the same regardless. As everyone is aware price fluctuates depending on the seller.

varcor said:
OP would be better served if he/she included a Model Number. The specific properties are the same regardless. As everyone is aware price fluctuates depending on the seller
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Op isn't asking about the price though. Who knows where they are buying from.
Also the Korean models typically only have one model number. I think the same is true this year as well.
I figured the best person to answer their question is someone that probably knows they have a Korean model or someone with first hand experience with the Korean model.

Are you sure Korean model comes with SM-S9080?

donkeyman1234 said:
Are you sure Korean model comes with SM-S9080?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Accuracy is not releveant but the firmware was on a few places listed as Korean model.

varcor said:
OP would be better served if he/she included a Model Number. The specific properties are the same regardless. As everyone is aware price fluctuates depending on the seller.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The SM-9080 is the model number... If I bought and received something other than the device listed it would be of no charge according to provincial law. The 909B is also an option which is the EU enyox model or 908W Canadian Snap dragon. The 908W cannot be unlocked however the root/bootloader unlock specifies 0 in the title which I'm assuming is the suffix to 908 and possible.
Snapdragon and bootloader unlock would be the best of both worlds as performance is better and does not suffer from idle drain issues. The cost is also about 20% cheaper on sale.

pcriz said:
I will confirm that the Korean snapdragon note 20 ultra could be unlocked.
Rom support was slim though. Most did not explicitly mention the N model and since more people in the world are unlocked on exynos, most of the support was for that chipset.
Also the fact that snapdragons are locked in NA is because of the region not the chip it self. Other regions with them aren't bootloader locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm, just going to yolo one one see what happens. Worse case is I might need to update the CSC, the modems firmware should support the same frequencies to be "international/global" The s8+ I have was the int version and worked just fine.
Some rated specs do differ ever so slightly between the EU and NA model such as the post processing used for images and throughput for the NIC used onboard but is negligible.

varcor said:
You seem to be confused. You stated "the bootloader can be unlocked which would be quite surprising since this device carry's the snapdragon chipset which is used in US/CA models and is not able to have the bootloader unlocked". Just because the SoC is a Snapdragon doesn't mean the bootloader can't be unlocked, they've been making them for years. I own the Snapdragon device with an unlocked bootloader. So if you know how to check if you can unlock the bootloader why ask anyone else if it's possible? Don't be surprised if you can't flash different firmware, SM-R908N is an outlier but it can utilize Custom ROM's.
Guide to root Galaxy S22 Ultra (B/E/N/0), unlock bootloader and flash official firmware (noob friendly)
Your warranty is now void. If you root your device, Your KNOX status will be tripped. You can still pass the safety net after you root if you follow the instructions. Sorry for USA models, you can't root unless you can unlock your bootloader You...
forum.xda-developers.com
Not sure why you can't confirm price differences between the Korean and US devices, here's the appropriate links.
Korea
Samsung 대한민국 | 모바일 | TV | 가전 | IT
모바일 | TV | 가전 | IT
www.samsung.com
USA
Galaxy S22 Ultra, 128GB (Unlocked) in Phantom Black | Price & Deals | Samsung US
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra,Unlocked 128GB in Phantom Black. Save with Trade-in, and discover exclusive offers with
www.samsung.com
Your welcome!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, generally MFG do not deviate from designs much due to costs involved. If SN by design was bootloader locked one would expect variants to be the same. I think Korea had enyox models in the past too.
The site used was pda plaza (google it) which lists various models and if you are buying new is usually cheaper than vendors, amazon and other places. I saw a 512gb ultra as low as 1500 for the ugly green. Considering we get ****ty perks for buying a phone new it does not make sense to buy from samsung.com unless you want sky blue or something.
Also I'm unsure as to why you linked the store pages, retailers listing unlocked is carrier specific, not bootloader.

Oop, sorry all the 9080 is China, 908N is Korea, editing main post.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G - Full phone specifications
www.gsmarena.com
Same as in HongKong, I would just flash their firmware, likely better overall.

I am in Taiwan, for your reference.

Solace50 said:
Thanks, generally MFG do not deviate from designs much due to costs involved. If SN by design was bootloader locked one would expect variants to be the same. I think Korea had enyox models in the past too.
The site used was pda plaza (google it) which lists various models and if you are buying new is usually cheaper than vendors, amazon and other places. I saw a 512gb ultra as low as 1500 for the ugly green. Considering we get ****ty perks for buying a phone new it does not make sense to buy from samsung.com unless you want sky blue or something.
Also I'm unsure as to why you linked the store pages, retailers listing unlocked is carrier specific, not bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I linked the Samsung websites so you could compare official Samsung pricing. As stated there are many different retailers with various offers. I also asked for the model number knowing the SM-9080 isn't available in Korea which you've since updated. The S21 Ultra in Korea is the Exynos variant which only lasted 1 year, they've now reverted back to Snapdragon. Of the 3 SM-9080's available I would recommend the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) but if call features are a priority the Taiwan variant (CSC - BRI) is the best option. Stay away from the China variant, it's a mess. Plus one should always ask a retailer which CSC they are offering, they don't always sell the same variant for the region they are based. You could purchase a China variant from a Taiwan retailer but you won't know it until it's in your hands. Yes, they will mislead and lie just to make a sale. Firmware for the 3 variants are interchangeable however it's usually not a good idea to swap, firmware is Home CSC specific and the Home CSC can't be altered plus that will affect updates as well. All 3 are bootloader unlocked however there aren't many Custom ROM's for Snapdragon devices. Goods luck!

varcor said:
I linked the Samsung websites so you could compare official Samsung pricing. As stated there are many different retailers with various offers. I also asked for the model number knowing the SM-9080 isn't available in Korea which you've since updated. The S21 Ultra in Korea is the Exynos variant which only lasted 1 year, they've now reverted back to Snapdragon. Of the 3 SM-9080's available I would recommend the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) but if call features are a priority the Taiwan variant (CSC - BRI) is the best option. Stay away from the China variant, it's a mess. Plus one should always ask a retailer which CSC they are offering, they don't always sell the same variant for the region they are based. You could purchase a China variant from a Taiwan retailer but you won't know it until it's in your hands. Yes, they will mislead and lie just to make a sale. Firmware for the 3 variants are interchangeable however it's usually not a good idea to swap, firmware is Home CSC specific and the Home CSC can't be altered plus that will affect updates as well. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The hardware is the same as HK, only the firmware differs and can be flashed. The recommendation makes zero sense. Call features are CSC based and I doubt much differs across the globe these days especially for major regions. That would be false that you cannot change the CSC, the whole aspect of root/unlocked bootloader is to modify system/firmware partitions or flashing with odin.

Solace50 said:
The hardware is the same as HK, only the firmware differs and can be flashed. The recommendation makes zero sense. Call features are CSC based and I doubt much differs across the globe these days especially for major regions. That would be false that you cannot change the CSC, the whole aspect of root/unlocked bootloader is to modify system/firmware partitions or flashing with odin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean it makes no sense? I've stated if you want call features buy your regions (CSC) device. I never said your CSC couldn't be changed, I've stated your Home CSC can't be changed. Have fun trying to figure everything out, we're done.

For those who also may care, I took the time to actually research things before speculating nonsense.
So the primary difference between the models is 5G support as apparently the 5Ghz bands are not supported in the firmware for the 9080. Given the 9080 can be bootloader unlocked it is a similar situation to the Galaxy S4 release across US/CA where you could buy the US model and flash a Canadian modem in order to gain support for carriers in CA. Likely the same can be provided for 5G support with a few hex edits to the existing modem or flashing one from another region considering the same hardware is used, however this would still need to be tested.
Will Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra work in Canada?
In this page we are going to show you the compatibility of Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with the mobile networks of Canada and with the telephony operators that provide service in Canada.
www.kimovil.com
This would ultimately save people hundreds of $ along with providing the SN variant bootloader unlocked to various individuals and not end up being a slave to bloatware and poorly designed roms.

CyberEvo said:
I am in Taiwan, for your reference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the most useful post in the thread.

Question HK import in the UK

Hi guys,
I want to get the HK version of this phone (because general consensus seems to be the Snapdragon is better than Samsung's processor that comes in all the EU models) and I want to have a solid idea of what potential ramifications there are from doing this.
From what I gather, the HK model is SM-S9080.
I'm pretty clear on the ramifications from the actual importing of the device, such as loss of Samsung's warranty and things like that. What I'm struggling with is the technical aspects of it.
I've done some Google-fu to the best of my ability, but I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed by all the technical jargon, numbers, codes, etc that seem to be involved. Hopefully you can help me understand better...
I know that both Samsung Pay and Samsung Member Benefits will not work in the UK, however this does not bother me as I have no intentions of using those anyway.
The network provider I use in the UK is EE and, from what I can tell, the HK model supports all the necessary bands including 5G (source here: https://www.kimovil.com/en/frequency-checker/GB/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra ). However, I have heard that 5G could be arbitrarily deactivated in the UK by the software or hardware in the phone or something like that due to the model differences. Is this true?
Will there be any weird branding issues that can't be easily removed? By this I mean is it going to have weird chinese branding that can't be removed without flashing/rooting/etc (I'd personally prefer not to do any of that stuff). Could I just change the language to English and have it be visually indistinguishable from a 'native' UK model?
Will Google Play be affected? I don't know if there are any china-related politics that would impact my ability to use Google's services. Sorry if that is a stupid question.
What is a CsC and will it matter regarding the function of the phone? I've seen this term being used a lot while googling but I have no idea what it means or how exactly it affects the use of the phone.
How would updates work? Would there be any issues on that front?
Is there anything else I need to consider from a technical point of view that I have missed?
Hopefully these aren't stupid questions. Thank you in advance.

arstulex said:
Hi guys,
I want to get the HK version of this phone (because general consensus seems to be the Snapdragon is better than Samsung's processor that comes in all the EU models) and I want to have a solid idea of what potential ramifications there are from doing this.
From what I gather, the HK model is SM-S9080.
I'm pretty clear on the ramifications from the actual importing of the device, such as loss of Samsung's warranty and things like that. What I'm struggling with is the technical aspects of it.
I've done some Google-fu to the best of my ability, but I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed by all the technical jargon, numbers, codes, etc that seem to be involved. Hopefully you can help me understand better...
I know that both Samsung Pay and Samsung Member Benefits will not work in the UK, however this does not bother me as I have no intentions of using those anyway.
The network provider I use in the UK is EE and, from what I can tell, the HK model supports all the necessary bands including 5G (source here: https://www.kimovil.com/en/frequency-checker/GB/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra ). However, I have heard that 5G could be arbitrarily deactivated in the UK by the software or hardware in the phone or something like that due to the model differences. Is this true?
Will there be any weird branding issues that can't be easily removed? By this I mean is it going to have weird chinese branding that can't be removed without flashing/rooting/etc (I'd personally prefer not to do any of that stuff). Could I just change the language to English and have it be visually indistinguishable from a 'native' UK model?
Will Google Play be affected? I don't know if there are any china-related politics that would impact my ability to use Google's services. Sorry if that is a stupid question.
What is a CsC and will it matter regarding the function of the phone? I've seen this term being used a lot while googling but I have no idea what it means or how exactly it affects the use of the phone.
How would updates work? Would there be any issues on that front?
Is there anything else I need to consider from a technical point of view that I have missed?
Hopefully these aren't stupid questions. Thank you in advance.
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the csc is the carrier aspect of the phone , ie what bands of each type of network connections are used,and country specific bloatware , the csc is also what carrires the software restrictions based on the laws of the country it is coded for. you would get hongkong specific updates with a csc from that region as far as i can sumise, you may even need to use a hongkong routed vpn to receive them, but again thats a guess

Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask

p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
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This is exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks mate.
Funnily enough that's the website I was looking at getting mine from too. I did email them to ask where they source their models from because I've read elsewhere that TGY is ideal for UK use but they haven't got back to me yet (weekend of course). Glad to hear they are selling TGY.
Only question I have would be about techinthebasket themselves. Roughly how long did it take to arrive and did it arrive sealed?

Hi mate, yeah I've used techinthebasket a few times now (I've bought a Note8 and a Surface Pro 4 from them previously) and it does take a little while for the items to arrive, even paying for expedited it still took 5 working days. All items were factory sealed too.
If it helps, I traded the Note8 for the Note9 directly to Samsung when the Note9 came out and I got the full £400 at the time. The SP4 developed the prolific screen shake fault after about a year and Microsoft replaced it free of charge.

p.dixon0 said:
All items were factory sealed too.
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Is this possible? I thought Samsung region-locks their phones until a call is made with a SIM from the 'home' region.
Don't these importers have to open up the box to do this so that you can actually use a UK SIM in it when it gets to you?

p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
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You're my savior. Thank you a lot!
Buying it today

arstulex said:
Is this possible? I thought Samsung region-locks their phones until a call is made with a SIM from the 'home' region.
Don't these importers have to open up the box to do this so that you can actually use a UK SIM in it when it gets to you?
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I'm not sure to be totally honest. Both my Note8 and S22U came sealed with what looked like the same seals my Note9 came with directly from Samsung. Maybe techinthebasket open and reseal? Whatever they do or don't do the phone works as expected and didn't show any signs of being opened.
When I first started both phones (without a SIM) they were both in Chinese. When I put my UK SIM in they behave as expected.
The good thing with techinthebasket is that you can only pay with PayPal - as such, if you have any issues you're covered.

p.dixon0 said:
I'm not sure to be totally honest. Both my Note8 and S22U came sealed with what looked like the same seals my Note9 came with directly from Samsung. Maybe techinthebasket open and reseal? Whatever they do or don't do the phone works as expected and didn't show any signs of being opened.
When I first started both phones (without a SIM) they were both in Chinese. When I put my UK SIM in they behave as expected.
The good thing with techinthebasket is that you can only pay with PayPal - as such, if you have any issues you're covered.
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They gotta do what they gotta do, and if that means I get a Snapdragon phone for significantly less than a local Exynos then who am I to complain? Lol.
I just didn't know if they had found some way to circumvent region-locking without opening the box.

Exactly, as I say it's over £300 less for what is technically a better device

p.dixon0 said:
Exactly, as I say it's over £300 less for what is technically a better device
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Too bad that they deliver only in France,UK, Germany and not the rest of Europe...I would instantly sell my S22 Ultra if I have the occasion to buy a Snap S22 Ultra. Also, a big minus: you can't use eSIM which it's a really nice feature.

robi101012981 said:
Too bad that they deliver only in France,UK, Germany and not the rest of Europe...I would instantly sell my S22 Ultra if I have the occasion to buy a Snap S22 Ultra. Also, a big minus: you can't use eSIM which it's a really nice feature.
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There are plenty of websites out there that deal in grey imports. Unless I'm missing something there are probably sites that do deliver to your country.
I don't know if I'd call lack of eSIM a big minus though. Once I put my SIM card in a phone I pretty much just forget it exists until I buy a new phone. Do people really swap out their SIMs that often that an eSIM really matters?

arstulex said:
There are plenty of websites out there that deal in grey imports. Unless I'm missing something there are probably sites that do deliver to your country.
I don't know if I'd call lack of eSIM a big minus though. Once I put my SIM card in a phone I pretty much just forget it exists until I buy a new phone. Do people really swap out their SIMs that often that an eSIM really matters?
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If you're travelling in a country that doesn't support Roaming, then yeah, it's a good feature

The S9080 is dual SIM so you can still use a local SIM as well if you're traveling...

p.dixon0 said:
The S9080 is dual SIM so you can still use a local SIM as well if you're traveling...
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It's easy to say this, but I do prefer esims since I can purchase them online and I don't need to lose time in stores to purchase it.

I'm sure a saving of over £300 would offset the minor inconvenience. Personally, I have a tariff that gives me free roaming in Europe and the USA amongst others so it's a non-issue for me

p.dixon0 said:
Hi, I've got a 12GB/512GB S9080 on the TGY CSC here in the UK. I'm on O2UK but my 5G works fine. I have no weird carrier branding and I don't get any Chinese characters anywhere. I use Google Pay just fine (never used Samsung Pay on any of my devices)
No issues on updates, in fact I got the latest May update on the 28th of April.
I got this phone through techinthebasket and paid over £300 less than the equivalent Exynos version direct from Samsung.
If you have any questions regarding the device just ask
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Click to collapse
First time reading 5G working on the SM-9080 outside of Hong Kong. What speeds are you registering?

p.dixon0 said:
I'm sure a saving of over £300 would offset the minor inconvenience. Personally, I have a tariff that gives me free roaming in Europe and the USA amongst others so it's a non-issue for me
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Yeah, I would save, but I would also throw money since no warranty it's provided to me
Also Widevine L3, so yeah, a big trade-in for some of us...I'll wait for the Honor Magic 4 Pro and get that device since it's superior.

About the same download speed as 4G+ for me, the upload speed is double though.
As a side note. This it's on O2UK in the North East of England in my house, where O2UK say there is poor 5G coverage.

robi101012981 said:
Yeah, I would save, but I would also throw money since no warranty it's provided to me
Also Widevine L3, so yeah, a big trade-in for some of us...I'll wait for the Honor Magic 4 Pro and get that device since it's superior.
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There's a year warranty provided by techinthebasket.
All my streaming services work as expected so not bothered about Widevine.
I'll continue to enjoy my phone while you think of another put down and wait for your superior device.