I know that simply flashing the unlocked firmware won't unlock the phone. I'm sure that we all know this. But wouldn't the unlocked firmware get rid of the T-Mobile Unlock App, therefore allowing you to then be able to input an unlock code?
Try it and let us know.
I would like to know if this works
Bump.. not allowing me to post my reply from t-mo
Take your pick
Unlocked by Samsung smartphones work on multiple U.S. networks, so you have the freedom to pick a carrier and plan that fits your life. When you’re ready for an adventure, Unlocked by Samsung makes it easy – just pop in a compatible SIM card and take your device anywhere, from Mexico City to Paris and more.²
This is from Samsung's site, doesn't that mean it's unlocked.
I figured if you can enter a "regular" unlock code, it's a lot cheaper to unlock your device going that route (say like $10 bucks) vs paying for a "T-Mobile Unlock App Service" which currently runs like $140. I figured since the unlocked version firmware would get rid of the carrier bloatware, along with the T-Mobile Unlock App, that this method may actually work. I have not tried it and was wondering if anyone else has or would be willing to.
Related
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.
I have a Galaxy Tab 3 SM-T217A that I purchased used through Cowboom. I would like to unlock it for other carriers. What would be the easiest and cheapest way to do this? I tried the AT&T unlock request page, but I am not an AT&T customer and never have been, and obviously do not know the name of the person who last used this device.
I have investigated the myriad millions of device-unlock services on the net, but my particular device doesn't show up on the drop-down-menu lists of supported devices on most of them.
Solved this one myself. I took the unit to an AT&T store and subscribed to the $15/month pre-paid plan, thereby becoming an AT&T customer. Then I filled out the form on the web site asking for the unlock code, which I got about 2 hours later.
mnealbarrett said:
Solved this one myself. I took the unit to an AT&T store and subscribed to the $15/month pre-paid plan, thereby becoming an AT&T customer. Then I filled out the form on the web site asking for the unlock code, which I got about 2 hours later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just curious: How long after getting the AT&T service did you wait before contacting them for the unlock code? I was actually thinking the same, but wasn't sure how long I would have to be with AT&T before I could get the code. I really don't want to be with them any longer then necessary. I have T-Mo & they give free Tablet data plans to customers, but I need the device unlocked first.
Thanx
Hi, seems I'm coming very late to the party. But I've got good news for the op. I bought this tablet off Amazon, arrived with 4..2.2, searched for unlock code and found none. Presently rocking GSM function on this tablet. How did I get it unlocked? RegionLock Away app by Chainfire. See link below.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2470551
Thank me, donate to Chanfire and buy me a beer later.
i unlocked att sm-217a bootloader
i unlocked boot loader without bricking it just downloaded kingroot and rooted it then used chainfire bootloader unlock it says it don't support iyt and a quit notice pops up but I just hit the back button and proceeded with the unlocked granted su rights and it unlocked. I rebooted and it said custom unlocked
Hoping to revive this thread...
Mkc512,
Where did you find the app to unlock?
i have a tmobile Z2 i bought online and was not able to unlock it. It is very clearly a tmobile version but when i tried to use the unlock from tmo it say i am not eligible for an unlock i then called and they said the device was not sold by tmobile then called moto and got the same story. as of now i stick in an att sim and it does nothing only works on a tmo sim. any advice on how to carrier unlock this device.
T-Mobile devices require usage on the network before an unlock is allowed. Sometimes they will allow an unlock without use on the network, but since you did not buy the phone from them that most likely will not happen.
What is the error message you are receiving? If it is the device is not eligible, than it is in the server database and you should be able to unlock it after you have used it on the T_Mibile network.
If however you are receiving an unknown error, than the phone is not listed and you'll probably never get it unlocked.
Either way, it might be easiest to return the device to the seller if you're still within the return period.
Well even if I cant unlock it yet I have a friend who would be willing to use it for sometime and let it get time in on his account. The phone was already in use on the original sellers account so I thought that was enough. I will slap this tmo sim in it and give it some time it's the device I plan to do development on. I have a z2 from at&t so that my daily and this one can get bricked for all I care. I want to support the Z2 community
I had the same issue. Look for my post in the older unlocking thread. It's very straightforward and you can use a prepay sim to do it.
I have a Note 10 Plus N975U1 that was sold as a Consumer Cellular device through Target. The phone came with the N975U1 unlocked ROM installed on the phone and there is no carrier apps or Consumer Cellular identification anywhere. The only reason I know it's Consumer Cellular is because of a message that popped up for something, can't recall what now.
Anyway, the phone acts just like an unlocked model. Put in various sim cards and the phone reboots through the blue recovery screen to update carrier software for the sim you are using. APN settings are available and can be edited. Everything is just like an unlocked model.
Except, it connects to the network for a couple minutes or so and then stops working. It acts like the Verizon versions do before they are unlocked by Verizon. Except the Verizon versions give you a little pop up stating the phone can't be used on another network. This model has no message.
I am guessing that they are locked using the same mechanism that Verizon uses for locking their devices now except they just are not showing anything to let you know.
Is anybody aware of exactly how this is done and any third party who can unlock it? I have tried a couple different unlocked ROM s as well as an AT&T and Verizon just to see what happens. Same problem.
Thanks
Have a link from the target site to the phone you bought?
I have a feeling that the phone is not actually unlocked or it may not be as what it appears exactly. You can run the IMEI number using swappa and see if the phone is indeed an U1 variant or just the normal carrier N975U.
It maybe possible (not sure how exactly) that your using an international variant that was flashed and configured to look like a N975U1. For example the phone listed here is an international variant that is compatible with US LTE, but I have some serious doubts with how compatible it really is. From past experiences with a local store that sells unlocked Note 10+ units for Net10, I discovered they are not actually US models and are really international models. They were flashed and configured in a weird way (best I can describe it) that it would work for the most part, work with Net10, but it would not work with the other providers here locally. It would at first appear to work but then fail all together.. It wasn't until I started digging into the IMEI number and what it belonged too that I discovered the truth of what the model actually is, and I then promptly returned the phone to the store I bought it from.
If the phone is just network locked and a genuine N975U1 model it would just seem that you only have to use the phone with the service for a certain period of time before they will unlock it. Consumer Cellular would be the best place to go to get (and ask about getting) the phone unlocked.
https://www.consumercellular.com/Help/phones-and-services/5
I resell used phones and specifically phones from Consumer Cellular. All the previous Samsung models used to come unlocked, but about the time the S10 was released, all their Samsung phones came with this unusual lock. I've tried working with countless unlockers and no one has been able to remove it. Once it connects to the internet, it downloads some google update and the phone loses voice/data service. I've wondered how they do this too. A few other models I have that have the same lock are the A10e A20 J7 S10/+ S20/+ Note 10/+. Really really frustrating as I've been searching for a long time now. If anyone knows anything, please let me know. I have hundreds of these that need to be unlocked. Also to clarify, yes they are all the U1 factory unlocked models.
Edit: Apparently when a carrier locked device is flashed to U1 firmware BEFORE unlocking, there is no software prompt to unlock the device. It probably was a carrier locked N975U originally. Maybe on Consumer Cellular firmware, there would be a prompt to unlock it?
These are the guys but they only do commercial work. I am pretty sure they never fail unlock.
https://www.swiftunlocks.us/
Guyinlaca said:
Edit: Apparently when a carrier locked device is flashed to U1 firmware BEFORE unlocking, there is no software prompt to unlock the device. It probably was a carrier locked N975U originally. Maybe on Consumer Cellular firmware, there would be a prompt to unlock it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These are not the U versions. I've sold CC phones for years and they are and have always been U1 models. Not only does it say it in the software, but even on the back glass. They are locking these things with an update somehow.
I'll reach out to swiftunlocks, but I would put a big bet up that they can't unlock it either. I'm connected with some of the top unlockers in the world as this is my business and no one has any idea. If anyone is reading this and wants a phone to test, I'll even send you one if you think you can unlock it. It's worth a lot of money to me to find a solution. The worst part is that these phones are all paid off and eligible to unlock through the carrier, but since "I'm not the original owner" they won't help me.
Shatter65 said:
These are not the U versions. I've sold CC phones for years and they are and have always been U1 models. Not only does it say it in the software, but even on the back glass. They are locking these things with an update somehow.
I'll reach out to swiftunlocks, but I would put a big bet up that they can't unlock it either. I'm connected with some of the top unlockers in the world as this is my business and no one has any idea. If anyone is reading this and wants a phone to test, I'll even send you one if you think you can unlock it. It's worth a lot of money to me to find a solution. The worst part is that these phones are all paid off and eligible to unlock through the carrier, but since "I'm not the original owner" they won't help me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My friend, did you finally find a solution to unlock samsung phones locked to consumer cellular, i have a few phones locked to them and i would like to know if theres a way to unlock them
seth81 said:
My friend, did you finally find a solution to unlock samsung phones locked to consumer cellular, i have a few phones locked to them and i would like to know if theres a way to unlock them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally use samkey.org
Well since I have found zero threads about AT&T bootloader unlock. Does anyone have any solution? Whenever I put in any other sim, it just says that unable to use any other sim apart from AT&T. So I just factory resetted my phone and blocked the device setup app from accessing the internet via the Netguard app. That's allowed me to use any SIM card apart from AT&T however it's not a permanent solution but I'd like to know my options. Any chance of me working around a carrier unlock or possibly bootloader unlock? I bought this phone outside the US, and to my stupidity I never factored in that this was also a possibility that it's carrier locked, that too with a bad standing. I tried unlocking online but it just says that there's payments overdue and that I should log into my AT&T account. Tried calling their customer service, however they're useless and unhelpful. Learned the hard way, depressed that I've kinda wasted my money. Can there possibly be a way to carrier unlock my device and bootloader unlock?
Can you return the phone? The seller should have disclosed that information and the phone will technically only be used on AT&T until it's paid off, and currently on AT&T (for 60 or 90 days before they will sim unlock)
I tried going back to the shop, they just said that there's no way that they offer returns and that I should just contact AT&T for this issue. I'm running out of options and patience. I'm basically stuck with this phone. There's really no check and balance here when it comes to these matters