Buying Galaxy S9 direct from Samsung-Unlocked or Locked to AT&T?

You lose all enhanced LTE features if you buy the phone unlocked

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@tsberry901 wrote:

Take your old phone to an AT&T service center. They will give you a new (smaller) sim card for free. Make SURE the sime card and phone IMEI are registered properly. Don't walk out of the store unless your new phone's data connection says LTE. (Assuming they have it in your service area.) You'll be quite happy with the Samsung branded phone, as you will not have the bloatware and pretty much everything that is missing can be downloaded from the Play Store (as another app), if desired. If you do international traveling, the unlocked phone with dual sim capability will be a real benefit.

 

Tom

West Palm Bch

 

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ATT charges 5 bucks for a sim card now just a FYI.  And the us version of the s9 is single sim not dual sim.

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@jaeger26 wrote:
Which are?

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@jaeger26

wifi calling video calling hd voice numbersync advance messaging.....

@It_1990 

🙄.  Seriously?

Carrier versions contain carrier paid for software and are prepacked with their software, SIM card and often custom box and accessories.  

In other words, you pay more, you get more.  It’s kind of what a capitalist economy is built on. 

The carrier software includes what is needed to operate on ATT Wifi calling and other advanced calling features.  

What sources for what information?  

You can't compare apple to Android devices.. apples os is closed Android is open source.  All iphones sold in the USA get the same features on any carrier that is apples doing.  Samsung does not command the respect of the carriers like apple.  Samsung can keep the s9 series...  I'm not impressed.  They did not change enough stuff to command the price increase they did.  S9 active might be worth it since it does not have the stupid curved sides...  It is what it is these days.

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@It_1990 wrote:

"The carrier software includes what is needed to operate on ATT Wifi calling and other advanced calling features. " 

 

Thanks lizdance40. You're right. So how does Apple offer pretty much the same carrier features (minus carrier software) for the same price (as the regular unlocked iphone) but not Samsung? Is it possible that regular non carrier iphones also don't have VOLTE and some of advanced calling feature that you indicated? Guess I'll have to live without those features with my new GS9+.

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An iPhone is an iPhone is an iPhone....   There is no custom ATT, Sprint, Verizon or T-mo software, no custom boxes, no custom contents.  Apple does not compromise, they don’t update through carriers, no carrier logo on the device or boot screen, and they don’t bow to carriers.   An iPhone can move to another carrier and will still get Wifi calling, messenger app will still work perfectly.  

    If you don’t need those features, great.  You can buy the lower cost phone.  

BTW, you also don’t get ATT warranty support if the device is faulty.  You have to ship to Samsung and they don’t provide loaners or replacements before you ship it back.  

It's so they can show you $500 for trade in/switching carriers.

Seems like they figured just because one does it, then it's ok for us to as well.

Only when the gas station across the street drops their prices a penny or 2 the other will follow suit.

I personally don't see a good reason to buy att vs samsung.  Think samsung also has payment plans.

As someone said, replacement of defective phone best reason for someone that doesn't have a backup.

I only have 160 owed on Next plan on my current phone(s7 active).  So, I might trade it in to samsung instead for $300 value vs att payoff only.  Which is +$230 difference in price.  Unless att loyalty gives me a good reason to stay, I might just take my new s9+ and business elsewhere...along with the other 4 paid off phone lines on my account.

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@It_1990 wrote:

 

 

From GLIMMERMAN76: "Samsung does not command the respect of the carriers like apple.  Samsung can keep the s9 series...  I'm not impressed."

 

You mean Samsung doesn't command the premium price that Apple does.  To each his own. I'll use my unlocked ATT Note 5 as back-up to my US unlocked GS9+. Thanks for insight.

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You must not post here often. @GLIMMERMAN76 is no fan of Apple, he regularly refers to iPhones as “crapple devices”, so any positive remark toward Apple is a major concession. You can be assured his opinion on the S9 is not due to being an Apple disciple.

No my insight on the s9 are from hands on experience.  Now in @lizdance40 case upgrading was a no brainier since she got the phone for over half off.  Look at it this way why does a Android phone need 6gb of ram but apple can give a better software experience with a third of that?  As a Android and apple dev that is the most infuriating thing with Android.  I actually am using a iPhone x as my dialy driver because I like apple watch not the phone.  Apple has tons of downfall as does Samsung.  But Samsung wearables and Android wearable at this point can't compete with apple watch.  Govee apple watch that will work on Android and life would be great.