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Samsung SM-T707A Firmware Update Availability Through AT&T Servers
I performed a factory reset on a Samsung Galaxy Tab SM-T707A which is now only being used as a WIFI device. The plan was to run firmware upgrades after that, but I am getting a message the device is already on the latest firmware version which is the stock firmware now.
I thought those updates could be obtained from Samsung as well, but it looks like they are only available from AT&T. Do I have to be an AT&T subscriber to be able to receive firmware updates for my device? I have switched to another carrier, so I am not with AT&T anymore.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
7 years ago
@celsoglima
yelp the only way to get updates from ATT is over the air. And you have to be a customer to do it... But if you take the tablet into a samsung experience center inside a best buy they can flash it for you.
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celsoglima
Tutor
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9 Messages
7 years ago
Would you guys know if the requirement of being an active customer also applies to the models of that same tablet available through other carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc?
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
7 years ago
@celsoglima
its hit or miss... Some carriers allow updating thru smartswitch or kies 3
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celsoglima
Tutor
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9 Messages
7 years ago
I went to a local Best Buy in my area (South MS) and was told by the store manager they don't have a Samsung Experience shop anymore. According to that manager, Samsung has been pulling all Samsung Experience Shops out of Best Buy. The few that are still out there will be unavailable pretty soon.
I got back with Samsung customer service folks who did not know anything about that. At least in my area, I know I will not be able to get any help from Best Buy.
Could anybody in the forum tell me if Marshmallow has been officially released for this tablet SM707A? I believe the last major update was Lollipop, but the Samsung site has references to Marshmallow which the Samsung customer service rep denied and stated it was mistake on the site. 😉
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InFurry8
Contributor
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1 Message
7 years ago
Had the same issue. All I did was get a 250mb 24hr pre-paid package for $5. Mine came with an at&t sim installed If you don't have on, youll need to get one. Create and account and sign up. https://www.att.com/GoPhoneWeb/goPhoneLanding.do?method=activatePayGo I had to shut off wireless and browse via att service for a couple of minutes before it let me upgrage. Turn wireless back on, as it is not delivered over the air. I had to go from 4.4.2 to 5 to 6.0.1 I reset inbetween upgrades and repeated the process for good measure. Good luck!
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necro17
Contributor
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1 Message
6 years ago
Not to necro an old thread, but I followed a different process with the same result as InFurry8.
I got a SM-T707A as a gift a couple of years ago. I have only used it on wi-fi. I have never been a customer of AT&T, even though it came with an AT&T sim already installed. The tablet originally had Android 4.4.2. I had checked Software Updates periodically to see if there were any Android updates available from AT&T, and it always said I had the latest version available. Samsung's Kies and Smart Switch tools said the same thing. Now, that's obviously not true, because it's public knowledge that Samsung has updates to v6 available for non carrier entangled models, and AT&T has updates to v6 for their model.
I assumed the reason was, as GLIMMERMAN76 said, that you had to be an AT&T customer to get access to their OTA updates. So I embarked on the process outlined by InFurry8. Went to GoPhone, put in my SIM card number, got it correctly identified as a tablet, was offered one of three tablet plans (which, by the way, were all monthly and the cheapest of which was $25), was given a temp password and was sent off to fund the account with the temp password. That's where it went off the rails. AT&T would not allow me to log in with the password they had just issued me. After the website told me I had to wait an hour to try again, I made a phone call to tech support.
The guy on the phone was unable to fix the login problem. In addition, he suggested that it was possible that there were no updates available for this tablet, even though the update to v6 is on the AT&T website, or that this tablet was not updateable, regardless of the model number. Having reached the limit of anything he could do, his solution was to connect me with Samsung tech support. The guy at Samsung didn't want to try to diagnose why AT&T wouldn't update this device. His answer: go to the Samsung Experience Center at a local Best Buy. Even gave me the phone number and said to ask for a "Software Reflash". He said that would install the latest Android available for this model.
So, I called Best Buy and confirmed that there was "a guy" who could do the reflash, that I didn't need an appointment and that "the guy" would be there between 12pm and 8pm. Next day, took a trip to Best Buy during his working hours only to find that "the guy", the one guy who could do it, had taken off for a long weekend without telling the store manager. Which he can do, because he works for Samsung and not Best Buy. Great. Is it any wonder why Apple and Amazon are eating everyone's lunch?
So, back home, thinking about what to do, I thought it might be worth trying to make the tablet more anonymous by removing the SIM card. I could not believe it when I checked Software Updates and it started downloading an update. It was a small one, ~36MB, and after rebooting, Android was on the same version. Checked Software Updates again, it said I was on the latest version and told me I could check again in 24 hours. Moved the Date and time up a day, and checked again. Whoo hoo, it found another update and started downloading over a gigabyte file. I knew by it's size that it was Android, and it was. When it was done I had Marshmallow. Checked Software Updates again, and again it said I was on the latest version and could check again in 24 hours. Pushed the date and time up another day, checked again and this time it found a ~136MB update. After that was installed, did the whole thing again and finally downloaded and installed Android v6!
So, lessons learned: You do NOT have to be an AT&T customer to get OTA updates. But maybe, if they think you are (SIM card), you have to be paying them money; Never buy a device tied to a carrier; I have a vanilla Android Nexus phone, and I'm here to tell you EVERYTHING added to Android by Samsung and AT&T makes it uglier, stupider and more bloated, and you can't remove it. Good luck, and I hope this helps someone.
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