topic Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7 in Galaxy S23

Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:07:50 GMT

Hi All

Im at my wits end after updating my phone to One UI 7 and its driving me up the wall. Contacting Samsung is pointless as they just ask me to reset my settings and didnt solve this issue.

After updating to One UI 7 i am unable to set my network mode anymore. it just says Couldn't change network mode.

Anyone having this same error?

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

GaryB82 — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:12:55 GMT

Some carriers are now restricting their customers from altering the network modes to any option other than 5G.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

realaud — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:21:25 GMT

Contacting Samsung for an issue not in the purview would, of course, be fruitless. The settings for the type of network is a carrier issue. If you have a carrier locked phone, they may have locked you out of the settings. Even in unlocked phone, it's possible they lock the setting. In any case, if the phone is set for 5G, it will still connect to 5G networks where available and other networks when 5G is not. It's automatic. Isn't the whole point of buying a 5G phone to actually *use* the 5G?

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 16:26:32 GMT

Hi Gary

My network doesn't restrict my network selection. I've tried this sim on another phone and I can change the preferred network type.

Thanks!

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 16:28:52 GMT

Hi Realaud

My network doesn't restrict my network selection. I've tried this sim on another phone and I can change the preferred network type.

I'm actually the telco network engineer and I need the network selection to be 4G Preferred at some sites or circumstances thus if this feature isn't available I'm probably gonna change my phone.

Thanks!

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

GaryB82 — Mon, 12 May 2025 16:32:48 GMT

Your Carrier most likely removed those options since that’s the only time I’ve seen it not listed. Was the other phone the exact same model with the same software updates.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

realaud — Mon, 12 May 2025 22:36:21 GMT

Check. With. Your. Carrier. Unless the other phone you put the SIM in was the exact same model running the same Android and UI version, with the same carrier, you can't compare 2 phones. You can switch if you want, but if the carrier is restricting the settings on newer phones, even switching brands is unlikely to help you.
As a telco engineer, your employer should be supplying your device if you need to be able to access those settings for your job.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

usermzeJaY3BsM — Mon, 12 May 2025 22:13:22 GMT

What Realaud and Garyb82 are stating is correct. Many carriers restrict this menu and when you install the sim, it will disable the options. This is typically done for Carrier unlocked devices as carriers want to have clearly defined features for buying through them. Another device may have no configuration for this setting, and did not get this disabled after installing the SIM. If the device asks for a reboot after installing a sim, that is when such things get disabled. Just because it did not disable on a different device, does not mean your sim is not actively trying to disable it. The other device may have been on their device list as a carrier locked device for their network, so no provisioning was done.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

GaryB82 — Mon, 12 May 2025 22:11:14 GMT

Thats what i said

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

usermzeJaY3BsM — Mon, 12 May 2025 22:13:09 GMT

Sorry, added you to the list of people stating this... LOL

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:05:53 GMT

Hi kindly explain why it can be changed in another phone which isn't updated in OneUI 6?

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

GaryB82 — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:09:14 GMT

Consequently, the other phone, which has not been updated, lacks the newly released software that the carrier has removed this option in. Since carriers frequently add and remove features in updates, and recently, they have been eliminating the options to modify cellular modes.

Re: Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

usermzeJaY3BsM — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:11:01 GMT

I did already. I mentioned that the older device may have not had this configuration, or may be a locked device that does not get this change applied. Sorry you missed it in my previous post.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:17:49 GMT

OK to be honest, I am an engineer working for the carrier sim card inside this phone. There isn't any provisioning or carrier restrictions done on our sim cards whatsoever for our customers. Thus users can choose what they want networks or preferred network types on their phones to connect to on their devices. I have another S23 Ultra which is on One UI 6 which is able to change this exact settings. It cannot be changed when it's upgraded to One UI 7.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:32:24 GMT

I had tried on another phone with OneUI 7 and Galaxy S23 Ultra. It can be changed. So is there a bug on the software side that needs to be addressed?

Re: Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:33:22 GMT

I tried it in a S23 Ultra with OneUI 7 and it can be changed. Thus I still conclude there is a bug in the software of S23U for OneUI 7

Re: Re: Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

usermzeJaY3BsM — Tue, 13 May 2025 00:03:31 GMT

That's fine. Whatever absurd logic you want to use to prevent from understanding the truth is fine by me.

Re: Re: Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Tue, 13 May 2025 00:29:44 GMT

Relax. Dude. It's just a question. And I'm posting here just to see if there is a other user who have the same issue as me. Not to ignore your logic or truth. I had tried putting my sim card in my partner's phone who is also S23 Ultra. Running OneUI 7. Not sure why that phone can change the network mode. So I'm very puzzled why my phone cannot change. It's the same hardware with the same software. Thus in theory it should work.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

jianweit — Tue, 13 May 2025 00:47:40 GMT

It's ok. I'll do a factory reset on my device and see if it can work again. If it works again probably it's due to some misconfiguration somewhere.

Re: Network Mode unable to be set to others other then "5G" in OneUI 7

usermzeJaY3BsM — Tue, 13 May 2025 02:19:38 GMT

Your phone is factory unlocked, your partners is not. Do you understand now that I have given you a scenario that explains it 3 times. There is nothing anyone here can do for you and factory resetting it, while still on the same carrier is pointless.