Skripka
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Are you trolling?
You have a Verizon S3. It is ALWAYS and FOREVER locked to Verizon. Samsung devices, unless explicitly unlocked, are always chained to a specific region and carrier.
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ProjectFi is live to everyone and the Nexus 5X is $199 / $249 through it.
- Thread starter cageymaru
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Are you trolling?
You have a Verizon S3. It is ALWAYS and FOREVER locked to Verizon. Samsung devices, unless explicitly unlocked, are always chained to a specific region and carrier.
D
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That isn't even the biggest issue. The phone physically doesn't have the bands to work on Sprint/T-Mobile.
Skripka
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The phone hardware most likely does "have the bands", the S3 like all handsets from that era forward all only have one physical cellular antenna-path...but the firmware loaded bricks those bands. And said hardware is engineered such that loading any other firmware onto it bricks the device.
Whoops, thought Skripka was quoting my other post. Nevermind.
For my personal phone, I've been using Net10 on an old "HTC First" phone for the last several years. It uses AT&T's network, and it has issues getting signal inside buildings, while my business iPhone6 (n Verizon) never has problems.
Is the primary factor for building penetration the network, or the phone itself? Would a Nexus 5x on Fi be expected to have decent reception within buildings?
Is the primary factor for building penetration the network, or the phone itself? Would a Nexus 5x on Fi be expected to have decent reception within buildings?
Skripka
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It is both network and device, and where you are. At my last workplace, our offices were in a just-below ground concrete bunker basically. My smartphone on Sprint got service fine....my coworkers on VZW and ATT didn't get any bars at all.
Device can matter...I've found that Apple-Apples Motorola devices had better modems on the same network in the same place than Samsung devices.
Actually all Verizon lte phones are unlocked, always have been, Verizon has been required to because of their agreement with the fcc during the 700 mhz c block auction. Now if the Verizon phone you have actually supports the bands of different carrier is a different story, but I've been using my Verizon phones with other carriers for a long time.
I've been using redpocketmobile with my LG G4, which I purchased during BF for $169 / yr. It comes with 1000 min, 1000 texts, and 500 MB LTE + 500 MB throttled data per month.
It works on Verizon and is far and away the cheapest solution I have found. I had been using Ting before which I loved, but couldn't pass on the deal. The switch to Verizon signal was also noticeably better.
It works on Verizon and is far and away the cheapest solution I have found. I had been using Ting before which I loved, but couldn't pass on the deal. The switch to Verizon signal was also noticeably better.
There are numerous LTE bands/frequencies. The S3 doesn't even get all of the Verizon ones. I think it gets 1 of the 3 or so Verizon actually uses. Its a 4 year old phone, I'm amazed anyone has any kind of expectation for it...
You guys act like 4 years was a century ago. The phone runs perfectly fine.
in phone years, yes it's a century ago.
kirbyrj
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Some phones only will give you HSPA+ rather than LTE. Depending on where you live, it might not make a difference. Newer phones have all the bands anyway, but some of the older phones it's a bigger deal. My one friend uses a Verizon S5 with Straight Talk and only gets HSPA+ rather than LTE.
Its acutally still highly dependent on the phone. The nexus line and iphones are pretty good at having most bands, they still don't have all the bands each carrier has, the sprint iphone has different bands then the tmobile, att, and verizon phone.
Here is a site that lists the bands of the samsung s7, youll see each model for each carrier has different bands.
Samsung Galaxy S7
If anyone desires a phone that will fully work on another carrier the best bet is a nexus or iphone, otherwise you may not get lte.
kirbyrj
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^^^ Fair enough. I thought they were moving toward a more unified approach like the Apple, Nexus, Motorola phones. I guess Samsung thinks its easier to have 5 phones instead of 1.
The only phone I've looked at other than the Nexus 5X I have now is a Moto X Pure and it has all the bands.
The only phone I've looked at other than the Nexus 5X I have now is a Moto X Pure and it has all the bands.
Skripka
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Actually...before even taking color variations into account there are 9 carrier specific Galaxy S7 variants in the US alone....and another 8 or 9 S7 Edge variants. Each with a unique specific SKU. And that is the US alone....then factor each SKU has 2 or 3 colors....It gets insane. Factor in region specific world SKUs you're looking at 2 dozen SKUs each of S7 and Edge I'd wager.
So like an idiot I shattered the display on my 6P, and like an idiot I had not enabled the $5/month insurance ($99 deductible). So it's going to take several weeks mailing it to Huawei and hassling with their customer service and $200 for the repair (total now $500 phone + $200 repair = $700).
All my fault, but point is I ordered a 5X as a team phone, did the no-interest payment option ($8.67 a month), and holy crap it's a great phone, like a baby 6P in aesthetics of the front of it, and I wish now I'd gone with 5X instead of 6P from the beginning.
The $199 for the 5X through Project Fi is simply killer.
All my fault, but point is I ordered a 5X as a team phone, did the no-interest payment option ($8.67 a month), and holy crap it's a great phone, like a baby 6P in aesthetics of the front of it, and I wish now I'd gone with 5X instead of 6P from the beginning.
The $199 for the 5X through Project Fi is simply killer.
StryderxX
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This is the plan I have on my Nexus 6P and it's great. I was wondering though... if wifi calling is on and I make a call does it go against the 100mins of this plan?
OFaceSIG
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I admire and use many Google services. But Project Fi is a dumb project. It uses the weakest of the cellular carriers and is EXPENSIVE. Cricket is a much better alternative at this point. Uses ATT for it's radio path.
I've had T-mobile for close to 10 years now. It's definitely not the 'weakest' of the cellular carriers. Not sure what you're smoking, but I'd like some.
cageymaru
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T Mobile has very little coverage when traveling across the USA. AT&T is no better. Sprint is also anemic. The only real cellphone service for people traveling up and down interstates is US Cellular and Verizon. I had to dump Project Fi because I could only use the Wifi at home and had to ride 10 miles before I could get on a tower. Remember that most of the land mass in the USA is rural. What works in the confines of a large city has nothing to do with what works when you actually need a cellphone while broke down beside the Bates Motel and it's getting dark.
Depends where you travelling.. I take long trips every year and 3 years ago Tmobile would simply suck. Now they have 90% coverage where they didn't have before. TM has improved.
BurntToast
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It's used against the 100mins. It's only to be used if you have no coverage.
You can use hangouts to dial and receive calls for free. This can be over wifi or your 5gb bucket. I do a mix of this and Skype for dialing real numbers. Facebook messenger to messenger or Skype to Skype for people that use these services.
OFaceSIG
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I was largely speaking to the fact that Project Fi uses Tmo and Sprint. I wasn't singling out your apparently loved, Tmo. That being said nearly every reliability report that has ever been done usually has Verizon on top, and ATT usually second. Sometimes ATT is on top. Tmo has very fast internet, I'll give them that, but their signal is weak. I know plenty people with Tmo and contantly hear them complain about their signal.
I used Sprint for over 10 years. It was cheap, but the signal was no where near what my current carrier, Cricket signal is now, because they use ATT for RF access.
Just because you have an emotional tie to something doesn't mean you shouldn't be objective, Tmo does not have strong signal. It's a fact. It's that simple.
If we want to get technical with RF specifications I can do that, if you want a specifics as to why.
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OFaceSIG
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I have driven everywhere in this country except the northwest. So far ATT has worked everywhere except for this random pocket in Nebraska where it was only Verizon.
cageymaru
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My brother had AT&T. Worked as well as T Mobile and Sprint did. To be exact my sister has AT&T right now and she lives in MD. When she travels to her fiance's house in Pennsylvania her signal cuts out for 30 minutes at least each time. And when she comes to visit me? She has to drive 1 hour in any direction from my home to get a signal. If she were to breakdown out there she would be at the mercy of whomever stops to help her.
I wish I could use one of the cheaper carriers. I keep switching to try something new and keep returning to Verizon because nothing else works except for US Cellular. I'm quite sure that the other carriers are great in cities and suburban areas though.
ManofGod
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Damn, I wish I did not buy into this Verizon 2 year contract I am on now. $69 a month, 1GB of data and at the moment, a $270 ETF. 
Not that I am unhappy with the service but, going for a lower monthly bill and a Nexus 5X would be great.
Not that I am unhappy with the service but, going for a lower monthly bill and a Nexus 5X would be great.
cageymaru
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Damn, I wish I did not buy into this Verizon 2 year contract I am on now. $69 a month, 1GB of data and at the moment, a $270 ETF.
That's why I keep trying other carriers. This Verizon bill is ridiculous compared to other carriers. But when you're the ONLY game in town, everyone has to play by your rules.
OFaceSIG
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Damn, I wish I did not buy into this Verizon 2 year contract I am on now. $69 a month, 1GB of data and at the moment, a $270 ETF.
$55 bucks a month with autopay credit will get you 10GB a month with Cricket (ATT). No contract, any unlocked GSM phone usually works.