Bootlooping H815 European - Next phone? - G4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Bought a second had H815 w/ country code CZ & already unlocked bootloader about 3 months ago off an ebay seller. Have really fallen in love with the phone but it started the bootlooping last week. With the disappearance of any real subsidies, I like to stay MVNO (Cricket) & mid price-point on my phones after several years of premium pricing w/ Apple / AT&T.
Post-bootlooping I initially bought a hot air station & was gonna try the repair but decided against and selling for parts / repair instead. I've been reviewing phone options and just like when I opted for the G4 initially, it still appears there's no competitor overall (for the money) given requirements of awesome camera and removable SD.
In seeking the best shot at carrying me for a couple of years, my question is, if I'm moving forward with another G4, should I opt for another euro H815 from Handtec or find a late serial AT&T. I'm holding out for G5 release to see what that does to AT&T G4 prices which right now are at $462 with the H815 at Handtec around $400+ whatever shipping.. I'd like to see $300 at AT&T but then again Handtec option has 2 year warranty. With the Handtec option, is one pretty well assured of getting a very late serial (and, btw, what ARE the latest batch numbers).
Thoughts? I _REALLY_ love this phone and there doesn't seem to be another great option. Or maybe G5 but unknown performer..
Has anyone USED the EU warranty through Handtec ? Will unlocking the bootloader void it if dealing with Handtec? Flashing is less and less important to me these days..
Thanks!

Related

[Q] Import HTC One X or AT&T One XL

I'm looking over in different threads talking about defects in the phone and what not. I'm not usually superstitious, but without fail I've had to replace every smartphone I've ever owned at least once. (iPhone 3GS went twice, Evo went 5 times, MyTouch went once, Amaze went once, Sensation went twice, One S went once, would have gone back again but T-Mobile let me out of my contract and I sent it back) I should note that every time I've listed was for defects. My friends can't believe my track record with smartphones... but I love my phones all the same. I especially enjoy my HTC phones.
So to make a long story short (too late) I'm considering the One X because I have to switch back to AT&T after a long hiatus. Sadly no choice in this as its for work. I have the choice of getting a One X International edition from EBay, Craigslist or the marketplace here and have my 32gb of storage, Tegra 3 for gaming and an unlockable bootloader, but must contend with the possible absence of enforceable warranty since it IS imported...
OR
I can swallow my pride as an IT guy... and go for the local varient.
With its only 16gb of storage (only 10 really useable in my experience with the Amaze).
With its S4 chip (nice, but I do like me some Tegra 3 exclusives.......)
And its Warranty that I can go to one of several local corp stores and have enforced. Our local stores are actually pretty decent.
I don't want to have to own several devices to get the experience I want. I really want to go with the International version for the gaming library open to the Tegra 3, such as Dark Meadow. I know some games end up getting ports or hacks to allow play on other devices... but I like things to "just work" sometimes without too much hassle. I have to deal with hassle day in and day out with my job, I like my devices to be toys once I get home, not more work.
So... yeah. Thoughts?
kamui957 said:
but must contend with the possible absence of enforceable warranty since it IS imported...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can buy it from an authorized dealer in the UK and it comes with a two-year warranty. I just sent an SGS2 to the UK for repair and Samsung paid to ship it to them and I had to pay 10GBP to have it shipped back. I got my One X from Handtec and it arrived overnight via FedEx. If you buy from Negri or Expansys-USA you can send it to them if it needs repair and they ship it to their overseas affiliates who deal with HTC locally. It takes a lot longer though because of all the hand-offs. SquareTrade also covers grey market phones and if you Google it they're having a 30% off deal for Mother's Day. Buying from Handtec or Clove in the UK assures you'll get a UK (EU) handset. Negri and Expansys have been shipping Malaysian units. Also with the international version you'll get updates directly from HTC, a lot of features AT&T removed (HTC apps, CloudDrive integration), and none of AT&T's crapware. It doesn't matter if you're rooting and ROM'ing. I can't use use non-standard ROMs because I travel overseas a lot so I always get my phones from the UK.
Is there a hardware or software or build quality difference between the Malaysian and EU handsets?
The main reason I'm wondering is because VAT seems so high. I mean, I go from a phone that's just over $600 to a phone thats well over $700... That extra $100 is not appetizing at all really.
I don't do a lot of traveling, I just prefer the international version of this phone to the AT&T variant because it feels like AT&T gave us a worse phone for the same price...
I do tend to root and rom, but having the stock rom without clutter gives me more time to enjoy the phone without having to replace anything.
In the end though I guess what I need to know on the international front is if there is a real difference between the Asian and European One X International or if its just the rom that comes on it (which I guess I can just flash the european rom if its just a software thing)
Edit:
Just checked Handtec and VAT doesn't apply since its being shipped outside the UK via FedEx. At least not according ot everything from before I press "buy"
Shipping does raise it to 630 though compared ot the 609 + free shipping...
So I guess it still stands with the Malaysian vs EU phone differences.
kamui957 said:
Is there a hardware or software or build quality difference between the Malaysian and EU handsets?
The main reason I'm wondering is because VAT seems so high. I mean, I go from a phone that's just over $600 to a phone thats well over $700... That extra $100 is not appetizing at all really.
I don't do a lot of traveling, I just prefer the international version of this phone to the AT&T variant because it feels like AT&T gave us a worse phone for the same price...
I do tend to root and rom, but having the stock rom without clutter gives me more time to enjoy the phone without having to replace anything.
In the end though I guess what I need to know on the international front is if there is a real difference between the Asian and European One X International or if its just the rom that comes on it (which I guess I can just flash the european rom if its just a software thing)
Edit:
Just checked Handtec and VAT doesn't apply since its being shipped outside the UK via FedEx. At least not according ot everything from before I press "buy"
Shipping does raise it to 630 though compared ot the 609 + free shipping...
So I guess it still stands with the Malaysian vs EU phone differences.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think there are any physical differences; they're all built in the same place. If you're not going to root and replace the ROM, get the UK phone. The Asian phones have Asian english where the UK phones have UK english. Neither have U.S. english out of the box.
BarryH_GEG said:
I don't think there are any physical differences; they're all built in the same place. If you're not going to root and replace the ROM, get the UK phone. The Asian phones have Asian english where the UK phones have UK english. Neither have U.S. english out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you say the UK phone would be easier to get warranty serviced than an asian one through Expansys?
As for the english, I will be rooting and romming eventually, but I could live with UK english easier than Asian english...

[Q] Any SIM free offers in the UK?

Hi all,
has anybody seen the GN on offer in the UK - sim free?
Broke my HTC and have seen their latest flagship phone has issues, so would rather switch to the Nexus
Thanks in advance
Got mine here a month ago, dont think theres anywhere cheaper.
Mine was a euro version so no uk usb charger but i wasnt bothered,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Galaxy-Nexu...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339013801&sr=1-1
Well worth it.
kurtish said:
Hi all,
has anybody seen the GN on offer in the UK - sim free?
Broke my HTC and have seen their latest flagship phone has issues, so would rather switch to the Nexus
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got mine off amazon back in Jan, was easiest/cheapest way to get a sim free phone that I could find here at the time. But it would appear that it's not offered directly through Amazon - just resellers now there. So depending if that's your cup of tea or not, still have that route.
Not sure which carriers offer it still in store - but I believe if you bought outright off Vodafone, they'll give you the unlock code immediately (up to a 7 day wait maybe though?).
O2 policy was a year, and I think 3 might've been three months.
Pretty sure its not stocked in most stores in the uk now,
I got mine from the reseller Top T through amazon and they were very good, dispatched and delivered within 3 days. Free delivery also.
Thanks folks.....
I'm gutted. I almost bought the white one on ebay the other day, but opted for the HTC One X (this was before I read the bad reviews) and the bugger ripped me off with my cash.
So waiting for Paypal to get my refund sorted.
The white one on ebay was new and only went for £227
Would you recommend it?
Only because I could upgrade early with Orange for about £300 and get the S3?
I'm just not keen at all on that touchwiz poo,lol
That sucks, i like the onex but i have heard some bad things about it.
Just a personal thing but i'd never buy a phone from ebay anyways.
Grab the Gnex from amazon for £316 and you'll be happy
Edit: SGS3 is a beast, i've played with one and the touchwiz isnt all that bad. Plus the custom roms will be coming soon.
Down to personal preference really, i cam from iphone so anythings better!
Yeah, I've heard it's good,lol....
That's why I'm a bit undecided
Argggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Decisions, decisions!
I would go for the nexus, buy it outright then you're not going into another long contract, if you dont get on with it down the line you still have an upgrade to use and you can sell your nexus.
That's what I was thinking....
They're all going to start competing with quad cores now and in a few months the SG3 will be bottom of the list....
Nexus it is....
Thanks for your help!

Looking for the best source for LG G4 H815 EU in the US

I live in the US and want to purchase the H815 variant. I see there are several different H815's, an EU, a Taiwan, and maybe a Korean.
I would like to be able to purchase it with a warranty and to be sure its the EU variant, so that it will be bootloader unlockable. I know LG says they will make others unlockable in the future, but it doesn't say how long. I hate for them to drag their feet and it still not be unlockable 2 months from now because I got the Taiwan region H815.
I see the H815 on ebay and amazon, but no one is really clear on which region code the device is. Does anyone have any input? Thanks!
Those on eBay and Amazon all seem to ship from either Singapore or Taiwan.
It stands to reason that if there are indeed different flavors named the same (H815), -- what an odd decision by LG -- those would be the Asian variety, not EU. I think I saw in some thread here something about an owner of one of these phones not being successful at doing the official unlock.
Makster said:
Those on eBay and Amazon all seem to ship from either Singapore or Taiwan.
It stands to reason that if there are indeed different flavors named the same (H815), -- what an odd decision by LG -- those would be the Asian variety, not EU. I think I saw in some thread here something about an owner of one of these phones not being successful at doing the official unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, I read this same post and was my initial cause for concern. I wonder why its the same model number, H815? I wonder why LG didn't opt for a different model for these different regions if they are going to roll out unlocks for them at different times.
expansys-usa.com has the EU G4 H815 in stock in the US I believe. It was like $100 more than the eBay sellers though last I checked.
Keep in mind there is no US warranty on the UK version. I called and checked.
Sent from my LG-H815
erwaso said:
Keep in mind there is no US warranty on the UK version. I called and checked.
Sent from my LG-H815
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is quite sad. I assume there is no US/North American version of the H815?
You see this?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW...997?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item41975ab34d
I'm been communicating with never-msrp and tropical mobile, the two sellers on ebay who are selling in bulk and competitive pricing (now under $600)
They are both selling the asian version which is actually H815T (vs H815)
never-msrp says he will have the EU version in 3-4 days but only available in plastic back
I hope this helped~!
Also, as far as I can understand, you won't get any warranty on the device (if you're looking for the H815, you're unlocking anyways so that voids warranty as well)
Their product page states that the phone comes with LG's 12-month warranty. That is for the Asian version.
EU version's pages, at least on Amazon, however, explicitly state "no warranty".
So the warranty deal could be a regional issue.
pandap said:
I'm been communicating with never-msrp and tropical mobile, the two sellers on ebay who are selling in bulk and competitive pricing (now under $600)
They are both selling the asian version which is actually H815T (vs H815)
never-msrp says he will have the EU version in 3-4 days but only available in plastic back
I hope this helped~!
Also, as far as I can understand, you won't get any warranty on the device (if you're looking for the H815, you're unlocking anyways so that voids warranty as well)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually scratch that. H815T is the Hong Kong version according to LG HK's website
If you do a search on ebay for H815T you'll see a lot of postings where it does NOT say it's factory unlocked. Except the ones that never-msrp are selling so not sure what to make of it.
I too live in canada and our support( for dev purposes AND legit updates) sucks in general so I'd really like to get an international version but the warranty and this EU vs Asia H815 issue is really holding me back....
Handtec looks like they have some good options. I contacted them and their phone is the EU H815 and they ship internationally. Total shipped to the US for the "LG G4 32GB - Metallic Grey" is £406.89 which google says is $623.70 right now. Not a bad price for a known EU H815. I don't have the funds just yet, so I will keep looking for any cheaper source for the next few weeks anyway.
http://www.handtec.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=0&dir=desc&order=most_viewed&q=lg+g4
urushiol said:
Handtec looks like they have some good options. I contacted them and their phone is the EU H815 and they ship internationally. Total shipped to the US for the "LG G4 32GB - Metallic Grey" is £406.89 which google says is $623.70 right now. Not a bad price for a known EU H815. I don't have the funds just yet, so I will keep looking for any cheaper source for the next few weeks anyway.
http://www.handtec.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=0&dir=desc&order=most_viewed&q=lg+g4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do we (united states) have to pay any sort of import/duty/customs fee when it arrives in the USA? That would be a deal breaker. And I'm assuming this would come with an EU power brick so we'd need to supply our own charger?
Gzan23 said:
Do we (united states) have to pay any sort of import/duty/customs fee when it arrives in the USA? That would be a deal breaker. And I'm assuming this would come with an EU power brick so we'd need to supply our own charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good questions, I don't know the answer to that. I wouldn't care about the EU power brick, but I would hate to pay any customs fee unless it was VERY small. Does anyone know the answer to these questions?
You may read about my experiences with importing via Handtec here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/help/best-store-to-import-h815-assistance-t3126761
Mejilan said:
A FedEx import coordinator contacted me the same day I placed the order and requested that I fill out an FCC form (740, IIRC), and with a bit of Googled advice, I did so.
After a couple of revisions, the FedEx coordinator accepted the form and the result was that I paid no additional import or customs duties or fees, and the package was not delayed or held up. As I said, ordered on Tuesday from the U.K., in my hands Wednesday morning here in New York
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mejilan,
Thanks for letting me know about your post. I have read it and it was most helpful. Is there any trick to how you filled out this form that allowed you to have incur any fees?
Sure. I used a bit of Google-Fu to figure out what I should be filling in for the FCC ID and Manufacturer's Address fields in the FCC Form 740 FedEx Customs had me fill out. The rest of the form was fairly straightforward. Towards the bottom, they ask you to specify the kind of import you're arranging by selecting from options 1-8. I went with the first option.
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearchResult.cfm?RequestTimeout=500
FCC ID: ZNFH815
Manufacturer's Address:
LG Electronics MobileComm USA, Inc.
1000 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
United States
Edit - For some reason, direct linking to the FCC page isn't working for me. Could just be my browser. But if it fails for you as well, simply go to:
https://www.fcc.gov/fccid and do a manual search yourself. The Grantee code is ZNF. The Product Code is H815. Then click on Search. You may leave Applicant Name blank.
urushiol said:
Mejilan,
Thanks for letting me know about your post. I have read it and it was most helpful. Is there any trick to how you filled out this form that allowed you to have incur any fees?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For anyone intersted, I just heard back from the eBay selling "never msrp" who has been selling the LG G4 in bulk one eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-LG-G4-H...r-/191577825455?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123) and he told me that he will be getting the European version in limited quantity on Monday for the same price but only in brown (leather), gray and white colors.
I think this would be the best route as he ships from Houston.
Old thread I know but based on it I ordered from Handtec. I received a phone with a region code of BAL which was unlockable via official method. I received the phone 2 days after I ordered in a rural part of Washington State, USA.

Buying a used Fold. UK Unlocked. Considerations?

Hi,
Ways wanted one, never willing to spend the money. Would be interested in a used model possibly but I have a few questions:
- Does a used model still have the UK Samsung protection? Is it one screen replacement for a few hundred quid?
- Does the UK Unlocked model work OK with Voda 5G? I was upgraded to a 5G plan but don't have a 5G phone.
- Scanning through this forum it seems like the update situation isnt great... I guess this device will always be the last to get updates?
Does it make any sense to get this device in early 2020?
Thanks!
Bought a used one in Denmark from a shop. The previous orner used the Samsung Care so im **** out of luck.
delinde said:
Bought a used one in Denmark from a shop. The previous orner used the Samsung Care so im **** out of luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyway to know in advance if this is the case? Serial number check etc?
You only have 30 days to sign up for the premium care. I'm sol on the one I bought used lol.
Also in uk ee are exclusive with it or buy from samsung but like you said get 2nd hand
I got mine on Ebay UK just a couple of days ago, good price (I think) 1100,- with shipping.
Device is like new, also the screen, so it's possible to find a good one.
Only ask them for pictures of the display, I contacted a lot of them and some of them send me good pictures where the screen was really bad but the listed it as "Like new". So be aware of that.

[NVM] Any Australian 7T HD190x users ... ?

I'm very seriously considering buying an HD1905 on the US OnePlus site, they've got a decent discount as the 8 is about to launch, and I can grab genuine accessories at the same time. Shame the AUD is so crap right now, but that can't be helped.
I'm interested to know if there are OP7T Australian owners out there, what model variant, what carriers you're on, and if there are any issues with reception.
I'm on Telstra so I'm especially interested to hear from other Telstra users.
I've looked at the various bands in the specs, compared it to the OzTowers guide (that I luckily managed to grab before it shut down), and also looked at frequencycheck.com
My preference is to buy it from OnePlus US. While there are a bunch of "local websites" that purport to sell re-flashed HD1900 units as "Global HD1903", I would much rather get an untouched phone out of the box. The US HD1905 seems to have the broadest international carrier band support from what I can divine from reading.
One of the "local websites" says to email them any questions. So I did and the answers were basically "dunno, ask the carrier" which is pointless since OnePlus have no presence in Australia.
Despite having many Samsung Galaxies over the years I've decided not to consider them. Our Huawei P20 Pro has been good but tech support is hopeless, and no bootloader unlock service anymore, that alone rules them out for me.
So the OnePlus 7T is my preferred choice ... looking forward to hearing from any Aussie users out there.
My friend wanted the 'best phone for the money' and bought this phone on my advice. They ship them from China, but it arrived the next day! They happened to have one in stock in Auckland.
My friend was thrilled but when a truck ran over it (after 3 weeks), not so.
So she's around the next morning and buys another one (~NZ$860). This time it took about a month to arrive as THE VIRUS slowed everything to a trickle.
We have a great website in NZ pricespy.co.nz and you'll have something like that in Oz.
Buying from the US is fraught. Postage costs an arm and a leg.
HTH
tpsnjs said:
My friend wanted the 'best phone for the money' and bought this phone on my advice. They ship them from China, but it arrived the next day! They happened to have one in stock in Auckland.
My friend was thrilled but when a truck ran over it (after 3 weeks), not so.
So she's around the next morning and buys another one (~NZ$860). This time it took about a month to arrive as THE VIRUS slowed everything to a trickle.
We have a great website in NZ pricespy.co.nz and you'll have something like that in Oz.
Buying from the US is fraught. Postage costs an arm and a leg.
HTH
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback, I've actually just bought a Galaxy S20 from JB as they had a decent discount for a newly released phone. The deciding factors against the OnePlus on this occasion was the total lack of Australian support, lack of IP68, the many negative service/warranty related user reviews on different sites selling them, and the idea that I'd be facing massive turnaround to ship it back to the US for warranty.
Shipping from the US isn't a problem for me as I regularly send consolidated packages through a 3rd party shipper.
Plus in these uncertain times we're making an effort to support the local outlets.

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