S20+5G Verizon Question

[MarvBear]

If I switch my carrier from Verizon to Spectrum on my S20+5G how will that affect future updates? What will happen when Android 13 launches, will the phone receive it from Verizon or Spectrum? If I change, I will have to change the sim card, so I am curious about updates and that will impact my decision to switch or not.

 

[SpookDroid]

Depends on the model. Is it a carrier model or an unlocked one? If it's a carrier model, regardless of the carrier it's being used on (to be used on a different carrier, though, the phone has to be unlocked first) you'll get the updates from the carrier (and only those released to/by the carrier, which may differ from the ones released by the manufacturer. If the device is a factory-unlocked one, then the update will come directly from Samsung regardless of the carrier it's being used on. Verizon doesn't usually restrict OTA updates to being on their network, so as long as you have a valid data connection and an update is available, you'd still receive it .

 

[mustang7757]

What's your model number ?

 

[MarvBear]

My model # is SM-G986U I bought it from Verizon and now Spectrum is trying to sell me on a cheaper plan, but if I don't get updates then I don't want to play. So, I bought a Carrier model. Spectrum says they will send me a new sim card, but I haven't changed yet, cause I wanted to ask more knowledgeable folks than myself.

 

[mustang7757]

My model # is SM-G986U I bought it from Verizon and now Spectrum is trying to sell me on a cheaper plan, but if I don't get updates then I don't want to play. So, I bought a Carrier model. Spectrum says they will send me a new sim card, but I haven't changed yet, cause I wanted to ask more knowledgeable folks than myself.

Yeah if its sim unlocked it will get updates from the carrier sim thats installed

 

[MarvBear]

Thanks!

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks!

Welcome

 

[Coop61]

Spectrum uses the Verizon network from what I was told by the Folks at Spectrum a year and a half ago.

 

[SpookDroid]

Just to clarify/add to previous comments, if this is a carrier (Verizon) model, even if you switch to Spectrum, your updates still come from Verizon. No, you don't need to be using a Verizon SIM to get them (most likely you'll have to be on WiFi, however, as Spectrum may restrict larger downloads from mobile data usage), but the updates you receive will ONLY be those released for that specific Verizon phone model.

And remember, Verizon-branded phones may not get the same updates as a factory-unlocked phone of the same model (the latter will receive those directly from Samsung).