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

[jcsww]

Thanks for the answer! Here are the screenshots from both Netmonster and Cellular Pro. No signs of 5G networks...
And a question to all members: Anybody who managed to get this working somewhere in Europe?

Sometimes bands can be restricted through carrier profiles for roaming only. Have you tried removing the carrier aggregation and any other carrier restrictions to see if that works?

 

[kornelme]

Sometimes bands can be restricted through carrier profiles for roaming only. Have you tried removing the carrier aggregation and any other carrier restrictions to see if that works?

Thanks for the hint! No, I didn't try this. Where can I remove these? For CA i guess this is the place:

 

[SoNic67]

Samsung phones, when a new SIM is inserted, re-flashes the CSC firmware with a new one, that matches whatever the SIM carrier requires. If there is no requirement, then the unlocked phones flash the XAA CSC.
That firmware flash rewrites the bands selection, and possible adds many other limitations, like disabling the *#INFO* dial code.

 

[dDesuKb]

Samsung phones, when a new SIM is inserted, re-flashes the CSC firmware with a new one, that matches whatever the SIM carrier requires. If there is no requirement, then the unlocked phones flash the XAA CSC.
That firmware flash rewrites the bands selection, and possible adds many other limitations, like disabling the *#INFO* dial code.

You can still bring up the info service menu via shortcuts. Hell the full service mode is still there and still listed. Doesn't open due to lack of permissions of course.

 

[kornelme]

Samsung phones, when a new SIM is inserted, re-flashes the CSC firmware with a new one, that matches whatever the SIM carrier requires. If there is no requirement, then the unlocked phones flash the XAA CSC.
That firmware flash rewrites the bands selection, and possible adds many other limitations, like disabling the *#INFO* dial code.

Thank for the reply! I'm not sure if I understand the effect of this. Does this mean that what I see in the service menu under band configuration are not the effective settings?or it only means that they could have applied some addictional restrictions? But why would they restrict any phone using their service?

 

[SoNic67]

But why would they restrict any phone using their service?

They restrict the usage because.. they want to control how devices behave in their network. They want to be able to do network load management, not let users mess with the bands.
Also, when Samsung flashes a specific CSC radio, some bands, that are not in use by that provider, get turned off. That saves power and possibly improves network connectivity.
My factory unlocked U1 version has multiple CSC in the firmware that can be automatically applied.

Change CSC on Samsung Devices – Samsung CSC Codes - DroidViews

Samsung firmware has usually 4 or 5 binaries or components including BL or Bootloader, AP or PDA, CP or Phone, and CSC (CSC and Home_CSC). In some cases, you may also need the PIT or Partition Information Table file. In this article, we'll focus on Samsung CSC and Samsung CSC codes only...

www.droidviews.com

Those are my educated guesses, the providers can have their own reasons. And if we don't like it, we can choose a different provider...

 

[SoNic67]

You can still bring up the info service menu via shortcuts. Hell the full service mode is still there and still listed. Doesn't open due to lack of permissions of course.

Not with Verizon/Tracfone SIM in the phone, or at least I can't on mine. That SIM flashes a specific CSC and that blocks the service menu display.

 

[dDesuKb]

Not with Verizon/Tracfone SIM in the phone, or at least I can't on mine. That SIM flashes a specific CSC and that blocks the service menu display.

Ah.

Can do with XNZ hence my mention.

 

[lancehardwood1313]

Currently in Frankfurt Germany with a US unlocked Galaxy S23 Ultra. I'm thinking Samsung puts a 5G geolock to North America. My phone can read the 5G Networks in Germany but won't connect.

 

[jcsww]

Currently in Frankfurt Germany with a US unlocked Galaxy S23 Ultra. I'm thinking Samsung puts a 5G geolock to North America. My phone can read the 5G Networks in Germany but won't connect.

Personally, I am going to guess that it is the carrier blocking 5G access from an international device. Canadian carriers do this with a lot of models outside of North America.

 

[lancehardwood1313]

Currently in Frankfurt Germany with a US unlocked Galaxy S23 Ultra. I'm thinking Samsung puts a 5G geolock to North America. My phone can read the 5G Networks in Germany but won't connect.

In Canada the

Personally, I am going to guess that it is the carrier blocking 5G access from an international device. Canadian carriers do this with a lot of models outside of North America.

Then why is my US iphone with a German sim card getting 5G?

 

[jcsww]

In Canada the

Then why is my US iphone with a German sim card getting 5G?

Potentially different carrier than the other person? Germany and Europe have a bunch of different carriers.

 

[SoNic67]

The carriers have lists of "compatible" devices, based on IEMI.
Samsung phones sold in US have bands that are different than Samsung sold in EU.
iPhones have the same bands.
I don't know, I'm just saying that there can be technical reasons why 5G is declined by other countries/carriers. Some require certification for specific models, depending on the bands they have allocated for 5G.
The 5G setting DCNR_RESTRICTION true/false, is pushed in the phone by the carrier. It needs to be FALSE to get 5G.
You can check it with*#0011# (if is not blocked by SIM).

 

[lancehardwood1313]

The carriers have lists of "compatible" devices, based on IEMI.
Samsung phones sold in US have bands that are different than Samsung sold in EU.
iPhones have the same bands.
I don't know, I'm just saying that there can be technical reasons why 5G is declined by other countries/carriers. Some require certification for specific models, depending on the bands they have allocated for 5G.
The 5G setting DCNR_RESTRICTION true/false, is pushed in the phone by the carrier. It needs to be FALSE to get 5G.
You can check it with*#0011# (if is not blocked by SIM).

I'm now in Italy on Tim....same problem....the restriction is set to false.

 

[Veestaai]

Does enabling all bands have any side effects like reduced battery life?

 

[kornelme]

They restrict the usage because.. they want to control how devices behave in their network. They want to be able to do network load management, not let users mess with the bands.
Also, when Samsung flashes a specific CSC radio, some bands, that are not in use by that provider, get turned off. That saves power and possibly improves network connectivity.
My factory unlocked U1 version has multiple CSC in the firmware that can be automatically applied.

Change CSC on Samsung Devices – Samsung CSC Codes - DroidViews

Samsung firmware has usually 4 or 5 binaries or components including BL or Bootloader, AP or PDA, CP or Phone, and CSC (CSC and Home_CSC). In some cases, you may also need the PIT or Partition Information Table file. In this article, we'll focus on Samsung CSC and Samsung CSC codes only...

www.droidviews.com

Those are my educated guesses, the providers can have their own reasons. And if we don't like it, we can choose a different provider...

thanks!I have checked the article. So in theory I could apply my country/provider specific CSC to my phone which could resolve the issue? Or even if I do it IMEI blocking will stay in effect as this is done on the provider side?

 

[SoNic67]

thanks!I have checked the article. So in theory I could apply my country/provider specific CSC to my phone which could resolve the issue? Or even if I do it IMEI blocking will stay in effect as this is done on the provider side?

A while back I flashed the U version of firmware over a branded version and it worked. Even got the U updates.
But they were both for the Snapdragon variant of Galaxy S.
I think that if the specific country had shipped Exynos variants and you have a Snapdragon, it would not work to swap CSC firmware. I don't know...

 

[kornelme]

Anybody in Europe with a phone bought in US who got this working? I did all described changes and tried many other things as well but still no 5G. Even on Netmonster I see no signs of 5G.

 

[badmaan]

Did anyone tried to unlock secret menu on S918B/DS ?

 

[SammyTRK]

How do I revert the changes if I need to after doing this?