buy(ing an S3, had a couple questions regarding international usage - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

I'm an American currently living in Kuwait for work, and I was going to buy an S3 here. It comes unlocked and according to coworkers who have bought phones out here in the past, it will work in the US on ATT's network (and most importantly, it's red!).
Anyway when I go back to the US, assuming the phone as purchased will work on ATT like I think it will, what should I expect from customisation. I've never bought a non-US android before. I understand that roms usually come in US and International varieties due to hardware differences. If I put an International rom on my phone, can I expect it to work with ATT in the same way that the stock rom would?
And is there anything in particular that I should be aware of when buying and rooting/customising my new phone? (aside from the usual concerns about doing it correctly and such).
Thanks!

Will work fine only you won't get lte speeds here in the states..
I'm curious how much (in usd) the phone goes for out there locally?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

I paid KWD199, which is a little over USD$700. Phones are a bit pricier in Europe and the middle east than they are in the US.

Related

Htc touch pro2 ii unlocked t7373

Haven't been to this website in a while ... Been using an iPhone for about a year .. Tried some of the [supposed] iPhone killers. Xperia and others, but I didn't like them. I have this phone coming tomorrow ..
HTC TOUCH PRO2 II UNLOCKED T7373
Am I in the right place ?? HTC has so many phones. This one that I am getting is the European model, 2 cameras .. I was due for a free upgrade from Tmobile but that phone looked awful compared to this version .. Are the models different ? I don't think Tmobile has to cameras, I don't need 2 but if I can have 2, I want them.
Diane
theonlynickleft said:
Haven't been to this website in a while ... Been using an iPhone for about a year .. Tried some of the [supposed] iPhone killers. Xperia and others, but I didn't like them. I have this phone coming tomorrow ..
HTC TOUCH PRO2 II UNLOCKED T7373
Am I in the right place ?? HTC has so many phones. This one that I am getting is the European model, 2 cameras .. I was due for a free upgrade from Tmobile but that phone looked awful compared to this version .. Are the models different ? I don't think Tmobile has to cameras, I don't need 2 but if I can have 2, I want them.
Diane
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Diane,
The model you got (unlocked unbranded HTC TP2) will work here in the states, but I don't believe that you will be able to use T-mobile's 3G bands on it, so your data would only be EDGE (i.e. slower). Unless I'm mistaken, Tmo is the ONLY carrier in the world that uses their specific 3G bands, so unless you buy a phone branded by T-mobile, odds are you won't get 3G with it.
Now as far as the dual cameras....that's another thing that no US carrier has implemented, yet. The phone may have the camera, but if the provider you're using doesn't have that capability setup on their network, it's not much good to you I'm afraid. I believe I've seen some upcoming models for AT&T that advertise a front camera, so I believe they're about to introduce that capability...but as for now, none of the carriers here can do that
But yes, you're in the right place....every model of this phone is technically a "HTC Rhodium", no matter what carrier model (or unbranded) it is. So, these are the forums you want to be in, to learn more than you ever wanted to know about your new toy
Thanks for your reply and info. My Tmobile contract is up for renewal on this one. June for the contract that my HTC shift uses... I am wondering if I should renew or just go with ATT .. they seem to have better phones and better service .. anyone agree ??
diane
theonlynickleft said:
Thanks for your reply and info. My Tmobile contract is up for renewal on this one. June for the contract that my HTC shift uses... I am wondering if I should renew or just go with ATT .. they seem to have better phones and better service .. anyone agree ??
diane
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best people to ask that are the ones that live or work in close proximity to you...it doesn't really mean a hill of beans what anybody's reception is like anywhere but where you'll most often use the phone Find a friend with AT&T and compare coverage with them side-by-side in different places.
Be careful about switching carriers because one or the other seems to get "better phones"...that can change with the wind, and you may find the only one phone you really want, went to the carrier you chose not to go with lol. Also, carriers and manufacturers negotiate new agreements for almost every new phone that gets made, so one carrier may get several great new phones this quarter, but nothing truly decent for months and months, so...just pick your carrier based on your service needs (price, coverage, signal quality, etc), there will always be a way to get a phone you like no matter which you choose.
My service needs are simple. I don't care about 3G. But if I did, Tmobiles is different than anyone elses. I never really use the browser on my phone. I check my eBay auctions on my phone, but not with a browser. My iphone "has an app for that."
What disappoints me most about Tmobile is that not many of the new phones work with Tmobile. iphone doesn't. My iphone cost me about $700 because I had to get it from Italy where it was unlocked by Apple. I bricked my other one. The Blackberry Bold 9000 also wasn't unlocked for Tmobile. And there are others.
Even their website is HORRIBLE .. I have been with them for about 10 years. It is time I stopped waiting for them to get with the program.

Should I get the AT&T or the International SGS3?

Hello,
I plan on getting the S3 in a couple of months, after when I save up and was wondering which one should I get? The AT&T or the international version? I will he using it on Straight Talk with the Bring your own phone plan. I'm using the Nexus right now, just having trouble trying to figure out which one I should get. Thanks!
asheehanjr said:
Hello,
I plan on getting the S3 in a couple of months, after when I save up and was wondering which one should I get? The AT&T or the international version? I will he using it on Straight Talk with the Bring your own phone plan. I'm using the Nexus right now, just having trouble trying to figure out which one I should get. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're using it on Straight Talk and you want the more powerful one, international (it's what I use). The downside is that if something goes wrong with the phone, you're pretty much screwed unless you can send it to someone in the UK or Europe to send to Samsung for repair. The upside is you have a beast phone with faster updates (custom ROMs don't show up out of thin air; you need some sort of leak or OTA to work off of for non-CM ROMs). Another perk is you get FM radio, but I don't know how important that is to you.
If you want a cheaper S3 with all the features but a slightly slower processor (only for intense gaming; 99% of things will run great), get the T-Mobile or AT&T version. I think they're like $50-$100 cheaper. You'll also be able to send the phone to Samsung US if there's an issue. I ran into a fairly common (from Google searching) issue where my i9300 could no longer make calls, but everything else including the earpiece and speaker were fine. The modem rebooted everytime I made a call and I later found out it was a hardware issue. I had to send the phone back to the Amazon seller who was in Germany so they could send it to Samsung. Cost me $73 for 3-day shipping. HOWEVER, the seller told me in an email that I have a 2-year warranty, not 1-year. So that's a perk you may want to consider. I have the Vodafone UK version, but Samsung will repair it in any country that's part of the EU (e.g. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, etc).
Basically, unless you game a lot, go for the US version. I happen to game a lot, and I didn't wanna wait for the US versions (I bought my i9300 in July). If I had waited, I'd probably have gone for the US version. And for anyone who brings up RAM, it doesn't affect performance. It only allows more apps to be open in the background, and Android fills up unused RAM anyways, so it really is not a deciding factor.
I agree with Product F(RED). Unless you're going to do intense CPU processes the US variant will suit your needs wonderfully. You won't need to worry about lag or slow downs. And if you plan to root there are custom ROMS that are faster than the Stock rom.
Product F(RED) said:
And for anyone who brings up RAM, it doesn't affect performance. It only allows more apps to be open in the background, and Android fills up unused RAM anyways, so it really is not a deciding factor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't affect performance, true, but also owning an orignal Galaxy S (i9000), I can assure you RAM is a factor when it comes to upgrading the OS!
The 512Mo in the SGS1 is the main reason why Samsung didn't upgrade the device to ICS.
There are ICS and JB custom ROMs available for the SGS1, but the device is definitely suffering from the limited of amount RAM.
Because of this, RAM, for me, is definitely a factor that made me choose the North American variant over the international one.
idk to be honest i would get galaxy note 2 at this point the gs3 is already 6m old
I was also going to hold out for the note 2, but it just to big and I already have a nexus 7.
Had both multiple times, i went ahead and stayed with the US version. I dont game at all and i see NO difference in speed, plus LTE is AWESOME.
Nickel Dime Bay said:
Had both multiple times, i went ahead and stayed with the US version. I dont game at all and i see NO difference in speed, plus LTE is AWESOME.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No LTE on Straight Talk, so it's not like it matters.
Oh wow i totally missed that, i say get the international then.

[Q] Looking to purchase a Note II and had some questions

moved to Q&A
perrin_wolf said:
I'm looking a purchasing a Samsung Note II that will be used on AT&T network. Since my upgrade is a year away, I have a Skyrocket that's only a year old, this phone will be a full price for me. I'm trying to find out some specific questions on the different Note II phone types, euro vs North America and what preloaded software differences are between them.
* the Note II that I purchase MUST have 4G LTE (AT&T FINALLY turned on 4G LTE in North East OKLA about 4 weeks ago! ..LOVEING IT).
* 10 minutes after I purchase the phone and verifying that everything is in working order it gets rooted.
I can purchase the phone from AT&T for full retail for $649. Best Buy said they would match that price (we'll see if they really do). When at Best Buy I asked about the preloaded software on the Note II (sense they do not have a working model on the floor) I was told in a blunt tone that it was an AT&T phone so it would work on AT&T's network. So i got no help on that front.
Questions---
1. Is the AT&T Note II phone that Best Buy sells have the same preloaded junk that comes on the one at the AT&T store?
2. Is the AT&T Note II phone that Best Buy sells been stripped of some of the Note II futures like the one at the AT&T store?
-- I read on a Amazon review the following---- http://www.amazon.com/review/R2Q2WM4I4VO8J7/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R2Q2WM4I4VO8J7
Be aware that the AT&T version of the Galaxy Note II is currently missing various standard functionality that Samsung is marketing and the other major carriers provide- missing functionality include:
~Multiview
~Group Shot Camera mode - with the ability to change faces
~Mobile data toggle
~Blocking mode toggle
~Screen Recorder
Since I am trying to get the most bang for my buck (a lot of bucks) which Note II phone that will work on AT&T that has 4G LTE should I be looking at?
(note- I suffered waiting on an ICS update from AT&T, so not having to depended on AT&T for my Android updates is a big plus)
Any advise or pointers is appreciated
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note II that is in the Best Buy and AT&T stores are going to be exactly the same. Given your concerns with the missing features compared to the international model, keep in mind once you root the device and install a custom recovery on it, you can flash N7105 ROMs to essentially make it function identical to the international model but with AT&T LTE. I've been doing that since I've had the phone and it works perfectly (No AT&T preinstalled apps and all the features you want): http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2016575
TRF-Inferno said:
The Note II that is in the Best Buy and AT&T stores are going to be exactly the same. Given your concerns with the missing features compared to the international model, keep in mind once you root the device and install a custom recovery on it, you can flash N7105 ROMs to essentially make it function identical to the international model but with AT&T LTE. I've been doing that since I've had the phone and it works perfectly (No AT&T preinstalled apps and all the features you want): http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2016575
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool thanks!
^^^ I don't even know why you bothered answering this absurdly asinine question. I'm questioning the seriousness of it. The entire OP statement was a grammatical nightmare. I just told my bestie what was asked, and after he died laughing, he ripped him to shreds. To suggest that Best Buy somehow had some control over what goes inside of a phone ... like they have their own phone service or software peripherals. I don't even know where to begin. Perhaps an iPhone 5 would be more akin to your needs, OP.
Everyone's got to start from somewhere, given the fact how much control U.S. carriers have over handsets to go as far as locking the bootloader or placing their company logo on the device's home button, it's a legitimate concern. As far as grammatical errors go, I've seen much worse.
If I'm not mistaken, Best Buy did sell devices that were exclusive to them such as a white HTC Incredible and a few other handsets.

Question about UK to US move

Hi there,
Sorry if this is an obvious question - I'm a big mobile enthusiast, but probably not as technically minded as some of you folks
I'm in the UK right now but am moving to the US permanently in a few weeks. I'm getting the Note 7 and am torn between what to do - buy it here or there.
Here's my thinking: If I buy here, it will be free of all that yucky bloatware you get over there since I gather that even if I purchase from BestBuy, there's nothing quite like a sim-free unlocked phone of the type we would get here. And that carrier bloatware scares me. I don't want to have to be rooting my phone and messing about with it to make it run at an acceptable speed when it inevitably starts to slow down, down the line. Plus, I just hate the thought of having all of that rubbish on my phone. If I'm spending $900 or so, I want it to be pure as the driven snow!
I'm not sure which network I'm going to be going for in the US (as an 'Alien' new to the US with no credit history, it's not easy to get a contract) but what I'm looking at is either T-Mobile or AT&T (possibly Cricket, if not main AT&T.) Although I hear T-Mobile signal can be patchy. I'll be in Los Angeles, so I imagine signal should be good.
So what I'm wondering is - will it all work OK there? I'm assuming the GSM version we get in the UK will be compatible with those two networks, though not Verizon. Although I doubt I'll go with Verizon because their packages don't really look good for what I need and also I hear their bloatware in particular is immense!
I know we have a different processor in the Exynos edition (or is that the one you guys have and we have Snapdragon? Anyway, you know what I mean..) But would that processor make any actual difference in day to day use? Does the processor just run the software or does it have an influence on how the phone actually works with the network as a phone and data device? Am I likely to run into problems?
Also, you probably can't answer this - but worth a try.. I assume that Samsung's warranties are not international? Right now, I am on an iPhone and I know that if it breaks in the US, I can just take it to an Apple store in the US. My gut tells me if I buy in the UK and it starts playing up, I'll be on my own, unless you know different? But hey - it's a trade off. Bloatware vs warranty.
Anyway, any thoughts or advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks all.
Phil :good:
Definitely buy the Exynos International version of the phone. I live near Los Angeles and plan to purchase the international version as well because it has no bloatware. It will be my first purchase of an international unlocked phone. I'm on AT&T but my understanding is that T-mobile rocks in Los Angeles. You can't go wrong with AT&T or T-Mobile, but I would lean toward T-Mobile if I were you, they are really kicking butt right now.
The exynos version of the phone will have better battery life by just a bit and it will be only slightly faster. They both have trade-offs, but in the end, it doesn't make a big difference, just get the international version, which is what all of us Americans want. I don't know about the warranty, you might have to ship the phone off for that.
if you buy one in the UK, make sure you make a few phone calls before you move.
European Samsung phones usually refuse to accept US SIM cards unless you make a phone call for a few minutes using a European SIM.
thedicemaster said:
if you buy one in the UK, make sure you make a few phone calls before you move.
European Samsung phones usually refuse to accept US SIM cards unless you make a phone call for a few minutes using a European SIM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very good point! I remember reading about this with my old Galaxy when it said that it locked it to the country where the first phone call was made.
But would this possibly present problems? If I made a few calls with my Vodafone sim, would that then mean that it locks it to UK networks and makes a T-Mobile USA or AT&T sim incompatible?
And bands-wise, they're all good to go, right? There's no reason a local US sim wouldn't work 100% in that model? And the processor doesn't make a difference? Just wondering why they bother to put two different processor types in the phone otherwise?
DuffmasterFresh said:
Definitely buy the Exynos International version of the phone. I live near Los Angeles and plan to purchase the international version as well because it has no bloatware. It will be my first purchase of an international unlocked phone. I'm on AT&T but my understanding is that T-mobile rocks in Los Angeles. You can't go wrong with AT&T or T-Mobile, but I would lean toward T-Mobile if I were you, they are really kicking butt right now.
The exynos version of the phone will have better battery life by just a bit and it will be only slightly faster. They both have trade-offs, but in the end, it doesn't make a big difference, just get the international version, which is what all of us Americans want. I don't know about the warranty, you might have to ship the phone off for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - this is really helpful. Good to know TM are good there as had heard a few stories about bad coverage.
it's the opposite.
unless they changed it just for the note 7, you have to use the phone in the UK before you can use it in the US.
here's a quote from an article regarding the region lock in the S7 and S7 edge:
its box will be sealed with a sticker reading "European SIM card only."
The tab below this sticker explains how and why, albeit in tiny and rather verbose script. Essentially, in order for your unlocked European GS7 to be fully unlocked, you first need to make a total of five minutes worth of phone calls using a European SIM. If you don't do this, and try to use it with a SIM from outside of Europe, it won't connect to the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is to prevent shops from selling European phones in the US.
the unlocking method is so that people moving outside Europe after buying a phone can continue to use it.
thedicemaster said:
it's the opposite.
unless they changed it just for the note 7, you have to use the phone in the UK before you can use it in the US.
here's a quote from an article regarding the region lock in the S7 and S7 edge:
this is to prevent shops from selling European phones in the US.
the unlocking method is so that people moving outside Europe after buying a phone can continue to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it - just been reading up on it. Thanks for this.
Well, that all looks simple enough. Shouldn't be an issue.
In fact, my only fear is warranty now. If I smash or crack it (which I will try not to obvs, but heaven forbid, it happens), I may be spannered.
I doubt my insurance will cover it if it is an international model and Samsung look like they don't do international warranties.
That's the only thing stopping me sitting here pressing 'order' when I'm on the verge of it.
Also, I wonder if Samsung Pay will be affected, If maybe, somehow, that's region specific.
It's a big risk.. Eeek!
Screw it, I've ordered.
So just to clarify - the bands on the international (UK) unlocked version will be compatible with ATT/Cricket and T-Mobile?

Buying a US version of the S9 and using in the UK

Hi All,
I have my unlocked pre-order S9 sitting on my table here in London but have ended up needing to travel for work to Chicago this weekend.
The obvious thought that came to mind is - "can I buy one in the states, save the best part of £150 and use it back in the UK?". I thought that as they're quad-band or whatever they are that a US variant would still work fine - could anyone confirm if that is the case?
I spoke to a samsung helpdesk person and they said no but genuinely didn't sound like they knew what they were talking about...
Are there any other considerations that I should be taking in to account, e.g. Exynos vs Snapdragon? I've done a bunch of Googling but not come across anything definitive.
Thanks in advance folks.
Pete
Think you may not be able to as samsung region lock their phones
So you would have to put an America SIM in the phone whether you can change that after first activation I don't know
Also aren't the American bands different to the UK??
Sent from my SM-G965F using XDA Premium HD app
mancuk29 said:
Think you may not be able to as samsung region lock their phones
So you would have to put an America SIM in the phone whether you can change that after first activation I don't know
Also aren't the American bands different to the UK??
Sent from my SM-G965F using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for getting back to me, looking at the S8 it appears that you could sort the region lock by placing a 5 minute phone call using a US carrier so that's something that I can do whilst I'm away.
The bands are different in the states vs here but that being said my UK phone works when I take it abroad. I thought that the fact that these are multi-band phones that they work elsewhere.
Pete
i had bought a S5 back in the day from the states and used it in india and it worked great(it was unlocked), you do however need to make a 5 min phone call after which you can use it elsewhere in the world.
Thanks! So I guess the remaining questions considerations are then:
Can I get the hybrid SIM version in the states?
Is having the Snapdragon vs Exynos going to impact anything?
Are there any other material differences that you guys would be thinking about?
I've done plenty of googling on this but there isn't too much useful stuff that I've come across.
1. yes, get the G960U or G965U (unless you mean dual sim in this case i dont know)
2. snapdragon has a faster gpu, slightly slower cpu, and locked bootloader so you can't flash custom roms...
3. Yep see 2 ;P
As someone in the US I'm ordering one from the UK just because of the bootloader.
Thanks pal! I'll open up my preorder that I have then!!
I don't believe dual sim is available in the US
CuBz90 said:
I don't believe dual sim is available in the US
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are right. I spent a good chunk of time yesterday on the internet researching and could not seem to find anywhere that sold it.
I cracked my UK one open yesterday, very smart piece of kit although moving from an S8 there were no real surprises.
I popped my work SIM in alongside my personal one to see how it all works, the dual SIM functionality is really really good. Very impressed with the way that it works, gives 2 whatsapps, etc. Would definitely recommend.
Thanks to everyone that responded and helped.

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