Sammy S5 and T-Mo compatibilty?

[Danny Kewl]

Is an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 still a good match to use on T-Mo today? I know may be missing a band or 2 that T-Mo is now adding (600/700 mhz), but looks like those not yet rolled out in SW Florida where I hope to relocate to soon. Still want a removable battery which is getting tougher to find. One site I looked at (B&H Photo) noted that even the T-Mo branded S5, sm-g900t, only partially compatible with T-Mo's 4G LTE service, but fully compatible with AT&T's. Is that due to the 600/700Mhz bands missing or something else? Can't afford more than $200 for a phone (need to replace Sammy Galaxy Core Prime, getting too slow), and the S5, even though older, seems to have pretty much all the features I want other than the missing bands. If any other recommendations for a compatible phone under $200-$250 will consider as well. Thanks much.

 

[djrakowski]

Yes, it should work just fine on T-Mobile, though you'll probably miss those extra bands (and the extra coverage that comes with them) as they roll out in your area.

Is a removable battery an absolute must? If not, you might want to consider something newer (and therefore more likely to receive OS and security updates) like the Moto G6 or E5 series. T-Mo is selling two different models of the E5 and they're both well under $250 outright, or a few bucks a month on EIP or JOD plans. I can't get the T-Mo site to load right now, but I believe one of those E-series phones even has a removable battery.

 

[Danny Kewl]

Thanks djrakowski, I'll get an S5 for now, and will give me time to see what to do later. Biggest concern is my current Sammy Galaxy Core Prime is getting way too slow and don't want to mess with it till I get another phone, at least the S5 has 2X the memory. May consider the Moto's later, thanks especially if I move somewhere where I can use the low bands. Can then work on the GCP, maybe root it, but either way use it for a free Freedompop SIM I already have, as they now use AT&T, and that will be a nice back-up as far as getting a signal when traveling soon.