is g900t unlocked?

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kv7shadow

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2012
79
5
hi
i wanna buy SM-G900T and it is 650 $, therefor i suppose it is unlocked
how can i check if it is factory unlocked? or it was locked and some fella unlocked it with a trick or something (if it is possible :laugh:)
and if i install any official or custom ROM, will it be locked again?
thanks
 

TheArtiszan

Senior Member
Jun 12, 2009
1,122
133
It doesn't come unlocked since that is the T-Mobile model.
Not sure how to check it.
And flashing other software don't relock it.
 
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diablo009

Senior Member
Apr 20, 2009
5,558
1,350
Atlanta GA
hi
i wanna buy SM-G900T and it is 650 $, therefor i suppose it is unlocked
how can i check if it is factory unlocked? or it was locked and some fella unlocked it with a trick or something (if it is possible :laugh:)
and if i install any official or custom ROM, will it be locked again?
thanks

If you are buying it for 650, buy it straight TMo. Why do you want a used one.

If buying used, you can get it for around 500. BUT... if the person reports it as stolen later, or if he defaults on its payment (if not purchased in full like on contract), the carrier can blacklist it, and you won't be able to use the phone.

S5 has been notoriously famous in US for that latter given that all major carriers are now using an integrated database of blacklisted IMEIs.

Request to see the bill from the person you are buying phone.

For AT&T, you can have him come to AT&T store, n then take the phone to the person there and have a new SIM inserted (different SIM, but same number) and register the IMEI on your name. This way the owner cannot blacklist the IMEI after the IMEI is registered on your name.

I am not sure if this process is followed by TMobile too.
 
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kv7shadow

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2012
79
5
If you are buying it for 650, buy it straight TMo. Why do you want a used one.

If buying used, you can get it for around 500. BUT... if the person reports it as stolen later, or if he defaults on its payment (if not purchased in full like on contract), the carrier can blacklist it, and you won't be able to use the phone.

S5 has been notoriously famous in US for that latter given that all major carriers are now using an integrated database of blacklisted IMEIs.

Request to see the bill from the person you are buying phone.

For AT&T, you can have him come to AT&T store, n then take the phone to the person there and have a new SIM inserted (different SIM, but same number) and register the IMEI on your name. This way the owner cannot blacklist the IMEI after the IMEI is registered on your name.

I am not sure if this process is followed by TMobile too.
it's not used! it is packed
it has t-mobile logo on the box, but not on the phone
so basically if there is the Sim unlock code (with the phones IMEI), there is no problem?
 

gridflash

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2011
66
21
Portland, OR
If you are buying it for 650, buy it straight TMo. Why do you want a used one.

If buying used, you can get it for around 500. BUT... if the person reports it as stolen later, or if he defaults on its payment (if not purchased in full like on contract), the carrier can blacklist it, and you won't be able to use the phone.

S5 has been notoriously famous in US for that latter given that all major carriers are now using an integrated database of blacklisted IMEIs.

Request to see the bill from the person you are buying phone.

For AT&T, you can have him come to AT&T store, n then take the phone to the person there and have a new SIM inserted (different SIM, but same number) and register the IMEI on your name. This way the owner cannot blacklist the IMEI after the IMEI is registered on your name.

I am not sure if this process is followed by TMobile too.

This process does work with tmobile. Craig's list has some interesting deals. Here is a list of the question I ask.

Clean IMEI? If it's not the rest of the questions are irrelevant.
Has it been activated? Just because it's in the box doesn't mean it's New.
Balance due? This question can only be answered by the owner. So the person doing the deal with you had better be the owner. None of this, "I doing the deal for my girlfriend."
If he claims he's authorized by the owner to do the deal ask for the Pin on account. Without that you don't have a deal.

Bottom line If the account hasn't been activated you have a deal.
If it's been activated it's not new but if the balance is paid up you can still cut a deal... for a better price.
 
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diablo009

Senior Member
Apr 20, 2009
5,558
1,350
Atlanta GA
And for clean IMEI, check with TMo store, with the seller beside you. If he is genuine, he will come with you into the store.

Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 
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mahanddeem

Senior Member
Nov 13, 2011
1,213
122
Buy from T-Mobile and then buy an unlock code. Save yourself the hassle and the headache.
I can't trust some dude on eBay or Craig's list. Especially on such purchases.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
 

kv7shadow

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2012
79
5
tnx guys
the box is exactly looks like this.
$_35.JPG

he says it's unlocked
my question is, if i factory reset, or install official ROM, it'll be locked again?
what about custom ROMs?
is there possibility of Bad IMEI?
and if there is, would it be solved by installing a custom ROM?
 
Last edited:

gridflash

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2011
66
21
Portland, OR
tnx guys
the box is exactly looks like this.
$_35.JPG

he says it's unlocked
my question is, if i factory reset, or install official ROM, it'll be locked again?
what about custom ROMs?
is there possibility of Bad IMEI?
and if there is, would it be solved by installing a custom ROM?

Tmobile says they don't sell unlocked Galaxy S5s. Which means if it's unlocked it's been opened.
Now T-mobile will unlock after 40 days.
Which raises the question, "If it's been unlocked what else was it used for?"

My questions would start with, "Are you the original owner and has this phone been activated.?"
 
Last edited:

kv7shadow

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2012
79
5
Tmobile says they don't sell unlocked Galaxy S5s. Which means if it's unlocked it's been opened.
Now T-mobile will unlock after 40 days.
Which raises the question, "If it's been unlocked what else was it used for?"

My questions would start with, "Are you the original owner and has this phone been activated.?"

it's not mine
i want to buy it from a fellow
 

fffft

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2013
1,973
802
hi
i wanna buy SM-G900T and it is 650 $, therefor i suppose it is unlocked
how can i check if it is factory unlocked? or it was locked and some fella unlocked it with a trick or something (if it is possible :laugh:)
and if i install any official or custom ROM, will it be locked again?
thanks

No, even though you are paying full price and the handset is not subsidized.. it will still be locked by default by TMobile. Yeah, it is great to be a oligopoly. If you ask nicely TMobile may unlock it right away for you, more likely they will try to make you wait a month or two before agreeing to do so. But there are plenty of third-party vendors that can and will unlock your S5 now for $15 - $30.

Once unlocked, the phone will normally remain that way permanently even after OTA upgrades or if you flash a different ROM. It is possible for a carrier to relock your phone, although I haven't heard of this happening to anyone. Phones are obstensibly locked at the outset to protect the carrier against subsidy fraud but carriers also like the barrier against you easily moving to a different carrier.

And if you are paying full price, you should buy directly from TMobile or have a trusted friend buy it from TMobile for you. Buying used adds considerable risk which you shouldn't take since you are paying full price. There are a lot of scammers that will buy a phone on contract, sell it.. and subsequently report it stolen (for the insurance) or default on the subsidized contract. Even if they paid full price in cash, without a contract, have a genuine receipt and the phone is not currently on an IMEI blacklist - it could end up there two weeks later if you are not the original purchaser and they report it stolen.

.
 
Last edited:
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kv7shadow

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2012
79
5
No, even though you are paying full price and the handset is not subsidized.. it will still be locked by default by TMobile. Yeah, it is great to be a oligopoly. If you ask nicely TMobile may unlock it right away for you, more likely they will try to make you wait a month or two before agreeing to do so. But there are plenty of third-party vendors that can and will unlock your S5 now for $15 - $30.

Once unlocked, the phone will normally remain that way permanently even after OTA upgrades or if you flash a different ROM. It is possible for a carrier to relock your phone, although I haven't heard of this happening to anyone. Phones are obstensibly locked at the outset to protect the carrier against subsidy fraud but carriers also like the barrier against you easily moving to a different carrier.

And if you are paying full price, you should buy directly from TMobile or have a trusted friend buy it from TMobile for you. Buying used adds considerable risk which you shouldn't take since you are paying full price. There are a lot of scammers that will buy a phone on contract, sell it.. and subsequently report it stolen (for the insurance) or default on the subsidized contract. Even if they paid full price in cash, without a contract, have a genuine receipt and the phone is not currently on an IMEI blacklist - it could end up there two weeks later if you are not the original purchaser and they report it stolen.

.

thanks
if it is unlocked, even if i install official rom (can i install G900F's?) will it remain unlocked?
 

fffft

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2013
1,973
802
if it is unlocked, even if i install official rom (can i install G900F's?) will it remain unlocked?

fffft said:
Once unlocked, the phone will normally remain that way permanently even ... if you flash a different ROM.


You can install a 900F based ROM if there is some reason you want to do that. But you will still have the 900T bootloader aka baseband.

.
 
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elesbb

Senior Member
Jun 20, 2010
7,883
5,324
You can install a 900F based ROM if there is some reason you want to do that. But you will still have the 900T bootloader aka baseband.

.

FWIW, "aka" would not be a proper term to use. People will get confused xD Baseband and bootloader are two separate things. However, under your "about" you will see the baseband version which is the "modem" of the phone. It usually corresponds to which bootloader is on the device as well. Unless a different modem was flashed.
 

fffft

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2013
1,973
802
under your "about" you will see the baseband version which is the "modem"

^ Another example of something that is usually but not always equivalent.

As you say, at a nuts and bolts, code level the bootlooder and baseband are not the same thing. But you are splitting hairs. In the context that I said that, they are not usually separated and are functionally equivalent.

.
 

dc5dd

Member
Oct 13, 2008
26
0
^ Another example of something that is usually but not always equivalent.

As you say, at a nuts and bolts, code level the bootlooder and baseband are not the same thing. But you are splitting hairs. In the context that I said that, they are not usually separated and are functionally equivalent.

.

Humm... I just tried flashing a G900F rom on G900T but the tmobile phone would not allow that? Am I missing something?
 

fffft

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2013
1,973
802
Apparently because lots of others have done it successfully.

However, you should start your own thread, rather than usurp an existing one. And provide a detailed description of what you did.

.
 

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  • 1
    It doesn't come unlocked since that is the T-Mobile model.
    Not sure how to check it.
    And flashing other software don't relock it.
    1
    hi
    i wanna buy SM-G900T and it is 650 $, therefor i suppose it is unlocked
    how can i check if it is factory unlocked? or it was locked and some fella unlocked it with a trick or something (if it is possible :laugh:)
    and if i install any official or custom ROM, will it be locked again?
    thanks

    If you are buying it for 650, buy it straight TMo. Why do you want a used one.

    If buying used, you can get it for around 500. BUT... if the person reports it as stolen later, or if he defaults on its payment (if not purchased in full like on contract), the carrier can blacklist it, and you won't be able to use the phone.

    S5 has been notoriously famous in US for that latter given that all major carriers are now using an integrated database of blacklisted IMEIs.

    Request to see the bill from the person you are buying phone.

    For AT&T, you can have him come to AT&T store, n then take the phone to the person there and have a new SIM inserted (different SIM, but same number) and register the IMEI on your name. This way the owner cannot blacklist the IMEI after the IMEI is registered on your name.

    I am not sure if this process is followed by TMobile too.
    1
    If you are buying it for 650, buy it straight TMo. Why do you want a used one.

    If buying used, you can get it for around 500. BUT... if the person reports it as stolen later, or if he defaults on its payment (if not purchased in full like on contract), the carrier can blacklist it, and you won't be able to use the phone.

    S5 has been notoriously famous in US for that latter given that all major carriers are now using an integrated database of blacklisted IMEIs.

    Request to see the bill from the person you are buying phone.

    For AT&T, you can have him come to AT&T store, n then take the phone to the person there and have a new SIM inserted (different SIM, but same number) and register the IMEI on your name. This way the owner cannot blacklist the IMEI after the IMEI is registered on your name.

    I am not sure if this process is followed by TMobile too.

    This process does work with tmobile. Craig's list has some interesting deals. Here is a list of the question I ask.

    Clean IMEI? If it's not the rest of the questions are irrelevant.
    Has it been activated? Just because it's in the box doesn't mean it's New.
    Balance due? This question can only be answered by the owner. So the person doing the deal with you had better be the owner. None of this, "I doing the deal for my girlfriend."
    If he claims he's authorized by the owner to do the deal ask for the Pin on account. Without that you don't have a deal.

    Bottom line If the account hasn't been activated you have a deal.
    If it's been activated it's not new but if the balance is paid up you can still cut a deal... for a better price.
    1
    And for clean IMEI, check with TMo store, with the seller beside you. If he is genuine, he will come with you into the store.

    Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
    1
    it's not mine
    i want to buy it from a fellow

    Those are the questions I would ask your friend.

    Edit: If the phone has been activated then you have to worry about account balance. And the second thing you need to check is the knox bit.