S7 Edge issue

[dcsl2018]

I need some advice about my S7 Edge SM-G935K. I have been living in S. Korea for the last 3 years which is where I got this phone through KT. The splash screen comes up as KT and has all the usual KT utility apps installed (albeit in Korean which I can't read!). However I just moved back to my home country (UK) and got a sim card for EE. Everything works fine apart from the cellular data. I only get 3G or sometimes Edge, never 4G. EE has tried to help with the APNs but nothing changes it. They say there's nothing wrong from their end and I should be able to get 4G so it must be the phone. I have asked KT as well but they say it is definitely a problem Samsung will need to fix. Google Play is still set to Korea and the settings won't allow me to change it and I have Korean KT apps that are undeletable so the phone is still locked to Korea in some ways. Anyone else have any experience of Korean origin phones and what they did about it? Many thanks!

Thanks.

[BandOfBrothers]

I've seen issues like this before when a person has tried to use a phone in another country other than the one it was intended for. 

I was going to import a Samsung Note Fe but Samsung Pay wouldn't work. 

Also as you've seen phones have bloatware installed to which some can be deleted and some disabled via a package disabler available via the play Store. 

I assume you've gotten used to the differences and gave worked round them to get apps etc. 

Also your firmware updates and security patches I assume will be linked to that country sending them out and not Samsung UK. 

If this was me I'd also check warranty status as they can be region dependant. 

Samsung may decline support for imported phones. 

Is the language in the phone set to UK ?

However as the phone has the frequencies and band's that should support 4g in the UK it should on paper work. 

As a process of elimination can you insert your SIM card in another phone and see if 4g is attained. 

I assume 4g isn't attained anywhere you go ruling out a local mast issue or congestion. 

Can you try another SIM card in the phone to see what happens. Another networks Payg SIM card perhaps. 

If not then your UK Network needs to check your account for 4g status. 

[dcsl2018]

Thanks for this. Yes tried all of the combinations for simcards, it's definately the region of the phone, which makes me think it must be the firmware that is being sent by Samsung. How do I get Uk firmware installed? I still get korean popup ads on sites like facebook that advertise and so on. If I delete or diasble the bloatwear will this allow me to access 4g? I thinking it might not and even then I get the feeling that I might have to root my phone in order to do this which is the nuclear option to me. 

[BandOfBrothers]

For advice and tutorials for custom Rom's you'll find the xdadevelopers site to be informative. 

Please do lots of homework on the pros and cons of installing a custom Rom onto the phone. 

I in no way endorse installing a custom Rom and cannot guarantee doing this will remedy the issues your faced with.