Help! Not sure which phone I got from amazon! Factory unlocked or ATT or TMO?

[prince_a1]

I purchase a like-new condition Samsung Galaxy S9+ phone from Amazon Warehouse for international travel coming up in couple days. I figured I would have a better chance of getting an authentic phone from Amazon than from ebay sellers. I received the phone yesterday, and here is the situation with the phone:
- The box of the phone says "unlocked by Samsung"
- The sticker on the back of the phone has the model # SM-G965UZBAXAA and IMEI number of a factory unlocked phone
- The actual IMEI of the phone however shows model # SM-G965UZBAATT, which corresponds to the AT&T carrier locked phone
- When I turn on the phone, it shows T-mobile screen and has T-mobile apps on it

How do I determine whether this is a AT&T phone, or a T-mobile phone or something else? Unfortunately, I do not have either TMO or ATT sim cards that I can use to check which network the phone works on. How do I know whether this phone is unlocked and if it is will work internationally? I am not sure how to explain the imei of the phone coming up with ATT model number, yet the phone shows TMO screen.

Please help as I need to get this resolved today, and don't have time to purchase another phone. Thanks much in advance!!

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @prince_a1 

Are you able to download the phoneinfo app from the Playstore and see what the active CsC code is ?

A Google Search of " SM-G965UZBAXAA " comes back with 》https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/phones/galaxy-s/galaxy-s9plus-64gb--unlocked--sm-g965uzbaxaa/ 

Please also take into account that Samsung phones are typically region locked.

This means a local sim card needs to be used in the phone for at least 10 minutes of calls if a person intends then to use that phone in another country with another sim card from the country they are visiting. i.e you don't intend to use your own sim and roam.

[prince_a1]

---

@BandOfBrothers wrote:

Hi @prince_a1 

Are you able to download the phoneinfo app from the Playstore and see what the active CsC code is ?

---

Thank you for your response! From the phoneinfo app, it shows the active CSC code as "TMB", and the firmware's CSC code as "XAA". There are a few other CSC codes listed under available CSC codes. The CSC country is listed as USA.

Is this phone unlocked, and would I be able to use it internationally (in India)? I believe it has already been used in the US for over a year.

[BandOfBrothers]

XAA”, “USA unbranded going from a CsC list.

TMB”, “T-Mobile branded.

You would probably need to use your local sim card in it to make calls for around 10 minutes to remove the region lock if you intend on using a local sim card in India.

If your using your US sim card still in the phone while in India i.e roaming then you should be good to go as long as your carrier allows roaming and your mobile phone account is set up for roaming.

[prince_a1]

---

@BandOfBrothers wrote:

XAA”, “USA unbranded going from a CsC list.

TMB”, “T-Mobile branded.

---

Thanks again! Any idea why the phone shows both XAA and TMB i.e. it shows the firmware's CSC as XAA and active CSC as TMB. If I check the imei on the imei check website, it shows the model as ATT. That's why I am highly confused. Thanks for your help!

[BandOfBrothers]

Is there a sim card in the phone ?

The active CsC is the one to take note of.

Let's try another way.

Go to Settings- About Phone- Software Version - page down to Software provider SW ver.

Mine says BTU,BTU,BTU

What does yours say ?

[prince_a1]

---

@BandOfBrothers wrote:

Is there a sim card in the phone ?

What does yours say ?

---

There is no sim card in the phone.

Under the service provider SW ver., mine says TMB/XAA/ATT

[BandOfBrothers]

I always go by the active CsC @prince_a1  that tends to show its status.

I'd suggest to liaise with Samsung Customer services of your country and ask them too.

Would you let us know what they say.

Unfortunately buying from resellers can cause such confusion as they are typically grey imports sometimes.

[prince_a1]

Thanks again @BandofBrothers ! I already checked with Samsung and they suggested I check with Amazon. I checked with Amazon and they were useless. I don't know what to make out of TMB/XAA/ATT. I will report back here once I have a resolution. Thank you!!

[BandOfBrothers]

You're very welcome @prince_a1 

This does look like a grey import that was once on a network and then possibly unlocked to all networks. That's my gut feeling anyway. 

I'd suggest again to go by the active CsC.

I wish you all the best with this situation.