Parallel imported Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, no software updates

[mustang7757]

Right, here's how I've been doing it. I load up all these files here and then press Start and wait for it to finish and my phone to restart as well:
View attachment 364108
Is this correct or am I doing something wrong?

That looks correct, each firmware file in the correct slots of Odin

 

[TheEdge76]

Okay so at least we can rule that out.
I'm going to try something different today - I'm going to test another SIM card in the phone to see if that gives me the 4G/5G etc indicators. If that works then I'm stumped!

 

[mustang7757]

Okay so at least we can rule that out.
I'm going to try something different today - I'm going to test another SIM card in the phone to see if that gives me the 4G/5G etc indicators. If that works then I'm stumped!

Ok good thinking

 

[TheEdge76]

Well, what an interesting result that had. Will post screenshots shortly.

 

[TheEdge76]

Okay, this is with 2degrees (another provider that uses the same frequencies/bands as Vodafone), on 4G:

^ note the LTE data arrows (that's what I was missing!)

2degrees again, this time with mobile data off and wifi calling activated:


Now for my own usual Vodafone SIM:

^ the 5G indicator is visible! Oddly when I tried to activate wifi calling it didn't show the icon for it (a la the second image)

Finally, another provider - Spark. I believe they don't use the same 5G frequency as Vodafone and 2degrees, but they do have a 3G/4G/5G network. However as it probably doesn't run on the same bands as this phone, this was all I saw:


Based on all the above, it's probably just going to be a case of installing my regular Vodafone SIM and starting to use it as usual, which I'll probably do in the next week.

Bit surprised the Wifi calling icon wasn't visible with my regular SIM but was with 2degrees. Have I found an anomaly of some sort here?

 

[mustang7757]

Okay, this is with 2degrees (another provider that uses the same frequencies/bands as Vodafone), on 4G:
View attachment 364111
^ note the LTE data arrows (that's what I was missing!)

2degrees again, this time with mobile data off and wifi calling activated:
View attachment 364112

Now for my own usual Vodafone SIM:
View attachment 364113
^ the 5G indicator is visible! Oddly when I tried to activate wifi calling it didn't show the icon for it (a la the second image)

Finally, another provider - Spark. I believe they don't use the same 5G frequency as Vodafone and 2degrees, but they do have a 3G/4G/5G network. However as it probably doesn't run on the same bands as this phone, this was all I saw:
View attachment 364114

Based on all the above, it's probably just going to be a case of installing my regular Vodafone SIM and starting to use it as usual, which I'll probably do in the next week.

Bit surprised the Wifi calling icon wasn't visible with my regular SIM but was with 2degrees. Have I found an anomaly of some sort here?

Interesting I know here in the US sometimes switching between devices and carriers you have to call them to provision the sim to the device so maybe try calling and see if that works

 

[TheEdge76]

I probably won't bother, it was only a $5 Vodafone SIM that I was using for testing, I wasn't going to start using it, it was only to test the signal as it looks like it's going to be okay with my regular SIM I'll probably just use that instead.

Odd the wifi calling thing doesn't show up on it though, yet it does on 2degrees. However if I activate wifi calling on the A41 the icon is there? Strange. But I'll ask if Vodafone need to do it specifically for my (new) device, that's a good point.

 

[mustang7757]

I probably won't bother, it was only a $5 Vodafone SIM that I was using for testing, I wasn't going to start using it, it was only to test the signal as it looks like it's going to be okay with my regular SIM I'll probably just use that instead.

Odd the wifi calling thing doesn't show up on it though, yet it does on 2degrees. However if I activate wifi calling on the A41 the icon is there? Strange. But I'll ask if Vodafone need to do it specifically for my (new) device, that's a good point.

Let me know what happens

 

[TheEdge76]

I don't hold much hope out though, Vodafone's support here is outsourced and it's pretty poor :/ but will try anyway.

 

[TheEdge76]

Update: Apparently with US Samsungs it may be a case of VoLTE works but Wifi calling doesn't (or vice-versa). All depends on the profile loaded on the phone, I've been told.
Weird how it seems to have a 2degrees profile loaded but not a Vodafone one - they're a much bigger carrier! Very interesting.

 

[mustang7757]

Update: Apparently with US Samsungs it may be a case of VoLTE works but Wifi calling doesn't (or vice-versa). All depends on the profile loaded on the phone, I've been told.
Weird how it seems to have a 2degrees profile loaded but not a Vodafone one - they're a much bigger carrier! Very interesting.

Yeah bummer

 

[TheEdge76]

Oh well, may just have to live without the Wifi calling function but to be honest I never used it, so probably not going to lose any sleep over that one

Thanks to everyone for all your help in this thread, I really appreciate it!!

As an aside, the day will come when this phone will need replacement too - I just wish Samsung didn't make such massive, thick phones - not everyone wants a massive-as screen!

 

[TheEdge76]

I thought of something else - can someone recommend a good over-head pair of headphones to use with this phone that are USB-C and have a microphone attached to use as a headset when on calls?

I have a pair of these I've been using with the A41:

Amazon.com

Worked very well and very effective as a handset for phone calls (as well as for the FM radio!) - but is there any sort of USB-C equivalent I could look at? Would prefer wired as no battery required in the headset and I'm a bit wary of trying to use wireless on something like an aeroplane.

 

[mustang7757]

I thought of something else - can someone recommend a good over-head pair of headphones to use with this phone that are USB-C and have a microphone attached to use as a headset when on calls?

I have a pair of these I've been using with the A41:

Amazon.com

Worked very well and very effective as a handset for phone calls (as well as for the FM radio!) - but is there any sort of USB-C equivalent I could look at? Would prefer wired as no battery required in the headset and I'm a bit wary of trying to use wireless on something like an aeroplane.

Sorry I use the buds pro , waiting on the pro 3

 

[TheEdge76]

How's this for weird. I took my new phone to a park in the area to test the signal using an app other than Network Cell Info Lite to see if I could determine where the 5G signal was coming from...and got two completely different results! How does that work? I thought the phone only worked on one signal at a time??

This is Network Signal Info:


and this is Cellmapper:


- although it appears those might be 4G bands...does the latter not support 5G?

It's a pity Network Cell Info Lite stopped working, that was a really handy (and interesting) app to determine where signals were coming from. I did contact them to ask what's going on but never got a response.

 

[mustang7757]

How's this for weird. I took my new phone to a park in the area to test the signal using an app other than Network Cell Info Lite to see if I could determine where the 5G signal was coming from...and got two completely different results! How does that work? I thought the phone only worked on one signal at a time??

This is Network Signal Info:
View attachment 364369

and this is Cellmapper:
View attachment 364370

- although it appears those might be 4G bands...does the latter not support 5G?

It's a pity Network Cell Info Lite stopped working, that was a really handy (and interesting) app to determine where signals were coming from. I did contact them to ask what's going on but never got a response.

Unless that app is wrong which I don't trust 3rd party apps 100% but I also don't follow these statistics for signal other than what's being reported on the status bar

 

[TheEdge76]

Oh the signal is fine, I'm just curious as to where it's coming from. I have some telecommunications experience and always find these kinds of things interesting

 

[TheEdge76]

FM radio that is going to be tough without root and knowing what to do if it is possible and Root most likely not available on US bootloader because carrier lock them , even US unlock

Just did some digging on this - according to:

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

Radio

FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)

This the phone that I have with the Snapdragon processor - so shouldn't it be available?

I did find this app: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.vlad805.fmradio
and it looks really cool! Just I can't get the radio to work
Is there some setting I should be looking for? My phone has the right chipset - or is there something I need to unlock maybe?

 

[TheEdge76]

In any case, I'm starting the transfer of data between the two phones now (with Samsung Smart Switch)...wish me luck! I hope it all works

 

[mustang7757]

Just did some digging on this - according to:

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G - Full phone specifications

www.gsmarena.com

Radio

FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)

This the phone that I have with the Snapdragon processor - so shouldn't it be available?

I did find this app: https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.vlad805.fmradio
and it looks really cool! Just I can't get the radio to work
Is there some setting I should be looking for? My phone has the right chipset - or is there something I need to unlock maybe?

Like I mentioned the US carrier's turn this off most likely to have Root find those files and turn on and best place for that is XDA forums and US version are very hard to root