Switching to a 3G phone

[zsak]

My iPhone was using 4G, but it broke. I don't want a new phone. I have two older Samsung phones that are not 4G capable. I don't use Data, don't beed data, don't care about data speeds, don't need 4G etc. Do I need a special or different account from the one i have in order to use a 3G phone?

Thanks

[dust2dust]

My 2 year old Samsung has actual FM radio too so they're not all gone. You just need headphones to act as the antenna. And of course an 1/8" jack which are also disappearing.
adb is a command line interface to talk to Android.

Sent you a pm.

[zsak]

I've repaired a couple of old iPhones that had been hacked and i may go that route with Galaxy 2, but it's not my first choice. Don't know anything about adb.

I've been trying charge the other Samsung for about a week. This morning I plugged it into another charger and it came to life about an hour ago. I didn't think it would. I'm not that fond of it. It's bigger and definitely heavier than the iPhone 8, but the battery is still user replaceable. I was leaning toward the Galaxy because I think it was the last phone ever that had an off-the-air radio receiver in it. In fact there was software to record off-air. I was working a perpetual night shift and there was no Wi-Fi or streaming in the hangar, but I could listen to the radio while I worked.

The other Samsung is a 4G capable SGH-T989D with Android 4.1.2. It doesn't have a SIM in it. When it's charged, I'll slip the PM SIM in it and see what happens. (Now it's time for my weekly radio club meeting on 6 meter HF. If you have an HF rig, my callsign is VA3VRA)

Cheers

[dust2dust]

While I was looking around I saw mentions of installing different firmware. Have you ever done that sort of thing? That would get rid of the logo and sound. Or how about using adb? And what's the deal with the other phone you mentioned?

I also found this possibility for the sound anyway.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/heres-how-to-disable-the-start-up-and-shut-down-sounds.731806/

Adding - it's odd and unfortunate that it only found Rogers. That kind of points to 2G but you said that's not checked.

[zsak]

"Use only 2G" is NOT checked, but thanks for reminding me 'cause I never thought of that.

When I search for networks, it only finds Rogers - I'm about 1/2 mile from the tower from which I connect with PM and get 4 bars with my iPhone and that's with no SIM  in the phone. Supposedly, with no SIM it would list all the networks that it can so that you could get a SIM for a network that is within range. But then again, that might be way too logical. If it didn't offer to connect to PM with a PM SIM in the phone it makes sense that it doesn't offer PM when there is no PM SIM in the phone.

BTW one of the reasons that I want to get away from Koodo is the stupid "bing-bong" (and logo) that you can't turn off. So if that is going to persist even after I get PM going, I may as well stop right now

Thank for all that you've done! I think I'll just forget the whole thing. When th iPhone quits I'll do withouta cell phone. I hear there's life after cell phones

Cheers

[dust2dust]

I wouldn't focus on the logo and all coming up. It's just the firmware branding. It doesn't mean locked. It's just that Koodo was the originator of the phone. I think one of my old phones had a Telus logo or something. I see that today still with flip phones. A brand logo shows up.

Don't futz with the sims and accounts. You know you have working sims and working accounts (I think you have mentioned two accounts 🙂 ).

This is the phone. Have you been down in to settings, wireless & networks, mobile networks - uncheck use only 2G. And while you're there see what you get with going in to Network.
But this might be all old news to you and completely obvious.

Adding - Did you ever find the full model number of the other Samsung phone you have. That S5830D might actually be problematic. How completely certain are you that you used it here? How long ago? I'm doubting it now. So how about that other phone?

Adding again - no that doesn't make sense. It's Koodo branded.

[zsak]

Done that at least a dozen times. A few minutes ago I also did a "Reset to factory settings" and "Wipe cache." That deleted all my data which I don't care about anyway, but there's no change.  It still starts up with a Koodo "bing-bong" and a Koodo logo regardless of whether I have a SIM in it or not, whether it's the old Koodo SIM, or an old Rogers SIM or the PM SIM that works in my iPhone. I wonder what would happen if I bought a brand new PM SIM and tried to register it to a new account? Then if it works, I could port my number to the new account thereby cancelling the account that I now have. I bet if I then put the new SIM into the iPhone, it wouldn't work and it would say "Unregistered SIM" ... because Telus, Koodo and PM SIMS and phones are NOT compatible

[dust2dust]

Ok good. I just thought it had to be ruled out.

Maybe shut down and remove the sim and restart. Then shut down and insert sim and restart. Maybe.??

[zsak]

I just did (another) check and it says: Your device HAS NOT been reported lost or stolen and is not currently on the national blacklist

[dust2dust]

I haven't used it in a while since I put a couple stolen phones on the blacklist. So you don't see any mention of being blacklisted or stolen or whatever?

This page:

https://www.devicecheck.ca/check-status-device-canada/

[zsak]

Thanks! I'll give it a try. It's only been two weeks that I've been trying to get this to work...

[zsak]

Devicechek shows a Koodo phone and the proper make & model

[dust2dust]

Have a look at devicecheck.ca to rule that out. Any locked phone from Telus or Koodo or Public will work with all of them.

[Handy1]

@zsak  That’s strange as Koodo PM are all Telus . So if it works on one carrier it should in all 3 . Maybe get support to investigate 

message support directly
       

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[zsak]

That's my intention, to stay with PM using the older Samsung phone. However, when I put the PM SIM in the Samsung it prompted me for an unlock code. I got an unlock code from Koodo and entered it. The phone no longer prompts me for an unlock code, but it still fires up the same as before, locked to Koodo... with the PM SIM in it which now says "Unregistered SIM" even though it still works fine in the iPhone 8

[zsak]

Well, just transferring the PM SIM from the iPhone 8 to the Samsung didn't do anything except prompt me for an unlock code. I got and unlock code from Koodo and entered it when prompted. Now the phone still fires up with the Koodo "bing-bong" sound and logo. The unlock clearly didn't happen, but also, it doesn't prompt me for an unlock code any more so something must have happened. It also says "Unregistered SIM" with the otherwise working PM SIM in it - the SIM still works in the iPhone 8. So how do I get it to prompt me for an unlock code so that I can unlock it again?

[zsak]

Got it. That's what I meant

[dust2dust]

---

@zsak wrote:

In either case, I'll have my number ported to the Samsung phone.

---

Just for being picky, numbers are ported from account to account/ sim to sim. The phone is just the transmitting device.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @zsak 

if the phone is locked to Koodo, you don't hane to do anything.  PM sim can be used on a locked Koodo phone because PM and Koodo are both part of Telus

So, locked to Koodo would not be a reason to the problem 

[Handy1]

@zsak  Ok .well that would have been an issue . But once’s your finally set up with PM I think you find there’s no reason to go back to Koodo 🙂

[zsak]

I'm good now. It turns out that the SIM's in both of the old Samsung phones are Koodo and both phones are locked to Koodo. I'll get one of 'em locked, probably the Galaxy Ace because it's smaller and had an FM receiver built in, and then I'll get new PM SIM and account so that existing account isn't disrupted while I see if the new one works OK. If it does, I'll stay with PM. If it doesn't I'll keep the phone locked to Koodo and activate a new Koodo account. In either case, I'll have my number ported to the Samsung phone.

I consider this topic closed now

Thank you to everyone who responded

Cheers!

[Handy1]

@zsak  Well friend I’m feeling awful thirsty 😉

[zsak]

Luckily both Samsungs have user removable/replaceable batteries and they're still available, unlike our iPhone batteries which are not as easy, although I've replaced them myself using IFIXIT tools and guides. (I fix iPhones and iMacs for friends and people who are nice to me.  nice=a bottle of Johnny Walker Black)

[Handy1]

@zsak  Ahh yes well that could be problematic 

[zsak]

...ummmmm That's only true when there's a battery with some charge left in it or if the charger will power it when there's a duff battery or no battery in the phone

Cheers

[Handy1]

@zsak  In your phone settings there should be a option for “about” this will tell you the model and it’s specs 

[zsak]

I've already removed it from my Apple Devices in Apple ID.

One of them is a Galaxy Ace GT-5830D (or GT-S830D?) and the other is a newer one, but its battery is flat. I like the older on because it's smaller and it has a built-in FM receiver.  I'll see if the Ace will work and if not, I'll try the newer one... don't remember the model)

[dust2dust]

But there's also the device attached to an Apple ID iirc.

What are the models of the Samsungs? Like full SM-...

[zsak]

I've already disable or disconnected everything that's automatic - no notifications, no SIRI, no location services, no pineapples, no bacon bits, no onion rings etc. I'm trying to ditch Apple and have these two Samsung phones

[Handy1]

@zsak  Gotcha . Wasn’t sure what plan you were on and that’s the most minimalist plan PM offers . Just wanted to share in case you were not already aware 

[dust2dust]

If you're in areas of MB then you might have problems with an old 3G UMTS phone. 3G is also on a sunset path allegedly planned for shutdown the end of '25. But this may very well get extended. Watch that Apple ID and your imessages. I think you need to turn it off or disconnect or something for what is now your broken phone when moving to Android. But I'm not an Apple guy.

Adding - and you used an Apple product in that meantime? 🙂