Struggle to buy phone to install onto
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Once I've bought the phone, yes, I can find the IMEI. I've done that, and found four phones that won't work. I'm looking for a reliable place to get a Pixel 3a that I can be sure will work to install UT. Someone needs to be sure that it is OEM unlockable before I buy it.
(For some reason, what I'm typing is marked as spam and not submitted. I will edit it. It might be worded strangely to get it submitted to this forum.)
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I hope I'm not misunderstanding the jargon. I have UT on a Nexus 4. That was pretty easy to do some years ago. These Pixel phones appear to be much more complicated by Google.
Some sellers say unlocked, carrier unlocked, carrier locked, factory unlocked, model G020G. The only thing I can see that is critical is that the Developer option for "OEM unlocking" must not be greyed out, so that it can be downgraded to Android 9 and then UT installed.
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@lsitongia
You should have no problem unlocking bootloader (="oem unlocking") on any of those phone.Any androïd phones come with bootloader locked, it's intended by design, and, in order to install any custom rom (android or any other os like Ubuntu Touch) you have to unlock bootloader first, wether it is to downgrade to android 9 first or install UT then.
Ubuntu Touch works only with bootloader unlocked on those only android native phones.
Now if we talk about carriers locks (simlock), a carrier locked phone may or may not be a problem, but if you can't unlock its carrier limitation (here in France law forces carriers to unlock phones passed some time if user asks to) and if you can unlock bootloader anyway and install Ubuntu Touch on it, you will be jailed to use this only carrier (let say verizon), and no other.
To summurize, only thing you should worry about is finding a carrier free/unlocked phone so you can do what you want with it, such as being sure to be able to unlock bootloader or use the carrier of your choice.
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@keneda, thank you for this info. Although Google Support told me that this phone is locked to Verizon, I was able to put my Google Fi SIM card in it and use it.
Many posts I've found give instructions to first toggle "OEM unlocking". People have said an OEM unlocked phone is needed. Model G020G. I'm surprised there's a way around that. But, okay, I will look into how to do that.
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@keneda, I've tried the adb/fastboot instructions from several sites and all say that "OEM unlocking" is required and Verizon phones cannot be unlocked.
'flashing unlock is not allowed'
'invalid oem command unlock' -
@lsitongia
So i digged the net and it seems that verizon branded pixels (except pixel 1 with some work) are doomed to bootloader locked state.I'm very sad for you...
I'd tell you to buy one from europe but i guess you don't have the same mobile frequencies as us.
But like i said, if you find a carrier free pixel (more likely a google one, not a verizon one), you should have no problem unlocking its bootloader.
Now i better understand what your problem is, resellers mixing google and verizon pixels is a very disgusting practice.
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@lsitongia
Now i may ask you :
Did you think about reselling those locked phones and try a different model like Xiaomi MI A2 or Oneplus 6 ? -
There is a way to get carrier unlocked on any locked phone by deleting one file at start up.
Boot unlock is a much harder problem. Once again XDA-Developers forum is your best place for that. But, swapping for a non Verizon phone is easier and best.
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@rocket2nfinity said in Struggle to buy phone to install onto:
Once again XDA-Developers forum is your best place for that.
There is a 2000+ $ bounty thread to find an unlock verizon pixel 3 bootloader method that failed, closed now...
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@keneda, I guess the sellers aren't bothering to look up the IMEI from every phone and properly determine which model. But, they advertise them as the specific models, which is not nice. One of them seems to have many Pixel 3a and 3a XL phones, and they are all listed as the same, which is hard to believe. My experience is that there are more Verizon and other carrier-locked Pixel phones out there than ones that people got directly from Google. Who would bother to get it shipped to them when they can walk into a store and by a branded one?
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@keneda, I've been able to return every phone I bought. Both Amazon and Ebay have good return policies. They even provide a free return shipping label. So, I'm not out any money (at least yet).
I will look at those other phones. I'm looking for what is closest to a daily driver. I have my Pinephone for hacking on, if I want.
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@keneda, does the Oneplus 6T have as much working as the Oneplus 6? However, the "Buy" link at devices.ubuntu-touch.io, which goes to Swappa, doesn't have any of these phones. Will it work in the USA and can I buy it for here?
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@Keneda, am I going to have the same trouble with OEM unlocking and SIM locking? For example, in Amazon I see
OnePlus 6T A6013 Dual Sim 128GB/8GB (Mirror Black) - Factory Unlocked - GSM ONLY, NO CDMA (Renewed)
Does that really mean everything is unlocked? But, no CDMA means it's for Europe or Asia?
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Go to swappa, i bought mine there and had no issues at all.
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@lsitongia
I refered to device list, pixel 3 (and vollaphones) appart, and it seems that MI A2 is in a quite full shape support, only wireless external display reported as untested, then comes xperia x and oneplus 6.Now for the rest i can't help you a lot, where to find the phone depends on you and where you lives, in France i'd check ebay, rakkuten or leboncoin and lot of others places where we can find refurbished from pro or previous users, but in US i only know ebay, i never tested swappa but as it is proposed by ubports i imagine it's a safe place to buy (no scam)
For the cdma thing i don't know, be sure to buy a US phone for full or at least near to full frequencies support, but if US oneplus 6 should support cdma, then i would not buy this one.
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@lsitongia The OnePlus6/6T port applies to both models. It is almost as good as the Pixel 3a/XL. The differences are as follows:
Bootloader problem with OP6/T (that is solved in development channel. So not really a problem).More power drain on OP6/T. It has not been optomized as much as the P3A/XL. Modem does not sleep. So frequent recharging necessary.
OP6 does not have Band 13 (not really a problem since UT does not support Verizon anyway at the moment).
Asia model OP6/T does not support band 71. This is important for US market since T-mobile and MVNOs are best for UT (althogh AT&T is good pre-pay or via MVNO). For best US coverage buy the US/Eur or specifically T-mobile model.
Although sold as single sim, all T-mobile OP6/Ts are dual sim capable with an aftermarket dual sim tray. Dual sim sometimes hiccups on all OP6/Ts requiring reboot, or just use sim slot 1.
All OP6/6T can be unlocked either by contacting Oneplus, or by using MSMtool. With T-mobile models, this is the fastest way to get UT going (by flashing international ROM, then UT).
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CDMA really doesn't matter as OP6 never had it anyway. OP6T US/Eur model does (and band 13 and 71). So, be sure you're getting the US/Eur model with band 71, not the Asia model without. It's the LTE bands that matter as CDMA will be gone by the end of next year across the US (except some Baby Bells have pledged to continue support for at least a year or two after).
A6003 US/Eur OP6
A6013 US/Eur OP6T
Asia models have all other US bands except 71They are both a beast in raw power/memory. If you want to run libertine or waydroid. These will handle better than P3a/XL
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@dieharddan I got mine from there too with no problems. I got a 3aXL.
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I had to buy two because I got shafted with a verizon model first time. I bought the second 3a from ebay seller "thegizmotrader" and it was guaranteed to be have an unlockable bootloader and be carrier unlocked, both of which it was. Try giving them a shot.
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I had the same problem; many sellers were just straight up lying about items and saying they were factory unlocked when they were really sim unlocked VZW models. I recommend finding listings of single devices that have the IMEI listed and putting the IMEI into Verizon’s BYOD tool which will specify if it’s a non-VZW pixel.
