Hi all,
I purchased my Galaxy S9 phone from Europe at a computer tech shop and the guys told me that it is Carrier Unlocked in which makes sense, because I paid the full price for the phone (about $750).
Do I need to make the call to an EU number from the US or before leaving to the US? That part I am confused about
On the box it says in order to use SIM cards from other regions, make a call for 5 minutes to a European region. But to which number and can I make the call before going to the US?
Do these required calls have to be 5 minutes per call or can I just call any number each day to add those 5 minutes up?
I can add those 5 minutes up to Region Unlock here in Europe and when I arrive to the US I should be fine?
So I can make these calls now here currently in Europe before going to the US, correct?
Would appreciate if someone can guide me in the exact process on this works to be exact.
I mean step-by-step details.
Thanks!
This is what Samsung said in one article I've seen.
If the device was purchased in the EU you need to make a 5-10 Min phone call in the country it was purchased using that region SIM card, Once your in the states you need to use the same SIM card to call back to that country for 5-10 mins again
This will region unlock the device.
I still don't quite understand this below:
European Model: This product should be activated with a SIM card issued from a mobile operator within Europe. (as defined EU/EEA, Switzerland and the following Non-EEA countries Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M), Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Serbia and Vatican City.) To use SIM cards from other regions, a cumulative call over five minutes must first be made with the SIM card from European operators.
So before going to the States, I need to make a call with my EU SIM card for 5-10 minutes and then when I arrive to the States, I need to make a call to the EU using the same EU SIM card for 5-10 minutes?
My question is, what number to call? And what if someone for example doesn't have any family or friends to make these kind of calls in Europe or from the States?
However, I had been using my phone here in Europe for some time now getting close to adding up those 5 minutes. Should this mean that by the time I arrive to the USA, would my phone be Region Unlocked?
This is just my take. I think it means one continuous call for that time, not multiple calls adding up. Then from the US one continuous call using the same EU Sim card. For someone that doesn't know anyone to call for that long I guess they'd have to find some type of business they could BS for 5 minutes or so. LOL, call a random business and talk r_e_a_l_l_y r_e_a_l_l_y slow.
Call the local time telling service number - in Germany it's 0180 4 100 100 and tells current time every 10 seconds, charges are €0,42/minute.
Ok, so just again to confirm.
1. Before leaving to the USA, I call any local European number using my EU local SIM card for 5 minutes?
2. Then, I have to make the same call FROM the USA and try to talk for 5 minutes again and then finally I can use any US SIM card?
Is this correct?
In case the Region Unlock as described might not work, can I still use a local Wi-Fi in a hotel or coffee shop in the US even if my phone is still Region Locked?
I use my phone mostly for Internet usage even here in Europe. So maybe calling will not be such an issue since Wi-Fi is now everywhere these days.
That's the way I interpreted it. They did say 5 to 10 minutes so if at all possible I'd try for a little longer than 5 if possible. I would think wifi should work even with region lock
Let me do some more research on this because I also read that one needs to just only make a local EU call for 5 to 10 minutes and when arriving to the US, the second call from there are not needed.
My best bet, is to try to walk into (or even emailing) Samsung Support Center or even a Samsung shop and it might be worth asking them.
Thanks!
call me
I got in touch with Samsung Support chat and they told me that I do not need to make a second call from the USA using my EU SIM card to the EU region. So while still being here in the EU, I need to make a call for 5 to even 30 minutes (or even text) and I should be good to go with no additional actions once after I am in the USA.
They also said, to be sure, I need to receive calls or text to rack up those minutes as well.
So there you go.
I thought it would be best to have Samsung Support providing these details to get a more precise answer.
But with all respect here, thanks for the support!
Good to know, and hopefully it's right. What I posted was word for word from Samsung support also so let us know which method worked.
av_899 said:
I got in touch with Samsung Support chat and they told me that I do not need to make a second call from the USA using my EU SIM card to the EU region. So while still being here in the EU, I need to make a call for 5 to even 30 minutes (or even text) and I should be good to go with no additional actions once after I am in the USA.
They also said, to be sure, I need to receive calls or text to rack up those minutes as well.
So there you go.
I thought it would be best to have Samsung Support providing these details to get a more precise answer.
But with all respect here, thanks for the support!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be interested in hearing how it all turns out. I'll be in Germany next week and toyed with the idea of purchasing an S9 there to use in the US once I return back home. I would assume they're bootloader unlocked in Germany. That would be the draw for me over the US models.
Related
Hi y'all - just want to let Telus customers know that I have successfully unlocked my TP2 for 3rd party sims. In case it was one of those "should be possible, but I'd like to wait to buy until I know..." questions for some of you.
You may have seen the youtube vid, but I can confirm its true.
Also - Telus would NOT give out the sim unlock code for free. They got all squirrelly and weird and said they DO NOT support this, and they dont even have the unlock code even if they wanted to give it. They also said that they're locked at the factory which I argued is completely false as before you activate the phone, it says "SIM unlocked", and locks immediately afterwards.
Strangely, the first guy I spoke to was understanding, pleasant and said that I had to contact HTC, that they didn't actually have the code but I could definitely get it from HTC, and that he used to work for HTC in Canada before the dollar rose and they had to move elsewhere. Called HTC and they were confused and said "no, you have to get it from your telco, or a 3rd party".
That's what I thought. Canadian cell companies are waaaay to tight-fisted to give an inch on their overpriced bs.
$35 with popular canadian cell unlocking site - took 2.5 days.
So what did you have to do exactly? I'd love to have the Telus version, but being in Mex I was dubious about the simlock. And you can do it all online, right?
yes what did you do, or give us a link, plz, People gonna be need this as I am.
wouldnt a custom ROM accomplish the same thing?
Perhaps if you bought it without activating it, you could put on a custom ROM and then keep the SIM unlocked. I think, however, that they will be unlikely to be inclined to sell the TP2 without attaching it to Telus first. Once its locked by Telus, I think its locked in a part of memory that flashing won't overwrite. I could be very wrong - someone please enlighten if they know better... When you bought your Fuze and then flashed a cust rom, did it unlock the phone?? I've always been a CDMA customer in NA, with the occasional GSM blackberry overseas - but I bought them unlocked too.
www.mobileincanada.com is where I got my code. They told me that the Touch Pro 2 takes much more time to create code than other phones, hence the almost 3 day wait.
Tested: prior to unlocking a soft reset after sim install would elicit "SIM detected, not a Telus SIM - phone switching to CDMA only" or something like that.
Afterwards, SIM detected, switching to Global. I double checked that it could read my Optus SIM and get phone numbers off of it. It didn't complain at all and even tried to connect to Rogers - couldn't, of course, with a deactivated Optus SIM...
Update
Found an unused Rogers SIM kicking around... Will detect the network manually, but will not register on it. HTC did say that they locked out the NA GSM service providers as a service to the NA CDMA companies. Perhaps a flashed ROM would fix this... obviously the radio bands are compatible or it wouldnt detect it at all, no?
Huh, if it's not working then it really isn't unlocked...
Wonder if a Mexican sim would work (technically it's part of North America though culturally and economically speaking it isn't).
I don't understand why they'd lock out all North American gsm providers. Wouldn't the gsm providers of the same country be enough? After all, who'd want to be roaming all the time in Canada with a US provider's sim, it'd be much more expensive than any local plan.
Well, the SIM I tried has never been activated. It doesn't even work in my ROgers BB, it turns out. So I need to try an activated one.
Anyway, I do remember reading that HTC's compromise to the NA CDMA carriers was that they would disable using NA GSM companies in order that you would have to use your provider's CDMA roaming services throughout NA, even on an unlocked phone. Will do my best to test.
My main concern was getting it to worked on a 3rd party sim in Oz and Europe.
It is definitely "unlocked" however. The Settings/Security screen says "This phone is SIM unlocked", and now it will read any sim card I install. Before unlocking it wouldnt let you go near a non-telus SIM.
I ordered my unlock code through the same site, too. But they refund my money the next day saying my IMEI isn't in their database, thus unable to provide an unlock code for my phone.
this is one of those "are you sure its plugged in" questions so I apologise, but did you make triple sure you gave them the right IMEI code? Sometimes there are more than 15 digits, although I've been told its only the first 15 that matter...
Ok. I'd love to have the Telus version, what with the added bands, the cdma mode, the 3.5mm jack, and case very faithful to the original, and even the nostalgia factor (I remember when Telus was only for home phones) But I am not going to risk looking for an importer, buying it and all that if there's a chance that I would be unable to get the unlock codes. That'd be TRULY frustrating and a waste of money.
well, there are more than 15 digits on the back of the phone behind the battery, while there are 17 digits in Device Information. And since they only asks for first 15 digits, I just gave them that. Asked them to double check, still came back with IMEI not found. I'm pretty frustrated now...because I paid the the full price for the phone as I'm not qualified for upgrade yet as I got the Diamond for free last Sept. And since I got it from Telus store and there's no return, I feel pretty much got rip-off as I was in hope of using it in HK, where I travel to every year.
Travelling to HK
B"H
I believe that these units are SIM-Unlocked for INTERNATIONAL use, like in HK -- so you shouldn't have a problem (according to what's been posted here).
-Dovid
www.htcphones.com
I purchased an unlock code from the site recommended by chopsxxx, but got a refund after 24 hours, saying they could not generate, after googling for sometime, purchase and unlock code from imeiunlock.info did receive the code its 8 digits in length. I try to enter the code after pressing ##778# but its only giving an option to key in 6 digits, can anyone help me with this?
This is for HTC Touch Pro 2 HTC TP2 from Sprint USA, its both CDMA and GSM version
Thanks
Hello. I have a AT&T GSM Touch Pro 2 and am visiting Spain soon for a little over a week. I am interested in primarily getting data services (not concerned with making phone calls). Can anyone give me info on if this is possible and what to watch out for?
I would like to get email access mainly, but would love to use google maps and other internet apps. Will these work still? Specifically, do I need to talk to AT&T at all and where or how do I buy/rent a sim card in Spain? Obviously, I want to keep this as economical as possible - how much should I expect to be charged?
Thanks for the help!
yes you'll be able to use your tilt2 in spain with data and 3G. spain's networks use 900/1800 gsm and 2100 3g (umts) and the tilt2 supports those bands.
There are several networks you can choose from in spain, among them are vodafone, telefonica (movistar), and Orange. Once you get there pretty sure they sell them in the airports but also in the supermarkets.
From my experience of traveling abroad (europe and middle east) the data rates on prepaid sim cards are pretty high. But its prepaid so it'll only use what you put in, no going over.
Try googling for vodafone spain, orange spain and telefonica spain and see if they're sites have the prepaid rates.
Overall you won't have to use your At&t sim card, which i highly recommend you don't because you don't want to come back to an enormous bill with international data (which i did once!)
Hope this helps and enjoy your trip
Wow! What a great and thorough response. Other than HardSPL for rom flashing, I have not specifically unlocked my phone. Do I need to do that before using a vodafone, for example, sim? I thought I read recently that AT&T will unlock your phone for this sort of thing - any experience with that?
Thanks again!
indigomontoya said:
Wow! What a great and thorough response. Other than HardSPL for rom flashing, I have not specifically unlocked my phone. Do I need to do that before using a vodafone, for example, sim? I thought I read recently that AT&T will unlock your phone for this sort of thing - any experience with that?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops, my bad, that completely slipped my mind. Yes you will need to sim unlock your device. Call At&t and they will provide the unlock code for you. Tell them you are going overseas for business and they will offer you an international plan, just tell them your not interested and they'll ask for you imei number (have it ready before) its found under your battery, on the side of your box, or by calling *#06# on your phone and the imei will pop up in a notification.
They will give you the unlock code and for your device to prompt you for the code, you will have to put a non-At&t sim card in your phone. So either grab one from a friend that has t-mobile or just wait till you get there and make sure you have the unlock code with you
Perfecto! Muchas Gracias!
(Im practicing my spanish)
indigomontoya said:
Perfecto! Muchas Gracias!
(Im practicing my spanish)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no worries haha
not gonna even try my spanish, its horrible! but i understand it pretty well.
My gf did a semester abroad a couple yeard ago in spain and she loved it, enjoy the wine!
Hi Guys
I have a questions if anyone can help me out. I am with verizon and looking to jump ship to t-mobile. I travel extensively overseas to london due to work commitment ( almost every second month for 7-10 days) and they company want me to use the local sim cards.
I have a trip coming up at end of this month, does t-mobile phone unlocked for overseas use from the box like verizon ? or do i have to wait a certain time before i can unlock the phone for overseas use ? I understand t-mobile is sim-locked but does that also apply to overseas providers ?
KgTheraad1 said:
Hi Guys
I have a questions if anyone can help me out. I am with verizon and looking to jump ship to t-mobile. I travel extensively overseas to london due to work commitment ( almost every second month for 7-10 days) and they company want me to use the local sim cards.
I have a trip coming up at end of this month, does t-mobile phone unlocked for overseas use from the box like verizon ? or do i have to wait a certain time before i can unlock the phone for overseas use ? I understand t-mobile is sim-locked but does that also apply to overseas providers ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use the device on your T-Mobile line for 40 days and call in to get it unlocked. A stock T-Mobile N900T is carrier locked even if you throw use a foreign SIM, so get it unlocked.
Actually t-mobile has great international plans, check the details, but it is very reasonable and you can call US for free as long as you're on WiFi (and don't receive any calls). After 40 days, they will unlock it for you anyhow and I'm not sure how it works if you pay COD, in theory your phone would be yours and they should unlock it right away.
You can unlock it yourself see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2471742here
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app
Hi guys. I'm about to purchase a phone in Amazon (Samsung-Galaxy-G900M-Unlocked-Phone -can't post the link-) and the seller specified that in order to use it outside the US I have to make a 20 minute call while still in american soil. Is this absolutely necessary? I'm delivering the phone to a friend's hotel (he's on holiday there) and I wouldn't want to make him go through all the hassle of buying a prepaid sim-card and have him call some number for 20 minutes.
Thanks!
Dear xda
First off, I absolutely love the concept of this phone: strong, big battery, great hardware,... and I dont really mind touchzwiz (the way it is now).
I'm wondering if it interesting to import the s7 active to Europe or not. As far as my research goes, this is what i found out:
at&t has an unlock service via their website
íll have to pay import duty and VAT (is this also the case if I purchase a "used" phone?)
at&t's s7 active supports all bands, so no problem there
at&t has some bloatware which shouldn't be to much of a problem to remove
updates will suck big time, unless we get root and we update the rom ourselves.
If anyone has info about Samsung introducing the s7 active to Europe, please let me know.
Wondering this myself
Yes it will work. Relatives just went to Europe with 3 S7 Actives we got att to unlock as they were bought outright. Work fine on Wind and Cosmote carriers, and will be sold to friends before they return.
Package Disabler Pro works to disable samsung and att updates and bloatware without root.
Those 3 Actives will pay for mine; sometimes carrier exclusivity is a great thing.
Wondering about the import duty and VAT if I import a used phone.
Anybody know?
There's plenty of post on what to disable manually so no need to pay for an app as it does the same thing. If it's convenience you want then the app will help but there's plenty of post for all provider variants of Samsung phones on xda and reddit.
Import duty and taxes will always have to be paid. If you buy second hand make sure a proof of purchase is included otherwise they will charge the tax of a new phone. You can get a friend to take one home with him/her and they will not pay.
I've bought the S7 Active this week in Switzerland. The phone was unlocked already. Inserted the SIM card from my local provider Swisscom and it works perfect.
Only what I do miss: no BT SAP support.
Hiow did you manage that? Where/who did you buy it from?
CH-TOM said:
I've bought the S7 Active this week in Switzerland. The phone was unlocked already. Inserted the SIM card from my local provider Swisscom and it works perfect.
Only what I do miss: no BT SAP support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No option to do software update with s7 active.
Hi anyone know how to get ota updates on the s7 active in the UK?
You don't. Updates need to be flashed from the sd card or with a computer via odin.
Hello
I've about the same questions for an use in France : how difficult is it, once received (supposively an ATT one unlocked), to update up to last android version oreo and is there a loss of functionnalities if not used in USA..?
Thanks in advance
Julien
I use it regulate in Italy (un-lock of course) Oreo 8.0 G891AUCS4CRG3, I'm looking for a way to improve reception, perhaps replacing the modem software with another modem software
Hello
Thanks @Matad1974 for your reply, so it's possible to use it in Europe without too much difficulties and loss of functions..? Which method did you used (OTA/KiES/Odin) ?
About reception isn't it because there are bands missing..? I've read somewhere using code #*#*4636*#*# you can choose bands, have you try ?
Thanks in advance
Julien
Hello, I bought it directly from the United States already unlocked, it works well, but the reception is a bit poor sometimes, where before with the same card took good, and when I talk to someone my voice sometimes is not very understandable .. because of this maybe changing the modem maybe it gets better.
With this code #*#*4636*#*# it does not do anything to me
I took a ride on the internet and I found this code, I try various settings code *#2263#
I can recommend it for european users as well. You lose some of the newest features I think, like Wifi calling.
Updating is pretty simple but a little inconvenient since the update does wipe all your data. There is a thread in this forum that can help you.
Also you should only buy from a thrustworthy seller, but that's just common sense.
(Changing bands can also be done with an app, for example "Network Switch")