Fold not transferable between networks.

[campwilde]

Good Morning; 

I purchased my Z-fold and Galaxy6 cellular watch in Nov.27, 2023 through AT&T. By the end January I could not get them to correct the billing for service and switched to Verizon for my cellular service. I paid the bill in full for My phone, watch, service and the wife’s phone.They unlocked the phones and watch and Verizon started the service on all three transferred devices, I spent over 30 hours working with Verizon in person, AT&T, uBreakIFix by Asurion (per Samsung), and 3-5hours+ on the phone with Samsung Tech’s. and Verizon techs. The watch and phones all worked correctly on AT&T network. The watch sim was loaded over 5 different time and will not connect to the Verizon cellular network at all, only connects to the phone. The phone call messaging does not show up. To retrieve suspected messages I must call the system to see if any exist and push 1 to listen, 7 to erase and call back to re listen, similar to the 90’s and 2000’s. There is no internet connection available in the software for using in reduced cell service areas (WIFi calling). I was instructed to take it to uBreakIFix by Samsung Tech support. They found no way to turn on the wifi calling as it didn’t exist in the AT&T software. He said he believes it is always turned on on the AT&T network. He removed the AT&T software on the phone and tried loading the Verizon software several time but it would not load on the phone. After reloading the AT&T software and testing he found it still did not work correctly so he repeated his steps of deleting and installing the Verizon software but to no avail. He said he didn’t know why it would not load the new software and could see the phone was not working correctly but did not know why. Both Verizon and uBreakIFix have bent over backwards to correct the situation and all you came up with is since your person (uBreakIFix) couldn’t find whats wrong with it its not your problem even though they said its not working correctly. Meanwhile I spent $2500 on a phone and watch that has never worked correctly since leaving AT&T 2 months after buying your equipment. You claim there is no difference between your phones and watches used on the different networks but yet the software will not load for the appropriate networks.

Ray C. Wilde

[LongHiker]

@campwilde Sorry that you have had all of this trouble. 

As a long time Fold and AT&T user I can tell you that the option to enable/disable Wifi calling is certainly an option if you are using an unlocked (U1) device. I guess it is possible that they block the setting on carrier (U) devices but seems unlikely. 

I've never used LTE on a watch, but I can tell you that the watch's LTE connection is typically due to the carrier configuration. I think trying to move a watch from one carrier to another increases the complexity. 

[campwilde]

Hi LongHiker;

These phones I was told by Samsung that they are transferable/compatible from one network to another. They also said the software was the same on the units which it turns out they are not. My expectations are that they work as advertised. Even the insurance on the phones and watch say its a manufacturing issue and not covered.

Ray

[LongHiker]

The phones work on multiple networks/carriers.

On carrier devices, each carrier has their own custom firmware.

If you buy insurance from a carrier it is completely controlled by that carrier.

[campwilde]

Perhaps so but the phone will not accept another carriers firmware and that is loaded per Samsung and not the carriers

[LongHiker]

If the original carrier unlocks the phone, the new carrier can install their firmware on the phone.

[campwilde]

They unlocked it as it would not work at all on another network if they did not.

[campwilde]

I do appreciate your input, they did try several times to put the Verizon software on it but it would not accept it, all the while fixmyphone said something is wrong with the phone as it should have excepted it. Samsung said since they found nothing wrong with the phone other than it not working it was not their problem.

[AlPlayPal]

I had a similar issue when switching my fold 3 from Tmobile to ATT. Each carrier has different versions of firmware and supposedly once you unlock and switch your Sim card over it is supposed to prompt a reset and switch you to that carriers version. From experience this doesn't always happen, and can get stuck on your previous providers software profile. Go to the device information -> software information and look for service provider software version and look at the last 3 letters. It its ATT the your device is still attempting to connect to incorrect 4g/5g bands. You are looking for it to say VZW. I recall having to fix this myself but in theory you should be able to show the service provider discrepancy to a samsung technician and ask them to use Odin to flash software with correct CSC (VZM). Know this is a Lil old but I know how frustrating it is to hear everything will just align itself / work and it simply doesn't. Again flashing software is involved and unless your comfortable with software tinkering I'd say make a technician take that leap.

[campwilde]

I do appreciate your input, they did try several times to put the Verizon software on it but it would not accept it, all the while fixmyphone said something is wrong with the phone as it should have excepted it. Samsung said since they found nothing wrong with the phone other than it not working it was not their problem.