Is Note 7 carrier locked?

[Nicholelabelle]

Sorry for my extreme ignorance on this subject...but I appreciate anyone who can help me out!
I want to buy a Note 7 (when they become available again for first time buyers...no huge rush here).
I was HOPING to pay full price for the phone, at Best Buy for example, and try it out on Project-Fi, my current carrier. I know Project-Fi only "officially" supports Nexus devices but I am told as long as the sim card was activated originally in a Nexus, it will work in any phone, just without some Project-Fi features.
Will this be possible? I guess I am confused because I read that Samsung has not released an unlocked version for the USA as of yet. I just have always been under the impression that if you pay full price for your phone, it's not locked...but I could be wrong.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Almeuit]

What is your current carrier? Did you buy through them?

 

[Nicholelabelle]

Current carrier is Google Project-Fi. My current phone was bought through them, yes. But they do not offer the Note 7 because they "officially" only support Google Nexus phones. However, unofficially you can use other phones as long as the sim card was originally activated in a Nexus, which mine obviously was.

 

[Almeuit]

You can buy it unlocked but most likely not for some time due to the recall.

 

[akin_t]

You can buy it unlocked but most likely not for some time due to the recall.

You can't buy true unlocked in the US (SM N930U). You can however buy international (SM N930F/FD) which may or may not support all the bands required for your carrier.

 

[Nicholelabelle]

Ok but just to clarify...if I go to Best Buy and pay full price for the T-Mobile Note 7, it will be locked to T-Mobile even though I paid full price for it?

 

[akin_t]

Ok but just to clarify...if I go to Best Buy and pay full price for the T-Mobile Note 7, it will be locked to T-Mobile even though I paid full price for it?

You can only buy T-Mobile Note 7 from T-Mobile.

If you pay full price for it, you can request they unlock it after 1 billing cycle.

Or you can just try making a friend there, maybe they can pull some strings and unlock it immediately.

 

[Nicholelabelle]

Oh thanks I had no idea it wasn't sold at Best Buy.
Hmm...may just end up being easier to switch back to T-Mobile then.

 

[akin_t]

Oh thanks I had no idea it wasn't sold at Best Buy.
Hmm...may just end up being easier to switch back to T-Mobile then.

I'm on T-Mobile right now. I switched from AT&T because T-Mobile Note 7 had less bloatware and they unlock it for you momentarily if you have to travel international or something.

Long story short, I'm going back to AT&T. T-Mobile's coverage is embarrassing. BingeOn is nice and everything but I travel domestically a lot and there are a lot of dead zones with T-Mobile.

I really can't recommend them, I even lose coverage inside stores and I don't even live in a rural area. With AT&T coverage was an afterthought, I just took it for granted.

 

[Nicholelabelle]

Eeek.
I had T-Mobile before and didn't have too much trouble with coverage in Houston. I switched to Project-Fi and it is definitely cheap, but I feel crippled, like I am afraid to use my data because I want to keep my bill down as much as possible, which I guess is a good thing lol. But also, I have zero phone selection. I used to be the type to switch phones at least a couple times a year and now that isn't an option on Fi.

 

[pinhunter27]

Eeek.
I had T-Mobile before and didn't have too much trouble with coverage in Houston. I switched to Project-Fi and it is definitely cheap, but I feel crippled, like I am afraid to use my data because I want to keep my bill down as much as possible, which I guess is a good thing lol. But also, I have zero phone selection. I used to be the type to switch phones at least a couple times a year and now that isn't an option on Fi.

In my experience... All carrier branded phones are "locked". There is a difference between factory unlocked and branded unlocked. U can unlock a carrier phone and use it on a different carrier but it will have limitations. During this note 7 fiasco..i left Verizon because of their bloatware and disabling of note 7 features.. I switched an "unlocked" verizon galaxy s5 to T-Mobile network. Reception was horrible, SMS and mms was sporadic. I think it was Verizon software that was giving conflict with t mobile networks. Also it seemed like the cell radio was not ideal or tuned in to work with another carrier. Almost went back toVerizon. Decided to buy a cheapo phone from T-Mobile and try it while waiting on safe note 7. The cheapo phone gets service everywhere and has no issues.. I'm loving the unlimited data for 70 bucks.

 

[Serkle K]

Eeek.
I had T-Mobile before and didn't have too much trouble with coverage in Houston. I switched to Project-Fi and it is definitely cheap, but I feel crippled, like I am afraid to use my data because I want to keep my bill down as much as possible, which I guess is a good thing lol. But also, I have zero phone selection. I used to be the type to switch phones at least a couple times a year and now that isn't an option on Fi.

If i recall correctly, the only benefit (aside from a cheaper bill) with Project-Fi over a major carrier device is the ability to make calls over wifi. With that being said, the Note7 has WiFi calling options, you just need to make sure your carrier enables the feature on their network for your device.

In my experience... All carrier branded phones are "locked". There is a difference between factory unlocked and branded unlocked. U can unlock a carrier phone and use it on a different carrier but it will have limitations. During this note 7 fiasco..i left Verizon because of their bloatware and disabling of note 7 features.. I switched an "unlocked" verizon galaxy s5 to T-Mobile network. Reception was horrible, SMS and mms was sporadic. I think it was Verizon software that was giving conflict with t mobile networks. Also it seemed like the cell radio was not ideal or tuned in to work with another carrier. Almost went back toVerizon. Decided to buy a cheapo phone from T-Mobile and try it while waiting on safe note 7. The cheapo phone gets service everywhere and has no issues.. I'm loving the unlimited data for 70 bucks.

Your issue here isn't bloatware affecting the network, it's the fact that Verizon and T-Mobile operate on different spectrums/frequencies of mobile networks. Traditionally, Verizon and Sprint are compatible in network spectrums and T-Mobile and AT&T are compatible with each other. It's been a while since I've had to compare options of networks because I'm grandfathered in with unlimited everything on AT&T at this point. But IF you have a factory unlocked device, you can use it on either AT&T or T-Mobile by just dropping in the SIM because they have similar frequencies or operate in the same spectrum. Where as with Verizon & Sprint, even if the device has a slot for a SIM card, the carrier still has to allow for (activate) the phone to work on their network. Especially here in the US. Again, it's been a while since I've had to check these things, so my information may be outdated, but this is how I remember (and I personally compare) the networks.

EDIT: It's also not to say you still don't lose some options from taking an unlocked carrier device to another network, but right now, until verizon completely switches its network, its still CDMA (Verizon & Sprint) vs GSM (AT&T & T-Mobile).