Samsung and ATT SO Frustrating

[geraldem]

It is really sad to see how these carriers continue to cripple Samsung's devices. I am on ATT with branded Note10+. I actually started with an unlocked version from Samsung, but sent it back due to VoLTE not being available to unlocked phones on ATT.

Fast forward to the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S6. I was super excited to get this device to get a companion device that worked great with the Note 10. Now that continuity feature is blocked by ATT on branded devices, but available on unlocked. It is truly maddening and extremely frustrating. It is almost as if ATT is pushing people to Apple. That is the only ecosystem you get the true experience intended.

Samsung will always be a distant 2nd if they don't start to force how their devices are treated on carrier networks...like Apple does.

For me...I will stay with Note10+...at least until tomorrow

 

[msm0511]

The carriers in America are the worst. T-Mobile doesn't usually disable anything, but I know AT&T and Verizon just seem to do whatever they want. The FCC should really step in and stop all carrier nonsense.

 

[toenail_flicker]

this is my first unlocked device and I love it. wouldn't dare allow Sprint to load their crippling and annoying junk. though I have Volte, I don't have Volte, so you are not alone.

 

[geraldem]

You do have VoLTE?

this is my first unlocked device and I love it. wouldn't dare allow Sprint to load their crippling and annoying junk. though I have Volte, I don't have Volte, so you are not alone.

 

[toenail_flicker]

You do have VoLTE?

yes, but it doesn't work so I don't have Volte

 

[geraldem]

yes, but it doesn't work so I don't have Volte

Sorry to hear that. I was in the same boat. The unlocked version had a few benefits, but not having VoLTE, Wifi calling, HD Voice..and voicemail, it was a deal breaker. But now with some of these Samsung features disabled like call/text continuity ...almost as bad. Really ridiculous.

 

[o4liberty]

Left AT&T last year for Tmobile and never looked back. Tmobile is a great carrier anymore and kills AT&T imo.

 

[toenail_flicker]

Left AT&T last year for Tmobile and never looked back. Tmobile is a great carrier anymore and kills AT&T imo.

if ATT was the last carrier on earth... I would do without service. really really dislike ATT from years of their lying, money grabs, and bs with phones (landlines). after that, there's no way I would give them any more of my money.

 

[bhatech]

AT&T is the worst in terms of crippling the phones. Personally I'm lucky enough I don't care and use any carrier specific feature and most of them work on Verizon anyway if needed. Personally I never ever get the carrier version instead of unlocked. Even before US unlocked model was officially sold from few years back, I used to get international unlocked since I hate the carriers that much

Samsung is as much to blame at the carriers since they continue to bend over to them. For them carriers are their main customers and don't care about the end users in the US. They are like go ahead carriers do whatever the **** to our phones and we don't care as long as you sell our phones.

 

[Katrina White1]

Agreed. If we're paying for full service, we should get the full experience whether the device we use is carrier branded or not. If they wanna block certain features, they should reduce the fees. Also, if I HAVE to carry around they're bloat on my device, they should pay in monthly discounts.

This is my first go with an unlocked device on AT&T. Fortunately I live in an area with great service, so losing some features isn't a big deal. I do a decent amount of traveling and haven't run into trouble. I considered TMo, but can't remember why I chose AT&T. If it starts to effect my usage, I'll jump ship. I'm not beholden by a contract or device plan.

 

[toenail_flicker]

quick question please for those in the know. I am unlocked through Samsung, but went with sprint. if I want to go with another carrier, and right now I don't, do I just need the sim for that carrier? thanks.

also do carriers ever off trial periods so you can see their service vs. your current service?

 

[bhatech]

quick question please for those in the know. I am unlocked through Samsung, but went with sprint. if I want to go with another carrier, and right now I don't, do I just need the sim for that carrier? thanks.

also do carriers ever off trial periods so you can see their service vs. your current service?

Yes you can put other carrier sim and good to go. Not every carrier has the same trial mode but you can always start a new service with a new phone number on another carrier and see how it works for you. If everything works fine then you can port in your current Sprint number to that number, if not just cancel the the new line within 15 days. T-Mobile also has an interesting try our service experience where they are giving you TMobile hotspot for free for thirty days so that you can carry around and see how the service works for you. But that's only for data and you won't be able to test out the calls in this method.

Either way there are multiple options to try out, depends on what works best for you.

 

[strikeIII]

quick question please for those in the know. I am unlocked through Samsung, but went with sprint. if I want to go with another carrier, and right now I don't, do I just need the sim for that carrier? thanks.

also do carriers ever off trial periods so you can see their service vs. your current service?

You can just do a SIM swap but having the carrier actually provision your IMEI in the system sometimes helps get all their services up and running better. I don't think there really is any trial period as there are no more contracts. You can pretty much cancel anytime.

 

[toenail_flicker]

Either way there are multiple options to try out, depends on what works best for you.

thanks. I may talk to my son about this. we are both contract fee at the moment and might be worth checking tmob to see what the buzz is about.

iPhone can go anywhere, right, even if bought through sprint?

 

[bhatech]

thanks. I may talk to my son about this. we are both contract fee at the moment and might be worth checking tmob to see what the buzz is about.

iPhone can go anywhere, right, even if bought through sprint?

For iPhone or any phone bought via Sprint answer is no. Sprint network locks its phones like AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon automatically unlocks after 60 days (as of current rule). But for the other 3 carriers if you bought the phone from them you will have to sim unlock first.

For the T-Mobile trial itself you don't need the phone to be sim unlocked since they use hotspot. But if you want to switch and if it's a phone bought from carrier then you will have to sim/network unlock first.

https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/free-trial

 

[toenail_flicker]

For iPhone or any phone bought via Sprint answer is no. Sprint network locks it's phones like AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon automatically unlocks after 60 days (as of current rule). But for the other 3 carriers if you bought the phone from them you will have to sim unlock first.

For the T-Mobile trial itself you don't need the phone to be sim unlocked since they use hotspot. But if you want to switch and if it's a phone bought from carrier then you will have to sim/network unlock first.

https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/free-trial

thanks. but if we ask sprint will they unlock his phone, and then can it go anywhere?

 

[bhatech]

thanks. but if we ask sprint will they unlock his phone, and then can it go anywhere?

If the phone is fully paid off, yes they will unlock it.

 

[toenail_flicker]

If the phone is fully paid off, yes they will unlock it.

cool. my son is pretty set about things right now so I might try tmobile just to see what's what. bet he would get much better service in nyc than with sprint. I may or may not. they say I would...

 

[bhatech]

cool. my son is pretty set about things right now so I might try tmobile just to see what's what. bet he would get much better service in nyc than with sprint. I may or may not. they say I would...

Yeah network performance is all about you location and varies a lot, so it's good to try out and use what works best for you.

Good luck

 

[Lobwedgephil]

thanks. I may talk to my son about this. we are both contract fee at the moment and might be worth checking tmob to see what the buzz is about.

iPhone can go anywhere, right, even if bought through sprint?

Depends on what model iPhone your son has, previous generation phones had different modems for Sprint/Verizon and Att/T-Mobile.