S20 unlocked on Verizon?

[david61983]

Can anyone tell me if the unlocked S20 version works on Verizon? Not the UW Verizon model. Will it still get 5g? I want the unlocked model due to more RAM and micro SD slot.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Quite a few members have used unlocked S21 on Verizon.

 

[david61983]

Quite a few members have used unlocked S21 on Verizon.

Different phone w Different specs.

 

[sulla1965]

Yes, the unlocked S20 works perfectly on Verizon.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Yes, the unlocked S20 works perfectly on Verizon.

It won't have 5G.

"While the unlocked S20+ and S20 Ultra will work on every US 5G carrier, the small S20 won't. As a low-band-only phone, it won't be able to connect to Verizon's current 5G network. Verizon will release a model later this spring that will have all of the bands for all the carriers, but I've heard that model will not be sold unlocked because Verizon will be slightly subsidizing it.

Why two units? Millimeter-wave is expensive to include, Samsung said.

The small S20 will support 2G/3G/4G on all the US networks, and will support low-band and mid-band 5G on the AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile networks. So far, low-band 5G on AT&T and T-Mobile hasn't been a major upgrade from 4G. The Sprint/T-Mobile merger may change the game by spreading mid-band 5G nationwide. By and large, though, I'd think of the initial small S20 as a 5G phone on Sprint/T-Mobile and a 4G phone on AT&T, for now at least."

Source https://www.pcmag.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-is-americas-first-unlocked-all-carrier-5g-phone

 

[sulla1965]

it will get the slower 5g. I used it on us mobile with Verizon service and saw the 5g symbol.

 

[mmcclure0453]

I use my unlocked S20 on Verizon every day and have the 5G symbol displaying in the upper right hand corner of my phone. Verizon also contacted me once I switched the SIM card into the phone to switch me to a 5G data plan. I don't know if the 5G symbol on the right guarantees I'm running on 5G but I don't know why else it would show.

 

[KPMcClave]

it will get the slower 5g. I used it on us mobile with Verizon service and saw the 5g symbol.

Yep, this wasn't an option when the S20 was originally released, thus the disclaimer that 5G wouldn't work on Verizon with it. Then VZW flipped the switch on its "nationwide 5G" last fall.

Whether it matters in practical terms is another matter.

 

[KPMcClave]

I use my unlocked S20 on Verizon every day and have the 5G symbol displaying in the upper right hand corner of my phone. Verizon also contacted me once I switched the SIM card into the phone to switch me to a 5G data plan. I don't know if the 5G symbol on the right guarantees I'm running on 5G but I don't know why else it would show.

You're getting ripped off. The 5G plan is only for their limited UW 5G, which isn't compatible with the unlocked S20. The slower nationwide 5G is part of the regular plans without the upsell.

 

[sulla1965]

You're getting ripped off. The 5G plan is only for their limited UWB 5G, which isn't compatible with the unlocked S20. The slower nationwide 5G is part of the regular plans without the upsell.

Yeah I wouldn't worry about UW until its in place everywhere. I've read that regular Verizon 5g is no better than 4g LTE

 

[KPMcClave]

Yeah I wouldn't worry about UW until its in place everywhere. I've read that regular Verizon 5g is no better than 4g LTE

True, and you certainly shouldn't pay for UW 5G when you can't access it at all on the phone you have.

 

[dgcamero]

Yeah I wouldn't worry about UW until its in place everywhere. I've read that regular Verizon 5g is no better than 4g LTE

In my experience, Nationwide 5G is actually worse than LTE unless you have excellent signal strength.

So much so that Verizon turned off the 5G display in the latest April 1st software update on my unlocked S20 FE. It is *less* bad now. I still lock my phone to band 13 most of the time I'm in Charlotte.

 

[JHStewart1023]

we usually almost always buy unlocked- whether it be from Best Buy or via Samsung... I got the Verizon branded version for WiFi calling... but that's just me.

 

[sulla1965]

we usually almost always buy unlocked- whether it be from Best Buy or via Samsung... I got the Verizon branded version for WiFi calling... but that's just me.

If I recall, wifi calling works on the unlocked models too. And I used Verizon prepaid and was getting WiFi calling on unpicked s20

 

[mustang7757]

If I recall, wifi calling works on the unlocked models too. And I used Verizon prepaid and was getting WiFi calling on unpicked s20

I believe wifi calling is on unlocked with Verizon, @Mike Dee ?