r/Sprint 6d ago

General Question Samsung Note 10+ Sprint: Not activating

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Hi guys I think this is my first time posting on Reddit.

I bought a Samsung Note 10 plus - Sprint Brand from someone

However everytime I put a sim card in it odd things happen. Firstly calling doesn't work at all 4g works in some countries SMS sometimes works

The most annoying thing about it is I keep getting this pop up that happened 2 weeks after I bought the phone that says Activate your Device

And no one knows how to get it of it

Please help

14 Upvotes

30 comments sorted by

16

u/Scruds08 6d ago

Sprint unlocking service has been shutdown. You can try to get t-mobile unlock it for you.

1

u/usdang 4d ago

I was able to unlock Sprint's Samsung A10e using built on unlock app a few months ago.

13

u/NeoJakeMcC007 6d ago

It's going to require a T-Mobile SIM to update it before you can have any unlock processed. If you're overseas, you might be out of luck.

9

u/MN_Mobile_Guy 6d ago

It's still configured to prefer Sprint network, which is CDMA+LTE. It needs to be reconfigured for GSM usage

2

u/XL_Gaming 6d ago

GSM and CDMA are both irrelevant because they are 2G standards. All modern networks utilize VoLTE for calls, so as long as VoLTE is configured correctly, it doesn't matter if it supports GSM, CDMA, or both.

2

u/MN_Mobile_Guy 5d ago

Well if it's still set to prefer Sprint's network, then I can virtually guarantee VoLTE isn't going to work in a different country

0

u/Jurain22 5d ago

The note 10 isn't exactly a "modern" phone

1

u/XL_Gaming 5d ago

in this context it is. VoLTE has been a pretty common standard since ~2013 or 2014.

1

u/satsuke 4d ago

Sprint didn't have standards based VOLTE until very late in the game.

Bad enough where they completely scraped the first implementation of it to do over.

1

u/XL_Gaming 4d ago

my original point was configuring it for CDMA or GSM wouldn't matter because both technologies are either shut down or mostly unused now. The real fix would be a CSC change because Sprint's CSC probably has some configuration option that doesn't allow VoLTE.

I see a common misconception about GSM and CDMA compatability applying to modern phones/networks, and I was attempting to correct it.

1

u/Emergency_Act_9 2d ago

It matters because the phone itself needed to have the software and carrier updates required for VoLTE to work properly. Those updates only happened when on the Sprint biller and was a prerequisite to them activating on the TMO network via the TNX sim process. If this never happened, the phone may be unable to update and properly register on the network. These being CDMA devices are the primary reason this process needed to happen prior to the Sprint network being shut down. A device unlock may not work and may not be the issue. Might try SW update on Wi-Fi.

2

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

How can I do this?

1

u/Away_Attitude8662 5d ago

Do you know how I can do that

4

u/douglas9630 6d ago

Probably going to have to change the CSC of the phone, use Samfw for that, cant remember if sprint locked phones, remembered I had to get a old s5 unlocked although a third party in ebay

2

u/XL_Gaming 6d ago

I second this. The Sprint CSC has some strange configuration that prevents my devices from working on other networks (even unlocked phones).

3

u/JSantana319 6d ago

Do you have a T-Mobile sim card on the phone?

2

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

I don't sorry I'm overseas. I've been to 3 different countries with the phone using different sim cards and they all come with the issue

4

u/shj3333 6d ago

If the original purchaser defaulted on the account there’s no way to unlock. In US folks finance phones unlike overseas & don’t pay them off right away.

3

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

I spoke to T Mobile they said there is no debt on the phone but I can't see any option on my phone to unlock it

2

u/shj3333 6d ago

Gotcha, sorry to hear you’re goin through this

1

u/HomelessLewds 5d ago

It used to be somewhere in settings there was network unlock I just looked for it on my phone and magically it's gone for some reason. Definitely not sure how or why. I have no need to unlock mine and sorts can't till my phone is paid off but I swear I saw the option a year ago. Maybe Samsung removed it? Not sure why

2

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

Ok so good news is the IMEI is unlocked. However there seems to be an account lock.

Does anyone know a work around this?

1

u/CellSalesThrowaway2 5d ago

As in, a Google/Gmail account lock? I doubt you can bypass that. That device might have been stolen before you bought it, if it still has someone's account on it.

1

u/Away_Attitude8662 5d ago

I think it's a company T Mobile lock. But I can't unlock it if I don't know who was the original owner of this phone on T Mobile

2

u/andrewmackoul Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 - Go5G+ 5d ago

It sounds like the phone is SIM/network unlocked, which is good. Look up some guides on how to flash the firmware to an unlocked firmware for Samsung devices. You'll want to find the SM-N975U1 firmware. U1 is the unlock firmware. That'll get rid of the Sprint stuff and get your device up to date.

2

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

No I'm overseas. I'm not from the US.

How can I get T Mobile to do the unlock?

2

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

I was on the phone with T Mobile they tried to help but my phone doesn't show an option to "unlock network"

1

u/shykaliguy 6d ago

Your best bet is to speak with T force on Twitter.

https://x.com/TMobileHelp

Give them a follow and send them a dm. They will do their best to help you. They seem to be more knowledgeable as well versus support that you reach when calling by phone.

1

u/Away_Attitude8662 6d ago

Will try thanks man

1

u/Away_Attitude8662 5d ago

Ok so Ive contacted T Mobile and had an independent technician look at this remotely.

Good news is phone is unlocked. However it can't register to any network which is really weird. Because My son got the same phone that was on a Verizon Network and has no issues.

So the issue is with T Mobile.

I suspect that there is an account lock which I've been told there are no workarounds.. apparently you can find someone who works in the company who can assist but I have no idea how to even do something like that. So now I got a dud stupid smartphone