Hi all, I was looking at purchasing an S7 Edge from the eBay Kogan store with the 20% off however noticed as they are grey import stock the phone doesn't support 4G 2100MHz frequency.
I am with vodafone, with no intention to change. Vodafone 4G network runs of 850MHz and 2100MHz.
If I do go ahead with the purchase will 4G be affected significantly? The phone does support 850MHz but not 2100MHz
Also to add Vodafone 3G uses 850MHz and 2100MHz how can they use the same frequency for 4G?
Vodafone main 4G runs in the 1800 MHz band. You should be okay. They have started refarming 850 spectrum for 4G in some areas. They simply decommision the 3G 850.
Regarding 2100,while they have enough spectrum to run both 3G and 4G and have trialled some sites, i don't believe they is any wide rollout of 4G on 2100 at this stage. It's more of a proof of concept by the vendors.
Awesome! you are totally correct. Upon further digging I found they are currently using the 1800MHz as GSM and 4G until GSM is switched off. So im covered by both 850MHz and 1800MHz! Woooo :)
So what model of S7 edge are you getting? I thought there were only one single sim global model (except the models from China, Japan, Korea, US and Canada), so I thought you'd be able to get your hands on the same model as the one released in Australia really easily (G935F).
I was going to buy from Kogan eBay store, I tried to ask the REP on the website which model it was. They could not verify as their apparently source all their phones from around the globe is what I was told.
The models that are different from the global model are mostly carrier models, so I have a doubt that they'd source something that's not the global model (though this is more of my speculation and it can easily be wrong). Anyways, long story short, if you do get one and if it turns out to be G935F then I am almost almost certain that you can flash the official Australian firmware on it.
Flashing firmware won't unlock bands though.
@dazweeja: I thought it was one model for the world, and I was kind of under the impression that the band that they support on the model is the same (as different model name, i.e. Galaxy S6 had G920I and G920F, which supported different bands and were released in different parts of the world).
There's quite a few models - G935A/F/FD/P/T/V - but I agree it's very likely that it's the international model F, and also likely that it supports band 1. Just making the point that if they do send him a phone that doesn't support band 1, there is nothing he can do to fix it even if his hardware supports it. Radio configuration data is stored in a hidden partition that is not altered by firmware flashing, just like the phone's IMEI doesn't change when you flash firmware.
@dazweeja: FD is the international dual sim model (which I'd assume they'd sell as a dual sim model), other models you've mentioned are all US carrier models (A=AT&T, P=Sprint, T=T-mobile, V=Verizon). I did mention that most other models for S7 Edge are models that are for specific carriers.
You've missed bunch as well, there are Korean carrier ones and Canadian ones (which are all Exynos models) and other models that use Snapdragon (other than US models of course, China and Japanese ones).
The point I was making is, majority of the models released for S7 Edge are G935F, which is the model that was released in Australia as well. Different models supported different band frequency. If you do get G935F, you can flash Australian offical ROM on it. This is something that I am not 100% certain but, files you get for flashing with Odin does contain Modem.bin, so there is that.
I'm pretty sure we're in agreement about all of that ;) I think I was wrong about the F being very likely though. The Snapdragon G9350 could be more likely, as the phone is being sent from HK and that is the model sold there. Still wouldn't be an issue with Voda as it supports bands 1, 3 and 5. Could mean slower updates though.
@dazweeja: I think it's not that simple though. If you look through the deals that Kogan held, some people did get the global version for S7 (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/244655#comment-3639650). Kogan does say that they source their stock from around the globe.
That said, yeah, there is definitely uncertainty in there. That's why I said it was my speculation.
The G930F is the model sold in HK for the S7 so that's expected. The G9350 is the model sold in HK for the Edge.
@dazweeja: As far as I know there is G9300 which is sold in HK.
http://techbeasts.com/list-of-samsung-galaxy-s7-s7-edge-mode…
I'm not sure where that site gets their information from but the G9300 and 9308 are made specifically for the Chinese market, eg. dual-SIM, no Google Services/Apps. I'm sure you could buy them in HK but no chance of Kogan sending those.
These are the supported HK models:
http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/mobile/smartphones/gal…
http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/support/model/SM-G930FZDUTGY
http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/mobile/smartphones/gal…
http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/support/model/SM-G9350ZDUTGY
@dazweeja: Huh, that's weird. Eh, maybe the site was wrong.
Anyways, it still doesn't change the fact that there are people who received G930F, which is not a model in HK. Samsung HK is showing G930FD (which is a dual sim model). The point was that just because it is from HK warehouse, it doesn't mean that HK model will be sent. Kogan does say that they source from around the world and it seems things work that way.
I placed the order so its time to wait and see! According to the store rep eBay stock is the same as normal website stock therefore should meet the listed bands on the website, not sure how this will pan out if they are 'sourcing from across the globe'
also have a think that you will have zero Samsung warranty and what that may be worth.