Using Samsung Galaxy S3 Internationally

[richeek]

Hi all,

I am travelling to India for a month from USA. I have a Samsung Galaxy SIII (SCH I535) and I use Verizon network. Instead of using Verizon's International roaming, I wish to use a local carrier because it would be more economical. I have done some research on that and have come to following points:

1. I can use a local carrier --> Not sure if it could either GSM or CDMA or it has to be CDMA only
2. Voice/Text will work
3. Data will not work --> Some APN settings issue unless I go for phone rooting

Could some gentle soul comment on my observations above? Can I use Reliance's CDMA Network on my phone? Will any of these points change if phone is unlocked?

Thanks,
Richeek

 

[dpham00]

The phone is already sim unlocked, provided that you are on the latest software. Just put it in global mode and it should work for voice and text with a local sim . For data, you need root.

CDMA is more tricky, you may be able to modify the phone to get it to work on an international CDMA network provided that the bands are the same.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[Notsosure]

The phone is already sim unlocked, provided that you are on the latest software. Just put it in global mode and it should work for voice and text with a local sim . For data, you need root.

CDMA is more tricky, you may be able to modify the phone to get it to work on an international CDMA network provided that the bands are the same.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

I thought changing the APN was sufficient enough to allow data instead of having to root? And I thought recently both Note 2 and Samsung S3 got an update to allow data usage globally?

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

 

[dpham00]

I thought changing the APN was sufficient enough to allow data instead of having to root? And I thought recently both Note 2 and Samsung S3 got an update to allow data usage globally?

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk

Not sure if something has changed, but before, Verizon locked the apn, so you would need root to change the apn

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[Irpack]

Richeek,

See this thread with my recent experiences in Europe with my non-rooted Verizon S3.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...69-international-travel-newbie-questions.html

Hopefully of some help.

 

[Rebelvis]

Your summary is pretty much correct as I understand it. I'm going to Germany next month and called Verizon yesterday to explore my options. I did complain bitterly to the polite young man who took my call about Verizon blocking your ability to change APN's and get data with a foreign country's SIM card. He agreed that my only option there was to root (I'm not yet).

I'd like to have some data access for maps and such which are very handy and not have to pre-cache and or wait till I get wifi. So, after my discussions with the Verizon rep, my options seemed to boil down to:

1) buy a local SIM (which of course changes your phone number) and either forego data or root, and buy the apps necessary to change my APN and thereby get data, or;

2) I can pre-buy 100mb blocks of data from Verizon for around $29.00 and keep my existing SIM and phone number. As to calls, I can either pay around $1.25/minute or buy a plan from Verizon which reduces it to $.99/minute.

In my case, I probably won't be making alot of calls, but it would be nice to make/receive calls from home with my own number when I need to or if there were an emergency. Therefore, I'm leaning toward option 2. Oh yeah, one final Verizon annoyance/gouging.....Since my trip dates cross over my billing cycle by 3 days, if I use data in both cycles even it's were <1mb they'd charge me the full $30. Pretty petty I think and another example of the things that infuriate Verizon's customers.