Question is the same as the title, are there other users on XDA who have considered upgrading or buying the Snapdragon Dual Sim Note 10+ over the N975F?. I am aware of the general uniqueness of the Hong Kong/Latin American/Brazilian Snapdragon devices as they have unlocked bootloaders compared to their US and Canadian counterparts. I've been doing research on these phones ever since I knew of the existence of the HK Note 8.
Development wise these N9xx0 devices don't see much development due to the rarity/relative uniqueness of these versions, but I was curious if anyone was checking for this to use instead of the Exynos Note 10+ in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and the rest of the world. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people on AT&T, T-Mobile and their respective MVNOs as I am considering getting this one to use on MetroPCS. In terms of bands I wonder if it will work out of the box similar to a user who had his Hong Kong S10+ work on T-Mobile with Wi-Fi calling/VoLTE even with the TGY CSC.
If they have an oem Bootloader Unlock like the S10's did I will definitely be getting that model over the F. There is still a shocking distance between the two chips in benchmarks, the snapdragon versions performing 20% better than the exynos versions. I will hold out for some extended use testing to come out, but it seems unlikely to change the data much. I need as much performance as I can get from my chip, and I don't really need custom roms to achieve a smooth workflow or customized experience.
---------- Post added at 11:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 PM ----------
BTW I don't worry much about bands with any of the new flagships coming out. You can verify on frequency checker, but most phones these days come with the same modems in all models. My last phone was a Chinese model Mate 20 X and it had no problem with international roaming on Google fi and got 4g on any chip I threw at it.
Idont know where you plan to use your device, but in many forums of other samsung devices, people getting devices from other countries, have sometimes problems regarding bands, carrier services, software updates, and most important no way to claim warranty
Mainland China = SG chip / 5G / 256gb / dual sim / limited bands
Hong Kong = SG chip / LTE only / 512gb / dual sim / limited bands
US unlocked = SG chip / LTE only / 512gb / single sim / full bands
In my case, I want dual sim but HK version doesn’t have LTE 66 and 71 which T-Mobile uses. So I am still debating.
NoteSeriesEnthusiast27 said:
Question is the same as the title, are there other users on XDA who have considered upgrading or buying the Snapdragon Dual Sim Note 10+ over the N975F?. I am aware of the general uniqueness of the Hong Kong/Latin American/Brazilian Snapdragon devices as they have unlocked bootloaders compared to their US and Canadian counterparts. I've been doing research on these phones ever since I knew of the existence of the HK Note 8.
Development wise these N9xx0 devices don't see much development due to the rarity/relative uniqueness of these versions, but I was curious if anyone was checking for this to use instead of the Exynos Note 10+ in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and the rest of the world. I'm particularly interested in hearing from people on AT&T, T-Mobile and their respective MVNOs as I am considering getting this one to use on MetroPCS. In terms of bands I wonder if it will work out of the box similar to a user who had his Hong Kong S10+ work on T-Mobile with Wi-Fi calling/VoLTE even with the TGY CSC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using N975F and it has dual sim
Does all the S20 series devices support 5G or anyone device will have the 5G support??
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is reported to be a 5G device. No mention yet if the lower priced models will offer 5G.
ArunRocker said:
Does all the S20 series devices support 5G or anyone device will have the 5G support??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that every S20 series device will support 5G but any one or two models may have the 5G support.
Patent filings indicate that there will be 4G and 5G models of all three devices. 4G models will be sold only in countries with no immediate 5G infrastructure plans, however.
ArunRocker said:
Does all the S20 series devices support 5G or anyone device will have the 5G support??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you just need to pay more for the 5G model
I hope there is a software switch that will allow us to turn 5G off for those of us who do not live in a 5G coverage area. Not all of us live in major metropolitan areas.
galaxy S20
G980 : 4G
G981: 5G
galaxy S20+:
G985:4G
G986: 5G
galaxy ultra:
G988 5G
Samsung galaxy S20 ultra and S20+ has a separate version of 5G right?
Samsung technical expert on chat said yes,
the modem the phone has seems to indicate it does (unless samsung disable something on the S20 5G specifically to limit it to Sub6 bands only),
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/exynos/products/modemrf/exynos-modem-5123/
this webite seems to say no (no mmWave bands listed),
https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/f3e652f5
to add to my confusion the verison S20 5G originally didn't support mmWave until they released the S20 5G UW
I'm in the UK on EE. I just would like to know if the phone can or can't receive mmWave if it was transmitted to it?
Lothandyr said:
Samsung technical expert on chat said yes,
the modem the phone has seems to indicate it does (unless samsung disable something on the S20 5G specifically to limit it to Sub6 bands only),
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/exynos/products/modemrf/exynos-modem-5123/
this webite seems to say no (no mmWave bands listed),
https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/f3e652f5
to add to my confusion the verison S20 5G originally didn't support mmWave until they released the S20 5G UW
I'm in the UK on EE. I just would like to know if the phone can or can't receive mmWave if it was transmitted to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're out of luck if you didn't purchase the 5G UW. There is no modem technology currently available that can leverage 5G signals in the sub-6 GHz spectrum and 5G signals in the mmWave spectrum at the same time. You can only get one or the other.
Lothandyr said:
Samsung technical expert on chat said yes,
the modem the phone has seems to indicate it does (unless samsung disable something on the S20 5G specifically to limit it to Sub6 bands only),
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/exynos/products/modemrf/exynos-modem-5123/
this webite seems to say no (no mmWave bands listed),
https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/f3e652f5
to add to my confusion the verison S20 5G originally didn't support mmWave until they released the S20 5G UW
I'm in the UK on EE. I just would like to know if the phone can or can't receive mmWave if it was transmitted to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S20 5G does not support mmWave, chart of supported devices here
https://www.androidauthority.com/5g-confusing-1084755/
*Detection* said:
S20 5G does not support mmWave, chart of supported devices here
https://www.androidauthority.com/5g-confusing-1084755/
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Click to collapse
Not so, Verizon released 5G mmWave for the S20, Plus and Ultra devices on June 4th. They're labeled as S20 5G UW Models, other carriers to follow. A couple of drawbacks for the S20 Base Model, you're limited to 8GB of RAM and no MicroSD.
https://www.xda-developers.com/verizon-samsung-galaxy-s20-5g-uw-less-ram-no-expandable-storage/amp/
Hi,
I just came across this information on different forums that global version SM-G988B doesn't support 5g mmWave bands so basically it is same as S20+ 5g. I thought I am getting both mmWave and sub 6 as I have paid more.
This is fraud and misleading advertisement. AU support chatbot still says that It supports 5G mmWave but in specification it doesn't. I have checked the preorder page archives and there was no specification section to show 5G network information.
I think S20 plus and Ultra owners should start a petition for faulty camera and false network advertisement.
1. In unpack video they mentioned 5GmmWave at 56:25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQdJkoTh48
2. In Exynos modem 5123 which is in S20 series, it says it supports 5G mmWave. https://www.samsung.com/semiconducto...os-modem-5123/
3. in Global press release it says it will have 5G mmWave. https://news.samsung.com/global/intr...ence-the-world
4. Chatbots are saying it have 5G mmWave. Screenshot
Yeah I'm pretty sure you don't get mmWave.
Buying a S20 is like getting a Kinder Surprise:
Some don't have SD card slots
Some have 8GB ram while others have 12GB
Some have Exynos, other Snapdragon
Some have sub 6 mm waves some don't
Some have the E-sim, some don't
Samsung is like life: gamble with everything.
Why cant samsung make a universal phone that can operate in all countries?
Today I received a reply from samaung support Australia.
Thank you for contacting Samsung Electronics Australia.
We are sorry for the confusion on the model of your handset. We understand the importance of this matter to you.
Your Galaxy S20 Ultra supports the 5G mmwave. This being said, your device provides the new challenges and benefits for 5G networks.
Who should I believe now?
Please, read this : https://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ra-5g-t4071687 (SAMSUNG & S20, +, Ultra FAKE, or without mmWave 5G antennas)
And look (go directly to 10:00 minutes) at this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OZVWcyN5w
Pascal536 said:
Please, read this : https://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ra-5g-t4071687 (SAMSUNG & S20, +, Ultra FAKE, or without mmWave 5G antennas)
And look (go directly to 10:00 minutes) at this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OZVWcyN5w
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Informative video, thanks for sharing. Qualcomm just announced they've developed an mmWave 5G Modem which allows for data distribution at a range of over 2 miles.
https://venturebeat.com/2020/08/31/...ave-range-to-2-36-miles-for-broadband-modems/
That's a big improvement but the only US Carrier solely focused on mmWave is Verizon and coverage is very limited. T-mobile/Sprint offer close to nationwide coverage for Low Band 5G but the speeds are close to what most WiFi Modems offer. Until mmWave is widely avaliable 5G won't garner much of my attention.
Pascal536 said:
Please, read this : https://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ra-5g-t4071687 (SAMSUNG & S20, +, Ultra FAKE, or without mmWave 5G antennas)
And look (go directly to 10:00 minutes) at this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OZVWcyN5w
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the information. I talked to support team in Australia and they are confuse. Some says it has and some says it does not has 5g mmWave. The reality is it does not and I have raised this issue in Samsung and I will wait for their Call.
This is fraud and misleading advertisement. AU support chatbot still says that It supports 5G mmWave but in specification it doesn't. I have checked the preorder page archives and there was no specification section to show 5G netwrok information.
I think S20 plus and Ultra owners should start a petition for faulty camera and false network advertisement.
1. In unpack video they mentioned 5GmmWave at 56:25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQdJkoTh48
2. In Exynos modem 5123 which is in S20 series, it says it supports 5G mmWave. https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/exynos/products/modemrf/exynos-modem-5123/
3. in Global press release it says it will have 5G mmWave. https://news.samsung.com/global/int...y-s20-change-the-way-you-experience-the-world
4. Chatbots are saying it have 5G mmWave. Screenshot
kazim.asghar said:
Thanks for the information. I talked to support team in Australia and they are confuse. Some says it has and some says it does not has 5g mmWave. The reality is it does not and I have raised this issue in Samsung and I will wait for their Call.
This is fraud and misleading advertisement. AU support chatbot still says that It supports 5G mmWave but in specification it doesn't. I have checked the preorder page archives and there was no specification section to show 5G netwrok information.
I think S20 plus and Ultra owners should start a petition for faulty camera and false network advertisement.
1. In unpack video they mentioned 5GmmWave at 56:25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIQdJkoTh48
2. In Exynos modem 5123 which is in S20 series, it says it supports 5G mmWave. https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/exynos/products/modemrf/exynos-modem-5123/
3. in Global press release it says it will have 5G mmWave. https://news.samsung.com/global/int...y-s20-change-the-way-you-experience-the-world
4. Chatbots are saying it have 5G mmWave. Screenshot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some people have delete my post on XDA (Error 404 now) : read this : https://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ra-5g-t4071687 (SAMSUNG & S20, +, Ultra FAKE, or without mmWave 5G antennas)
---------- Post added at 08:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 AM ----------
Fake-5G: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra in JRE teardown without mmWave 5G antennas
Im JRE-Teardown zeigt sich, dass nicht alle Galaxy S20 Ultras aller Länder das gleiche Featureset bieten. Hier fehlen die mmWave 5G-Antennen.The JRE teardown shows that not all Galaxy S20 Ultras of all countries offer the same feature set. The mmWave 5G antennas are missing.
(Update: Even in Europe without mmWave support?) The inglorious saga of Samsung's sometimes rather shady marketing promises regarding the Galaxy S20 series and the Galaxy Z Flip continues weeks after the launch. The teardown of the JerryRigEverything Youtube channel shows that in some regions, specifically South Korea, Galaxy S20 Ultra models are delivered without mmWave antennas and thus only the slower Sub-6-5G is supported, as with the base Galaxy S20 5G.
There have already been two teardowns of a Galaxy S20 Ultra: the official one from Samsung itself and the repair profile of iFixit - so what should be discovered exciting with the third deassembly of the JerryRigEverything Youtube channel, which is not already known anyway?
Missing mmWave 5G antennas
That is how you can be deceived. Up to minute 10, the video of Zack Nelson (see below) is indeed worth seeing but not exactly a sensation, but after that it becomes more than exciting. Because where the other two teardowns reveal the three separate mmWave 5G antennas, the tester's Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G has a yawning void.
Missing nets as an argument?
Zack speculates that his model, purchased from South Korea, does not include high-frequency antennas because korea lacks the corresponding networks, i.e. only the more extensive but slower sub-6 frequency bands are active. This may be the case at the moment, but it does not have to stay that way in the future, and a South Korean might expect to be able to use the mmWave networks in the US and elsewhere with his not exactly cheap 2020 Samsung flagship.
Intransparent product pages
The fact that Samsung is taking some features, especially space-hungry as mmWave antennas, from the smaller and cheaper Galaxy S20 variants is perhaps still understandable - but with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which costs 1,350 euros to 1,550 euros in this country, it should probably be really all there and not further slimmed down regionally. Moreover, Samsung's own websites are highly opaque not only in this matter. The official regional product pages do not provide detailed specifications for the individual models.
Here are the concrete specs
Only those who take the trouble to search on Samsung's global or German press pages will find what they are looking for in terms of Specs. We have only foundhere about the following regarding the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra in Germany :
To help users take full advantage of the new technology, every Galaxy S20-series smartphone, consisting of the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, is equipped with the latest 5G technology. The Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is compatible with both low-frequency bands and high-frequency bands, while the Galaxy S20| S20+ low-frequency bands to connect to the 5G network.
This suggests that at least the Galaxy S20 Ultra is equipped with mmWave antennas in this country, but not the 6.7 inch Galaxy S20+. By the way, this is different in the US market, where only the small Galaxy S20 5G does not seem to offer mmWave support after reviewing the specifications in the global pressroom, but Galaxy S20+ 5G and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G both seem to offer no mmWave support.
For security reasons, we have made a request to Samsung Germany to confirm that the Galaxy S20 Ultra actually supports millimeter wave 5G in this country and is also delivered with the necessary antennas. After the already known scandals around "fake glass", "fake zoom" and " fakeslow motion" the partly "fake-5G" is definitely not an award for the Samsung marketing team.
Update 20:00 But no mmWave support in the German Galaxy S20 Ultra?
Unfortunately, an initial response from Samsung Germany leaves us even more perplexed than we already were. The answer suggests that Galaxy S20 Ultra models sold in Europe are only equipped with sub-6 support up to about 3.8 GHz - the Samsung spokesman justifies this on the grounds that there are no corresponding mmWave networks in Europe and that the Federal Network Agency also does not provide any.
However, this would be a very short-sighted attitude, because mmWave networks in Europe are planned for the end of the year or 2021 and a Galaxy S20 Ultra bought today for more than 1,300 euros could not use them, if this statement is correct. So something else would be certain for the future. In addition, as a buyer of a German Galaxy S20 Ultra, you may also want to log in to US mmWave networks to use the short-wave download speeds of up to 1 Gbps - that wouldn't work either.
The Samsung Exynos modem 5123, which is used in the European Exynos 990 version of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, basically supports bothSub-6 and mmWave, so it can't be because of that. There is something else that is swirling around us. Not only do samsung product pages not provide any data sheets on the configurations actually delivered in the respective country, Samsung Germany also indicated that the press release linked above appears to be only a translation from English and therefore incorrect.
However, this cannot be true, because the text differs between German press release and the global Samsung Newsroom by diverging technical information, see picture below. We are sticking to it. In any case, Samsung provides plenty of criticism, the lack of clear, detailed data sheets on the websites alone, and the resulting lack of transparency in the apparently quite dramatic differences between Asian, American and European models are more than shameful for the number one in the smartphone market.
Source(s)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OZVWcyN5w
From : https://www.notebookcheck.com/Fake-5....457394.0.html
Pascal536 said:
Some people have delete my post on XDA (Error 404 now) : read this : https://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...ra-5g-t4071687 (SAMSUNG & S20, +, Ultra FAKE, or without mmWave 5G antennas)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have read it and it have been moved to new forum. They have changed the forum by combining all s20 series in one place. this is the new link to your post.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s20/help/samsung-s20-ultra-5g-t4071687
The beautiful new 5G world showed its first cracks months ago, when early testers in the US realized that the really much faster data radio with the promised gigabit speeds could only be used on some street corners of major US cities and only if no leaf obscures the direct view of the mobile phone mast. These 5G networks in the so-called mmWave range above 24 Ghz are fast, but hardly penetrate any obstacle. What the majority of the world's population, including in this country, receives instead are 5G networks in the sub-6 Ghz range, which currently deliver about 100 to 400 Mbps in the download, depending on the country/provider/indoor or outdoor position, so sometimes not as much more than with 4G, but with lower latency than with LTE.
5G: Sub-6 or mmWave
However, these have the great advantage of spreading far and thus covering entire areas of the country, which allows T-Mobile to advertise in the USA with almost universal 5G supply. With the exception of Italy, only these Sub-6 networks are currently active in Europe, but the Italian mobile operator TIM has been operating in the n258 band at 26 Ghz since January of that year. If we are already on these fast mmWave networks: In addition to the USA, where AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon supply some regions with mmWave networks, Japan, Korea and China are also following suit here, at least according to available information from Qualcomm, on Wikipedia as well as the Japanese provider NTT Docomo (PDF).
Questions you could ask yourself
Which brings us slowly to the problem, because current 5G smartphones such as the Galaxy S20 series from Samsung and here explicitly the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which we want to illuminate here on behalf of everyone else, are despite the marketing as 5G-capable smartphones can not be used in all networks on a flat-rate basis. If you are interested in 5G and pay flagship prices for this, you should also ask yourself the following questions:
Which 5G networks can I use in which countries?
How future-proof are the 5G phones purchased today?
Which 5G networks can I use in which countries?
As you can see from Qualcomm's world map above, there is also a wild growth of a wide variety of frequency ranges in terms of 5G, as with LTE. So if a smartphone does not support all these frequencies, which are marked with the small letter "n" at 5G for better distinction, as is now the case with LTE modems in high-end smartphones, you cannot use your expensive 5G smartphone from Europe. in the 5G networks of the USA or China, for example. Even a 5G smartphone from the USA will not be able to dial into the fast mobile networks from Europe, unless it supports all the different 5G bands worldwide.
A 5G World modem is not yet available in 2020, neither the Qualcomm X55system nor Samsung's Exynos 5123 covers all frequency ranges used worldwide, so Samsung will also deliver five different Galaxy S20 Ultra models depending on the region, all of which support only the continent's 5G networks currently on offer, and not even the continent's. As the table below shows, which we had to gather from a wide variety of sources, because Samsung unfortunately operates completely non-transparently here and provides concrete information on its websites only in South Korea, the Canadian model does not support the mmWave networks of the USA, which spark in the bands n260 and n261.
Interesting detail on the sidelines: If you buy a Galaxy S20 Ultra in the USA, you can not only not use a single 5G network in Europe or Asia, also LTE-Band 20 is missing from the list below, which comes from the US FCC below, i.e. here you could even use so problems that have long been believed to have been overcome by some LTE networks.
How future-proof are the 5G phones purchased today?
If one and one are taken together, the future security of currently sold 5G smartphones inevitably gives a bleak picture. Example Europe: We already know through a Samsung statement or the teardown by JerryRigEverythingthat there are no mmWave antennas in European and South Korean Galaxy S20 Ultra models, and the supported frequency ranges above suggest that new mmWave networks in Europe and Asia will not be able to be used by the Galaxy S20 generation of 2020 (as well as other 5G phones of 2020).
So in the case of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which costs more than 1,300 euros, one should ask whether the money is actually well invested for this, or whether it would not be better to forgo 5G this year, at least in this price range - with the announced 5G midrangers based on the Snapdragon 765, the valuation may be different. Incidentally, we find the fact that even the South Korean Galaxy S20 Ultra does not support the networks available in the mmWave-n257 band, at least already available in test mode, but only the sub-6 band n78.
This information even comes directly from the South Korean Samsung website itself, which by the way has published all the detailed specs to the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The European Galaxy S20 Ultra will also not be able to use the future mmWave networks in the N257 and n258 bands, meaning the Galaxy S20 Ultra could be part of the old iron as early as 2021 or 2022.
The industry is simply not yet ready
For once, however, we have to protect Samsung. As in the early days of the first 4G networks, modems or antenna modules that support all bands available worldwide are not yet available. Other smartphone manufacturers that will offer 5G phones in 2020, including almost certainly Apple's first 5G iPhones in the fall, will probably be on the market in many different model variants depending on the region due to the lack of corresponding world modems, thus only supporting the 5G networks currently active there - mmWave probably only in the more expensive Pro models and probably only in the USA. The new 5G chipsets, which - at least in the case of the already announced Qualcomm X60 - suggest wider frequency support in 2021 are expected to provide a remedy. Whether this 3rd generation of 5G modems will be the optimum for world travelers, however, remains to be seen.
Samsung's non-transparent marketing
In conclusion, we would like to criticize Samsung for its current marketing strategy. All the above restrictions would not be a major problem for consumers if manufacturers were to transparently inform about the current possibilities of 5G as well as the limitations of the individual smartphones. Unfortunately, Samsung is taking a completely different approach here, dazzling its consumers with the beautiful new 5G world without even mentioning the problems mentioned above. Not only, as mentioned above, virtually no detailed specifications for the individual international Galaxy S20 models are provided, the first press releases issued were even decidedly wrong, as a comparison between global and German publications. In the meantime, the German press release has been removed.
Falsche Angaben in der deutschen Galaxy S20-Pressemitteilung vom 11.02.2020, mittlerweile von Samsung gelöscht.
Incorrect information in the German Galaxy S20 press release of 11.02.2020, now deleted by Samsung.
Missing data sheets at Samsung
We had to take the information on the supported 5G bands partly from data sheets of Deutsche Telekom, from online shops or from a report of the PCMag, which in turn search for the information in the certification documents of the FCC as well as in firmware dumps Had. Such non-transparent behaviour should be denounced, which we are doing once again. We have contacted Samsung about this matter, but we have not received any further response from an initial statement in connection with JerryRigEverything's teardown.
We hope that other manufacturers will transparently list the supported 5G bands in publicly available data sheets in the future, so that interested parties can easily understand whether or not, for example, the 5G flagship sold in Europe can now also use the Sub-6 or mmWave networks in the USA. We also find the lack of mmWave antennas in European and South Korean Galaxy S20 Ultra models disgraceful when Samsung South Korea releasesa Youtube video in parallel with the mmWave antennas explicitly highlighting without pointing out that this only affects the US models.
Galaxy S20 Ultra without 5G modem?
By the way: In India and other countries without 5G infrastructure, Samsung also sells a Galaxy S20 Ultra without a 5G modem as the Galaxy S20 Ultra LTE, as the picture below shows. However, the model with Exynos 990-SoC, which is otherwise similar to the international model SM-988B, is practically not available in the EU, moreover Samsung still relies on its long-maintained consumer-unfriendly tradition, the first commissioning only with a SIM in the region, which makes it more difficult to import from other countries. This workaround, if it makes economic sense, which we do not want to judge here, remains closed - Galaxy S20 Ultra-interested people in this country are therefore doomed to pay for a 5G modem, even if it is only limited for the above reasons in 2020 is useful, at least if you want to dial into 5G networks outside the respective parent region.
Source(s)
Own Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Telekom Data Sheet (PDF), PC Mag, 5G Wikipedia, 5G Networks Wikipedia, Various Samsung Websites, such as Samsung South Korea, Techinsights, NTDoComo (PDF), Qualcomm, German Samsung Newsroom, Global Samsung Newsroom, TechnoProz Youtube Channel
From : https://www.notebookcheck.com/Verges....457666.0.html
I have the Samsung Factory Unlocked version of the S20+ (model SG-M986U1).* This means the phone is not carrier-specific, it works on all carriers (CDMA, GSM) and supports both millimeter wave (Verizon 5G Ultra Wide UW) AND lower frequency band 5G (usually called Sub 6).* The 5G UW super fast network is typically only available in highly populated areas (cities) because it that frequency signal doesn't travel very far and is easily blocked by buildings.* However you will notce the Verizon 5G coverage map shows 5G as being pretty widespread across the country.* Most of that is their Sub 6 5G Network which was launched in mid October 2020.* The 5G Sub 6 network, to my understanding, is using some of the same frequency bands as 4G so essentially it's really an amped up 4G signal using what is called Dynamic Signal Sharing (DSS)*(A lot of people don't understand all this.)*
I'm curious if there's anyone on the forums with a factory unlocked version of the S20 (typically the model number I think has a U at the end instead of VZW) can confirm if their phone shows a 5G icon when you are in sub 6 5G or does it show "LTE+"* I read somewhere the unlocked phones show LTE+ because technically that is what Sub 6 band 5G using DSS really is and 5G in that case is more of a marketing term.* Because different carriers use different terms for different networks, the factory unlocked phones can connect to all the different 5G networks but they can't accomodate all the different marketing terms.* I'd also be curious if when connected to the millimeter wave 5G in the cities if these factory unlocked phones show the "UW" designation which is bascially a Verizon marketing term, or if the phone just shows "5G".
There was also an article that talked about these phones needing a software update to use 5G and supposedly the updates were pushed out right after Verizon announced their Sub 6 5G network launch in mid October. But the author wasn't sure if the Factory Unlocked non-carrier specific models would receive the necessary update. Considering Verizon and Samsung just signed a 6.5 Billion Dollar agreement for SAMSUNG to further build out their 5G network, I would be very surprised if it were the case the factory unlocked models didn't get the update.
My S20+ model SG-M986U1 is showing Service Provider SW Ver. SAOMC_SM-G986U1_OYN-VZQ_QQ_0027 wondering if that's the 5G compatible version?
The other thing is a lot of people just swap SIM cards when they get a new phone. With 5G in most cases, if your SIM card was issued may months ago, you need to go into the carrier store and have them give you a new 5G compatible SIM card. I honestly can't remember if my phone was showing LTE or LTE+ before and after SIM card change. I tested the bandwidth after the change and in a strong signal area got 60mbit download but I didn't have a pre-SIM swap test in that area to compare to unfortunately.
Well I feel like I'm going in circles but now found a Reddit thread that confirms what I originally suspected.
The Factory Unlocked (model ending in U1) S20 phones apparently have not got the update from Samsung yet to allow sub 6 5G connection. But there is a hack in that you can change the carrier network code to ATT even though you are on Verizon and it enabled the N5 band which is what Verizon uses for their "Nationwide 5G" To do this you dial *#272*your IMEI number# Then select ATT and Install and change network code only. Phone will reboot and now you will see 5G UW symbol.
I tried the CSC change on my factory unlocked S20+. I ran three successive bandwidth tests on bandwidthplace.com before and after the change so 3 times on VZW and 3 times on ATT. As others have alluded to the LTE DSS Sub 6 Flavor of Verizon 5G is on average about the same speed as 4G LTE+. So I just turned it back to VZW and will wait for the update from Samsung. I'm surprised a month and a half later it still hasn't got the update to allow N5 band on Verizon.
I'm also wondering is the S20 always show 5G UW when connected to any 5G including sub 6 5G and not actual millimeter wave ultra wide 5G? Or is that just a side effect of "spoofing" the ATT carrier code when actually on a Verizon network IMEI?
Hello Jazee, this is my first response to anyone on xda, and I know that by now you probably have your answer I notice this is an old post. I have an unlocked Samsung s20 5g. And depending on where I am, it says 4g let, and when I'm closer to the city, or hold my leg right(I live in the country), my phone shows 5g. It's shown lte+ before. I think it depends on your carrier. Some I've noticed share 4 and 5g lte simultaneously depending on the current speed. As you mentioned earlier, 5g signal doesn't put up a big fight when it sees a tree or building. Anyways, that's my 2 bits worth, hope this helped. BTW, lte+, when I get that, it is pitiful. Nothing like either 4g lte or 5g lte.