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Tonyhs3mini's profile

Tutor

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6 Messages

Saturday, January 27th, 2018 9:57 PM

unlocked phone unable to turn on mobile hotspot

can't turn on hotspot after unlocking Samsung s iii mini from at&t and going to t-mobile.

Get message that mobile data is not available or invalid sim.

Did a device backup and a "reset only" and problem still exists.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

6 years ago

The hotspot function on ATT branded phones will only work on ATT. Sorry but the hotspot won’t work on T-Mobile, only on ATT.

Tutor

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6 Messages

6 years ago

What makes a Samsung phone purchased through at&t, an at&t branded phone? Why does everything else work except for hotspot? Is hotspot being locked by at&t? If so, how can I get it unlocked or back to a stock Samsung phone?

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

6 years ago

You have ATT’s version of the Android operating system which includes the code for hotspot. Short of hacking your phone to replace that with a generic Android release, I’m pretty sure there is nothing you can do.

Tutor

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6 Messages

6 years ago

Hmm...Interesting that all other features of the phone get unlocked except for hotspot. Looks like I need to flash the phone back to stock and go from there.

Thanks

Contributor

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1 Message

6 years ago

Did flashing the phone back to stock work?

Tutor

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6 Messages

6 years ago

I never ended up refreshing the phone because the only place I could find that supposedly will do it, was the Best Buy in Dartmouth Ma.  This is one reason I will refrain from ever using AT&T or Samsung again.

Contributor

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2 Messages

5 years ago

I downloaded Settings Database Editor from the appstore (free). I promise this isn't a shill for that app. SQLite editors work too, but they cost money and they require root permission, neither of which did I use for this.

Change the setting called tether_entitlement_check_state from the default (5) to 0. Some people said -1 worked too.

This may be all that needs to be done normally. However, for me the hotspot worked, but nothing had internet access when connected save the v20 itself. I went to settings -> networks ->more and disabled the Enhanced LTE services. For whatever reason, that setting was screwing up with with hotspot. I also did a speed test and the speeds for with and without the enhanced LTE services were about the same (80mb/6mb), so no worries there.

Contributor

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1 Message

5 years ago

I just tried @fire7729's suggestion. I had the same issue with an LG G3 phone. I had a previous unlocked LG G3 T-Mobile phone that had no issue with hotspotting (using Cricket service). I dropped my phone, it broke, I bought a new LG G3 to replace it. However the new one was an unlocked AT&T phone.

 

I downloaded Settings Database Editor from Google Play. Changed one setting, tether_entitlement_check_state (from "5" to "0"). Everything worked after that! I tested my network, my phone, my texting. All good. And hotspot works great. Thanks, @fire7729!

Contributor

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1 Message

5 years ago

There doesn't actually seem to be an option called "tether_entitlement_check_state" anywhere on the menu.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

5 years ago

That trick only works on LG.

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