S10+ T-Mobile unlocked vs Best Buy unlocked

[tech_fan]

If I buy a S10+ from T-Mobile and they unlock it after the 40 day waiting period and then I go to Verizon and go with their service, would I experience a difference in performance because it was a T Mobile S10 to begin with as opposed to getting a S10 from Best Buy carrier unlocked?

Reason why I ask, is because I was at Best Buy today and the rep told me that it is best to buy a carrier unlocked phone from them if I move from one carrier to other as opposed to going to T Mobile and purchasing a phone and then getting them to unlock the phone. I want to keep my carrier options open. Best Buy unlocked phone is 999 and T Mobile is 899.

 

[anon(10598448)]

There is no difference in phones these days no matter what carrier or if bought unlocked. They all have the same bands. i'm using an AT&T unlocked S10+ on T-Mobile.

T-Mobile will require the phone be paid off before unlocking.

 

[Adam Frix]

All US variants, including unlocked, have the same hardware.

That being said, carriers tune the software differently, and by definition the unlocked version has no specifically tuned carrier software.

For example:

https://community.verizonwireless.c...s/Verizon-vs-unlocked-Galaxy-S10/td-p/1090063

So your t-mobile phone will be tuned for t-mobile; unlocked, it will work just fine on VZW but it will be missing some VZW features that are on VZW-supplied models. Same for an unlocked phone.

 

[anon(10598448)]

All US variants, including unlocked, have the same hardware.

That being said, carriers tune the software differently, and by definition the unlocked version has no specifically tuned carrier software.

For example:

https://community.verizonwireless.c...s/Verizon-vs-unlocked-Galaxy-S10/td-p/1090063

So your t-mobile phone will be tuned for t-mobile; unlocked, it will work just fine on VZW but it will be missing some VZW features that are on VZW-supplied models. Same for an unlocked phone.

And of course, you can always flash any carriers firmware onto the phone. My unlocked AT&T S10+ is running the T-Mobile firmware.

 

[tech_fan]

All US variants, including unlocked, have the same hardware.

That being said, carriers tune the software differently, and by definition the unlocked version has no specifically tuned carrier software.

For example:

https://community.verizonwireless.c...s/Verizon-vs-unlocked-Galaxy-S10/td-p/1090063

So your t-mobile phone will be tuned for t-mobile; unlocked, it will work just fine on VZW but it will be missing some VZW features that are on VZW-supplied models. Same for an unlocked phone.

Very interesting article. I have learned a lot from this thread. Initially, I had a Verizon Iphone XS Max that I moved over to T-Mobile. Started to get some reception issues at work. Decided to try a T-Mobile One Plus 7 Pro and the reception seemed to improve with the exception of when I sit behind my desk and the improvement is maybe 25%. I am not sure I can live without the wireless charging so, I might go with a S10.

My initial thought was to remain with T-Mobile and not go back to Verizon. I like T Mobile customer service way better than Verizon. In the end I want to have the freedom to switch if needed and don't want to go back to Verizon only to find out I need to buy one of their phones just to use it on their network.

 

[mustang7757]

If I buy a S10+ from T-Mobile and they unlock it after the 40 day waiting period and then I go to Verizon and go with their service, would I experience a difference in performance because it was a T Mobile S10 to begin with as opposed to getting a S10 from Best Buy carrier unlocked?

Reason why I ask, is because I was at Best Buy today and the rep told me that it is best to buy a carrier unlocked phone from them if I move from one carrier to other as opposed to going to T Mobile and purchasing a phone and then getting them to unlock the phone. I want to keep my carrier options open. Best Buy unlocked phone is 999 and T Mobile is 899.

All my tmobile Samsung phones I unlocked them then flash to the unlocked firmware.

 

[Adam Frix]

And of course, you can always flash any carriers firmware onto the phone. My unlocked AT&T S10+ is running the T-Mobile firmware.

for the lurkers:

https://piunikaweb.com/2019/03/11/samsung-galaxy-s10-how-to-manually-unbrand-update-us-models/