Arriving in Bangkok for 90 day visit - suggestions for what and where to purchase air time?

[mtls2005]

Maybe you bought the wrong specced battery? Knock-offs here are generally as good or better than OEM. COMMY is a decent brand IME.

 

The LG P/N is BL-51YF, 3,000 mAh, 3.85 v.

 

That said, you should be able to swing a dead cat and find a few hundred places to buy this battery, in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.

 

Or just buy on-line and ship COD.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/shop-mobile-and-tablet-batteries-chargers/?q=lg+g4+battery&from=input

 

I honestly can't see any reason buying/shipping from the U.S.?

 

Did you ever get the phone working with mobile data?

 

 

 

 

[JimmyJ]

12 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Maybe you bought the wrong specced battery? Knock-offs here are generally as good or better than OEM. COMMY is a decent brand IME.

 

The LG P/N is BL-51YF, 3,000 mAh, 3.85 v.

 

That said, you should be able to swing a dead cat and find a few hundred places to buy this battery, in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.

 

Or just buy on-line and ship COD.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/shop-mobile-and-tablet-batteries-chargers/?q=lg+g4+battery&from=input

 

I honestly can't see any reason buying/shipping from the U.S.?

 

Did you ever get the phone working with mobile data?

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the response.

 

Will look at the battery and report back.

 

Held off posting about the Thai sim because thought I would be able to post by now Success At Last.

 

 

Instead have to post on my ongoing Sprint nightmare.

 

So to pick up from where I left off - 

 

Went to the AIS store at Terminal 21 in Bangkok.

A clerk w/ very good English tested it with their SIM.

The phone showed a symbol on the horizontal bar at the top of the phone where the icons are which I'd never seen before.

Cletk told me symbol means there is no SIM in the phone. 

So it wasn't recognizing the SIM.

She then tried a call and got a popup saying "No mobile service" or something similar.

 

[JimmyJ]

I called Sprint and as always was assured phone is unlocked.

Was given Unlock code at my request but was told if that wasn't requested when AIS SIM was inserted it is already unlocked.

 

But I got them to re-unlock it and was going to return to AIS store and retry SIM.

 

Then I read instructions for setting up a VOIP service (Freedom Pop), which has its own SIM (basically US calls only) (was interested in it in general, not as a sub for a Thai sim) and it told how to manually set up a new API and that if the phone's page for manually entering an API is grayed out, the phone is locked.

 

I went to:

Settings

 

(Under "WIRELESS NETWORKS") More

 

Mobile Networks

________________

"Access point names

Set up APN for data services"

 

And the page is grayed out.

 

 

 

[JimmyJ]

I called Sprint and demanded a Tech super.

After a lot of hassle got a "Customer Care" super.

 

After I explained, soon after she got back to me and told me she'd contacted Level 2 Tech Support and they found an error with the unlock.

 

And my phone would be unlocked for real in THREE to FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.

 

She did comp my last Sprint bill from before I started my trip of $53 USD and assured me I would not be charged for calls from abroad until unlocked.

 

Also that I would receive an email once it's unlocked.

 

That was 2 Fridays ago.

So the deadline for the real unlock was this past Friday.

[JimmyJ]

I had doubts anything would come of this by last Wed. 

 

I left daily messages for the super (she'd given me her # to "call" her but doesn't answer the phone so I left voicemails).

 

Last Thurs. night got a text from Sprint that phone will be unlocked w/in 48 hours. 

By Monday (today) no email telling me the phone is unlocked.

 

Also had left messages daily since Thurs. for super who as always with Sprint never responded.

 

So earlier today called Sprint, demanded a super, after a lot of hassle by chance

 

got Julie, the same one I' d been leaving messages for.

 

Gave me babbling bs excuses for not returning my calls, told me phone had been unlocked for real.

 

I pointed out I had no way to know this as she'd stated I'd get an email and she apologized more.

 

I also told her I was sure it is still locked as the manual entry API page is still grayed out.

(I realized she doesn't know what that means).

 

But she's insisting I try a local SIM again so tomorrow Thai Tues. I'll go to the AIS store and supposedly she'll give me a call late AM to check.

 

Mtls2005 - Can it really be unlocked if the manual API page is still grayed out?

 

Researching this issue I did find a few with similar problems with Sprint abroad including an American in Thailand

But no answers - just other examples of Sprint incompetence.

 

 

[mtls2005]

 

22 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Did you ever get the phone working with mobile data?

 

I was looking for a simple "yes" or "no".

 

I don't think Sprint can unlock the phone unless you are on their network. If they provide an unlock code for you to enter then they need the IMEI #. Are you certain they have the correct IMEI #?

 

Obviously, this would have been better accomplished in the time period leading up to your departure, in the U.S. where you could have tried a SIM from any number of providers like T-Mobile, Simple, Straighttalk, etc.

 

Seems like it would be simpler to spring the ~ $15 for the unlock code and do it yourself, following the many, many, many guides on the internet and Youtube for the Spring LG G4?

[JimmyJ]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

 

I was looking for a simple "yes" or "no".

 

I don't think Sprint can unlock the phone unless you are on their network. If they provide an unlock code for you to enter then they need the IMEI #. Are you certain they have the correct IMEI #?

 

Obviously, this would have been better accomplished in the time period leading up to your departure, in the U.S. where you could have tried a SIM from any number of providers like T-Mobile, Simple, Straighttalk, etc.

 

Seems like it would be simpler to spring the ~ $15 for the unlock code and do it yourself, following the many, many, many guides on the internet and Youtube for the Spring LG G4?

I'd be overjoyed to end this conondrum for $15.

 

Sprint provided me with an unlock code.

At some point someone had checked my IMEI # but I'll double check today to make sure they have it correctly.

 

Where should I go to get an unlock code for $15?

You mentioned this earlier in the thread but I forgot?

 

Thanks for trying to help solve this.

 

 

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, JimmyJ said:

Where should I go to get an unlock code for $15?

 

The link is in the video, description box. But maybe do your own research to identify all potential sources, read reviews, etc.

 

 

1 hour ago, JimmyJ said:

Sprint provided me with an unlock code.

 

OK, and did you follow the directions in the linked video to enter that unlock code? Power off phone, remove battery, remove Sprint SIM card, insert AIS SIM, insert battery, turn phone on, you should get a SIM Network Unlock Pin, Try 1 of 10 screen.

[JimmyJ]

11 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

 

I was looking for a simple "yes" or "no".

 

I don't think Sprint can unlock the phone unless you are on their network. If they provide an unlock code for you to enter then they need the IMEI #. Are you certain they have the correct IMEI #?

 

 

 

Seems like it would be simpler to spring the ~ $15 for the unlock code and do it yourself, following the many, many, many guides on the internet and Youtube for the Spring LG G4?

Perhaps I'm staring at it and not seeing it, but just went back to Page 1 and checked all your posts and don't see a link to a video explaining how to unlock the phone, which you refer to in post # 38.

 

Did find an LG store in CM and bought a new G4 battery there.

 

Had the Sprint CS super read the IMEI # back to me while I looked at the IMEI # my phone lists, and she has the correct #.

 

[JimmyJ]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

 

 

OK, and did you follow the directions in the linked video to enter that unlock code? Power off phone, remove battery, remove Sprint SIM card, insert AIS SIM, insert battery, turn phone on, you should get a SIM Network Unlock Pin, Try 1 of 10 screen.

Tried at AIS and DTAC today.

They both tested their SIM but in both cases removed battery without first powering off the phone.

 

Both times when phone turned back on it displayed an icon

indicating no SIM in the phone so it wasn't recognizing their SIM.

Both times they tried a test call and got a popup "No mobile service" or similar.

 

Both times wasn't asked for an unlock PIN.

[KneeDeep]

9 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

 

Tried at AIS and DTAC today.

They both tested their SIM but in both cases removed battery without first powering off the phone.

 

Both times when phone turned back on it displayed an icon

indicating no SIM in the phone so it wasn't recognizing their SIM.

Both times they tried a test call and got a popup "No mobile service" or similar.

 

Both times wasn't asked for an unlock PIN.

 

https://forum.xda-developers.com/sprint-g4/help/lg-g4-sprint-sim-network-unlock-t3140321

 

It won't show it.

 

I haven't fully perused the thread. Perhaps your phone needs to be in the US for Sprint unlocking to work.

[mtls2005]

13 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Perhaps I'm staring at it and not seeing it, but just went back to Page 1

PAge 2, post #27, although a Google/Youtube search using the terms "Sprint LG G4 Unlock" should help you with your research.

 

13 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

They both tested their SIM but in both cases removed battery without first powering off the phone.

 

Well, that's not the recommended procedure, nor what I recommended

 

Power off phone, remove battery

 

I'm not certain there's much more I can do to help.

 

 

[JimmyJ]

On 8/1/2018 at 3:25 AM, KneeDeep said:

 

https://forum.xda-developers.com/sprint-g4/help/lg-g4-sprint-sim-network-unlock-t3140321

 

It won't show it.

 

I haven't fully perused the thread. Perhaps your phone needs to be in the US for Sprint unlocking to work.

Sprint assured me (several different calls by me before I left) that the phone had been unlocked by them already - that they do that once the 2 year contract is over and the phone has then been purchased as I had done.

 

But then while having this problem over here (Thailand) a super checked with their "Level 2 Tech Support" and they found "a problem" with the unlock.

[JimmyJ]

On 8/1/2018 at 7:54 AM, mtls2005 said:

PAge 2, post #27, although a Google/Youtube search using the terms "Sprint LG G4 Unlock" should help you with your research.

 

 

Well, that's not the recommended procedure, nor what I recommended

 

Power off phone, remove battery

 

I'm not certain there's much more I can do to help.

 

 

Yes, I hadn't yet seen your response.

Next time  I get to a SIM store will do it as you've stated.

[KneeDeep]

7 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Sprint assured me (several different calls by me before I left) that the phone had been unlocked by them already - that they do that once the 2 year contract is over and the phone has then been purchased as I had done.

 

But then while having this problem over here (Thailand) a super checked with their "Level 2 Tech Support" and they found "a problem" with the unlock.

 

I would make them pay for your Roaming charges for that blunder.

[JimmyJ]

9 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

I would make them pay for your Roaming charges for that blunder.

Agree. 

 

A week ago the super I'm dealing with told me I wasn't being charged to date.

But she has now disappeared for the last week.

They say "Calls are being recorded" so they should be able to verify if necessary...

[KneeDeep]

27 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Agree. 

 

A week ago the super I'm dealing with told me I wasn't being charged to date.

But she has now disappeared for the last week.

They say "Calls are being recorded" so they should be able to verify if necessary...

 

Incompetence abounds....

[JimmyJ]

On 8/8/2018 at 6:18 PM, JimmyJ said:

Agree. 

 

A week ago the super I'm dealing with told me I wasn't being charged to date.

But she has now disappeared for the last week.

They say "Calls are being recorded" so they should be able to verify if necessary...

 

Followup:

 

Never got the phone unlocked by Sprint. They tried several times.

I'll find out next month when I get back to the US if they can unlock it when I'm back on the Sprint network.

 

If they can't unlock it, it's my understanding that they will be obligated to provide me with an unlocked phone.

 

The Sprint super has been following thru (after I leave her many messages and then contact her by phone monthly), and crediting me for phone charges so free data and calls thus far.

 

Inconvenient those times when a person or business wants a local number.