Want to buy the Galaxy S4, but on T-Mobile

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fuzzybabybunny

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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Jan 2, 2006
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If I buy the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 it will only have EDGE speeds on AT&T networks and most other international networks, right?

Are there any hacks that open it up to 3G data on AT&T and international networks, or is it a physical radio hardware thing?
 
S

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
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fuzzybabybunny said:
If I buy the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 it will only have EDGE speeds on AT&T networks and most other international networks, right?
Click to expand...
Wrong.

It has HSPA on 850/1900, AWS, and 2100. It has LTE on 700 (17), 850, AWS, 1900, and 2600. It may be possible to hack the radio to also allow HSPA or LTE on 900 and 1800 (which are officially only covered on 2G) but no one has been interested in trying.

Translation: all AT&T 3G/LTE bands, all T-MO 3G/LTE bands, a lot of European 3G/LTE bands.
 
fuzzybabybunny

fuzzybabybunny

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s44 said:
Wrong.

It has HSPA on 850/1900, AWS, and 2100. It has LTE on 700 (17), 850, AWS, 1900, and 2600. It may be possible to hack the radio to also allow HSPA or LTE on 900 and 1800 (which are officially only covered on 2G) but no one has been interested in trying.

Translation: all AT&T 3G/LTE bands, all T-MO 3G/LTE bands, a lot of European 3G/LTE bands.
Click to expand...

So basically the T-Mobile SGS4 is a Nexus already? I heard that the AT&T SGS4 also has all the AWS bands for T-Mobile out of the box, so basically a Nexus world phone as well?
 
S

s44

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Oct 13, 2006
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The AT&T needs some unlocking to get there, but yes. The Nexus will be the T-Mo S4 with a different logo and firmware.
 
fuzzybabybunny

fuzzybabybunny

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s44 said:
The AT&T needs some unlocking to get there, but yes. The Nexus will be the T-Mo S4 with a different logo and firmware.
Click to expand...

Interesting. So to sum up:

The T-Mobile SGS4 is a true world phone right out of the box with no modifications.

The AT&T SGS4 can be a true world phone with some hacking.

The new "Google" SGS4 that is being released on June 26th is a true world phone right out of the box with the stock Google experience.

The one thing that is holding me back is the firmware. I've got the original Samsung Google Nexus i9250 and Android 4.2 is a disaster on it. Laggy as shit and tethering simply does not work. 4.2 also reports to the network now if a phone is tethering, so it can differentiate tethering from non-tethering data.

I've gone back to 4.1 and I've been very happy with it. But if I get a SGS4 I will be on 4.2 again or even newer, and I don't want my phone to be gimped in this regard, *especially* on the tethering front.
 
S

s44

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Oct 13, 2006
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Actually, both carrier models need to be SIM-unlocked. But that's easy on any Samsung.

I don't know how T-Mo detects tethering. If you're worried I assume you can just run the tethered client through a VPN service.
 
foghorn67

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
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s44 said:
Actually, both carrier models need to be SIM-unlocked. But that's easy on any Samsung.

I don't know how T-Mo detects tethering. If you're worried I assume you can just run the tethered client through a VPN service.
Click to expand...

Isn't SIM unlocking illegal?
I'm not sure if any links will be condoned on AT if it is illegal.
 
I

ImDonly1

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Dec 17, 2004
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foghorn67 said:
Isn't SIM unlocking illegal?
I'm not sure if any links will be condoned on AT if it is illegal.
Click to expand...

Unlocking a phone is legal...

As for t-mobile tethering... you have to change the web browser user agent. Google search it.

Also quick search for unlocking t-mobile GS4
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2283068

Unlock AWS networks in att model...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2324667

Didn't try any of the links, so ymmv.

Look here for which bands each model supports
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S4#Model_variants
 
Last edited:
fuzzybabybunny

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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Jan 2, 2006
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foghorn67 said:
Isn't SIM unlocking illegal?
I'm not sure if any links will be condoned on AT if it is illegal.
Click to expand...

It's legal.

If you pay off the phone outright from a carrier they will unlock it for you.

Or you can pay a fee to an unlocking agency and they will unlock it for you.

I'm sure there are other ways to unlock it.
 
foghorn67

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
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foghorn67

foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
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ImDonly1 said:
Nope, the law is ridiculous and there are already plans underway to modify it... it is being misused.
So, if I want to unlock my phone I will.
Click to expand...

Go for it, just don't post any links on here saying how.

And who said anything about the law being agreeable? All DCMA, copyright law, in general are.
 
L

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
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foghorn67 said:
Isn't SIM unlocking illegal?
I'm not sure if any links will be condoned on AT if it is illegal.
Click to expand...
Just because it's illegal in the US doesn't mean it's illegal in Europe or anywhere else in the world.
This place is more than an American forum.
 
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