How to get an unlocked 64gb Galaxy Note 5 that works in Canada?
September 1, 2015 5:35 AM   Subscribe

I want to get a new 64gb Galaxy Note 5. However, the Canadian carriers are charging $960 after tax for the 32gb version and aren't offering the larger-capacity model. I can import a 64gb version from Taiwan for $40 more. That version also has dual sim. But will it work on Wind, my Canadian carrier? Alternatively, are there any sites in the USA that sell the unlocked 64gb version? Details inside.

Wind has an IMEI punch in thingy on their web site and when I punch the number in, it tells me it doesn't recognize it but the Wind rep says that doesn't mean it won't work. If it wouldn't work, it would say "won't work". The number is simply not in their DB. They also refused to confirm/deny it based on the information below, simply saying they "do not offer tech support for phones bought from other carriers".

Their web site also says, "The WIND Mobile network uses a frequency called AWS, with bands 1700/2100 MHz".

The phone's seller says:

Carrier: Unlocked
Cellular Band (2G GSM): GSM850, GSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900
Cellular Band (3G): B1(2100), B2(1900), B5(850), B8(900)
Cellular Band (3G TD-SCDMA): B34(2010), B39(1880)
Cellular Band (4G FDD LTE): Band 1,2,3,4(AWS),5,7,8,12,17,18,19,25,26,28
Cellular Band (4G TDD LTE): B38(2600), B39(1900), B40(2300), B41(2500)

I have no idea if that 2100 in the third line is the same 2100 as the band Wind needs.

Thoughts?

Also, any other issues one should be aware of when importing from a non-English language country? I assume when I power up the phone for the first time that it's going to ask me for preferred language, right?

Thank you.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy to Technology (14 answers total)
 
It's not the third line. That won't work.

Look at the fourth line :
Band 4 (AWS)

That is what Wind uses.
posted by yyz at 10:51 AM on September 1, 2015


Response by poster: Thanks, yyz, does that mean it's a yes? Does Band 4 (AWS) mean AWS 1700/2100?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 12:18 PM on September 1, 2015


Yes, you are good to go.
posted by ssg at 12:28 PM on September 1, 2015


And yes, you can change the language on the phone to English.
posted by ssg at 12:31 PM on September 1, 2015


Response by poster: Thanks!
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 1:15 PM on September 1, 2015


I'm getting confused here.

I checked and Wind does not yet have a LTE network I believe.

So the even if the phone has Wind's frequency available for LTE will it work?
I'm not sure.
The specs you give do not mention Band 4 AWS or 1700 HSPA, or HSPA+ or UMTS or 3G
That would work for sure.

Without that, I'm not sure.
The Google fails me as results are not consistent. (Using different phones)
Some say it can't work with Band 4 on LTE only, others say it has.
Though that might be because the specs were incomplete.

If you were buying from Best Buy or Microsoft it wouldn't matter . Just return it.
However buying from Taiwan is different.
posted by yyz at 2:49 PM on September 1, 2015


Good catch, yyz. I did not realize Wind was not using LTE yet.

I double checked the Taiwan and Canadian versions of the phone from Samsung and the 3G bands are not compatible, so sounds like this is a no go.
posted by ssg at 4:44 PM on September 1, 2015


Response by poster: Whoa. Just about bought one before seeing new answers.

Here's another factor: Wind sells a Note 5 but it's only 32gb. Obviously, this version works on their network. Would it have different specs than the Taiwan one? They appear the same.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 5:53 PM on September 1, 2015


Best answer: Yes, unfortunately the radio is different. If you look up the same on the Samsung Taiwan site, the frequencies listed are not the same.
posted by ssg at 10:26 PM on September 1, 2015


Best answer: The phone on Wind's website shows :
UMTS: B1(2100),B2(1900),B4(AWS),B5(850)

Where UMTS : B4 (AWS) is what is used by Wind at present.

The phone from Taiwan shows LTE: Band 1,2,3,4(AWS)
However LTE Band 4 will not work at present with Wind as they do not yet have an LTE network
The phone from Taiwan will not work as it lacks the proper frequency at 3G or UMTS

What is also odd is that the phone offered by Wind does not show any LTE bands available.
For an expensive modern day phone that is strange, and may just be Wind giving incomplete specs. You would need the actual model number to check
Still if true it may be an issue if Wind upgrades in the near future Certainly resale of the phone would be impacted if it did not have LTE capability.

I did some more reading and the cases where a phone appeared to work with just the LTE band were due to incomplete specs. The necessary 3G band was always there.

In short ssg is right , It will not work.
posted by yyz at 5:48 AM on September 2, 2015


Response by poster: Thanks, ssg and yyz.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 8:34 PM on September 2, 2015


Response by poster: The necessary 3G band was always there.

yyz, isn't this the necessary 3G band: "Cellular Band (3G): B1(2100)"

I also found this chart, which indicates that the HSPA 1700 band is used by Wind but is whited out on the phone in question (Row I), but the HSPA 2100 band is green, meaning present on the phone, but there is no not indicating if this is the same 2100 that Wind uses.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 8:03 AM on September 9, 2015


Best answer: You need both 1700 and 2100 for the phone to work. 1700 is the uplink and 2100 is the downlink.
posted by ssg at 10:38 AM on September 9, 2015


Response by poster: For future people looking to answer similar questions, I just found this web site: Will My Phone Work?
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:39 AM on September 13, 2015


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