How To Guide How to Enable All Bands Through Service Menu on US/CA S23 series (including Sub-6 and mmWave)

[EtherealRemnant]

I'm using SIM + eSIM but could only get NRDC on both SIMs... I'm on U1 with TMB.

I used method two and set GCF today and that got SA and all bands enabled on both SIMs. I don't care about NRDC since we don't have mmWave here but I got a new T-Mobile MVNO SIM the other day and was shocked to find it has SA disabled by default.

Unfortunately I just forced SA and it was kicked from the network. Seems that T-Mobile is still not giving SA access to all MVNOs automatically, even ones with the 240 SIM cards.

Yea I had to re-download the Samsung driver's and then it worked for me but then the band selection didn't work so I had to change the CSC to the global one and that have me access to the band selection menu.

That's something I didn't even think about. If I don't have to re-enable RAT selection every time I reboot when using an AT&T network SIM, that would be awesome.

 

[sysopkotton]

I used method two and set GCF today and that got SA and all bands enabled on both SIMs. I don't care about NRDC since we don't have mmWave here but I got a new T-Mobile MVNO SIM the other day and was shocked to find it has SA disabled by default.

Unfortunately I just forced SA and it was kicked from the network. Seems that T-Mobile is still not giving SA access to all MVNOs automatically, even ones with the 240 SIM cards.


That's something I didn't even think about. If I don't have to re-enable RAT selection every time I reboot when using an AT&T network SIM, that would be awesome.

I haven't tried that yet, I do get mmWave here so I'll just keep my settings with NRDC.

Interesting, I wonder if T-Mobile will give SA access on Mint service... since they recently acquired the company.

Wondering if anyone is using the GCF CSC and getting all these bands....

I just read the method 2 it's GCF CSC

 

[EtherealRemnant]

I haven't tried that yet, I do get mmWave here so I'll just keep my settings with NRDC.

Interesting, I wonder if T-Mobile will give SA access on Mint service... since they recently acquired the company.

Wondering if anyone is using the GCF CSC and getting all these bands....

I just read the method 2 it's GCF CSC

It's interesting that Mint, the largest T-Mobile MVNO, doesn't have SA either. I thought they did but I just checked reddit and just 4 days ago people were talking about SA SIMs coming. Meanwhile, my Tello SIM, which is a massively smaller MVNO, has had 5G SA since some time in 2021. I know this because it caused a lot of issues and required getting a new SIM.

 

[sysopkotton]

It's interesting that Mint, the largest T-Mobile MVNO, doesn't have SA either. I thought they did but I just checked reddit and just 4 days ago people were talking about SA SIMs coming. Meanwhile, my Tello SIM, which is a massively smaller MVNO, has had 5G SA since some time in 2021. I know this because it caused a lot of issues and required getting a new SIM.

I ended up testing out method 2 with GCF CSC, I forced SA on TMB, funny thing is I can only stay connected for about 5 minutes before it switches back to NR Advanced or NR NSA.

Here is what I ended up with on both Sim1 and Sim2. Going to do some testing this week around the city and see what bands I can pickup.

That's interesting about Mint... you would think they would support SA... Maybe here in the near future with the TMB acquisition.

 

[Jeroen1000]

@lancehardwood1313 have you tried flashing the firmware for the European / global model and see if 5G connects?

I am particularly interested in this. It seems at least 3 variables are at play:

1. The Efs partition. We know it isn't flashed with regular updates. It could be flashed in 'special' updates, not sure. It does seem to dictate which bands can be used. Some bands (mm wave) will require additional Hw like rf chips and antennas. Those might be missing in euro phones
2. Carrier profiles. You can have all the bands in existence, without proper configuration profiles the phone won't register to the ims. It will just fail or even get denied. Even if it does connect, It could lack CA parameters and other tweaks
3. I think Samsung csc manages these profiles


So seeing (dragons be here) your US model has the required bands (it does see the 5G networks) I would try to flash the multi csc stuff euro phones have.
This assumes there is no hard dependency between the Efs partition and the phone software.

If that doesn't work, I'd try to copy an euro Efs partition to your US phone. You would need a way to restore a backup as you cannot flash a Sammy firmware to get it back. 99.9% sure Samsung does.

Oh don't be cross at me if you brick your phone. This Efs stuff in particular can brick a phone. Somehow this always reminds me why ppl who travel should just get an IPhone

 

[lancehardwood1313]

@lancehardwood1313 have you tried flashing the firmware for the European / global model and see if 5G connects?

I am particularly interested in this. It seems at least 3 variables are at play:

1. The Efs partition. We know it isn't flashed with regular updates. It could be flashed in 'special' updates, not sure. It does seem to dictate which bands can be used. Some bands (mm wave) will require additional Hw like rf chips and antennas. Those might be missing in euro phones
2. Carrier profiles. You can have all the bands in existence, without proper configuration profiles the phone won't register to the ims. It will just fail or even get denied. Even if it does connect, It could lack CA parameters and other tweaks
3. I think Samsung csc manages these profiles


So seeing (dragons be here) your US model has the required bands (it does see the 5G networks) I would try to flash the multi csc stuff euro phones have.
This assumes there is no hard dependency between the Efs partition and the phone software.

If that doesn't work, I'd try to copy an euro Efs partition to your US phone. You would need a way to restore a backup as you cannot flash a Sammy firmware to get it back. 99.9% sure Samsung does.

Oh don't be cross at me if you brick your phone. This Efs stuff in particular can brick a phone. Somehow this always reminds me why ppl who travel should just get an IPhone

Haha I do have an unlocked iphone 13 pro with a European sim in it and it connects to 5G just fine over here. As far as flashing goes....I'm not computer savvy and my galaxy is in stock out of the box unlocked config and I'm afraid to mess it up. I'm not sure why Samsung does that stupid **** knowing apple doesn't take away that capability of 5G roaming.....since they're trying to compete with apple! took this screenshot while in Italy.

 

[Jeroen1000]

Haha I do have an unlocked iphone 13 pro with a European sim in it and it connects to 5G just fine over here. As far as flashing goes....I'm not computer savvy and my galaxy is in stock out of the box unlocked config and I'm afraid to mess it up. I'm not sure why Samsung does that stupid **** knowing apple doesn't take away that capability of 5G roaming.....since they're trying to compete with apple!

Apple has a lot of leverage. Every carrier sells iPhones. Carriers go far and beyond to support Apple. Imagine the customers they would lose if they didn't support Apple. Android manufacturers seem to 'conspire' with the carriers seemingly not caring to get a phone globally working.

A Oneplus actually has more bands out of the box vs Samsung. But alas... Carrier profiles are key to doing something with it. A Pixel 7 even has more. But it won't work in half of Europe for voLTE or voWiFi.

But I digress. I am sure someone here can tell you how to flash to European multi csc. But it's up to you hehe. Actually the US model is superior technically (both physical Hw and enabled bands) but Samsung is holding it back

 

[lancehardwood1313]

Does any info on here help anyone that's tech savvy?

 

[lancehardwood1313]

more data.... anyone have any idea?

 

[sysopkotton]

Does any info on here help anyone that's tech savvy?

This is a Non Standalone connection, it uses 5G New Radio NSA/LTE for a combination, If you want standalone 5G SA you can disable some of those LTE bands and see what your service is like.

 

[lancehardwood1313]

This is a Non Standalone connection, it uses 5G New Radio NSA/LTE for a combination, If you want standalone 5G SA you can disable some of those LTE bands and see what your service is like.

NSA is not unlocked.

 

[sysopkotton]

NSA is not unlocked.

Looks like NSA is unlocked, not SA bands.

 

[EtherealRemnant]

Gotta say... I love that GCF switch... I got a new SIM I'm testing for a carrier called mobileX and it took me less than 30 seconds to re-enable all the bands on both SIMs.

 

[lancehardwood1313]

Must have been a fluke....while in Germany at Munich Airport.... T-Mobile USA sim briefly got 5G NSA.... My German sim however wouldn't connect even though it could see the 5G Network

 

[Frogger4600]

Hi all, quick question! I am considering buying an S23 Ultra international version (S918B/DS). I travel a lot between China and the US, and I'm hoping to use this phone both on China Mobile in China and Verizon in the US, ideally with 5G on both networks. Would the procedure outlined at the beginning of this thread allow this to work on the S918B/DS?

 

[sysopkotton]

Hi all, quick question! I am considering buying an S23 Ultra international version (S918B/DS). I travel a lot between China and the US, and I'm hoping to use this phone both on China Mobile in China and Verizon in the US, ideally with 5G on both networks. Would the procedure outlined at the beginning of this thread allow this to work on the S918B/DS?

Someone in this thread is getting 5G on the s918B/DS after unlocking the bands. That model doesn't have the mmWave hardware.

 

[mjohnson4580]

If there is only one sim in the phone whether its esim or physical sim is it always under sim 1? For instance if you had a physical sim then changed to esim would it still be considered sim 1?

 

[zeroktal]

Someone in this thread is getting 5G on the s918B/DS after unlocking the bands. That model doesn't have the mmWave hardware.

I get 5g, through band 41 here in Las Vegas for sure.
(s-sm918B from spain)

 

[Romeo Nickolas]

If there is only one sim in the phone whether its esim or physical sim is it always under sim 1? For instance if you had a physical sim then changed to esim would it still be considered sim 1?

SIM1
ESIM1

 

[mjohnson4580]

SIM1
ESIM1
View attachment 5891529

Inside the service menu they show up as sim 1 and sim 2