New Owner: Will inserting a SIM limit future updates?

[orangeman]

I just received my Nexus 6 from the Amazon deal. I got all my updates straight through to Marshmallow after my first power up. I was planning to use this mostly as a $199 mini WiFi tablet, but thought I could use it a phone once in awhile.

After reading all the posts, it looks like I should try to delay inserting a SIM as long as possible because it would establish the phone as T-Mobile and severely curtail future updates.

As I just typed all of that, it sounds absolutely crazy, so my question is, is my understanding correct? Maybe I should never insert a SIM. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TacoKingYo]

You are partially correct. The updates will come from T-Mobile instead of directly through Google/Motorola, so you will be at T-Mo's mercy, and won't get them right away. Of course, you'll get the updates in the end, you'll just have to wait a bit longer. Nothing wrong with that

My advice is to ask yourself: "Are fast updates a requirement for me?" If you answer no, then go ahead and throw that SIM card in. If you answered yes, then just know you'll get the updates no matter what (unless something went severely wrong) and don't put the SIM card in.

I would just put it in, you have Marshmallow now

And when NutterButter comes out (yes, I'm already calling it folks), just factory data reset with no SIM card and you'll get the same thing that just happened to you.

Enjoy

 

[rickms80]

Clearing up some misinformation here. Nexus phones will always be updated by google, period. With that said, with the Nexus 6 google made a compromise. That compromise was made because google wanted the all the major US carriers to sell Nexus 6. Carriers were like hey.... we want some input on the OTA process if we sell it. Google was like ok.... If your sim is in the phone, we'll only send OTA's to that Nexus 6 that you have approved and here we are.

Wait a minute I bought the phone unlocked from google, amazon, or where ever. That's great, but that phone was no different that the one sold by the carriers.

 

[coolbreeze]

Clearing up some misinformation here. Nexus phones will always be updated by google, period. With that said, with the Nexus 6 google made a compromise. That compromise was made because google wanted the all the major US carriers to sell Nexus 6. Carriers were like hey.... we want some input on the OTA process if we sell it. Google was like ok.... If your sim is in the phone, we'll only send OTA's to that Nexus 6 that you have approved and here we are.

Wait a minute I bought the phone unlocked from google, amazon, or where ever. That's great, but that phone was no different that the one sold by the carriers.

So is there any carrier prepaid or postpaid that is not delaying updates when released? Of course I know Google rolls out the updates, but is any carrier allowing the updates faster?

 

[rickms80]

So is there any carrier prepaid or postpaid that is not delaying updates when released? Of course I know Google rolls out the updates, but is any carrier allowing the updates faster?

That I'm not exactly sure of. I do know that the N6 typically falls into whatever network the prepaid MVNO's are purchasing coverage from. NET10 for example, if you insert the SIM for at&t coverage it will fall into at&t's firmware bucket. If you insert the NET10 sim for TMo coverage the phone with put itself in TMos approved firmware bucket. I just don't know if this is the behavior for all MVNO's but I would assume it is.

 

[MikeCorsten]

Vodafone UK here and I've had updates fairly quickly. In fact it wasn't long for Marshmallow being released that I had it installed.