How would I get OS updates for an AT&T phone as a Cricket customer?

[CharlesCC2]

I'm new to Android so still have a lot to learn, and one thing I've been wondering is how I will be getting OS updates. I understand that they are pushed down by the carrier, but I have the AT&T branded phone and am using Cricket, so I suspect I might not be seeing any automatic updates at all. I would've kept things simple and got a Cricket phone but they don't offer anything other than the 32 GB sapphire.

 

[Gekko]

I'm new to Android so still have a lot to learn, and one thing I've been wondering is how I will be getting OS updates. I understand that they are pushed down by the carrier, but I have the AT&T branded phone and am using Cricket, so I suspect I might not be seeing any automatic updates at all. I would've kept things simple and got a Cricket phone but they don't offer anything other than the 32 GB sapphire.

OS Updates are generally not affected by how your phone is connected to the internet. as long as you are connected to the internet - you will be eligible for any updates.

 

[CharlesCC2]

Maybe I'm not understanding this correctly, but I thought the updates are pushed down by the mobile service providers. So AT&T would be the one to push the update down to their customers, right? And if this is the case would you have to have a AT&T branded phone, or would the updates also go to customers using a T-Mobile S6 on their network?

Again maybe I'm misunderstanding here, but I didn't think simply being connected to the internet would qualify me for receiving an update. I'm reading comments on an article now where people are complaining about Verizon not seeing any updates yet.

 

[Laura Knotek]

AFAIK, if you're using an unlocked device on another carrier, you still get updates when the original carrier which the device is branded to releases the updates.

Sent from my Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

 

[CharlesCC2]

AFAIK, if you're using an unlocked device on another carrier, you still get updates when the original carrier which the device is branded to releases the updates.

Sent from my Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

That would be awesome if this is the case. I was just a little paranoid that I'd be in no mans land having a phone branded by another network, even if Cricket is owned by AT&T.

 

[Gekko]

Maybe I'm not understanding this correctly, but I thought the updates are pushed down by the mobile service providers. So AT&T would be the one to push the update down to their customers, right? And if this is the case would you have to have a AT&T branded phone, or would the updates also go to customers using a T-Mobile S6 on their network?

Again maybe I'm misunderstanding here, but I didn't think simply being connected to the internet would qualify me for receiving an update. I'm reading comments on an article now where people are complaining about Verizon not seeing any updates yet.

the connection type to the internet doesn't matter. the OS/software on the phone talks to the carrier server's software and vice versa - regardless of how you are connected to the internet. software talks to software - the dumb pipe is irrelevant. you could even be on WIFI and be eligible for and receive an OS update. you don't have to be connected to the carrier's network to get the OS update.

my advice for the future is to buy a Nexus if you want the fastest OS updates.

Nexus 5 + AT&T GoPhone

 

[CharlesCC2]

the connection type to the internet doesn't matter. the OS/software on the phone talks to the carrier server's software and vice versa - regardless of how you are connected to the internet. software talks to software - the dumb pipe is irrelevant. you could even be on WIFI and be eligible for and receive an OS update. you don't have to be connected to the carrier's network to get the OS update.

my advice for the future is to buy a Nexus if you want the fastest OS updates.

Nexus 5 + AT&T GoPhone

Yeah initially I wasn't understanding that the bottom line is that the phone is an AT&T phone. So just by being an AT&T phone it knows to talk to AT&T servers and it will get the update when it gets it. For some reason I had the notion that it had to do with having an active account with AT&T but you guys have made it clear that's not the case. Thanks again.

 

[dpham00]

I'm new to Android so still have a lot to learn, and one thing I've been wondering is how I will be getting OS updates. I understand that they are pushed down by the carrier, but I have the AT&T branded phone and am using Cricket, so I suspect I might not be seeing any automatic updates at all. I would've kept things simple and got a Cricket phone but they don't offer anything other than the 32 GB sapphire.

Cricket is a wholly owned subsidiary of att and runs on the att network , so I suspect that you should be able to get the update.

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

 

[dpham00]

AFAIK, if you're using an unlocked device on another carrier, you still get updates when the original carrier which the device is branded to releases the updates.

Sent from my Nexus 7 (2013) using Tapatalk

Unfortunately this isn't true.I know someone with an att note 4 unlocked, but couldn't get the update from att. They were able to go to Samsung inside best buy to get the update.

On Verizon, my old s3 which was unlocked couldn't get the OTA until I popped in my Verizon sim. On Verizon, you might also be able to use the update utility to get the update

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

 

[CharlesCC2]

Unfortunately this isn't true.I know someone with an att note 4 unlocked, but couldn't get the update from att. They were able to go to Samsung inside best buy to get the update.

On Verizon, my old s3 which was unlocked couldn't get the OTA until I popped in my Verizon sim. On Verizon, you might also be able to use the update utility to get the update

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Hmm, thanks for this. So if I had my phone unlocked and took it to T-Mobile, in all likelihood I would not be getting updates. Somehow I'm feeling a little skeptical about AT&T reaching me with the updates simply because I'm with their subsidiary. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

For the unfortunate ones who the updates trickle down to last, how long does it typically take for the updates to reach them? I'm wondering how long I should wait before I start to become concerned, and what I might do as an alternative.

Edit: I'm reading others online saying they've had success with taking phones in to Samsung at Best Buy as well. I'll take it down there if it really looks like it's not going to happen for me, but I'm still unsure of how long I should give it first.

 

[mrsmumbles]

Hmm, thanks for this. So if I had my phone unlocked and took it to T-Mobile, in all likelihood I would not be getting updates. Somehow I'm feeling a little skeptical about AT&T reaching me with the updates simply because I'm with their subsidiary. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

For the unfortunate ones who the updates trickle down to last, how long does it typically take for the updates to reach them? I'm wondering how long I should wait before I start to become concerned, and what I might do as an alternative.

Edit: I'm reading others online saying they've had success with taking phones in to Samsung at Best Buy as well. I'll take it down there if it really looks like it's not going to happen for me, but I'm still unsure of how long I should give it first.

I've heard in another forum that if you insert an AT&T sim card, you can get the update notification when the updates are due.

 

[codeda]

I have had cricket for about a year now and have had no problem getting updates with various phones. I had an lg G3 that got its updates and a note 4 and nether were unlocked, just att branded devices. So it will be just fine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dpham00]

I have had cricket for about a year now and have had no problem getting updates with various phones. I had an lg G3 that got its updates and a note 4 and nether were unlocked, just att branded devices. So it will be just fine.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Correct you can use att or any att mvno,like cricket

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

 

[dpham00]

Hmm, thanks for this. So if I had my phone unlocked and took it to T-Mobile, in all likelihood I would not be getting updates. Somehow I'm feeling a little skeptical about AT&T reaching me with the updates simply because I'm with their subsidiary. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

For the unfortunate ones who the updates trickle down to last, how long does it typically take for the updates to reach them? I'm wondering how long I should wait before I start to become concerned, and what I might do as an alternative.

Edit: I'm reading others online saying they've had success with taking phones in to Samsung at Best Buy as well. I'll take it down there if it really looks like it's not going to happen for me, but I'm still unsure of how long I should give it first.

Just wait until after you see others on the forums receive the update.

Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

 

[CharlesCC2]

I've heard in another forum that if you insert an AT&T sim card, you can get the update notification when the updates are due.

I'll keep that in mind. I put my inactive AT&T SIM in last night and got the same message that my software is up to date, so it really is just looking like it isn't my turn yet, regardless of whether I'm with AT&T.

I have had cricket for about a year now and have had no problem getting updates with various phones. I had an lg G3 that got its updates and a note 4 and nether were unlocked, just att branded devices. So it will be just fine.

I'm really glad to see someone with my exact situation who has had success with receiving the updates.

Just wait until after you see others on the forums receive the update.

Yeah it seems there are plenty of other AT&T users reporting that they haven't received the update yet either so I'll try to just hold tight.

 

[k9 rescuer]

I talked to Cricket, ATT & Samsung about this very problem today and was told that the updates are pushed to the phone by the carrier and since I have an ATT unlocked phone with a Cricket SIM I won't get updates nor can I manually obtain them. I will try the Best Buy "flash" route mentioned on other forums tomorrow. It's a real pain. Apparently the Nexus and Moto phones are "truly unlocked" and don't have this problem . .

 

[k9 rescuer]

Update--One of the Best Buy stores in my area was able to do it, another I called said they didn't have the "hardware." Given that it was a software program, I figured I didn't want to trust them with my phone anyway!

 

[Steve Russell3]

Thanks , that is just what I was looking for . I went to Cricket in June . To me it was a no brainer , cheaper rates and using the same towers. So far I am happy . Was wondering about updates though and you just answered that Thanks !

 

[bluehills5]

I just did this with an ATT LG g4 which I bought to use on on my existing cricket account. It was not getting the Marshmallow update and this is what I did. I had a older un-activated sim from an ATT gophone and I activated it on-line. I had to register but you do not need to give any credit card details - in fact it looks like you could give any info you want - perhaps just a real email address. The completion of registration gives the sim a phone number but it does not work as you have not put any $ on the account and it will un-register if no $ have been added in 28 days but this is no problem.
However, after installing the sim overnight it did NOT upgrade to MMallow. So, I pulled out the gophone sim, put back my cricket sim and lo-and-behold, as soon as it booted up, it said an upgrade was available and it upgraded to MM. Whether it was the re-boot or putting the cricket sim in, I do not know but I'm on MM now. Note you can buy inactive ATT gophone sims for about $5 online.

 

[AMG1978]

I suggest you grab the v5.1.1 Cricket Wireless S6 image and using Odin wipe your Unlocked AT&T phone, overwriting the AT&T image with the Cricket Wireless one. It's nice because it has less bloatware on it and it also has the automatic Access Point data for Cricket entered.

I had issues with my Nexus 5 (vanilla android image) in that I had to manually enter the access point data, then when I was on WiFi, I couldn't send/receive MMS or Group SMS (MMS at that point) messages while on WiFi, only on Cellular. For some reason though using the Cricket image on my S6, all of this works flawlessly. So for that I am happy.

Now as far as updates go, I hope that as soon as AT&T folks get 6.0.1 that Cricket is at the same time, or very shortly after.