Unlocked AT&T S3 I747 for MetroPCS/TMobile - T-Mobile, Samsung Galaxy SIII

Has anyone here bought an unlocked AT&T S3 to use on the MetroPCS/Tmobile network? If so has there been any issues? shorter battery life, bad connectivity?
I am debating getting the S3 unlocked or HTC One S. I would prefer the HTC One S but it doesn't have microSD slot

I have a SGH T999 Lte at&t branded unlocked and use on TMobile with the T999L lte rom with no ill effects.
Sent from my SGH-T999L using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

afwolfpacked said:
I have a SGH T999 Lte at&t branded unlocked and use on TMobile with the T999L lte rom with no ill effects.
Sent from my SGH-T999L using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that the same model as my phone? So it would be advisable, after I got the S3 to flash it with a MetroPCS ROM after activation by Metro?
I thought there would be no need of a flash if I got an unlocked phone.

edo101 said:
Has anyone here bought an unlocked AT&T S3 to use on the MetroPCS/Tmobile network? If so has there been any issues? shorter battery life, bad connectivity?
I am debating getting the S3 unlocked or HTC One S. I would prefer the HTC One S but it doesn't have microSD slot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will have issues with 3G HSPA+ on 1700mhz, but 2G EDGE & 4G LTE will work just fine. If you live in a large metro area with a lot of LTE coverage it will be fine. I just went through this with my wife's phone, she had to have the Red one (AT&T specific).
edo101 said:
Is that the same model as my phone? So it would be advisable, after I got the S3 to flash it with a MetroPCS ROM after activation by Metro?
I thought there would be no need of a flash if I got an unlocked phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no need to flash anything, just unlock it and add/edit the APN for TMo.

DJ_SpaRky said:
You will have issues with 3G HSPA+ on 1700mhz, but 2G EDGE & 4G LTE will work just fine. If you live in a large metro area with a lot of LTE coverage it will be fine. I just went through this with my wife's phone, she had to have the Red one (AT&T specific).
There is no need to flash anything, just unlock it and add/edit the APN for TMo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet thanks! Both areas that I frequent have 4G and LTE coverage. My only concern is when I'm driving long distances which I often do, being in college and losing 2G signal in the middle of no where. So far with my Metro phones, I haven't seen anywhere I had 3G coverage. its always 2G and 4G/LTE

edo101 said:
Sweet thanks! Both areas that I frequent have 4G and LTE coverage. My only concern is when I'm driving long distances which I often do, being in college and losing 2G signal in the middle of no where. So far with my Metro phones, I haven't seen anywhere I had 3G coverage. its always 2G and 4G/LTE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good, that is exactly what we are seeing as well. Mostly LTE coverage with EDGE to fallback on. Most all Metro areas and major highways/interstates will have good coverage. Funny enough we live in the middle of nowhere, but there is a major highway nearby so we get LTE coverage.
On a side note, US carriers marketed HSPA as 3G and HSPA+ as 4g, but both are technically 3G. True 4G is LTE. I am not sure if Metro ever had HSPA service, I think that they were just CDMA then later added LTE and have been migrated to TMo's GSM/HSPA network which now uses Metro's LTE as well. Only the newer GSM Based phones would connect to HSPA.

I have my s3 i747 unlocked an on metro I cannot get no data

banks2878 said:
I have my s3 i747 unlocked an on metro I cannot get no data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check your APN settings.

i cant even get to the apn's when i goto more network then mobile networks it says insert Sim card to access network services but calling an text work fine

banks2878 said:
i cant even get to the apn's when i goto more network then mobile networks it says insert Sim card to access network services but calling an text work fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What firmware are you running?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

4.3 rooted.. I got data now that I flashed a modem but its very slow datai don't know how to find the right 1..heres what the one I downloaded is called modem_CWM_I747UCUEMJB

Define Slow data please. Post Speed test results.

normally around 0.15mbs but sometimes it works great and I get around 15.00mbs

Given this is not an LTE device, that sounds about right. Weather, tower congestion do affect results.

Perseus71 said:
Given this is not an LTE device, that sounds about right. Weather, tower congestion do affect results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The I747 is an LTE device, my wife's (running on TMo) works just fine on LTE, just not HSPA+ 1700MHz. I'll run speed test if people would like.

Unlocked att siii will not access metro/t-mobile data
Can someone verify for me what the correct apn settings are? Should there be a network operator? And since I think the apn is finally right, do you have any more suggestions? Also, do you know if this is CDMA or GSM?

can I ask why people want to buy an ATT phone to use on a Tmobile carrier? On the S4 and Note versions, people buy Tmobile phones and use them on ATT, myself included. This is because of the bootloader, and the Tmobile phones cover ATT LTE channels while not the opposite.

Wasn't planned
I didn't intentionally set out to buy an AT&T phone, I was just looking to upgrade and this was the best deal. Or at least it looked to be on the surface. Do I just need to forget it and try to sell it?

If you are in an area recently upgraded by T-Mobile, the I747 will work just fine. However, if you are in an are not upgraded with LTE, etc, it's waay more trouble than its worth. The above post about not getting HSPA+21/42 is worth considering too though.
T-Mobile and AT&T are both GSM networks btw.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

I am actually on Metro P.S, but they are on the T-mobile network now in Atlanta, Ga where I live. We do run 4glte,but so far the fastest mine will connect to shows "E" on my phone, edge maybe? One of the many I've spoken with at metro said E is 3g. One of their repair techs said I needed a different SIM card because I had a CDMA phone but when I got to the store that had one he said it was a GSM phone. It's already about been more trouble than it is worth, but as much effort as I've put into it already, I'd like to resolve it.

Related

manual select available cellular networks?

hello,
can you guys pick up different signal carrier in your hd7?
i am using T-mobile HD7 and the signal is not stable in my place (i have few drop calls). the Verizon signal is much better and i can pick it up from this menu >start>setting>cellular>network selection>
I can force the phone using Verizon, but the problem is after the choosing, the cellphone did not show any signal bars. <most likely phone can not register in the network>. it is wired. any ideas?
tmobile phones cannot use cdma networks, different radios, different technologies.
can a AT&T or cellular network be used in this phone? t-mobile signal is so terrible in my place.
maopost said:
can a AT&T or cellular network be used in this phone? t-mobile signal is so terrible in my place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes you can use at&t if you sim unlock your phone. T-mobile might do it for you or you can pay one of the web based companies that do it.
You won't have 3g though.
Why did you get a t-mobile phone if you don't have t-mobile reception???
nope. AT&T work off different network signal than the others do so you won't have much luck. and i'm not sure if the HD7 from t-mobile supports the band (network signal) that AT&T uses. so you could try but i highly doubt it.
t-mobile signal is not good in my place.
to be honest with you, I hate AT&T and verizon.

[Q] at&t 4g on unlocked tmobile galaxy s3??

I have a unlocked t mobile galaxy s3 I'm using on at&t network and I only get 3g but my download speeds are 4 to 5 mb. Which is pretty decent but I was wondering if there was a way to get AT&T 4g? Maybe it's my apn setting issue? Any tips.....
What data plan are you on (medianet/dumb phone, fauxG, LTE)? I've rarely had issues with my unlocked phones having the wrong APN on AT&T, but here are the APNs: medianet is wap.cingular, 4G/HSPA+ is phone, and 4G LTE is pta.
That's about what I get on medianet. I've got as high as 8Mbps on pta but it varies and it's never been consistent for me. 3-5Mbps is normal for my HSPA+ in my area (Olympia, WA). I get about the same speeds in southern CA and tended to get better speeds by 1-2Mbps in Austin, TX.
If you're asking if it's possible to get LTE on the T999, I have no idea. ;P The MSM8960 (S4 SoC in both phones) does support it natively but I don't know if it's possible to enable the LTE modem in software. You could try flashing an AT&T modem but I doubt it's that simple.
Ok maybe I'm wrong but isn't the t-mobile galaxy s3 the only one that didn't come lte equipped because t-mobile uses hspa+?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
how did you unlock, I got the unlock code from cellunlockers but after following all the different instructions in their email it sill won't unlock
Rev3ge07 said:
Ok maybe I'm wrong but isn't the t-mobile galaxy s3 the only one that didn't come lte equipped because t-mobile uses hspa+?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct. It uses HSPA+ 42
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
teiglin said:
What data plan are you on (medianet/dumb phone, fauxG, LTE)? I've rarely had issues with my unlocked phones having the wrong APN on AT&T, but here are the APNs: medianet is wap.cingular, 4G/HSPA+ is phone, and 4G LTE is pta.
That's about what I get on medianet. I've got as high as 8Mbps on pta but it varies and it's never been consistent for me. 3-5Mbps is normal for my HSPA+ in my area (Olympia, WA). I get about the same speeds in southern CA and tended to get better speeds by 1-2Mbps in Austin, TX.
If you're asking if it's possible to get LTE on the T999, I have no idea. ;P The MSM8960 (S4 SoC in both phones) does support it natively but I don't know if it's possible to enable the LTE modem in software. You could try flashing an AT&T modem but I doubt it's that simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I have a question regarding this topic and the quote above. You listed the Apn's with its respective data plan:
1. wap.cingular = non-smartphone (i'll refrain myself from calling it a dumb phone plan lol).
2. Phone = 4G/H+
3. LTE = PTA
So I've just switched over from IPhone 4s > HTC One X > to now the Samsung Galaxy S3 (International unlocked version).
When I switched sims from iphone to one x, my data wouldnt work so they told me to get an LTE sim and give them the imei # of the ONE x. So i did that and everything was fine. They updated my account and i was receiving LTE on the phone with no issues.
NOW, with my galaxy, i just stuck the LTE sim in the phone and the phone defaulted to the cingular 410 apn. This is same as wap.cingular.
So here are my questions:
1. Would it be beneficial (from a performance/data speed standpoint) for me to call AT&T and tell them I'm back to a NON-LTE phone and have them change my account to a non-LTE account? And go through the process of changing my imei # in their system again also?
2. Since I'm actually on a smartphone unlimited (i did not take advantage of the $10/mo medianet) should I change my APN settings to "PHONE" and not use what the S3 defaulted me to?
3. Whats the actual difference in using wap vs phone APN's... I know the settings themselves are different, but anybody know the technical differences?
Thanks so much in advance!
T-mobile galaxy S3 on ATT 4G network
Hello can anyone post pics of the Galaxy S3 (T999) the t mobile version on ATT 3g or 4g networks. I am thinking about buying it but wanna be sure that it works before i spend the big bucks
This guy confirmed it works:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=27984139&postcount=28
Anyone else have such luck?
I'm having this exact problem. I have an unlocked T Mobile S3 that I want to use on the AT&T network. Phone, text and VM work fine although AT&T hasn't figured out how to give me data service in any form. They're all stumped by this.
What I really need help with is coaching AT&T through the process.

Does T-mobile GS3 work on ATT HSPA+?

Hi, im new, 2nd post (1st thread)
So heres some background info, I have AT&T but i work for t-mobile. Had my AT&T GS2 phone stolen by a t-mobile customer and the company I work for are great people and decided to replace my GS2 with a t-mobile gs3 for $100. They even offered me a dealer line to go with it (I get unlimited everything [NO THROTTLING] for $22 a month)
So heres my question. I know for sure that it wouldnt connect to AT&T LTE but for whatever reason if I decide to unlock and use it on my AT&T plan, does it have the proper bands required to connect to AT&T's HSPA+ network or would I be running edge?
I know all iphone's used on T-Mobile only run EDGE. (Coming later this fall they will be able to connect to t-mobile's 4g HSPA+ network)
Anybody have a clue?
I'm pretty sure it would work on atnt 3g speeds
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
It will work. The T999 has support for 1900 Mhz hspa+, which is the AT&T band.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
Confirmed working. I unlocked my T999. I have 2 sim cards, StraightTalk and Tmobile monthly 4G. I travel a lot, so depending on which carrier gives me the best signal that's what I would use. Usually, StraightTalk would give me the better signals...although Tmobile still gives me faster data speeds. just thought id share .02.
2Phonez said:
Hi, im new, 2nd post (1st thread)
So heres some background info, I have AT&T but i work for t-mobile. Had my AT&T GS2 phone stolen by a t-mobile customer and the company I work for are great people and decided to replace my GS2 with a t-mobile gs3 for $100. They even offered me a dealer line to go with it (I get unlimited everything [NO THROTTLING] for $22 a month)
So heres my question. I know for sure that it wouldnt connect to AT&T LTE but for whatever reason if I decide to unlock and use it on my AT&T plan, does it have the proper bands required to connect to AT&T's HSPA+ network or would I be running edge?
I know all iphone's used on T-Mobile only run EDGE. (Coming later this fall they will be able to connect to t-mobile's 4g HSPA+ network)
Anybody have a clue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but i think is funny that you wotk for tmobile and get att instead lol, i would do it too,att has better service im on tmobile cause is cheaper tho
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Tmobile has a faster 4g network where im at (New Jersey)
22 dollars? What crazy plan is this
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
babymatteo said:
Confirmed working. I unlocked my T999. I have 2 sim cards, StraightTalk and Tmobile monthly 4G. I travel a lot, so depending on which carrier gives me the best signal that's what I would use. Usually, StraightTalk would give me the better signals...although Tmobile still gives me faster data speeds. just thought id share .02.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I'm waking up this thread as I have the T999 phone and recently switched to Straight Talk SIM (AT&T).
I only get EDGE on the phone using my Straight Talk SIM.
Is there anything I need to do with the phone? It runs the latest stock, not rooted or modified as such. It is carrier unlocked.
I unlocked my t999 and using it on my contract att plan, getting hspa+ atm, just check the bands that it supports, which are 850mhz 1900mhz for att's 3.5g(not 4g) LTE is 4G.
elaxsjo said:
Hi, I'm waking up this thread as I have the T999 phone and recently switched to Straight Talk SIM (AT&T).
I only get EDGE on the phone using my Straight Talk SIM.
Is there anything I need to do with the phone? It runs the latest stock, not rooted or modified as such. It is carrier unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also got straight talk att and I get hspa+.
Sent from my Calculator with Android.
jose makalolot said:
I also got straight talk att and I get hspa+.
Sent from my Calculator with Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What apn settings do you use? I plugged my ATT sim into an unlocked SGH-T999 today with the ST APN settings and only get 3G. Speed isn't bad - 1164k down/1041 up, but I would like to tap into the HSPA+ if possible.

Testing Tmobile with unlocked S3

Hey All,
I've placed a Tmobile sim in my Att unlocked GS3. Ive seen many posts stating that the Att version wont get 4g on tmobile but 4g works fine for me; regularly I can get 5 to 10mb downloads. My issue though is that Im sometimes dropping from 4g to 2g/Edge then back to 4g. Should my phone be dropping to 3g instead ? Im quite shocked when it happens since I usually had strong 4g not far away at all.
Is the general consensus to to simply get a Tmobile device instead of bringing something from at&t? I really dont want to root the phone or flash roms at this point since Im just testing out the service.
goon3r said:
Hey All,
I've placed a Tmobile sim in my Att unlocked GS3. Ive seen many posts stating that the Att version wont get 4g on tmobile but 4g works fine for me; regularly I can get 5 to 10mb downloads. My issue though is that Im sometimes dropping from 4g to 2g/Edge then back to 4g. Should my phone be dropping to 3g instead ? Im quite shocked when it happens since I usually had strong 4g not far away at all.
Is the general consensus to to simply get a Tmobile device instead of bringing something from at&t? I really dont want to root the phone or flash roms at this point since Im just testing out the service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are in a refarmed market from the sound of it. The reason you go from 4g to EDGE is because the refarmed spectrum is most likely not through your entire coverage area.
T-Mobile uses the 1700 band, which at&t does not support, as their primary 4G deployment. This is why it is always recommended to get a T-Mobile S3.
That said, there is a firmware image for at&t's GS3 that unlocks T-Mobiles AWS band not just for 4G but for LTE as well. It is in the at&t forum - you will have to read the entire thread to get the relevant files and information on how to do it. Note that this CAN brick your phone permanently so only attempt it if you are willing to take that chance and you are familiar with download mode and ODIN.
The upside of using that hack is that the T-Mobile S3 doesn't support LTE at all.
Sent from my SGH-T999
Thanks for the clarification and info about the hack. Assuming I get a Tmobile device, should I expect to see a 3g icon instead or would it still say 4g?
goon3r said:
Thanks for the clarification and info about the hack. Assuming I get a Tmobile device, should I expect to see a 3g icon instead or would it still say 4g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'll say 4g.. A 4g icon really means 3g/h+ and a 4g lte icon means lte
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Thanks!
Here is the link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1771021&page=25 Start reading from post #246

ATT note 2 as go phone

I have a att note 2 with a go phone sim card in it. I get hsdpa+ but can not get lte. When the sim card was bought it was used in a vzw note 2 would that effect it cause the vzw note 2 imei number was used to activate the sim. All the ready I have done someone said somewhere that the sim is probably not provisioned for lte. Well the point im getting at is I need help in trying to get lte and I know where im at there is lte cause my Co workers are currently on lte.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
H+ is LTE. Check the phone status >> mobile network type and you will see you are connected to fastest available network.
mjohnson4580 said:
I have a att note 2 with a go phone sim card in it. I get hsdpa+ but can not get lte. When the sim card was bought it was used in a vzw note 2 would that effect it cause the vzw note 2 imei number was used to activate the sim. All the ready I have done someone said somewhere that the sim is probably not provisioned for lte. Well the point im getting at is I need help in trying to get lte and I know where im at there is lte cause my Co workers are currently on lte.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are on a go-phone plan I would be very careful using mobile data. My wife doesn't use her phone much so she has a go-phone plan. I experimented with it some and a couple of apps got updated via mobile and it ate her $$ up in a hurry -- something to the tune of $17 in just a couple of minutes.
Then again there are a couple of different go-phone plans so this might not be the case for yours.
rangercaptain said:
H+ is LTE. Check the phone status >> mobile network type and you will see you are connected to fastest available network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but h+ is not lte. And according to documents on att.com and other varies websites you can connect to lte with this phone on go phone plans
It is LTE if the rom doesn't have an LTE icon.
And how do you know you are in an LTE area? I'm in a large California city, and I almost never see the LTE icon.
HSPA+ is considered "4G" by ATT, but it is not 4G LTE.
AT&T 4g icon... yaya
At&t stock roms will show 4g icon in the status bar for both HSPA+ and LTE. This is where the confusion starts yay AT&T.
To check to see if you are on LTE I would go to settings / about phone / Status and check the mobile network type. I think this will give you a better indication of the network you are on.
An information app similar to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gdip.android.network may also help.
If you are still not getting LTE with your at&t go phone I would start by checking your apn settings.
I have used a few of at&t mvno's I have had straight talk, at&t-go, and currently prefer(and use) AIO wireless (now re-branded to Cricket). All of at&t mvno's don't even require you to unlock your carrier you can use any at&t phone on their networks.
I hope this clears things up a bit.
I've checked apn settings they are what it should be and in the settings menu it reads hspa+. And where I live and work both have lte. Gettysburg pa is where I live and I work in baltimore,md and people I know all have lte. I called customer service and they could see I was in a lte area and only receiving hspa+. They have a trouble ticket in. I know the icon in the notification bar always shows 4g thats why Ilike to always go off setting/about. Thank you for your help
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
you need a new sim, you can get LTE with at&t prepaid but if you have an older sim,it wont work. i had a note 1 on postpaid and was only getting h+ until i went to the at&t store and got a newer sim.
some people will try to say there is no lte on at&t prepaid,there is.
Joshua79 said:
At&t stock roms will show 4g icon in the status bar for both HSPA+ and LTE. This is where the confusion starts yay AT&T.
To check to see if you are on LTE I would go to settings / about phone / Status and check the mobile network type. I think this will give you a better indication of the network you are on.
An information app similar to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gdip.android.network may also help.
If you are still not getting LTE with your at&t go phone I would start by checking your apn settings.
I have used a few of at&t mvno's I have had straight talk, at&t-go, and currently prefer(and use) AIO wireless (now re-branded to Cricket). All of at&t mvno's don't even require you to unlock your carrier you can use any at&t phone on their networks.
I hope this clears things up a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My ATT Note 2 has a 4G icon and a 4G LTE icon...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
I agree with getting a new sim. Go to a corporate/retail store not a dealer/franchise store, as the corporate will give you a new reprovisioned sim and the dealer will say it won't matter, or charge you.
I just saw the LTE icon for the first time, but I am far away from my home now.

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