Develop Bugs

[Q] Best way to get a phone that will work with Verizon and all LTE bands overseas

I've really enjoyed my S7 and want to upgrade to the S9. Later in the year I'll be overseas for almost a year, so I want something that will work with all Verizon bands of LTE, but also not have a firmware lock that would cause it to not work on other bands of LTE overseas. (planning to just use prepaid dataplan sim cards overseas)
I think my two options are to either get a US 'unlocked' version or wait for the 'international' version. My understanding is the primary differences between the unlocked and international version is the 2G/3G coverage for CDMA and possibly slightly different hardware. I'd rather have a phone with CDMA backwards capability, but my prime concern lacking full access to all LTE bands available wherever I am.
I'm not really interested in going any route that would require me to root the phone if there is a way to do it without.

Well the only way to get VZW compatibility is the VZW phone or a US unlocked model. So you're looking at the US Unlocked model at this point.

A listing of all the different model numbers available (per country and carrier) is available here: https://www.techwalls.com/samsung-galaxy-s9-sm-g960-g965-model-number-differences/
You will probably want to get the phone that works with your primary location the most. I am not sure which countries use which frequencies for LTE in Europe; you will need to research that to see what you may be missing out on.
With my T-Mobile S7, I haven't had any issues when traveling in Europe or Asia. It connects to LTE usually.

So I just did a deep dive of that list:
It looks like the Verizon and Unlocked versions are almost identical (the unlocked US version has B46(5200) 4G TDD LTE, but I'm not sure anyone who uses it)
Looking at 4G FDD LTE it looks like a Verizon or US unlocked phone will have almost complete coverage around the world, notable gaps are B30(2300) in China/Canada/US AT&T, B32(1500) in UK and B71(600) (US Tmobile). I thought that was a bit confusing as you'd expect a US Unlocked phone to service all LTE bands available in the US yet it lacks AT&T and Tmobile bands.
So based on all that information looks like I should just get an unlocked US phone to be totally safe, and I'd likely also be fine getting a Verizon version also.

StykerB said:
Well the only way to get VZW compatibility is the VZW phone or a US unlocked model. So you're looking at the US Unlocked model at this point.
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Relcan said:
So I just did a deep dive of that list:
It looks like the Verizon and Unlocked versions are almost identical (the unlocked US version has B46(5200) 4G TDD LTE, but I'm not sure anyone who uses it)
Looking at 4G FDD LTE it looks like a Verizon or US unlocked phone will have almost complete coverage around the world, notable gaps are B30(2300) in China/Canada/US AT&T, B32(1500) in UK and B71(600) (US Tmobile). I thought that was a bit confusing as you'd expect a US Unlocked phone to service all LTE bands available in the US yet it lacks AT&T and Tmobile bands.
So based on all that information looks like I should just get an unlocked US phone to be totally safe, and I'd likely also be fine getting a Verizon version also.
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So I'm new to Android but i use Verizon prepaid. Will I lose anything by going with the unlocked version or should i stick with a Verizon S9?
I don't use video calling. All i do is text and talk but I've heard that people on Verizon prepaid have issues with unlocked Android phones.
Thanks

Would Wifi Calling work with the US unlocked on verizon? I thought that required a Verizon FW to be flashed. I imagine all the other features such as voLTE / HD calling, etc to work on the US unlocked.

testinguser said:
Would Wifi Calling work with the US unlocked on verizon? I thought that required a Verizon FW to be flashed. I imagine all the other features such as voLTE / HD calling, etc to work on the US unlocked.
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Curious about that also

testinguser said:
Would Wifi Calling work with the US unlocked on verizon? I thought that required a Verizon FW to be flashed. I imagine all the other features such as voLTE / HD calling, etc to work on the US unlocked.
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Throwinrocks said:
Curious about that also
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I did a cursory review of the wifi-calling FAQ on their website. They don't mention anything about compatibility with Unlocked versions of phones (that I saw). I'd call tech support to ask, but I'd expect there to be a 50% chance of getting the wrong answer from the tech based on my interactions with their support.
There might be some good experience based anecdotes in the Galaxy S8 forum, if it works on an unlocked S8 its a safe bet it will work on an unlocked S9
I think I'll ask in the Verizon subreddit, it seems like they normally have really good information as well.
I'm mostly curious about the LTE TDD Band 46 (5200) - its the only band an unlocked US phone has that a Verizon phone doesn't. 5200 is in the U-NII frequency range, no cellphone service providers use it, but I wonder if it may be used for local LTE networks in the near future. The other advantage is avoiding all the verizon bloat wear, but that may be what allows the Wifi Calling to work!

All this has me thinking I might have to add the extra $80 and just buy the Verizon version. I don't get phones on contract and I've always just paid full price. (Page 2 404 error?)

Apparently the Nov/Dec Samsung s8 firmware update added an option for BYOD carrier provisioning for unlocked s8. Given the similarity, I'd imagine the same to be true for s9. Can someone who has an unlocked s8 confirm?

Well after a little more research I see that if you use Verizon prepaid you lose visual voicemail and WiFi calling even if you use a Verizon phone so there's no need in me paying extra for a Verizon S9. Unlocked it is.

Throwinrocks said:
Well after a little more research I see that if you use Verizon prepaid you lose visual voicemail and WiFi calling even if you use a Verizon phone so there's no need in me paying extra for a Verizon S9. Unlocked it is.
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You might wanna check this as Verizon is starting to implement network locks on some devices as to deter thefts more
Dont know when or what devices but it was a statement Verizon made

So, you're saying the prepaid SIM might not work in an unlocked S9?
I don't think Verizon is keeping Verizon prepaid SIMS from working in unlocked phones they are just locking their phones like Sprint and AT&T still do.
I had no problems with my unlocked Pixel 2 XL that I purchased from Google and my Verizon prepaid, just no visual voicemail.

Note 10+ Exynos Variant

Where can the Note 10+ Global Exynos variant be purchased? Can it be purchased on the Samsung website like the US variants can?
Trying to grab the Exynos variant since it’s going to have the development potential.

TheForceUnleashed said:
Where can the Note 10+ Global Exynos variant be purchased? Can it be purchased on the Samsung website like the US variants can?
Trying to grab the Exynos variant since it’s going to have the development potential.
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I have purchased Exynos Variants for a bunch of different Samsung phones over the years. the "F" variant, N975F will work on ATT and or TMobile with no issues. (or N975F/DS)
If you want to buy, I have used two different places to buy in the past - both offer the Note 10 now -
Clove UK
or EBAY
Clove is an excellent source, fast shipping - good customer service and the major sellers on EBAY are also very good. I have used "Never MSRP" and I have heard that there are several others that I have heard are very good and reliable.
Whatever you choose, good luck

What version of the Note 10+ w/ an unlocked bootloader would be the best choice to use for Verizon?

igemon said:
What version of the Note 10+ w/ an unlocked bootloader would be the best choice to use for Verizon?
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Verizon is cdma and the exynos variants are usually gsm only (AT&T and T-Mobile).
I doubt you'll be able to find what you're looking for.

yeah if you wan't an international version they will always be GSM where some of the US still uses CDMA. so whatever you bought you would need to check it supports the signal on network you want to use it on. also using an international phone you generally need to use a SIM from the local market for a set amount of time, my UK unlocked Note 9 actually has a disclaimer on the box it needed 5 minutes of calls with a european SIM before it would accept an international one, so that is also something you will have to watch out for or you end up having to pay to get an international sim and a several minute call at international rates to unlock the device for a US SIM.

I also use dual sim (F/DS) varieties of Samsung phones, they generally work fine on ATT in the US but they do miss some bands, specifically band30 which means that sometimes I have low speed or no data at all. Also, you won't get VoLTE unless enabled by your carrier. It's a trade-off. Of course you also won't get 5G until there's a dual SIM 5G variant.

enginuity2 said:
Verizon is cdma and the exynos variants are usually gsm only (AT&T and T-Mobile).
I doubt you'll be able to find what you're looking for.
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Verizon is ending CDMA support at end of this year. So it doesn't matter with Verizon anymore.

It should be noted that with Exynos F models, USA Carrier Aggregation does not work properly.
While the phone will function properly, it will not have the same network speeds as an equivalent USA model.
For example, I had in my possession a N960F and did a speed test next to a N920T (Note 5) and I was getting like 70-90Mbps down on the Note 5 and was only getting 15-30Mbps on the N960F in the exact same spots.
I've tested this many times and actually also with the N950F before that.
I'm only posting about this just to make people aware. I'm, sure there are some that will take the trade-off of slower speeds to gain the ability of root and development, but there are also some out there that prefer that their speeds not be gimped.
This has been discussed on many XDA threads in the Note 8, S9, Note 9, S10 forums for a couple of years now and can be duplicated exactly as mentioned.
If anyone has figured out a way to get proper USA CA on F model phones I'm one of the first that would love to hear about it.
I'm sure @iunlock would also.

DeeXii said:
It should be noted that with Exynos F models, USA Carrier Aggregation does not work properly.
While the phone will function properly, it will not have the same network speeds as an equivalent USA model.
For example, I had in my possession a N960F and did a speed test next to a N920T (Note 5) and I was getting like 70-90Mbps down on the Note 5 and was only getting 15-30Mbps on the N960F in the exact same spots.
I've tested this many times and actually also with the N950F before that.
I'm only posting about this just to make people aware. I'm, sure there are some that will take the trade-off of slower speeds to gain the ability of root and development, but there are also some out there that prefer that their speeds not be gimped.
This has been discussed on many XDA threads in the Note 8, S9, Note 9, S10 forums for a couple of years now and can be duplicated exactly as mentioned.
If anyone has figured out a way to get proper USA CA on F model phones I'm one of the first that would love to hear about it.
I'm sure @iunlock would also.
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Yes indeed.
Along with @DeeXii around the same time I had the F variant of the Note 8 along side my T-Mobile Note 8 and ran numerous tests.
TL;DR, in areas with a lot of cell towers (in the city etc...) you won't notice a big difference (IF) your within a strong range (close) from a tower. When this happens you're connected to a single strong frequency.
While travelling on the road with both devices at the time it was very apparent that the F model was not handing off well (tower to tower), while the TM variant as expected did just fine.
It is in my opinion that those who have claimed that CA works on international variants are being tricked by getting real good speeds due to being connected to a strong signal from a near by tower / area. It's convincing I know...
We're convinced unless proven otherwise that CA is an issue with the international Exynos variants, whether it's the F or Korean N models. Yes, I'm aware of some N models showing icons that may say otherwise, however, it is yet to be seen if the CA is truly working as most people who have the international variants, often don't have the US variants handy to be able to compare them side by side under different conditions.
Believe me... I want to see CA to work lol.... I really really do, because I'd rather have an Exynos variant 100% over a locked down US variant.
As I wait for my Note 10+ to arrive tomorrow, as excited as I am for a new device, since it can not be rooted there's still an uncertainty in the back of my mind that doesn't bring me much assurance that I'll be 100% sold rocking a non rooted phone due to my apps that require root, tweaks that I do etc...
Engineering leak, oh if you're out there please show yourself.... :silly:

iunlock said:
Yes indeed.
Along with @DeeXii around the same time I had the F variant of the Note 8 along side my T-Mobile Note 8 and ran numerous tests.
TL;DR, in areas with a lot of cell towers (in the city etc...) you won't notice a big difference (IF) your within a strong range (close) from a tower. When this happens you're connected to a single strong frequency.
While travelling on the road with both devices at the time it was very apparent that the F model was not handing off well (tower to tower), while the TM variant as expected did just fine.
It is in my opinion that those who have claimed that CA works on international variants are being tricked by getting real good speeds due to being connected to a strong signal from a near by tower / area. It's convincing I know...
We're convinced unless proven otherwise that CA is an issue with the international Exynos variants, whether it's the F or Korean N models. Yes, I'm aware of some N models showing icons that may say otherwise, however, it is yet to be seen if the CA is truly working as most people who have the international variants, often don't have the US variants handy to be able to compare them side by side under different conditions.
Believe me... I want to see CA to work lol.... I really really do, because I'd rather have an Exynos variant 100% over a locked down US variant.
As I wait for my Note 10+ to arrive tomorrow, as excited as I am for a new device, since it can not be rooted there's still an uncertainty in the back of my mind that doesn't bring me much assurance that I'll be 100% sold rocking a non rooted phone due to my apps that require root, tweaks that I do etc...
Engineering leak, oh if you're out there please show yourself.... :silly:
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That's not accurate at all.
The Galaxy S10+ F model did 100% work with at least 2 bands carrier aggregation when used on T-Mobile and AT&T. Bands 4+2 on T-Mobile and 12/17+2 on At&t were aggregated. SOME models that were running a European CSC code from European countries did NO indeed have CA enabled in the US. Phones with Asias CSC codes had 2 band CA enabled in the US. It never supported more other bands CA in the US.
I experimented with this myself by flashing the main OXM ROM and then using a local country SIM immediately after flashing to change the CSC code of the firmware to one that SIM region. Every time it was a European CSC, CA would not longer work.
It's important to note that Wifi calling and VOLTE both worked on T-Mobile with the F model out of the box. This started with the S10 and i expect the same to be with the note 10.

clubtech said:
That's not accurate at all.
The Galaxy S10+ F model did 100% work with at least 2 bands carrier aggregation when used on T-Mobile and AT&T. Bands 4+2 on T-Mobile and 12/17+2 on At&t were aggregated. SOME models that were running a European CSC code from European countries did NO indeed have CA enabled in the US. Phones with Asias CSC codes had 2 band CA enabled in the US. It never supported more other bands CA in the US.
I experimented with this myself by flashing the main OXM ROM and then using a local country SIM immediately after flashing to change the CSC code of the firmware to one that SIM region. Every time it was a European CSC, CA would not longer work.
It's important to note that Wifi calling and VOLTE both worked on T-Mobile with the F model out of the box. This started with the S10 and i expect the same to be with the note 10.
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Excellent. Please provide us some more info then showing your claims.
What I have stated is indeed accurate as it was based on my own tests with the Note 8 lol...many have done the same as well. This issue regarding CA has been hashed to pieces in several threads with a lot of folks involved in showing concrete proof that it did not work with the phones we've tested it with at the time.
Show us with screen shots, detailed description where the phones were tested etc... that CA works on the F variant and we'll throw a party....
You have to remember that there are several of us that really want CA to work... it's not like we're against it.
Again, we've seen this claim before and it was due to the user not factoring in that they were in a "good signal area near a tower," where they were connected to a strong signal that made it seem like CA was working in respect to the bands the international phone supported... I'm not saying this is the case with what you have experienced, but until we can see proof.... with this situation it's all heresay unless proven otherwise... therefore...
What you've said is not accurate at all, because we have no proof... so please provide proof.
@DeeXii I'll tag you as I'm sure you're just as curious...
Looking forward to hearing back... :highfive:

Well, just received the N975FD Dual SIM model and i'm testing it with AT&T and Project FI in the US (which uses T-Mobile).
This unit rung the Singapore firmware. As i stated in my last reply, Carrier aggregation DOES work with BOTH networks.
Here are some observations for those are interested in getting the international version and use it in the US:
AT&T:
Surprisingly, VOLTE works out of the box with AT&T. This is a first for the international unlocked model. My AT&T SIM already had this feature provisioned on my account and it just worked when I placed the SIM into the Note 10+.
HD calling works as well (tested a call to another AT&T customer and a Verizon customer).
The device can do 2xCA with bands 2 + 12 and bands 2 + 4.
Speed is almost the same as the US model when using these frequencies.
No WiFi calling
Project Fi (T-Mobile).
VOLTE works.
HD calling just between T-Mobile customers.
The device can do 2xCA with bands 2 + 4. I have not seen it do 4+12 or 2+12 yet.
No WiFi calling (but that's normal to any phone that's not a pixel with Fi).
Verizon:
To be tested still
Like I mentioned before, if your international version comes from a European country, for some reason carrier aggregation no longer works. If you then flash an Asian firmware, have an Asian country SIM inside the phone when you flash the firmware and do a factory reset after you flash, carrier aggregation will start working with a US SIM afterward.

DeeXii said:
It should be noted that with Exynos F models, USA Carrier Aggregation does not work properly.
While the phone will function properly, it will not have the same network speeds as an equivalent USA model.
For example, I had in my possession a N960F and did a speed test next to a N920T (Note 5) and I was getting like 70-90Mbps down on the Note 5 and was only getting 15-30Mbps on the N960F in the exact same spots.
I've tested this many times and actually also with the N950F before that.
I'm only posting about this just to make people aware. I'm, sure there are some that will take the trade-off of slower speeds to gain the ability of root and development, but there are also some out there that prefer that their speeds not be gimped.
This has been discussed on many XDA threads in the Note 8, S9, Note 9, S10 forums for a couple of years now and can be duplicated exactly as mentioned.
If anyone has figured out a way to get proper USA CA on F model phones I'm one of the first that would love to hear about it.
I'm sure @iunlock would also.
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It's not the model that causes this - it's your lack of the correct CSC. If it has a compatible CSC, it works just fine.
I'm currently debating rooting my new Note 10+ 5g to port over the T-Mobile CSC from a T-Mobile model like I did with the Note 8.

Kalm_Traveler said:
It's not the model that causes this - it's your lack of the correct CSC. If it has a compatible CSC, it works just fine.
I'm currently debating rooting my new Note 10+ 5g to port over the T-Mobile CSC from a T-Mobile model like I did with the Note 8.
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That is 100% incorrect.
While flashing the CSC is a must on any locked or F model Samsung phone to enable all carrier features like video calling and VoLTE. It does not give the CA tables that are in the snap dragon's baseband to an Exynos device.
There for if you are on a US carrier and have a N975U/U1 next to a N975F, the speeds on the N975F will be significantly less than the N975U/U1. I'm surprised you have entered this debate again with these views considering your experience in the matter. Once again we have obtained an F model and tested against US variants and have concluded that as of now, simply flashing the CSC from T-Mobile or any US variant does not enable USA Carrier Aggregation on Exynos models. I am not trying to be mean or agumentitive here, but when you have people ordering from overseas potentially running into situations where they cannot return a device, it is very important to have 100% accurate information.
It should be noted that while on 5G it may be different because I do not think 5G uses the MIMO type actions of carrier aggregation. But also with that said. 5G phones do not use 5G 100% of the time. (See how 5G works for more info)
TLR - Yes unlocked international models "work" on US carriers. However their speeds will be much slower than on a US variant because international variants cannot do the Carrier Aggregation that US carriers need for full data speeds.

DeeXii said:
That is 100% incorrect.
While flashing the CSC is a must on any locked or F model Samsung phone to enable all carrier features like video calling and VoLTE. It does not give the CA tables that are in the snap dragon's baseband to an Exynos device.
There for if you are on a US carrier and have a N975U/U1 next to a N975F, the speeds on the N975F will be significantly less than the N975U/U1. I'm surprised you have entered this debate again with these views considering your experience in the matter. Once again we have obtained an F model and tested against US variants and have concluded that as of now, simply flashing the CSC from T-Mobile or any US variant does not enable USA Carrier Aggregation on Exynos models. I am not trying to be mean or agumentitive here, but when you have people ordering from overseas potentially running into situations where they cannot return a device, it is very important to have 100% accurate information.
It should be noted that while on 5G it may be different because I do not think 5G uses the MIMO type actions of carrier aggregation. But also with that said. 5G phones do not use 5G 100% of the time. (See how 5G works for more info)
TLR - Yes unlocked international models "work" on US carriers. However their speeds will be much slower than on a US variant because international variants cannot do the Carrier Aggregation that US carriers need for full data speeds.
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I'm not sure where you got that information, but quite a few of us posted screenshots in the Note 8 days showing the CA tables on our N and F variants. I believe the CA combo info is within the keystrings.dat file but don't quote me on that.
Also - nobody should root their phone (needed to flash USA CSCs on N and F variant Samsung phones) and expect to be able to return the device afterwards. We are taking the risk anyway by ordering an overseas model phone.

Kalm_Traveler said:
I'm not sure where you got that information, but quite a few of us posted screenshots in the Note 8 days showing the CA tables on our N and F variants. I believe the CA combo info is within the keystrings.dat file but don't quote me on that.
Also - nobody should root their phone (needed to flash USA CSCs on N and F variant Samsung phones) and expect to be able to return the device afterward. We are taking the risk anyway by ordering an overseas model phone.
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I'm getting my info from several tests done by myself and several others.
The tests on our Note 10 devices match exactly the tests we have done on Note8 and Note 9 international Exynos F models that people have been testing for years that simply do not do US Carrier Aggregation, even with the US CSC.
We have had two Note 10 F models, an unlocked US model, and a T-Mobile US Model. At the same exact location, my old Note 5 N920T pulls higher download speeds (because of Carrier Aggregation) than my brother in law's N975F.
Go find a T-Mobile N975U and see for yourself, however, I am not sure where you are located. I am sure there are some places in the country that might produce the same speeds on their phones simply because the towers in that area are older and do not have all of the bands some major markets have.
In those locations, you will probably see average download speeds anyways. In this situation, an Exynos model is acceptable as the speeds will be the same. However, when traveling the data will still be gimped obviously.
Bottom line is that if a person in a major market gets an N975F and flashes the T-Mobile CSC they will still have gimped data speeds when compared to a US snapdragon variant, period.
Believe me, there is no one more than myself and @iunlock that want CA to work 100% 1:1 with the N975U model but it's just not the case. It is what it is.
Also, it should be noted that CA does not just affect download speeds. It can also affect signal reliability in certain situations.

DeeXii said:
I'm getting my info from several tests done by myself and several others.
The tests on our Note 10 devices match exactly the tests we have done on Note8 and Note 9 international Exynos F models that people have been testing for years that simply do not do US Carrier Aggregation, even with the US CSC.
We have had two Note 10 F models, an unlocked US model, and a T-Mobile US Model. At the same exact location, my old Note 5 N920T pulls higher download speeds (because of Carrier Aggregation) than my brother in law's N975F.
Go find a T-Mobile N975U and see for yourself, however, I am not sure where you are located. I am sure there are some places in the country that might produce the same speeds on their phones simply because the towers in that area are older and do not have all of the bands some major markets have.
In those locations, you will probably see average download speeds anyways. In this situation, an Exynos model is acceptable as the speeds will be the same. However, when traveling the data will still be gimped obviously.
Bottom line is that if a person in a major market gets an N975F and flashes the T-Mobile CSC they will still have gimped data speeds when compared to a US snapdragon variant, period.
Believe me, there is no one more than myself and @iunlock that want CA to work 100% 1:1 with the N975U model but it's just not the case. It is what it is.
Also, it should be noted that CA does not just affect download speeds. It can also affect signal reliability in certain situations.
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I take this as a challenge, my friend
Hold my beer...

Would flashing a different CSC get rid of the current carrier boot and shutdown animation? And, to flash a Tmo CSC on a rooted sm-n975f be as simple as flashing the new CSC in Odin?

Kalm_Traveler said:
. . . . port over the T-Mobile CSC from a T-Mobile model like I did with the Note 8.
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Hey Kalm_Traveler. Long time no chat.
Please do that. I just picked up a SM-N975F/DS and would love to see that happen. I remember your old N8 thread well.

To update my earlier reply, just tested the FD model with Verizon.
VOLTE works out of the box.
HD voice works.
I've seen 2 x CA with bands 4 and 2 and then 5 and 2.
So while we are both going to see 3 x CA or 4 x CA, it can def do 2 x CA on the 3 carriers I tested.
What surprised me that VOLTE works out of the box for all 3 carriers.View attachment 4819270
Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

SM-N976V Note 10 plus 5G portability (carrier switch)

I'm looking to spend on Note 10 plus 5G, currently on Verizon but the biggest question that I couldn't find the answer is if in the future, I will have to stay with Verizon forever if I want to use 5G on this phone.
Samsung released different snapdragon models for each carrier, but what if I want to switch to Tmobile or AT&T with this phone? Is there a workaround to make these phones work with different carriers, especially with 5G?
S10 5G is out for many months, but I couldn't find a thread showing portability. Although selling the phone for a discounted price and buying other one that works on different carrier is an option, looking to find if it is practical to use 5G when we switch carrier.
Thank you

Cashreedhar said:
I'm looking to spend on Note 10 plus 5G, currently on Verizon but the biggest question that I couldn't find the answer is if in the future, I will have to stay with Verizon forever if I want to use 5G on this phone.
Samsung released different snapdragon models for each carrier, but what if I want to switch to Tmobile or AT&T with this phone? Is there a workaround to make these phones work with different carriers, especially with 5G?
S10 5G is out for many months, but I couldn't find a thread showing portability. Although selling the phone for a discounted price and buying other one that works on different carrier is an option, looking to find if it is practical to use 5G when we switch carrier.
Thank you
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once its sim unlicked it will workbwith other carriers.. ive tried it on multiole sims from dif carriers

The lte radios should be the same, the 5g will never work across carriers for now considering theyre taping into different spectrum. Modems and antenna designs are different between the different 5g methodology each carrier adopted.

elliwigy said:
once its sim unlicked it will workbwith other carriers.. ive tried it on multiole sims from dif carriers
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That is very nice to hear. Does the phone work with other carriers once sim unlocked without changing the phone software? Does 5G work on other carriers too, if the bandwidths match? Thanks

coilbio said:
The lte radios should be the same, the 5g will never work across carriers for now considering theyre taping into different spectrum. Modems and antenna designs are different between the different 5g methodology each carrier adopted.
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I may not understand much details of these modems, however my understanding is that there are some 5G bands common between carriers.
Verizon holds 76% of total available 28GHz spectrum bands and and 48% 39GHz 5g spectrum bands.
At&T holds 40% of 39GHz bands and Tmobile holds 12% of 28GHz bands. If I'm not mistaken the modem in Note 10 5G model supports 600MHz which is new Tmobile band. So, if Note 10 modem supports those 2 5G bands on verizon, technically it should work on at&t and t-mobile too? Although these may work in different cities as of now

Yes and no, I don't know if it has the right antennas, they matter to match the signal length and the obvious is how locked the radio is.
You forget Verizon are evil about keeping their phones there.
It could be the phone is capable but will never be able because it's a Verizon phone and they nerfed something.

coilbio said:
Yes and no, I don't know if it has the right antennas, they matter to match the signal length and the obvious is how locked the radio is.
You forget Verizon are evil about keeping their phones there.
It could be the phone is capable but will never be able because it's a Verizon phone and they nerfed something.
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Click to collapse
In the past we were able to unlock blocked antenna bands using Qualcomm QPST tool and hope there will be possibilities in the future. It's not that Verizon is evil, it applies to all carriers. There has been court ruled regulations that enabled users to take their device to other networks, but blocking 5G would be inconvenience to users, as we all know 5G is the future. I'm going to grab a Note 10 plus 5G for now

Cashreedhar said:
In the past we were able to unlock blocked antenna bands using Qualcomm QPST tool and hope there will be possibilities in the future. It's not that Verizon is evil, it applies to all carriers. There has been court ruled regulations that enabled users to take their device to other networks, but blocking 5G would be inconvenience to users, as we all know 5G is the future. I'm going to grab a Note 10 plus 5G for now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
technically they wouldnt be blocking anything if they just dont include the antennae/functionailt.. its then up to the user to research and purchase if it suits their needs.

Follow up:
After Verizon unlocked the phone, surprisingly 5G works with Tmobile without any modification. Of course not all the bands. Haven't had 5G signal so far and suddenly when I'm standing near a 5G antenna in downtown Manhattan, I had full signal

I have the same phone. I was not able to see 5G with TMobile or AT&T. I am also not able to get the Verizon hardware off my phone. ( boot logo, etc.) Any work arounds?

Odd. I have the 5G on VZW thats unlocked. My phone works fine with my TM SIM but does not pickup 5G even though my OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren gets 5G.

Milyenair said:
I have the same phone. I was not able to see 5G with TMobile or AT&T. I am also not able to get the Verizon hardware off my phone. ( boot logo, etc.) Any work arounds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope.
the n976v only has vzw and gcf csc codes on it which both use the vzw sales code n network code.. changing carriers should work but on network as the csc should recognize this and load the correct apns n such but the bootani n vzw stuff is there to stay..

Mike02z said:
Odd. I have the 5G on VZW thats unlocked. My phone works fine with my TM SIM but does not pickup 5G even though my OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren gets 5G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not odd.. its a vzw branded 5g device.. its hit or miss on other 5g networks.. they typically use different bands and frequencies and 5g variants dont contain full csc for other carriers like the non 5g devices

So I'm having an issue, I'm trying to get my phone to work with Total Wireless but for some reason I cannot adjust the APN and they can't send me an update to my sim card. I can get the calls and text to work and it shows 4g but no data due to the incorrect APN. Its all grayed out with no way to add or configure it. The IMEI also says its not compatible with Total Wireless which is weird since all other verizon phones have worked before except this Note 10+ 5g.

CamachoDjr said:
So I'm having an issue, I'm trying to get my phone to work with Total Wireless but for some reason I cannot adjust the APN and they can't send me an update to my sim card. I can get the calls and text to work and it shows 4g but no data due to the incorrect APN. Its all grayed out with no way to add or configure it. The IMEI also says its not compatible with Total Wireless which is weird since all other verizon phones have worked before except this Note 10+ 5g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
probably need root

CamachoDjr said:
So I'm having an issue, I'm trying to get my phone to work with Total Wireless but for some reason I cannot adjust the APN and they can't send me an update to my sim card. I can get the calls and text to work and it shows 4g but no data due to the incorrect APN. Its all grayed out with no way to add or configure it. The IMEI also says its not compatible with Total Wireless which is weird since all other verizon phones have worked before except this Note 10+ 5g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you buy this phone? I had the same issue, when I changed the code to GCF from VZW. I had to send the phone back to Samsung, as the local samsung experience store couldn't even understand the problem. GCF is for Samsung diagnostic purposes only and they had to change the motherboard board on the phone in order to fix the issue. If your carrier 5g mmwave band is one of the band used by Verizon, you'll be able to use 5G with this phone. I was able to use 5G in NYC with TMOBILE, but not when I moved to a different state.

Mike02z said:
Odd. I have the 5G on VZW thats unlocked. My phone works fine with my TM SIM but does not pickup 5G even though my OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren gets 5G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can relate the issue you're facing. I was using this phone with TMobile 5G in NYC, but when I moved to different state, I can't get the 5G reception. In order to understand this further, you need to understand the frequencies supported by TMobile and frequencies owned by Verizon. TMobile shares one of Verizon's mmwave band (only around 25%) and these antennas are limited to only few metro cities. Even if you live in one of those big cities, you need to stand close to the 5G antenna in order to get the 5G signal. I remember that I had to stand within 50ft from the antenna in order to get 5G signal (downtown Manhattan near Meridian Lane and Water st).

So I'm new to this. Ive got a Note10+ 5G from Verizon (SM-N976V). Ported over from Verizon to At&t. Works fine accept its on 4G LTE (no 5G... the Samsung S9+ went over to 5G no issues). I am told if I flash the phone to the unlocked firmware it should get rid of the Verizon "lock" and work. I have tried this as per help form Android Central however having no success flashing... I am not exactly that savvy with this stuff... Please help

elliwigy said:
once its sim unlicked it will workbwith other carriers.. ive tried it on multiole sims from dif carriers
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Click to collapse
elliwigy, please let me know how you got your SM-N976V to work on other carriers. I've been trying to get mine to work on Visible and I can not change the APN settings.

mbmallette said:
elliwigy, please let me know how you got your SM-N976V to work on other carriers. I've been trying to get mine to work on Visible and I can not change the APN settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can network unlock it pretty easily even if the phone isn't paid off yet. Download setedit by 4a from the play store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.paphonb.systemuituner
and change the setting "vzw_network_lock" from a 1 to a 0. You'll have to buy the expansion pack from 4a to have a foreground guardian that'll prevent it from going back to a 1.
(
https://imgur.com/qaZl4d9
)

Questions about G9880 and T-Mobile

I have a bootloader unlocked, rooted Galaxy S20 Ultra SM-G9880 (Hong Kong version) that I am using on T-Mobile. However, I had some doubts about how it interacts with the various bands.
The phone does not support some of T-Mobile's LTE bands, and it does not seem to support any of their current 5G bands. Is there any way to change this with CSC changes or any other trickery?
Would AT&T be better for any of this?
When I use the Samsung band selector app, I see that NR B41 is supported. This is the Sprint spectrum that T-Mobile is repurposing, correct? Does that mean additional 5G and LTE coverage once the rollout is complete?
Another user was having problems enabling carrier aggregation. Is there a way of doing this?

Jonah50 said:
I have a bootloader unlocked, rooted Galaxy S20 Ultra SM-G9880 (Hong Kong version) that I am using on T-Mobile. However, I had some doubts about how it interacts with the various bands.
The phone does not support some of T-Mobile's LTE bands, and it does not seem to support any of their current 5G bands. Is there any way to change this with CSC changes or any other trickery?
Would AT&T be better for any of this?
When I use the Samsung band selector app, I see that NR B41 is supported. This is the Sprint spectrum that T-Mobile is repurposing, correct? Does that mean additional 5G and LTE coverage once the rollout is complete?
Another user was having problems enabling carrier aggregation. Is there a way of doing this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't change to a US CSC on your device. Some users are reporting 5G works only on SIM2. Carrier Aggregation isn't compatible in the US with the SM-G9880. I have the Hong Kong variant on T-mobile and 4G LTE works fine.

varcor said:
You can't change to a US CSC on your device. Some users are reporting 5G works only on SIM2. Carrier Aggregation isn't compatible in the US with the SM-G9880. I have the Hong Kong variant on T-mobile and 4G LTE works fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you happen to know if our imei works with 5g on t mobile? I just switched last month from att. On att, you would have to call and give an att imei in order for 5g to work and I'm wondering if t mobile is the same way or if it works out of the box with our imei.
Also, I have an SD card and seems like I cannot have a Sim on slot 2 and an SD at the same time, do you happen to know if an esim will get 5g?

m_reyna_16 said:
Would you happen to know if our imei works with 5g on t mobile? I just switched last month from att. On att, you would have to call and give an att imei in order for 5g to work and I'm wondering if t mobile is the same way or if it works out of the box with our imei.
Also, I have an SD card and seems like I cannot have a Sim on slot 2 and an SD at the same time, do you happen to know if an esim will get 5g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a question for T-mobile. It's not a question of your IMEI, it's whether or not your device's available 4G and 5G bands are compatible with T-mobile. I don't know what model you have but if it's a US model eSim isn't available on S20 devices. Only Exynos devices have eSim capabilities.

varcor said:
That's a question for T-mobile. It's not a question of your IMEI, it's whether or not your device's available 4G and 5G bands are compatible with T-mobile. I don't know what model you have but if it's a US model eSim isn't available on S20 devices. Only Exynos devices have eSim capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same model that's been on topic... The SM-G9880...

SM-G9880 isn't eSim enabled, only Exynos variants offer this. 5G may work, take it to your local T-mobile store and see if they can set it up. Often times information coming from a CSR over the phone isn't reliable. If it worked with AT&T on SIM 1 T-mobile it MAY work as well however many users have stated it only works on SIM 2. Even though T-mobile's 5G network has a larger coverage area they can't match the speed of AT&T's mmWave network.

varcor said:
That's a question for T-mobile. It's not a question of your IMEI, it's whether or not your device's available 4G and 5G bands are compatible with T-mobile. I don't know what model you have but if it's a US model eSim isn't available on S20 devices. Only Exynos devices have eSim capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that some people were trying to enable eSIM on rooted Snapdragon S20 Ultra devices. Did anything ever happen with that?

Jonah50 said:
I know that some people were trying to enable eSIM on rooted Snapdragon S20 Ultra devices. Did anything ever happen with that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you root the device I suppose it's possible to override an eSim block on the SM-G9880 but I'm not aware of anyone achieving it. The only Snapdragon variant which offers eSim at this time is the Galaxy Fold. I don't understand what the value of eSim is on a Dual SIM device. Even if you travel to a different country it's a simple choice, keep the SD Card in or use both SIM's and rely on internal memory for storage.

Did anyone try using BRI CSC to see if CA works in the USA?

Question Will UK variant work on AT&T?

I need unlocked/dual sim. If I buy the UK variant, SM-F926B/DS, will it work on AT&T network? Will I get 5G/LTE? Will it update? Thanks!

It should. The spec sheets for the phone does not show any variance in the radio's and frequencies they are compatible with in regards to where it's sold other than the ROM's with the carrier configurations pre-configured.

Doesnt the US version have a mmwave 5g antenna the UK version doesn't have?

If correct, how would this affect me? Thanks!

I would be very careful. In 2020 I bought unlocked Note 20 Ultra in Czech Republic and brought it to USA to be used on AT&T network. Unfortunately the 5G bands are not compatible and I didn't get 5G at all. Otherwise the phone works fine, you get LTE speeds and little bit spotty coverage. If you can live with that, you will be ok.

I use an international note 10+ n975f in USA on ATT and my line was shutoff last month because of a new company policy that will be fully in effect Feb 2022. Only u/u1 variants will work on their network...must have volte working and be a device provided thru ATT...not imported. I recommend a different carrier.
These phones will keep working on AT&T after the 3G network shutdown
AT&T will shut down its 3G network and require HD Voice support by February 2022. Check this list to see if your phone will make the cut.
www.xda-developers.com
It sucks. They did send me a free note 9, but...I need a new carrier.

Interesting. I’m on an unlocked, dual-SIM, Note 8, N950F which came from Singapore. I don’t remember how long I’ve had it, but I think it’s been around 5 years. It’s not a 5G device, but it is 4G/LTE and supports VoLTE. I think AT&T knows about it because I think I had to provide them with a S/N, M/N, and IMEI years ago. I’d like a 5G device and this one isn’t holding a charge for a full day anymore, but otherwise works fine on AT&T for now. I’d really like to stay with an unlocked, dual-SIM.