Can you activate a verizon s5 on tmobile?

Mr. bird

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Mar 29, 2012
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the title says it, i kind of want to do this, maybe not for that long, most likely it would be temporary.
No. Google it and you will find that Verizon and tmobile networks are different. Verizon is CDMA and tmobile is GSM. Or something like that.

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B767

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Apr 26, 2014
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No. Google it and you will find that Verizon and tmobile networks are different. Verizon is CDMA and tmobile is GSM. Or something like that.

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I use Verizon phone on T-Mobile network. Verizon S5 has sim slot for sim cards. All Verizon 4LTE phones, GSM unlock.
 
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Odin80

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Sep 29, 2013
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If you are able to use other carrier phones and just pop a Sim card in and your good to go, then in the future can I buy a variant of the phone I want with an unlocked bootloader and be rooted with no issues?

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vinc3stylez

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Nov 9, 2010
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If you are able to use other carrier phones and just pop a Sim card in and your good to go, then in the future can I buy a variant of the phone I want with an unlocked bootloader and be rooted with no issues?

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Nope, i'm actually surprised that Verizon didn't lock the phone if what the above poster said is true. The bootloader isn't what you need unlocked to move from carrier to carrier. Phones with sim cards are generally GSM and phones without sim cards are generally CDMA. GSM phones are normally locked to the specific carrier that you bought it from. CDMA phones are not usually taken on any other networks unless you are moving to a network like cricket which takes what it can get
 

jcollier

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Jan 11, 2008
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Nope, i'm actually surprised that Verizon didn't lock the phone if what the above poster said is true.
As he said, Verizon 4G phones are all sim unlocked. Phones like this and the Note 2, which I just came from, have the CDMA and GSM bands. It is just as simple as putting in the SIM, change the APN, and be working. That said, the Note 2 could not get a 4G GSM signal only HSPA+ because of the bands it supported. I haven't checked the S5 yet, but I do believe I have seen that it does support some of the 4G GSM bands.

You are right about the CDMA part which is why it wouldn't be wise to buy, say a Sprint S5, and then come to Verizon because it does not support any CDMA bands.
 

hEaTLoE

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Aug 24, 2010
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As he said, Verizon 4G phones are all sim unlocked. Phones like this and the Note 2, which I just came from, have the CDMA and GSM bands. It is just as simple as putting in the SIM, change the APN, and be working. That said, the Note 2 could not get a 4G GSM signal only HSPA+ because of the bands it supported. I haven't checked the S5 yet, but I do believe I have seen that it does support some of the 4G GSM bands.

You are right about the CDMA part which is why it wouldn't be wise to buy, say a Sprint S5, and then come to Verizon because it does not support any CDMA bands.

Bare with me if this seems like an absolutely stupid question.

When I travel I have a GSM HTC One S that I pop in a pre-paid SIM to use (say, 3 in Ireland). I believe this was a T-Mobile phone previously that I carrier unlocked. If I have a Verizon CDMA S5, I could pop in the 3 SIM and be able to use it (maybe not 4G depending on the bands) provided I updated the APN information?
 

jcollier

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Bare with me if this seems like an absolutely stupid question.

When I travel I have a GSM HTC One S that I pop in a pre-paid SIM to use (say, 3 in Ireland). I believe this was a T-Mobile phone previously that I carrier unlocked. If I have a Verizon CDMA S5, I could pop in the 3 SIM and be able to use it (maybe not 4G depending on the bands) provided I updated the APN information?
Correct. I used my Note 2 in multiple European countries, lastly in Rome where it was stolen. Take your Verizon sim out at the airport, put the new one in, change APN, and voila.
(carriers I have tested with - Orange, Vodafone(multiple places), 3, Rogers in Canada)

Your S5 on Verizon isn't solely CDMA. If you look up any website with the bands it supports, you will see the GSM bands.
 
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hEaTLoE

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Correct. I used my Note 2 in multiple European countries, lastly in Rome where it was stolen. Take your Verizon sim out at the airport, put the new one in, change APN, and voila.
(carriers I have tested with - Orange, Vodafone(multiple places), 3, Rogers in Canada)

Your S5 on Verizon isn't solely CDMA. If you look up any website with the bands it supports, you will see the GSM bands.
That's fantastic. Thank you!
 

hEaTLoE

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Aug 24, 2010
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More than welcome. And here is the link so you can check the bands when looking at foreign carriers.

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=4408

And even without 4G, it is still plenty fast enough to use the internet, google maps, and stream music.
Looks like the One S and S5 share the same GSM bands... I'll definitely have to try it out. I know my 3 SIM works here in the US too on the phone. Thanks again, really helpful.