Galaxy S3-I9300 stuck in roaming mode

**Bav328i** · 07-25-2012, 04:34 AM

Hi all, this is my first post on Android Central. I need some help regarding a problem that has just cropped up on my SGS3-I9300. I'm using this phone on T-Mobile USA and have had absolutely no issues at all, until today. Earlier, the phone prompted me to perform a software update. After the update, the 'roaming' icon is perpetually on. This happens even though I'm at home, at a location where I know for sure that I am not 'roaming'.

I've powered the phone off and on numerous times, and also done a factory reset, to no avail. I've also spent the better part of the last several hours searching various forums and it seems like others have had similar problems, unfortunately I haven't found one that has given a solution. The phone is on Android 4.0.4 / I9300XXLFB.

I'm running out of ideas. Why is my phone doing this? I really don't want to have to check on 'data roaming' just to get rid of the warning triangle. That's really sweeping the problem under the rug and not addressing its root cause. Please help... Any help would be greatly appreciated...

**funkylogik** · 07-25-2012, 05:08 AM

have u asked T-mo m8 incase its a carrier thing?

**Bav328i** · 07-25-2012, 06:05 AM

Yes, I just spent a good 45 minutes on the phone with T-Mo Tech Support. They couldn't figure it out too and said nothing appeared unusual on their end, and eventually transferred me to Samsung's Tech Support, which was not open at the time.

I think it must be tied to the update that was pushed to the phone. The question is, why would the update cause the phone to think it's in roaming mode when it's not?

**funkylogik** · 07-26-2012, 03:14 AM

ive got the gt-i9300 but i got exact same firmware update as you but havent had that problem. if a lot of other users are having it then it should get fixed in next update. remember to report it officialy to sammy mate. was your update over the air? i had to use laptop. have u tried takin the sim out+in (dont know if that would affect anythin but these kinda things are worth a shot lol)

**Digital Demon** · 07-29-2012, 05:58 PM

Mine is doing the exact same thing ive switched Sim cards and spoken with tmobile no help either all happened. After the update

**rwktx** · 08-01-2012, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bav328i

Hi all, this is my first post on Android Central. I need some help regarding a problem that has just cropped up on my SGS3-I9300. I'm using this phone on T-Mobile USA and have had absolutely no issues at all, until today. Earlier, the phone prompted me to perform a software update. After the update, the 'roaming' icon is perpetually on. This happens even though I'm at home, at a location where I know for sure that I am not 'roaming'.

I've powered the phone off and on numerous times, and also done a factory reset, to no avail. I've also spent the better part of the last several hours searching various forums and it seems like others have had similar problems, unfortunately I haven't found one that has given a solution. The phone is on Android 4.0.4 / I9300XXLFB.

I'm running out of ideas. Why is my phone doing this? I really don't want to have to check on 'data roaming' just to get rid of the warning triangle. That's really sweeping the problem under the rug and not addressing its root cause. Please help... Any help would be greatly appreciated...

I am in exactly the same spot. my data features worked fine until installing the update pushed to me this morning. I also have the S3-I9300 and am using a T-mobile prepaid SIM.

Let me know if you hear of a workaround.

**Littoria** · 08-01-2012, 02:34 PM

Same

**Littoria** · 08-01-2012, 02:36 PM

Same here... it seems like only t-mobile people are having this problem. But then again I told my gf on h2o not to update just in case it's not just us t-mobile guys.

My internet wasn't working until I enabled data roaming.. it doesn't seem I'm being charged extra.
the only thing I would complain about is the dual clock on my lock screen.. for some reason it shows a home and a roaming clock. Which is odd bc my "home" clock is an hour back.

At first I kind of hoped this was a sign of t-mobile updating the towers in my area... one would hope.

**Digital Demon** · 08-02-2012, 03:19 PM

just got of the phone with Samsung about issue they stated the I9300 is the phone designed for the european market i got mine through quibids online which states it appears based out of oklahoma. samsung stated this is an international phone. I am going to contact t-mobile about roaming issue with new information i'm in the us. houston area.

**Littoria** · 08-02-2012, 10:05 PM

Im Houston as well..
this has to be a problem with the software update. I travel pretty often and have used many international phones. To be honest the entire concept of "locked" phones was new and ridiculous to me.
So anyway, the way I have come to understand roaming is that if you have a carrier that does not usually operate in the area you are in, then you might have the possibility to use roaming.
In other words it's the carrier we are using that should determine if the phone should go in roaming mode... however this isn't the case right now. just because our phones are the "international" version should not mean we can only "roam" here in the state's..
The problem HAS to be with Samsung. Not t-mobile

**rwktx** · 08-04-2012, 07:21 AM

All,
I had to travel from Dallas TX to Washington DC this week for work. When I turned my phone on here, my roaming issue went away. Who knows what will happen when I get back to Dallas but for now my issue seems to have resolved itself.

rk

**Chillidog66** · 08-04-2012, 08:50 AM

You can change the duel clocks in the settings.

**Littoria** · 08-06-2012, 06:31 PM

Yes my phone has a dual clock on the lock screen. It has my current location and my "home" which is an hour behind for some reason... I have my phone set to central time but it thinks my home is on the east coast. At least that's what I'm assuming.
I hope when you get back from dc it stays normal.. but I doubt it.
I just hope they give us jelly bean already.. I read that there is a version available for our international s3's

**naddo** · 08-14-2012, 10:47 AM

I'm having the exact same problem. After firmware update last weekend, and it's stuck in roaming mode. I've tried taking SIM card out+in and even tried Factory data reset (which was really annoying), none of that helped. And of course, their basic troubleshooting steps (to turn off device, take off battery for like 30 sec and reboot) did not help.

Samsung support person gave me a Samsung's German support team's toll-free number to contact cuz I told them the phone came from Germany. I don't believe calling them would help me much but I'll give that a shot if it persists. Oh, and I'm also using T-mobile SIM card.

Are we sure selecting "Data roaming" checkbox under Mobile Network won't cost me some extra charge?

**funkylogik** · 08-14-2012, 01:13 PM

how do u know if the phones in roaming mode? is there an icon or somethin?

**Littoria** · 08-14-2012, 07:39 PM

Yes I just paid my bill... no extra charge. this just proves that it's the phone and not the carrier, or at least not completely the carriers fault. It does seem that only us on t-mobile seem to be having this problem. then again t-mobile has its own thing going on with its towers/signals. So that could be part of the problem.

To answer your question funkylogik, yes there is an R over the bars status

**funkylogik** · 08-14-2012, 07:42 PM

cool thanks man

**Sabbir** · 08-16-2012, 05:20 PM

I had the same problem with my galaxy s3 guys. But I did figure out how to turn off that roaming clock on the home screen. This is how you turn it off, go to settings --> security --> lock screen options --> dual clock (turn off the roaming clock)

**daedaebird** · 08-17-2012, 11:39 AM

Same Problem. Mine did two updates, and everyone seems clueless as to why nothing is working. Wonder what could have been in the update that messed up T-Mobile's data with our phones?

**fastflair** · 08-30-2012, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by daedaebird

Same Problem. Mine did two updates, and everyone seems clueless as to why nothing is working. Wonder what could have been in the update that messed up T-Mobile's data with our phones?

Same problem, enabling data roaming does not enable the 3G/4G network. Is this an Android issue rather than a Tmobile issue? It worked fine prior to the recent software update. Perhaps the update was not tested with the international phone on Tmobile's network?

**samsungfan47** · 08-30-2012, 10:18 PM

I'm having the same issue. It's so frustrating! I even thought my phone was defective so I had it exchanged for a new one. The new phone worked fine until I did this update. Now I'm once again in constant roaming. I've tried all of the fixes, called Samsung, called TMobile, NO FIX! Samsung even told me to call Hong Kong. Really? I just sent an email to Samsung UK so we'll see what happens. I hope we can find a fix to this... and SOON!

**Superherm** · 09-08-2012, 11:40 AM

Having the same problem. Bought my phone overseas (never used it there). Came back and inserted my t-mobile chip and it worked fine for 2 weeks until I updated the phone software today. I think it might have been the first update I do. Now I get roaming. I spoke to Tmobile and the conclusion was that my phone was intended for another network so it is recognizing that it is not on this original network. However, even though it says roaming the phone will operate as normal with no extra charges. Only thing is that I have to make sure my data is set to roam or else I have no internet.

Posting all this hoping that there will be an answer soon. Thanks.

**J84P** · 09-20-2012, 10:07 PM

For ALL the S3 phones with roaming issues that can't connect to the data please go to this website and configure your APN's accordingly....it solved my problem! so good luck