How to use a Galaxy S3 LTE tablet worldwide?

[KenCanuck]

I am new to this forum and have not found an answer to my question.

I travel the world as a retired person using an old PC with a "plug in" dongle that allows me to use a local SIM card to access the internet. Old technology but it works. My old Nokia E71 allows me to use a local SIM card and call as well.

Now I want "new technology" - the Samsung Galaxy Tablet S3 with LTE capability.

I can purchase "unlocked" ones on Ebay in the USA and others in Europe and in Dubai - but I have NO ASSURANCES they can work world wide using a different country's SIM card to prevent roaming charges from (say Etisalat in Dubai).

Samsung in Dubai, UAE tells me their model of this S3 will not work outside the GCC and North Africa. There seems to be no point in buying one there.

What to do to purchase/modify a Galaxy S3 tablet with LTE?

Can anything be done to "unlock" a Tablet S3 with LTE to provide worldwide capability?

I am currently in Hanoi, Vietnam and such a device would be much better than my old PC. For now, I must use older (and heavier) technology.

TIA for any info.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! If this tablet is offered directly from a wireless company, then you'd have to make sure it's carrier-unlocked -- otherwise, the carrier might refuse to unlock the device until you meet certain criteria.

If you get an unlocked tablet, look in the specs for the network bands it supports. For example, on the New Zealand Samsung site, you can see the supported bands for this particular variant: Galaxy Tab S3 9.7" (4G/LTE) | SM-T825YZSAXNZ | Samsung NZ. I'm not sure if it's the same for all Tab S3 LTE variants, because there can be variation depending on which region it's intended for.

It looks like Vietnam primarily offers GSM (2G) and UMTS (3G), according to this site: https://www.frequencycheck.com/countries/vietnam. It looks like there's overlap for both 2G and 3G, so the above tablet should work. I read that Viettel just launched 4G LTE in Vietnam, and that it uses LTE bands 3 and 7 (which are also supported by the above tablet).

 

[KenCanuck]

Thanks for this reply. I sent an inquiry to Samsung about buying the S3 Tablet with LTE capability and this is what they said:

"For your inquiry, please be advised that Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 SM-T825 UAE model designed to be used in The Middle East and North Africa with some few operators as per the product design where Samsung Tab S3 UAE model supports the following frequencies.
Galaxy Tab S3 | SM-T825NZKAXSG | Samsung United Arab Emirates

2G GSM: GSM850, GSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900
3G UMTS: B1(2100), B2(1900), B4(AWS), B5(850), B8(900)
4G FDD LTE: B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B4(AWS), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B17(700), B20(800), B28(700)

Note: LTE will only operate in the region that the phone is designated to be released in."

The last sentence shows it is not capable of using a SIM from Australia, Vietnam or the USA, for example. While the advertisements do NOT state it, this model (apparently called the UAE model) won't work outside the GCC and North Africa.

THUS it sounds like buying an unlocked model (say in the USA) is the better approach to ensure world-wide SIM use.

Comments? Further suggestions?

Thanks again for your thoughtful reply.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm, I'm afraid I don't know why the device wouldn't operate outside its region, since it's not locked to a carrier. If you bought an unlocked model in the US, you'd still have to make sure it supports the network bands in the countries you plan to visit.