Samsung Galaxy S3 - big problem...

[kristianthomsen]

Hey all of you, im new on here, so bare over with me and my DUMB questions..

But, i am going to buy a Samsung Galaxy S3 very soon, as i'm in love with it.. I'm an exchange student, from Denmark, Europe, so i would like my phone to be able to work when i get home too (June, 2013). But, the problem is, there is 2 versions, of the Samsung Galaxy S3, the International and the US version, which both has their + and - to them.

Am i right, when i say the US version, wouldn't work on the European or, danish network/what it's called?
But, if i'm buying the International version, i would like to be able to SMS, Call and use Data while im here in the states.. I live in Nebraska, Bloomfield, zip: 68718.

Which carrier, if any, will be able to support my phone with SMS, Calls and Data useage, and if any, which one would be cheapest? I'm mostly going to surf internet, check mails and Facebook, so i won't need a whole lot'a data i think..

But i have tried the last 5 days or so, to google everything about this that i could, without finding an answer on what my options are.. :-)


Thanks for looking and helping me, it is very appreciated! :-)

[AllanVS]

Telia has 850/900/1800/1900 so a Rogers SG III *should* work. I'm not sure if Telia has LTE or 4G yet, but

[kristianthomsen]

Telia has 850/900/1800/1900 so a Rogers SG III *should* work. I'm not sure if Telia has LTE or 4G yet, but

Okay, i've tried looking it up, but it seems like the Rogers SG III is a North American verson of the SG III, the version with Snap (Dragon?) dualcore 1,5ghz, and not the Exyno? quadcore 1,4ghz 1gbram version, which is the one i wan't, as i am an exchange student, and in about 9 months im going home, and i wan't to be able to use it in Denmark aswell..

But will the 850 and 1900 work on Telia? I can't find telias packages or plans or anything, the american ones.. But will the International work on what carriers? (Mostly text and call which should work everywhere) i just want 2g or/and 3g network to be available on my phone.. 4g is not anything im up for, as where i live there isn't 4g coverage for sure!

Thanks for helping!

[NeoGrandizer]

The international version of the S3 will work with most NA carriers as long as their band frequency is supported. I believe the phone needs to be unlocked as well. The only thing is LTE will not work.

I'm not familiar with the carriers there as I'm in Canada.

[i0wnj00]

Either version of the Samsung Galaxy S III should work.
Both the North American and International versions support 850/1900/900/2100 MHz 3G/HSPA+.
TeliaSonera Denmark should at least be GSM 900/1800 and HSPA+ 2100. May have upgraded to HSPA+ 900.

[cmstlist]

You can use the international SGS3 (i9300) only on AT&T and any MVNO that uses their network. You'll get HSPA speeds and no LTE. I wouldn't recommend trying it on T-Mobile because you'll only get EDGE (and I think T-Mobile is also pretty lousy in Nebraska).

If you don't care about whether it has Exynos, both the T-Mobile USA and AT&T variants will also work for you in Denmark. They all support European 3G bands for roaming. Do NOT get the Verizon or Sprint version under any circumstances - it'll be completely unusable back home.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using HowardForums

[i0wnj00]

You can use the international SGS3 (i9300) only on AT&T and any MVNO that uses their network. You'll get HSPA speeds and no LTE. I wouldn't recommend trying it on T-Mobile because you'll only get EDGE (and I think T-Mobile is also pretty lousy in Nebraska).

T-Mobile USA is in the process of converting to UMTS/HSPA+ 1900.
EDGE for now, HSPA+ pretty soon.

[cmstlist]

T-Mobile USA is in the process of converting to UMTS/HSPA+ 1900.
EDGE for now, HSPA+ pretty soon.

Considering that 1) the OP is going back to Denmark in 9 months, and 2) T-Mobile doesn't have ANY native coverage anywhere Bloomfield, NE, this is not of any relevance.

In fact AT&T doesn't have any native coverage in Bloomfield, NE either. Both T-Mo and AT&T use a roaming partner. Who is the roaming partner? My guess is Viaero Wireless - but they are 2G-only in that entire part of the state.



So it may well be that the only carrier that can get you anything better than EDGE speeds on is Verizon, but then you'll probably have a phone that doesn't do much for you in Denmark. Although - there are XDA threads claiming that the Verizon Galaxy S3 can be hacked into a world GSM phone as it has the hardware capabilities but they are not activated at the moment.

Really this leaves you with only a few choices then:
- Get your international (or AT&T or T-Mobile) Galaxy S3 and use it on GSM/EDGE only (it will be Viaero's network regardless of whether you access it via AT&T, T-Mobile or Viaero)
- Get a Verizon Galaxy S3 and do some risky hacking upon your departure from the USA, in order to end up with HSPA that works in Denmark (an XDA poster reported success in Germany which uses the same frequencies)
- Get a Verizon Galaxy S3 and use it for the rest of your time in the USA. Shortly before you leave, sell it at a loss on Craigslist. Buy another phone in Denmark.
- Get a different Verizon phone that already has world phone capabilities.

[i0wnj00]

So it may well be that the only carrier that can get you anything better than EDGE speeds on is Verizon, but then you'll probably have a phone that doesn't do much for you in Denmark. Although - there are XDA threads claiming that the Verizon Galaxy S3 can be hacked into a world GSM phone as it has the hardware capabilities but they are not activated at the moment.

Really this leaves you with only a few choices then:
- Get your international (or AT&T or T-Mobile) Galaxy S3 and use it on GSM/EDGE only (it will be Viaero's network regardless of whether you access it via AT&T, T-Mobile or Viaero)
- Get a Verizon Galaxy S3 and do some risky hacking upon your departure from the USA, in order to end up with HSPA that works in Denmark (an XDA poster reported success in Germany which uses the same frequencies)
- Get a Verizon Galaxy S3 and use it for the rest of your time in the USA. Shortly before you leave, sell it at a loss on Craigslist. Buy another phone in Denmark.
- Get a different Verizon phone that already has world phone capabilities.

EDGE on Viaero is a far better service than CSD was so it's not like the end of the world if she only has access to EDGE on a rural GSM provider. It could be a lot more worse.
I would just suggest the GSM/UMTS version of the SIII seeing that it eliminates the need for hacking and the fact that the OP probably will not qualify for postpaid Verizon Wireless (or even qualify regardless) without a hefty deposit and would have to eat the ETF.

[cmstlist]

She? I would have guessed Kristian is very much a male Danish name. But you never know on the Internet I suppose :-)

Yeah the practicalities of Verizon are another matter entirely.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using HowardForums

[kristianthomsen]

Well yeah, Kristian is a male name, and i'm a male.. But doesn't matter, i just needed some help.. :-)

So, i can buy the International S3 unlocked, from Amazon, and 'buy' a plan from Viaero, and then i should be fine with SMS, call and 2g data? I won't need much data, maybe just 1gb or arround there.. :-)


Thanks for the help everybody, its appreciated

[cmstlist]

Well yeah, Kristian is a male name, and i'm a male.. But doesn't matter, i just needed some help.. :-)

So, i can buy the International S3 unlocked, from Amazon, and 'buy' a plan from Viaero, and then i should be fine with SMS, call and 2g data? I won't need much data, maybe just 1gb or arround there.. :-)


Thanks for the help everybody, its appreciated

Yup that sounds like a reasonable plan. They do appear to have a prepaid service available that includes data. You'll want to hop onto WiFi wherever possible with those EDGE speeds.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using HowardForums

[AppleMac]

Well yeah, Kristian is a male name, and i'm a male.. But doesn't matter, i just needed some help.. :-)

So, i can buy the International S3 unlocked, from Amazon, and 'buy' a plan from Viaero, and then i should be fine with SMS, call and 2g data? I won't need much data, maybe just 1gb or arround there.. :-)


Thanks for the help everybody, its appreciated

Yes. The international version is almost always the best choice. Though the US variants will work back home they have half the processor cores. Also, Samsung almost always updates the software for the international variants first, giving it an even greater advantage. The final advantage to the factory unlocked handset is the lack of bloat ware. American carriers commonly install branded applications that can only be removed by rooting your device, which voids the warranty.

[TadMorose]

American carriers commonly install branded applications that can only be removed by rooting your device, which voids the warranty.

In ICS you can disable unwanted software without rooting.

[AppleMac]

In ICS you can disable unwanted software without rooting.

True. The only downside is they still take up storage.