At&t Unlocked Software Update

[cocob89]

Hopefully someone has some advice. I just recently got an At&t model Galaxy Fold that the previous owner had unlocked. I'm trying to update the software but nothing is working. Tried activating a prepaid At&t sim card to try and force an OTA update; that didn't work. Tried using Smart Switch on my iMac; that didn't work. The only thing I haven't tried is downloading Odin to my Windows desktop mainly because I fear screwing it up. Is this phone just destined to run Android 9 forever? It's not too big of a deal as I'm planning on getting the Z Fold 2 but it would be nice to be running current software while I wait for that one. Samsung customer service told me to take it to an At&t store and have them update the software but that doesn't seem like something that a carrier store would do. Any suggestions?

 

[anon(10614692)]

Odin or ATT shop would have been my recommendations after trying OTA. It should have updated OTA. Has it been rooted ie is Knox tripped?

 

[cocob89]

Hasn't been rooted thankfully. Think I might give Odin a shot and cross my fingers

 

[joeldf]

AT&T branded devices only get OTA OS updates from AT&T, and only when on the AT&T network. Even if it's unlocked after-the-fact, if it's on the network, it should still get updates.

However, AT&T has been having issues the last couple years with a small number of their devices not ever getting any updates. No amount of calls to CSRs seems to solve it.

Smart Switch also apparently does not work with AT&T devices.

Odin has worked, but after that, the only other option is to go to a UbreakIfix store. They can update it there.

 

[cocob89]

Thank you for your suggestions!

AT&T branded devices only get OTA OS updates from AT&T, and only when on the AT&T network. Even if it's unlocked after-the-fact, if it's on the network, it should still get updates.

However, AT&T has been having issues the last couple years with a small number of their devices not ever getting any updates. No amount of calls to CSRs seems to solve it.

Smart Switch also apparently does not work with AT&T devices.

Odin has worked, but after that, the only other option is to go to a UbreakIfix store. They can update it there.

 

[cardboard60]

AT&T branded devices only get OTA OS updates from AT&T, and only when on the AT&T network. Even if it's unlocked after-the-fact, if it's on the network, it should still get updates.

However, AT&T has been having issues the last couple years with a small number of their devices not ever getting any updates. No amount of calls to CSRs seems to solve it.

Smart Switch also apparently does not work with AT&T devices.

Odin has worked, but after that, the only other option is to go to a UbreakIfix store. They can update it there.

Another problem i have with people thinking carrier locked phones are the safest and best way to go.

 

[mustang7757]

Hopefully someone has some advice. I just recently got an At&t model Galaxy Fold that the previous owner had unlocked. I'm trying to update the software but nothing is working. Tried activating a prepaid At&t sim card to try and force an OTA update; that didn't work. Tried using Smart Switch on my iMac; that didn't work. The only thing I haven't tried is downloading Odin to my Windows desktop mainly because I fear screwing it up. Is this phone just destined to run Android 9 forever? It's not too big of a deal as I'm planning on getting the Z Fold 2 but it would be nice to be running current software while I wait for that one. Samsung customer service told me to take it to an At&t store and have them update the software but that doesn't seem like something that a carrier store would do. Any suggestions?

Lot of people on Att have issues with Ota on Samsung, best to flash with Odin.

 

[joeldf]

Another problem i have with people thinking carrier locked phones are the safest and best way to go.

Depends.

In the US, most people simply get their phones from a carrier because it's just easier.

Then, some carriers, like AT&T, only provide certain "advanced calling features" to their branded (and locked) phones - like Wi-Fi calling or Hotspot. Sure, any modern phone can do those things, but AT&T will block those features from most unlocked phones on their network.

At least T-Mobile is much more BYOD friendly. Unfortunately, T-Mobile is not much of an option where I live, and Sprint wasn't much better. So, combined, they have slightly less horrible coverage here.

I personally never had an issue using AT&T since they were Cingular back in the late 90s with my first flip phones. I also never relied on them for device issues, preferring to deal with OS updates on my own.

This was easier on my BlackBerry phones since you could obtain and load a newer OS than what AT&T provided for both the old BBOS and BB10 phones. I did this from 2007 to 2017 when I finally retired my Z10 for a Galaxy S8. I worried at first about how to update outside of AT&T, but it was around that time that locked phones were getting updates at the same time, or earlier, than the unlocked models. Of course, this fluctuates now, but I've never felt put out by an update that might be 2 months late. For their BlackBerry phones, AT&T could be 6 months to a year and a half behind the latest BlackBerry released OS version.

Point is that depending on who you use as your carrier, and what you want out of it, carrier locked is just easier to deal with. There's very little advantage, in some cases a disadvantage, to using an unlocked phone. As long as you have no plans to bounce around different carriers, or travel out of the country a lot.

 

[cardboard60]

Depends.

In the US, most people simply get their phones from a carrier because it's just easier.

Then, some carriers, like AT&T, only provide certain "advanced calling features" to their branded (and locked) phones - like Wi-Fi calling or Hotspot. Sure, any modern phone can do those things, but AT&T will block those features from most unlocked phones on their network.

At least T-Mobile is much more BYOD friendly. Unfortunately, T-Mobile is not much of an option where I live, and Sprint wasn't much better. So, combined, they have slightly less horrible coverage here.

I personally never had an issue using AT&T since they were Cingular back in the late 90s with my first flip phones. I also never relied on them for device issues, preferring to deal with OS updates on my own.

This was easier on my BlackBerry phones since you could obtain and load a newer OS than what AT&T provided for both the old BBOS and BB10 phones. I did this from 2007 to 2017 when I finally retired my Z10 for a Galaxy S8. I worried at first about how to update outside of AT&T, but it was around that time that locked phones were getting updates at the same time, or earlier, than the unlocked models. Of course, this fluctuates now, but I've never felt put out by an update that might be 2 months late. For their BlackBerry phones, AT&T could be 6 months to a year and a half behind the latest BlackBerry released OS version.

Point is that depending on who you use as your carrier, and what you want out of it, carrier locked is just easier to deal with. There's very little advantage, in some cases a disadvantage, to using an unlocked phone. As long as you have no plans to bounce around different carriers, or travel out of the country a lot.

Had a At&t carrier locked phone..made the monthly payments.
Had to wait on updates.
Said our phones can be unlocked.
I never found anybody who could take the branding off the phone.
At&t lied.
And kept lying.
I hate monthly payments..
And they won't let you buy out of the contract.
They know they got you and there is nothing you can do.

If monthly payments fits you, great.

Had problems getting a signal..At&t said for 17 yrs.
Just hang in there.
We are putting up.a new tower near you.

 

[joeldf]

Re: At&t Unlocked Software Update

Had a At&t carrier locked phone..made the monthly payments.
Had to wait on updates.
Said our phones can be unlocked.
I never found anybody who could take the branding off the phone.
At&t lied.
And kept lying.
I hate monthly payments..
And they won't let you buy out of the contract.
They know they got you and there is nothing you can do.

If monthly payments fits you, great.

Had problems getting a signal..At&t said for 17 yrs.
Just hang in there.
We are putting up.a new tower near you.

I'm not saying AT&T is prefect. Far from it. You can find a number of customers on any carrier that's had bad experiences.

But, you're right, I prefer monthly payments because I can't buy the 4 phones in my family outright.

But you're making monthly payments anyway just for the service. Then, you work the deals they occasionally have to your advantage.

It's a process.

And, I don't know what you mean about not letting you pay the phone off early. I've done that several times over the years and it was never a problem.

Also, if you are staying with them, what's the point of unlocking, or de-branding anyway?

 

[cardboard60]

At&t wouldn't let me buy out of the contract of monthly payments and go to another carrier because of their poor service.

 

[joeldf]

Re: At&t Unlocked Software Update

At&t wouldn't let me buy out of the contract of monthly payments and go to another carrier because of their poor service.

That's just weird.

Back when they did contracts, there was always the ETF - Early Termination Fee. Standard practice with all carriers. Pay that, and you're out. Did it two times over the years myself.

Today, you basically lease the phone over the same period. What you pay a month over that time is fairly close to the outright price. But, AT&T let's you pay what's owed if you want to buy it out early. It's right there in the agreement. Never heard that someone couldn't do that before.

 

[monty Stinson]

Re: At&t Unlocked Software Update

I recently got android 10, about two weeks ago, awaiting 2.5 with the Z Fold 2, coming out.