Nexus 6 GPe or AT&T

[radicchio]

Here is my experience with an AT&T Nexus 6:

I purchased a Nexus 6 via the AT&T web site (Blue/32GB). The site told me it would ship between Dec 24th and 29th with 2 day shipping. It was on my door step today (26th).

I logged in, set up my Wifi and it restored all my programs, launcher icons and widgets (Redbox doesn't support Nexus 6 - booo). I called the customer support number listed in the directions and they ported my number from my HTC One M7 in 2 minutes (10 minutes on hold).

The Nexus 6 came with Lollipop 5.0.0 and the update function said I was current. I unlocked my bootloader (should have been the first thing I did since setup re-ran and had to re-download all my apps - no big deal really) and sideloaded the 5.0.1 update using the following site:

m.androidcentral.com/android-501-ota-links-are-starting-surface-heres-how-use-them

The only bloatware I saw was something call "AT&T Live" which was a menu and loader for all the other AT&T software and a "myAT&T" app. I went to Settings, Apps and uninstalled AT&T Live, but chose to keep myAT&T.

Other than the AT&T logo and sound at boot up and Death Star logo on the back, I don't see anything other bloat/branding and for the ease of payments vs. upfront cost, I can total live with those.

Totally understand. I was ready to order from Motorola today, but DH came home and "talked me down." I ran the numbers for (1) a 2-year plan, (2) AT&T's "Bring Your Own Phone" non-contract plan, and (3) an AT&T Next plan that the saleswoman at AT&T really tried to convince DH to buy. The most expensive was the Next plan, then buying our own phones and going with AT&T on a no-contract plan, and, finally, the least expensive (only slightly less than buying phones outright) was the 2-year contract. After two years, I think we'll switch to the no-contract plan, if that's still available, for as long as we are using the new phones we're getting now. We are sort of tied to AT&T for a while yet, as we keep my parents on our AT&T plan and they would not adapt well to starting over again with a different phone. So we're committed to AT&T until that is no longer an issue.

I'm still kinda disappointed not to be able to buy the unlocked N6 from Motorola, because I really wanted to get it without any AT&T branding and, especially, no opening jingle---but I listened to the jingle in the store today and it's so short I think I can cope with that. My biggest disappointment is settling for 32gb instead of 64gb. Truth be told, though, I probably won't fill up the 32gb. But after hanging out here for a while, the desire for the best specs has rubbed off on me.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that yours is working out well. I'm hoping to have a similar experience.

 

[Benjamin_NYC]

Devices from Google and Motorola aren't carrier-locked. If you'd like the freedom to switch to other carriers and take it with you, or even pop in a 'local' sim while traveling internationally, that could be a considerable benefit. Also, it stands to reason that at such point as you might opt to go to a new device and consider selling your N6, an unlocked device will have better resale value (and be marketable to a much larger prospective buying group).

If you have to deal with returns/exchange under warranty (after the initial "return" period), you'll generally have to deal with shipping regardless of the source.

Neither is the one from T-Mobile or Sprint. Only AT&T played the SIM locking shenanigans this time around. Pathetic.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[con5150]

I have the AT&T version and it is branded and locked to the network. However, I do not have any bloatware from the carrier.

Posted via the Android Central App

Me too, the logo came for easily with a coin, the apps I deleted , only annoying thing is the super loud AT&T sound on boot up. I guess I will be curious to see how updates are handled .

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[alhadee12]

Me too, the logo came for easily with a coin, the apps I deleted , only annoying thing is the super loud AT&T sound on boot up. I guess I will be curious to see how updates are handled .

Posted via the Android Central App

I haven't tried to take the logo off. I have a case on it and I agree that the boot up is very loud.

 

[VAVA Mk2]

From responses I got to my question on the 5.01 thread, it appears that even some who bought the N6 from Google or Motorola and had AT&T as their carrier had the same difficulty with getting the update. So, even if you buy from Google or Motorola, you may still have an issue. Very disappointing.

I'm still interested in buying the N6 from Google or Motorola, but it seems that the only advantage I can be sure I will have with a phone from them is that I can avoid the AT&T jingle at boot up. It's a big premium to pay just for that advantage, but there are a number of situations that come up when it would be very inconvenient (actually inappropriate) for the jingle to start playing. I understand it's quite short, though. So I'm still watching Google and Motorola, yet considering the advantage of getting it locally in an AT&T store and not having to deal with shipping for returns/exchange.

If you root and use root explorer, you can easily de-AT&T the AT&T Nexus 6 and the logo can be scraped off with a fork.

 

[captainkirkw]

There is an app called silent boot iirc that I installed on my Note 8 to silence the Samsung boot song so give that a try.

 

[con5150]

There is an app called silent boot iirc that I installed on my Note 8 to silence the Samsung boot song so give that a try.

Tried it, doesn't work ,thanks tho . I rarely reboot the phone so not too worried.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[captainkirkw]

Thanks for giving it a shot. My Note 8 is the only device that I have tried it on since I have Cyanogenmod on my Note 2 and my Moto X does not have any audio during boot.

 

[lattemaker]

I just picked up a Nexus 6 from AT&T and there is NO bloatware. Which is why I'm using a Nexus phone anyways...Also, I didn't read through all the replies so I don't know if this has been said but I'm pretty sure you can get the AT&T version unlocked through AT&T. There are some requirements but if you meet them they will unlock it for you.

 

[NexusNick123]

The AT&T version does not have bloat ware. I don't know where the updates come from on the AT&T version. I too have a N5 and now N6 I had the AT&T version but returned it for the google play version just because I could not stand the AT&T logo on the back and the jiggle when the phone started up. I would not cut the SIM only if you have a good hand. I would just get the new SIMs

 

[Jnorton2724]

I purchased a nexus 6 from T-Mobile because they don't put a stamp on it and its completely unlocked. I'm using it with att and having no issues. The att version isn't bad though if you want to pay it off slowly. They don't put bloatware on the device but it does have att logo and boot up animation.

Posted via Nexus 6