VZW Samsung Note 5 - how to get SIM unlocked and MiFi questions/help please

ShaggyKids

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2010
2,710
35
48
Visit site
Hi there,

I did search the forums on this but newest I could find was from 2014 and was for an S5. Also finding conflicting info by Googling.

I want to try T-Mobile for my phone, Gear S2 and my MiFi and plan to start by testing my phone. Went to a T-Mobile kiosk at Costco yesterday. The clerk said Note 5's are locked, he did not say factory or SIM locked and I forgot to ask. He put his ownT-Mobile SIM in my phone to test and found it was locked and told me to call VZW and tell them to unlock it. Googling makes it sound like it's not that easy.

I've checked T-Mobile coverage map and looks like we're in the 4G LTE Good level.

I am on month to month with VZW for my phone which I purchased on Swappa. I do have a DPP on my MiFi which I know I'd have to pay off before I could do anything with that. My Gear S2 is off contract in a week or so.

I want to put a T-Mobile SIM in my phone and see if I can get decent service where we live. If we do, I then want to get a T-Mobile SIM for my VZW MiFi and Gear S2. Or maybe I could use my phone's hotspot in place of my MiFi if necessary but don't have any experience using a hotspot so not sure that will work. I want to take my Note 5 and my Gear S2 with me to T-Mobile if this works, don't need the added cost of a new phone payment and I love my Note 5 :) and my S2. T-Mobile doesn't appear to sell either even if I were up for another payment plan. They only have the Gear S3 and no Notes. I'd like to do this during a promotion where they will pay me to switch.

Do I just call VZW and request they unlock my SIM? Are they going to give me grief and/or play 20 questions with me?

Anything you can tell me or help with would be much appreciated, thanks! I need to know if I'm looking at anything wrong or setting myself up for a mess or whatever.

Deb
 

ScottsoNJ

Well-known member
Jan 29, 2012
786
0
16
Visit site
The phone should already be unlocked. You have to enter the proper APN settings to have it work on T-Mobile which he probably "forgot" to do. I don't know if it has all the bands to get LTE though. I think you will only be able to get 4G
 

ShaggyKids

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2010
2,710
35
48
Visit site
The phone should already be unlocked. You have to enter the proper APN settings to have it work on T-Mobile which he probably "forgot" to do. I don't know if it has all the bands to get LTE though. I think you will only be able to get 4G
Pretty sure 4G would be fine. What would I be losing? And where would I find the settings you mentioned so I could do this?
 

thedonp

Well-known member
Sep 1, 2016
58
0
0
Visit site
Hi there,

I did search the forums on this but newest I could find was from 2014 and was for an S5. Also finding conflicting info by Googling.

I want to try T-Mobile for my phone, Gear S2 and my MiFi and plan to start by testing my phone. Went to a T-Mobile kiosk at Costco yesterday. The clerk said Note 5's are locked, he did not say factory or SIM locked and I forgot to ask. He put his ownT-Mobile SIM in my phone to test and found it was locked and told me to call VZW and tell them to unlock it. Googling makes it sound like it's not that easy.

I've checked T-Mobile coverage map and looks like we're in the 4G LTE Good level.

I am on month to month with VZW for my phone which I purchased on Swappa. I do have a DPP on my MiFi which I know I'd have to pay off before I could do anything with that. My Gear S2 is off contract in a week or so.

I want to put a T-Mobile SIM in my phone and see if I can get decent service where we live. If we do, I then want to get a T-Mobile SIM for my VZW MiFi and Gear S2. Or maybe I could use my phone's hotspot in place of my MiFi if necessary but don't have any experience using a hotspot so not sure that will work. I want to take my Note 5 and my Gear S2 with me to T-Mobile if this works, don't need the added cost of a new phone payment and I love my Note 5 :) and my S2. T-Mobile doesn't appear to sell either even if I were up for another payment plan. They only have the Gear S3 and no Notes. I'd like to do this during a promotion where they will pay me to switch.

Do I just call VZW and request they unlock my SIM? Are they going to give me grief and/or play 20 questions with me?

Anything you can tell me or help with would be much appreciated, thanks! I need to know if I'm looking at anything wrong or setting myself up for a mess or whatever.

Deb

I agree with the poster above. All 4G devices from Verizon per experienced come pre-unlocked even their iPhones. Should have been able to make and receive a phone call just no data or mms without the proper carriers APN settings.
 

dpham00

Moderator Team VP
Moderator
Apr 23, 2011
30,108
200
63
Visit site
Once you pop the SIM in it should auto load -- If not then you can find them online if need be.

For Verizon Androids ,i have found that it doesn't Auto load the settings.

I would strongly advise you get a T-Mobile phone because in addition to missing lte band, it is also missing a 4g band that T-Mobile uses. It might work but you might not get optimum speeds.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
942,111
Messages
6,912,523
Members
3,158,234
Latest member
itamargs