Verizon network type setting. Why can't I roam on GSM?

[Misterb]

I was in a remote area the other day, and I wasn't getting any verizon voice or data service. My friend had AT&T, and was getting both voice and data. There is a setting on the S8+ to use LTE/GSM/CDMA. I picked that, but it still didn't lock on to any service with AT&T. Am I doing something wrong, or does it not work that way?

 

[Aquila]

Doesn't work that way. Your Verizon phone can work on those towers with an AT&T SIM, but with the Verizon SIM it's CDMA and LTE only for the most part.

 

[Almeuit]

I was in a remote area the other day, and I wasn't getting any verizon voice or data service. My friend had AT&T, and was getting both voice and data. There is a setting on the S8+ to use LTE/GSM/CDMA. I picked that, but it still didn't lock on to any service with AT&T. Am I doing something wrong, or does it not work that way?

They have to setup roaming agreements to work with AT&T. The carriers don't allow each other to do this for free.. and knowing Verizon .. they don't want to setup any agreements like that since they want tout they have service everywhere (or so they say).

 

[jeffmd]

I believe they only have agreements with sprint for roaming because many, if not most of their user base is on phones incapable of working on GSM.

 

[Misterb]

Not good. Thanks for the info guys

 

[Cozmohoot]

When overseas Verizon will connect to gsm carriers automatically but in the USA it's not the case

 

[dpham00]

When overseas Verizon will connect to gsm carriers automatically but in the USA it's not the case

It depends on who they have roaming agreements with both domestic and international.

 

[dpham00]

I believe they only have agreements with sprint for roaming because many, if not most of their user base is on phones incapable of working on GSM.

Most of Verizon's phones have some gsm capabilities, certainly all the popular recent smartphones do. Some older ones and most basic phones don't though as well as some older smartphones

 

[jeffmd]

Most of Verizon's phones have some gsm capabilities, certainly all the popular recent smartphones do. Some older ones and most basic phones don't though as well as some older smartphones

Yea, unfortunately I have no idea what the break down is on the flag ship phones vs their budget and pre paid user base.

Also I think the international GSM roaming capabilities are because those services will directly charge the account on a per minute base so no pre-agreements are needed to absorb cost. That is different than the sprint agreement which like other national roaming agreements is "free unlimited" for the end Verizon user.

 

[dpham00]

Yea, unfortunately I have no idea what the break down is on the flag ship phones vs their budget and pre paid user base.

Also I think the international GSM roaming capabilities are because those services will directly charge the account on a per minute base so no pre-agreements are needed to absorb cost. That is different than the sprint agreement which like other national roaming agreements is "free unlimited" for the end Verizon user.

Verizon Prepaid base is around 5%, so it can be ignored, relatively speaking. iPhones make up over half of phones sold and those are gsm capable. Many common phones like the s3-s8 and note2-7, lg g and v series etc are gsm compatible.

 

[jeffmd]

Verizon Prepaid base is around 5%, so it can be ignored, relatively speaking. iPhones make up over half of phones sold and those are gsm capable. Many common phones like the s3-s8 and note2-7, lg g and v series etc are gsm compatible.

No, many of the lower iPhones and Samsungs would have cdma versions sold on Sprint and Verizon networks. Samsung SGH-I535 for example.

 

[dpham00]

No, many of the lower iPhones and Samsungs would have cdma versions sold on Sprint and Verizon networks. Samsung SGH-I535 for example.

There is literally only one Verizon iPhone that doesn't have gsm radios, the iPhone 4 which came out in 2010. All other Verizon iPhones have gsm radios.

I checked and all 32 smartphones that are listed on Verizon's website are gsm capable. Of course some older ones aren't but the vast majority in the past few years are.

With regards to the i535 which is the Verizon s3(came out in 2012), this most certainly has gsm radios.

 

[Almeuit]

No, many of the lower iPhones and Samsungs would have cdma versions sold on Sprint and Verizon networks. Samsung SGH-I535 for example.

Even if that were the case .. It still isn't the reason for it not working with GSM in the US. I don't see Verizon purposely paying AT&T for roaming agreements when it touts its network coverage is the best.

 

[jeffmd]

Even if that were the case .. It still isn't the reason for it not working with GSM in the US. I don't see Verizon purposely paying AT&T for roaming agreements when it touts its network coverage is the best.

I'm just trying an educated guess, only Verizon really knows. Verizon didn't pay AT&T but they so pay sprint, maybe they maintain a no cost roam agreement? Sprint is the same way, only roams on Verizon.

 

[Aquila]

Sprint and Verizon are CDMA for their base voice network, edge and 3G; AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM.

 

[jeffmd]

regards to the i535 which is the Verizon s3(came out in 2012), this most certainly has gsm radios.

gsmarena.com said it was not a gsm device and did not work on gsm networks world wide. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[jeffmd]

Sprint and Verizon are CDMA for their base voice network, edge and 3G; AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM.

and there might be some network limitation we don't see here where the SIM information doesn't allow the phone to instantly switch from cdma to GSM for the base voice network without a SIM swap. So the base voice network needs to remain the same.

 

[dpham00]

gsmarena.com said it was not a gsm device and did not work on gsm networks world wide. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Well Verizon's site says it does work.

 

[Misterb]

Ok, New question. Can I get a rate plan with AT&T, get a sim card from them, and pop it in my Verizon S8+ to get coverage when I'm in this same area in the US again? I might buy some property there, so I'd be going there on the weekends

 

[dpham00]

Ok, New question. Can I get a rate plan with AT&T, get a sim card from them, and pop it in my Verizon S8+ to get coverage when I'm in this same area in the US again? I might buy some property there, so I'd be going there on the weekends

The Verizon s8+ is factory sim unlocked so yes you can pop in the att sim.keep in mind that a phone that is unlocked might not support all the bands or features of another carrier