Unlocked vs Carrier? Pros/Cons?

[TheGeekNextDoor]

I've just always moved my T-Mobile sim to new phones. It came from a locked T-Mobile phone, so maybe I just luckily avoided all the issues when I bought an unlocked S10 direct from Samsung. I have HD voice, wifi calling, and visual voice mail (if I wanted it). I actually prefer to route my voicemail over to my google voice number for voice mail. I'm sure there is something I'm not getting by having an unlocked phone, but I'm not sure what it is. I could have bought a T-Mobile version, but they were sold out during the pre-order phase, so I went unlocked. I don't regret it at this point. I get great connectivity. When I'm downtown Atlanta, I get 100+ mb/s down with about a 40mb/s up.

The only thing I'm not a fan of is why they delay the updates for the unlocked US phone til the end of the carrier updates. Seems like I should get it before the carriers.

 

[anon(10562251)]

if your SIM card came from an AT&T branded phone, then your account should be enabled for those things and they should work.

If not, simply find someone with an AT&T branded phone. Insert his SIM card into your phone. This will marry the phone IMEI to the AT&T database, at which point it will have those features.

Thank the Blackberry community for discovering this.

In Canada, and with Samsung at least - as long as you buy a "Canadian" unlocked model, a brand new phone out of the box will initialize your carrier firmware / features on boot up. So it essentially becomes a "locked" phone with carrier features enabled. As far as I know this only works with Samsung but it may work with other brands as well.

 

[Adam Frix]

In Canada, and with Samsung at least - as long as you buy a "Canadian" unlocked model, a brand new phone out of the box will initialize your carrier firmware / features on boot up. So it essentially becomes a "locked" phone with carrier features enabled. As far as I know this only works with Samsung but it may work with other brands as well.

This is how Apple sells phones via Best Buy and similar. The first SIM card it sees locks it into being that branded phone.

The ONLY place you can buy a new completely and always unlocked iPhone is directly from Apple.

 

[anon(10562251)]

This is how Apple sells phones via Best Buy and similar. The first SIM card it sees locks it into being that branded phone.

The ONLY place you can buy a new completely and always unlocked iPhone is directly from Apple.

Then again Apple is sort of a moot point here because Apple actually has control over its phones and OS so the customer experience tends to be a reflection of the carrier only (as it should be) as opposed to who you bought your phone from.

 

[bkeaver]

My experience in Canada is the opposite. I get the security updates with or before my carrier's version.

And, I have all the functions that other Rogers subscribers do — including VVM and WiFi calling.

US unlocked s9+ averaged once every 4 months, if your lucky on getting updates.

 

[anon(10598448)]

US unlocked s9+ averaged once every 4 months, if your lucky on getting updates.

Doesn't seem to have gotten better. I have two AT&T unlocked S10+ phones. I have one flashed to the T-Mobile firmware and one with the unlocked models firmware.

The unlocked is on the May 1 update and the T-Mobile is on the June 1 update.

 

[Rose4uKY]

Doesn't seem to have gotten better. I have two AT&T unlocked S10+ phones. I have one flashed to the T-Mobile firmware and one with the unlocked models firmware.

The unlocked is on the May 1 update and the T-Mobile is on the June 1 update.

I thought someone said if you flash to the carriers firmware you still have to wait for unlocked updates but you flashed to T mobile and you already have June? I am on unlocked and still on May and was wondering difference if I flashed to Verizon Firmware. My next phone will be Verizon and not unlocked.

 

[mustang7757]

I thought someone said if you flash to the carriers firmware you still have to wait for unlocked updates but you flashed to T mobile and you already have June? I am on unlocked and still on May and was wondering difference if I flashed to Verizon Firmware. My next phone will be Verizon and not unlocked.

Hi Rose
If you have the unlocked version and flashed to a carrier you would get the updates from the carriers your not on the unlocked firmware anymore,which is usually faster then unlocked firmware.

Unlocked version wait to all 4 carriers give it a pass then they get it.

Carrier sim unlocked is same follow carrier updates.

 

[Rose4uKY]

Hi Rose
If you have the unlocked version and flashed to a carrier you would get the updates from the carriers your not on the unlocked firmware anymore,which is usually faster then unlocked firmware.

Unlocked version wait to all 4 carriers give it a pass then they get it.

Carrier sim unlocked is same follow carrier updates.

Oh Ok Thanks! I asked about flashing to Verizon and if it would turn it into like buying a Verizon branded phone cause I also wanted the RSC I think it's called for texting when it got turned on and I was told it would work with Messaging Plus but anyway someone said flashing to Verizon they would still know it was unlocked due to IMEI number or something and that I wouldn't get updates any quicker. So I decided against but maybe I'll consider it again I don't know.

 

[mustang7757]

Oh Ok Thanks! I asked about flashing to Verizon and if it would turn it into like buying a Verizon branded phone cause I also wanted the RSC I think it's called for texting when it got turned on and I was told it would work with Messaging Plus but anyway someone said flashing to Verizon they would still know it was unlocked due to IMEI number or something and that I wouldn't get updates any quicker. So I decided against but maybe I'll consider it again I don't know.

Yeah once you flash to Verizon firmware it's exactly like you purchased from Verizon and will get updated from Verizon even though you have unlocked version phone when you flash you convert it . And you you can always go back to unlocked if choose to.

 

[Rose4uKY]

Yeah once you flash to Verizon firmware it's exactly like you purchased from Verizon and will get updated from Verizon even though you have unlocked version phone when you flash you convert it . And you you can always go back to unlocked if choose to.

Oh wow thanks I didn't know and someone else on here said different in another thread but thanks I may consider it now. But I hate to have to restore my phone again LOL!

 

[mustang7757]

Oh wow thanks I didn't know and someone else on here said different in another thread but thanks I may consider it now. But I hate to have to restore my phone again LOL!

Yes definitely back everything up , when your ready I can guide you .
I flash my phones often between carrier and unlocked use 2 different carrier also .

 

[Rose4uKY]

Yes definitely back everything up , when your ready I can guide you .
I flash my phones often between carrier and unlocked use 2 different carrier also .

Really so it's not hard to do. Does that mess with the warranty? Anyway thanks! I have to think about it.

 

[mustang7757]

Really so it's not hard to do. Does that mess with the warranty? Anyway thanks! I have to think about it.

It shouldn't , your not flashing a custom ROM, it's a official stock Samsung firmware.

 

[JBlinky67]

Yeah, but there's another reason: Rooting. That was possible on unlocked versions but not carrier versions from ATT and Big V.

 

[bkeaver]

Rooting is not possible on unlocked versions. The unlocked is only network unlock not bootloader unlocked. There is no root for the US SD version no matter if it's the carrier version or not.

 

[mustang7757]

Rooting is not possible on unlocked versions. The unlocked is only network unlock not bootloader unlocked. There is no root for the US SD version no matter if it's the carrier version or not.

I agree

 

[MrDoh]

Really so it's not hard to do. Does that mess with the warranty? Anyway thanks! I have to think about it.

I flashed my unlocked S10 to T-Mobile recently, and yes, the newly flashed phone works well. And I get updates from T-Mobile as soon as they're available Went from May 1 monthly Android security update on my unlocked S10 to July 1 monthly update on the same phone flashed to T-Mobile in a really short time *smile*. Made me happy. And yes, this is Samsung stock firmware, so no effect on your warranty.

Easy to do the flashing with Odin. You can get firmware for this from SamMobile.com.

 

[Rose4uKY]

I kind of want to do that with my unlocked and get Verizon firmware. I may at some point try it.

I flashed my unlocked S10 to T-Mobile recently, and yes, the newly flashed phone works well. And I get updates from T-Mobile as soon as they're available Went from May 1 monthly Android security update on my unlocked S10 to July 1 monthly update on the same phone flashed to T-Mobile in a really short time *smile*. Made me happy. And yes, this is Samsung stock firmware, so no effect on your warranty.

Easy to do the flashing with Odin. You can get firmware for this from SamMobile.com.

 

[freeman10]

I've got an unlocked S10 and I have both WiFi calling and HD voice with Consumer Cellular. I used the SIM from my iPhone that was previously on Consumer Cellular.

If you're still there...I'm curious to know whether you're using Consumer Cellular's AT&T-coverage SIM or their T-Mobile SIM. I'm wondering if it makes a difference. Currently using Consumer Cellular's AT&T SIM with an unlocked phone and don't have WiFi calling or HD Voice. Thanks!