Carrier vs Unlocked Note 9 Questions?

[JREwing]

Only reason I went with the Tmobile variant was to make sure I got the Band 71. Still haven't heard whether the unlocked ones are getting this band. They are scheduled to add this band to our local tower before the end of the year.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Only reason I went with the Tmobile variant was to make sure I got the Band 71. Still haven't heard whether the unlocked ones are getting this band. They are scheduled to add this band to our local tower before the end of the year.

If you have good T-Mobile reception, you will never use that band. My unlocked S9+ has never used that band. Every time I check, it's always on band 2 but then again, T-Mobile is the best carrier for reception in my area.

 

[EMGSM]

Many times, the unlocked models are first at getting updates. My unlocked S7 Edge is on the July 1 update and my T-Mobile Note 8 and unlocked S9+ are on the June 1 update. The S7 Edge got the July 1 update two days ago.

I always thought unlocked models get faster updates but who know?

 

[bhatech]

In general for every OEM yes but not for US unlocked Samsung and LG models.

They **apparently** want to make sure update on the unlocked model updates is approved by all carriers which is dumb but there are many people who defend that. It's just never ending argument.

I always thought unlocked models get faster updates but who know?

 

[JOHNGAETANO]

Wrong!! If you register the phone with AT&T everything is fine. I’ve done this 50 times via the att chat.

AT&T is one of the ones you have to worry about the unlocked ones. No Visual voicemail, no VOLTE, no WIFI calling, and supposedly, no numbersync.

 

[left4dead]

Only reason I went with the Tmobile variant was to make sure I got the Band 71. Still haven't heard whether the unlocked ones are getting this band. They are scheduled to add this band to our local tower before the end of the year.

Shouldn't an UNLOCKED device come with ALL the bands available and depending on your carrier will unlock the bands needed? Can someone with an unlocked S9 or S9+ confirm if band 71 is available on TMo???

 

[EMGSM]

Shouldn't an UNLOCKED device come with ALL the bands available and depending on your carrier will unlock the bands needed? Can someone with an unlocked S9 or S9+ confirm if band 71 is available on TMo???

unlocked S9/S9+ does support band 71 according to this:

Devices compatible with Extended Range LTE - Spectrum Gateway

 

[left4dead]

unlocked S9/S9+ does support band 71 according to this:

Devices compatible with Extended Range LTE - Spectrum Gateway

Good to know! Thanks for the info EMGSM

 

[DamianP]

Wrong!! If you register the phone with AT&T everything is fine. I’ve done this 50 times via the att chat.

You have successfully gotten ATT to provision all of that on an unlocked phone? I've tried numerous times, and have never seen anyone in the forums successfully do this!?

 

[NIZMOZ44]

Wrong!! If you register the phone with AT&T everything is fine. I’ve done this 50 times via the att chat.

Sorry, they don’t work. The facts are on the forums of many who have tried. At&T doesn’t support it and won’t unless it’s their phone.

 

[Lepa79]

Wrong!! If you register the phone with AT&T everything is fine. I’ve done this 50 times via the att chat.

Can you explain what you ask ATT to do when you chat with them? I ordered unlock and interested in how that works. Thanks!

 

[anon(5719825)]

Sorry, they don’t work. The facts are on the forums of many who have tried. At&T doesn’t support it and won’t unless it’s their phone.

Not entirely true. I have a T-Mobile Note 8 that was unlocked by them. Once Oreo was released, WiFi calling and VoLTE started working with AT&T on my phone.

It's the only Android phone that I own that will work with AT&T using those features. I have numerous iPhones that work with those features as long as the phone is unlocked of course.

I have an unlocked S7 Edge, I had a unlocked S8+ and I have a unlocked S9+ and none of those features work with it because as you know, AT&T won't allow them on phones that didn't come with them. Just my Note 8 with Oreo does work even though it's a T-Mobile unlocked phone.

 

[jhimmel]

Wrong!! If you register the phone with AT&T everything is fine. I’ve done this 50 times via the att chat.

You've registered 50 phones with AT&T?

 

[JOHNGAETANO]

You want the whole list? It’s probably more than that.

You've registered 50 phones with AT&T?

 

[jhimmel]

You want the whole list? It’s probably more than that.

Sure!

 

[Robert J2]

I received my unlocked Note 9 couple days ago, and use T-Mobile prepaid (Mobile One, I think it's called).

I'm not sure if it uses band 71, but I'll check into it. I can't compare to the T-Mobile Note9 version, but will say that thus far performance is great. I live in a city area, so coverage is good.

I always buy the unlocked version over carrier version, and would recommend that if you can make it work financially. I use my phone for everything, work constantly on it. Power phone user, and this phone is a beast. 512GB/8GB ram version. I have a Note 8, and 64GB wasn't cutting it.

 

[Deputy1]

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Unl...e-9-for-the-us-receives-FCC-approval_id106306

 

[y2jdmbfan]

I wish someone else could confirm with a video or pics regarding the Unlocked Note 9 and AT&T VoLTE. That's the only thing that I care about, I could go without Wi-Fi calling.

 

[jpiszcz]

I wish someone else could confirm with a video or pics regarding the Unlocked Note 9 and AT&T VoLTE. That's the only thing that I care about, I could go without Wi-Fi calling.

For Samsung S9/Note 9--

Unlocked phone:

AT&T: No VoLTE, no WiFi Calling, no Visual Voice Mail
Sprint: Unsure (never tried)
T-Mobile: VoLTE+WiFi Calling (VVM?) but T-Mobile has no HDVoice interoperability with AT&T or Verizon, which makes the calls sound absolutely horrendous.
Verizon: VoLTE works, No WiFi Calling (there's a way to get the VVM working- I tested this with the S9+)

Apple devices:

Unlocked iPhone (w/Qualcomm chipset) (yes, not Android)
AT&T: All features work.
Sprint: ?
T-Mobile: All features work.
Verizon: All features work.

 

[Gary02468]

T-Mobile: VoLTE+WiFi Calling (VVM?) but T-Mobile has no HDVoice interoperability with AT&T or Verizon, which makes the calls sound absolutely horrendous.

No HDVoice interoperability just for the unlocked Note9s, or for the T-Mobile Note9s too?