Is it the phone? - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4

My friend purchased a Samsung S4 M919 from someone he knows for $30 this week. He wanted to set it up via prepaid. He got the sim card and the refill card. Created the account and the sim is active and working (Tried it in another phone). When it comes on it just says no service. I tried searching the networks and having it connect to T-Mobile but it just says unable to connect. The phone was just unlocked via a unlock code and that was successful (Tried the service code way and it didn't work).
I did find out just recently that the previous owner had a balance on this phone or account. Is that why it wont work and is that the case on Prepaid as well? If so, would it work on AT&T? I did try a sim but its not an active one and it didn't pick up the network.
Running Stock Rom 5.1
Any help would be appreciated.

Also I wanted to check to make sure the phone was working properly I put in an old AT&T sim card but the network did not come up. Is that normal since the sim is not active or should it show the network? I want to make sure its working before my friend spends more money on another prepaid sim.

If the phone had a previous balance due, it will not pick up service. The phone is likely blocked until the balance is paid off
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

That would only be on T-Mobile right? It should work other services like AT&T, etc...

aries426 said:
That would only be on T-Mobile right? It should work other services like AT&T, etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily, it could also be blocked on other networks. It may or may not work
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

I thought if a phone was blocked from a carrier because it was stolen or lost then it's Blacklisted, that goes to all carriers. But I thought if its blocked on a carrier or non payment it's only blocked for that carrier. If you unlock the phone you can use it on other carriers. Is that right?

I found out from my friend that the person he got the phone from did owe on it but he thinks it was on the bill but it might have been the phone.

Related

[Q] GoPhone... Will a Glide work?

It seems that the Glide is only an AT&T-branded phone. Has anyone used one with GoPhone? Thought about picking up an unlocked one on eBay but I don't want to encounter the same "Invalid SIM card" issue I encounter when I put my GoPhone SIM card into my unlocked AT&T-sourced Skyrocket. Thanks for any info!
I can't say for certain, but I don't see why not. I use my phone with the T-Mobile monthly 4g plan and everything works fine. I do however, only have an EDGE/2g speed data wise due to the frequencies, but the phone was designed for AT&T so that wouldn't be a problem for you.
narume said:
I can't say for certain, but I don't see why not. I use my phone with the T-Mobile monthly 4g plan and everything works fine. I do however, only have an EDGE/2g speed data wise due to the frequencies, but the phone was designed for AT&T so that wouldn't be a problem for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the reply, narume. I think that the issue arises from this:
trinikartel said:
Let me know if you ever get that working.
What i THINK is that any phone that comes out of AT&T's clutches are in their system (both imei and with carrier iq) so once it you pop a sim into it and the information is matched to a device in their system they know what can and can't be allowed for the device. With international devices they don't have those IMEIs (which is why they always want the imei from you so they can match it in their system)
Your note is international...they can't "match or track it" so to their system it's just another random dumb phone
Your skyrocket is a known LTE/HSPA+ device to the system so it says no cheap data for you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So...assuming that this reasoning is correct, if AT&T knows that it's their phone they will have blocked its IMEI from being able to access data through GoPhone. And I would need 3G access in order to use it on my MicroCell. Anybody...?
Any at&t phones will work on go phone, and you can use a microcell as well, your phone still uses the 3/4G signal to connect for calls and texts. Also to get data to work for pictures, and mms you just need to call them and they will send you the apns, my nephew in law has an atrix 2 on a microcell with pic messaging working great. They also have a solstice 2 (dump phone) on the microcell, both go phones.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
If you're getting Invalid SIM, you may have a locked SIM card, something AT&T started doing with their prepaid a while back. New prepaid accounts have the SIM locked to the phone it was purchased with for ~3 months, after that I believe you have to either call or visit a store to have the lock removed.
Other than that, there's no reason it shouldn't work, but do remember that AT&T will see it as a smartphone. This means with their new prepaid plans, if you're using the 10 cents a minute plan you'll be unable to use data at all. If you're using one of the flat amounts per month, like the $25 or $50 plans, you'll need to purchase a data package (even though the $50 is SUPPOSED to include unlimited internet, smartphones aren't eligible).
I previously used a Motorola Flipside on AT&T's prepaid, before this change I was using the 10 cents a minute plan, with 1000 texts a month and buying a 500mb data package, then rolling over unused data each month with the 10mb package, and everything worked the same as if I was on postpaid - text, mms, internet, etc.
Thanks all! I'm 1½ months into my prepaid service. I'll check with AT&T after 3 months have passed and see if they can remove the SIM lock.
You might go ahead and call customer service anyway, who knows, you may get lucky. 3 months was what a rep told my friend a year or so ago, but that may have changed or may not have been the rule at all. Alternatively, you can go into a local store and purchase a new sim (or purchase one on ebay) and have them transfer your account over to it, just make sure they give you a regular sim and not a go-phone sim.
I just tested my captivate glide with the sim I was using in my flipside. It seems to read the sim just fine, though obviously I'm not still a prepaid customer so I can't make any real calls with it. I've also used it on a T-Mobile MyTouch 3G that was unlocked, briefly, when I was working on the flipside. Once you have the sim lock removed I expect you'll have no problems using it in any unlocked or AT&T locked phone.
If you use the 50 dollar plan and use the wap.cingular apn it will use data just set that up before you put in your sim, and do call they should unlock it for you, if not tell them you will be going to straight Talk at&t phones work locked on them since it's a part of at&t just ran by walmart.
Sent from my HTC One XL using xda premium
I have two Glides that I activated in June. NEITHER WAS SIM-LOCKED, ever.
Both are the newer 4G SIM, not the older one that says 3G on it. Got em from eBay for about $2.75 each. Both were activated online, about 3 weeks apart.
The first one, I activated with an IMEI of a Glide that broke and was able to use the SIM on a different Glide and other phones, even the Pantech Burst and got 4G. I activated it as 10c plan, then moved it to the $50 unlimited.
The second one was activated with 0000... generic IMEI with the 10c plan, and just like the first one, I was able to use the SIM on any GSM phone I have in the house (and that's quite a few).
APN: wap.cingular - only the name is needed, no userid, etc.

[Q] Can I Use My Rooted SGS2 In Europe?

Hi All,
Does anyone know if I can use my rooted SGS2 over in Europe? Specifically I'm using a rooted T989 running TDJ's Darkside Evolution 3 v7 with the venom kernel and the Touch0Color theme. I'm going to the Netherlands, where I think I can just get a local Tmobile (NL) sim and be fine, and the Romania, where I believe the phone will work on the Orange network.
Since the phone is rooted, it should also be unlocked, so there shouldn't be a hitch in just switching the sim and being up and running, correct?
Any thoughts, and especially first hand experience, would be appreciated.
I just want to make sure I'm not missing something completely obvious that makes simply buying the cheap $15 throw away the better option.
Thanks,
That's correct. Just call tmo for the unlock code...tell them the truth-you're going overseas. When you get there get a local SIM and pop it in.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
your phone should work in with any gsm carrier to make phone calls but your phone has to be unlocked. I dont know how the data will work since most gms carriers frequency bands are different from Tmobile's.
Ok, so I went to T-Mobile as instructed, and they said they would get back to me in 14 days (I know, right?). So they just sent me the below.
What should I do? I'm still wondering if the phone is just blanket unlocked as a result of the root and the new rom, but I'd prefer not to go buy a prepaid AT&T sim to find out. Can anyone out there advise?
Here's what T-Mobile sent me.
BEGIN
T-Mobile Phone #: 5********9
T-Mobile Sim Unlock Request
Sim Unlock Reference: 5*****6
IMEI: 3*************0
Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the unlock code at this time. After review of the account we have determined that the device is not in use with the corresponding mobile number. T-Mobile policies and procedures state that the device must be in use on the mobile number requesting the unlock code. If this is a new device please allow 3-4 business days prior to submitting a new request to allow your usage to update in our system.
Thank you,
SIM Unlock Department
Thank You,
Sim Unlock Department
T-Mobile USA, Inc.
END
I checked the numbers twice, and they are correct. But, obviously, I'm using the number with the phone on t-mobile without a hitch ...
So I called T-mobile, and asked what's what. They said that they couldn't even see what my phone was on the system, and then suggested that I call Samsung. Samsung said that they couldn't verify ownership of the phone and said to call tmobile. So I'm wondering what's going on here. The tmobile rep did say that she doesn't think that I'd be able to use an AT&T sim even though I rooted my phone. How would they know though, isn't the normal android stuff unlocked?
Any thoughts?
"rooted" and "unlocked" are not same terms.
I have rooted my phone and requested Unlock code from t-mobile before my trip to russia. Their policies state that you have to be t-mobile's customer for at least 40 days.(though because of circumstances they gave it to me on 39th day)
In russia I bought local sim card, slip it in my S2, followed an instructions provided by t-mobile and had no problems to place/receive calls and use an Internet. Though speed was 3G.
First, Rooted it doesn't mean Unlocked! They are 2 different operations.
You can be Rooted but NOT Unlocked, you can be Unlocked but NOT Rooted
and you can be Rooted AND Unlocked.
That being said, I beleive you have to be on Stock ROM when you
request the unlock code. With a custom ROM they don't recognize
your phone.....
If you don't want to flash back to stock until you get the code, then I would
go to a local cell phone store (not a company, just a local that sells
phones for all major carriers) and ask them to unlock it for you.
It should take about 5 min. and should cost about $20.
You can also go in Romania and unlock it there for about $5.
I know nothing about Netherlands, but it should be the same.....
Good luck and have a nice vacation.

[Q] Unlocking a brand new phone never activated?

I just bought a brand new Galaxy Note 3 from a T-MOBILE store to use it with AT&T. The phone has never been activated before and I was wondering can I just insert my AT&T sim card and unlock it with the code that I have? or does the phone have to be activated first with a T-MOBILE sim card before I can unlock it to AT&T?
The region lock is kind of confusing me...
memee4eva said:
I just bought a brand new Galaxy Note 3 from a T-MOBILE store to use it with AT&T. The phone has never been activated before and I was wondering can I just insert my AT&T sim card and unlock it with the code that I have? or does the phone have to be activated first with a T-MOBILE sim card before I can unlock it to AT&T?
The region lock is kind of confusing me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I heard it needs to be activated first. BUT, I think it needs to be activated if you plan on using it outside this region (country). I'd say give it a shot and see. If not... if it's not rooted, just take it back lol (j/k).
But I think the region lock stuff applies to international users, or those that want to use it internationally. Region lock I think is used to prevent people from selling these devices outside the country without it first being activated within the country... If I'm wrong, someone may clarify...
memee4eva said:
I just bought a brand new Galaxy Note 3 from a T-MOBILE store to use it with AT&T. The phone has never been activated before and I was wondering can I just insert my AT&T sim card and unlock it with the code that I have? or does the phone have to be activated first with a T-MOBILE sim card before I can unlock it to AT&T?
The region lock is kind of confusing me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is NO region lock if you purchased the phone
from a tmobile store, they region unlock all their
phones which need it before they sell you the phone.
Only the international NOTE 3 phone models have the
region lock intact and must be activated in the country
of origin with a valid sim card from that region or country.
If you purchased the phone at a Tmobile store then you have
nothing to be worried about, it's already activated and all it needs
is a valid active Tmobile sim card installed.
The Tmobile Note 3 does not come unlocked but Tmobile will
email you a unlock code with instructions if you request it. (free)
The Tmobile phone will not work with an AT&T sim card
unless you request an unlock code from Tmobile & unlock it.
(or using your valid unlock code if you have one)
The phone must have a valid tmobile sim card installed in order
to unlock it successfully.
After it's unlocked you can remove the tmobile sim card and
replace it with an AT&T or any other active sim card.
You must wait at least 14 days to request an unlock code
because that's how long you have to return the phone for
a full refund.
It's easy to unlock, takes less than 30 seconds.
Once unlocked it will work in any country or region.
Good luck!
So there's no region lock on 900T from t-mobile?
How did you buy a phone without an account??
Just bite the bullet and purchase a 3rd party unlock code...
Good Luck!
sloanster said:
How did you buy a phone without an account??
Just bite the bullet and purchase a 3rd party unlock code...
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to insert a t-mobile sim to unlock the code with an unlock code? Really?
I never said you needed a T-Mobile sim.... (however it is possible)
I'm still interested in knowing how you purchased without account... Do you mind sharing?
newr said:
You need to insert a t-mobile sim to unlock the code with an unlock code? Really?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sloanster said:
I never said you needed a T-Mobile sim.... (however it is possible)
I'm still interested in knowing how you purchased without account... Do you mind sharing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it from ebay...could be a dud!
tmobile is not just handing out the unlock code even if u did purchase it at full price. i just called them today myself. you have to have an account that has had atleast $100 put through it. i told them i dont have an account i purchased out right and should be able to get the code. they said it was the only way otherwise i could pay samsung or a third party company. finally im like wait my girlfriend has had a prepay acount for like 6 months. thats way over the 100 that they want so they transfered me to the prepay department and i explained to them what was going on. i confirmed the account information with them gave them my imei and they said that i will have an email with in 24hrs with the code. so now im just waiting for the email.
Great! and good luck!
If that backfires you can go to 3rd party such as Fastgsm.com or many others just look at the reviews 1st..
stash9123 said:
tmobile is not just handing out the unlock code even if u did purchase it at full price. i just called them today myself. you have to have an account that has had atleast $100 put through it. i told them i dont have an account i purchased out right and should be able to get the code. they said it was the only way otherwise i could pay samsung or a third party company. finally im like wait my girlfriend has had a prepay acount for like 6 months. thats way over the 100 that they want so they transfered me to the prepay department and i explained to them what was going on. i confirmed the account information with them gave them my imei and they said that i will have an email with in 24hrs with the code. so now im just waiting for the email.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
stash9123 said:
tmobile is not just handing out the unlock code even if u did purchase it at full price. i just called them today myself. you have to have an account that has had atleast $100 put through it. i told them i dont have an account i purchased out right and should be able to get the code. they said it was the only way otherwise i could pay samsung or a third party company. finally im like wait my girlfriend has had a prepay acount for like 6 months. thats way over the 100 that they want so they transfered me to the prepay department and i explained to them what was going on. i confirmed the account information with them gave them my imei and they said that i will have an email with in 24hrs with the code. so now im just waiting for the email.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If anyone else tries this...
The phone must be activated on the t-mobile network for 40 days ($100 minimum) and be paid in full in order to get the unlock code.
I can't remember where I read that, but I also confirmed with a rep because I am considering leaving to a pre-paid service.
If not, you would have to use one of the other ways of unlocking the phone.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
+1
noobtoob said:
If anyone else tries this...
The phone must be activated on the t-mobile network for 40 days ($100 minimum) and be paid in full in order to get the unlock code.
I can't remember where I read that, but I also confirmed with a rep because I am considering leaving to a pre-paid service.
If not, you would have to use one of the other ways of unlocking the phone.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
noobtoob said:
If anyone else tries this...
The phone must be activated on the t-mobile network for 40 days ($100 minimum) and be paid in full in order to get the unlock code.
I can't remember where I read that, but I also confirmed with a rep because I am considering leaving to a pre-paid service.
If not, you would have to use one of the other ways of unlocking the phone.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
incorrect i just called them to ask why i havnt recieved and the lady checked the acoount said i had been approved and read me my number now i have a redpocket sim wich is att working in my phone
stash9123 said:
incorrect i just called them to ask why i havnt recieved and the lady checked the acoount said i had been approved and read me my number now i have a redpocket sim wich is att working in my phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you are leasing your phone and on another network?
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
noobtoob said:
So you are leasing your phone and on another network?
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i own the phone but havnt activated it through tmobile. i had a simple mobile account and wanted to switch to att. tmobile told me i needed a active tmobile account tht has had 100 dollars on it so i used my girlfriends since she has had it for 6ish months. but have nvr used my phone on her account
stash9123 said:
i own the phone but havnt activated it through tmobile. i had a simple mobile account and wanted to switch to att. tmobile told me i needed a active tmobile account tht has had 100 dollars on it so i used my girlfriends since she has had it for 6ish months. but have nvr used my phone on her account
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So that still stands as correct then. As you just piggy backed on your girlfriends account that has been active for well over 40 days, thus approving your unlock code.
I am only speaking as if you do not have an account. If you buy the phone straight up, in order to give the unlock code they want an account (note I didn't say the device itself, which in my earlier post did say. Oops.) that had been active for 40 days and at least 1 month payment. Otherwise everyone would just buy their phones from them and they would make little profit.
There are always ways around getting a code. As some people mentioned you can always tell them you are going to be over seas and need a code. I have even found that being nice enough, and getting the right person, you sometimes get lucky.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
memee4eva said:
I just bought a brand new Galaxy Note 3 from a T-MOBILE store to use it with AT&T. The phone has never been activated before and I was wondering can I just insert my AT&T sim card and unlock it with the code that I have? or does the phone have to be activated first with a T-MOBILE sim card before I can unlock it to AT&T?
The region lock is kind of confusing me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please check this link. I think you know about it. Am I right?
http://www.usoftphone.com/t109846.html
Chainfires region lock away app removes the Sim lock. I was able to use my att Sim on a tmobile note 3 without entering any unlock code
Sent from my SM-N900T using XDA Free mobile app
That means after 40 days you can request for the unlock code?
Lorettaa said:
That means after 40 days you can request for the unlock code?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh?
No it means he is now unlocked and doesn't need an unlock code.

Q about Not activated note 4

if somebody can answer my question thats be great.
im trying to buy note 4 its at&t. but the person who bought the phone from at&t he did not activate the phone on at&t network.. he just got it in the mail and never contact at&t to activate it.. and he did not pay it off
ri have red pocket SIM and this is what i use for phone service..
if i buy this phone and use my SIM card with it.. does the phone with count as blacklist in at&t database ? what i know at&t blacklist phones will not work on red pocket..
thanks alot
If he did not pay it off it will likely be blacklisted. I assume he got it through the AT&T next program.
It will take up to a few months to be blacklisted.
But there is the chance that it will not be blacklisted as it wasn't registered on their network.
I was told that even if you owe money on a Next Plan device, you can still sell it to someone else. I just did that with my S5 and it went fine.
The Next Plan is tied to your account, not the device. If you sell the device and still owe money on it, they will come after you.
I could be wrong, has anyone heard differently?
so does at&t have all there phones IMEI in the database before the activate and they mark it as blacklist when they sale the phone if its unpaid and inactivated on any account on there network ?
At&t doesn't generally block phones regardless of what happened. They do everything with the account unless the account holder requests it be blacklisted. If they did do something on their end, they would just block it from use on their network, not others once it's unlocked. Generally I would say look for one from someone more reputable, but the fact that he admitted everything makes me think he's just going to let the account go unpaid.
the reason i ask because Red pocke SIM card works on at&t phones without unlock them.. they use at&t towers.. so its at&t based service.. and any blacklist phone will not work on Red Pocket SIM card.. im using LG G2 verizon and its blacklist on verizon but its works fine on redpocket.. the problem is i can not get 4G LTE with verizon phones i can get HSPA.. its should be at&t phone to get 4G LTE..
and the reason im trying to get that phone because its cheaper than to get it from at&t..

Question does this mean this was a ATT Pixel 6 Pro?

i am on cricket wireless and when i try to tun on hotpot it says you need a AT&T compatible plan for hotspot i am on cricket wireless with it, but it says AT&T
leo5111 said:
i am on cricket wireless and when i try to tun on hotpot it says you need a AT&T compatible plan for hotspot i am on cricket wireless with it, but it says AT&T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the phone SIM unlocked &/or has the phone been fully paid off?
oem unlocking is greyed out so im not sure what it is
i bought it renewed off amazon
OEM Unlocking grayed out usually means this was a Verizon device. My P6P was advertised as being an AT&T model and I was able to unlock my bootloader. That means nothing however, so run the IMEI through a check website. That will tell you if the unit is AT&T or Verizon.
Cricket is owned by AT&T. The hotspot is only available to AT&T subscribers with the appropriate plan. Cricket, to the best of my knowledge, doesn't have any plans with hotspot, so you won't be able to use the feature.
not sure which imei site to try i tried like 3 of em and got conflicting results..um yes cricket does https://www.cricketwireless.com/support/plans-and-features/plans.html
leo5111 said:
um yes cricket does https://www.cricketwireless.com/support/plans-and-features/plans.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thus the qualifier, "to the best of my knowledge". Contact Cricket and ask why the hotspot isn't working.
As to the IMEI check, I usually use imeicheck.net. However, you can also look at the box and count the number of barcodes. If you have five barcodes on the side of the box you have a Verizon unit. Otherwise it is AT&T or T-Mobile.
imei check says its
Model Name:
G8V0U other than that nothing about Verizon/ATT/Tmobile
cricket gives some BS about we cant Guarantee comparability, if it isnt 1 of ours
leo5111 said:
imei check says its
Model Name:
G8V0U other than that nothing about Verizon/ATT/Tmobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to a quick Google search, yours is an AT&T model. So is mine, yet mine I could unlock while yours is locked. All I can think of here is that you put your SIM into the phone prior to first boot and AT&T locked down the phone.
As to Cricket blocking the hotspot, that is their right, unfair as it is.
so if its at&t how do i sim unlock it? well thats why want to root it to tether
For the record, I forgot that you purchased this device renewed. So it was the original purchaser and not you who dropped his SIM into the phone prior to first boot and booted the phone. I apologize for the accusation. Anyway, when he found out the device was locked down due to his booting the phone with the SIM in it, he returned the unit. It's either that or he did the shady thing and swapped his phone bought from AT&T with a new one purchased from Amazon that, based upon personal experience, can be unlocked.
Your problem isn't with the SIM but the bootloader. AT&T is just like Verizon in that they lock the bootloader. While you may have some luck contacting AT&T customer service, you would be better served returning the renewed phone to Amazon and purchasing a new one, one that you know hasn't been touched.
right now it says with cricket to tether need to get att plan if i switch to verizon with hotspot will that message still be there or is the carrier sending that with the sim card?
its not sim locked i dont think..its been on tmobile its now on cricket, so im saying if i go to visible wireless that allows hotspots as long as it will talk and text on verizon it will allow hotspotting or does sim lock allow to be on another network but hotspot does not work?
Carrier sends that with the SIM card, so if you switch SIM cards and your Verizon service includes hotspot the hotspot should be unlocked.

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