Help AT&T Unlocked Phone on T-Mobile Network? Possible issues? SM-N960U

[afroag]

So I bought a Note 9 listing off swappa. This listing: https://swappa.com/listing/view/LUJK37602

SM-N960U he said unlocked bought it through T Mobile. I just opened and turned it on and to my surprise it has the ATT firmware. I am very livid because when someone says "bought through T-Mobile" what I think is that this is a TMobile phone.

WHile I wait for him to get back to me, what are the consequences of running an AT&T unlocked phone on TMobile network. I am actually on MetroPCS. But its operated by TMobile. Will I still be able to use the phone like a TMobile phone? What features will I miss. VoLTE? roaming on US Cellular?

 

[lunatic59]

If the phone is unlocked legitimately, then there should be no issues.

 

[afroag]

Well I cannot send SMS despite having the right Metro APN settings. He said the phone got profiled to AT&T when he inserted an AT&T sim card into it. I don't have a TMobile sim for this

 

[lunatic59]

If you are 100% sure your APN settings are correct, then I would suspect that your Metro sim is not provisioned properly. The AT&T "profile" is really just setting up the APN settings and downloading a couple crapware apps that are completely removable. I've been an AT&T customer for years and their phones are vanilla GSM handsets that have never had any issues working with other carriers.

 

[TX jarhead]

maybe you've heard this, so forgive if this is a repeat

After doing a factory reset, completely power down your phone, and insert your T-Mobile SIM. When you power back up the phone should recognize the SIM is from a different carrier and start downloading what it needs. .

Going thru this now. Bought a refurbished Note 9 from BackMarket. They sent a Verizon handset. After going thru the set-up process (without allowing any Verizon updates) powered down, inserted T-Mobile SIM. When powering back up, it recognized the SIM, and after a few minutes, the T-Mobile splash screen appeared and began downloading T-Mobile bloatware.

 

[lunatic59]

Sounds right ... as long as the phone is unlocked. Carriers in the U.S. have gotten better and both unlocking and accepting phones from other carriers.