Purchase of unlocked Samsung phone in UK

[Scouse123]

Guys,

 

Quickie. If I buy a new unlocked phone in the UK, say a Samsung, it will work in Thailand on my postpaid account, won't it?

 

I am having a hell of a time convincing my other half who insists it won't.

 

The phone I bought here works in the UK with a change of SIM so surely the reverse is true?

[KittenKong]

Yes, as long as the phone can handle all the bands that are used by your service provider in Thailand. The easiest way to check would be to read the spec of the same phone on a Thai website and compare the bands covered with the spec of the UK phone.

[kwak250]

Don't need to do all the checking specs just stick any thai sim in a unlocked uk phone i have been doing it for years .

[Expatthailover]

There's a reason samsung and apple dominate the global sales market in mobile phones

[sometimewoodworker]

23 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Quickie. If I buy a new unlocked phone in the UK, say a Samsung, it will work in Thailand on my postpaid account, won't it?

My brother's U.K. Samsung Galaxy A5 works perfectly on an AIS pre-payed SIM. 

[Lee4Life]

As long as it is GSM compatible

[Esso49]

Yes everything will work. Been doing it for years just the same as if you take an unlocked Thai purchased phone to the UK. 

[edwardflory]

I have never had any "unlocked" QUAD BAND mobile fail, from a cheap Chinese to expensive US market mobile in HK, USA or Thailand......WARNING..use LOCAL SIM!!!..ROAMING charges are a killer.

 

QUAD BAND unlocked mobiles will work in most countries by inserting the LOCAL SIM, even on a CDMA network - a →special SIM required← to work

Edited August 19, 2018 by edwardflory
Addl info

[HHTel]

With Samsung, the one drawback, if you are going to live here, is that a phone bought in Europe will not be updated here, and vice-versa.

[anfh]

I think the answer is in the question - “ unlocked “ !! 

[HHTel]

There's no problem getting the phone unlocked at pretty much any of the phone shops here.

[Media1]

Of course there's nothing special about Thailand. Any phone works 

New sim 

[Esso49]

7 minutes ago, HHTel said:

With Samsung, the one drawback, if you are going to live here, is that a phone bought in Europe will not be updated here, and vice-versa.

Utter rubbish.  All mine update

[Media1]

7 minutes ago, HHTel said:

With Samsung, the one drawback, if you are going to live here, is that a phone bought in Europe will not be updated here, and vice-versa.

Received all updates 

[Scouse123]

8 minutes ago, HHTel said:

With Samsung, the one drawback, if you are going to live here, is that a phone bought in Europe will not be updated here, and vice-versa.

 

 

Hi,

 

In Thailand, I use an unlocked Thai phone purchased here and I have a postpaid SIM with my own number. You have surprised me by saying that if I buy one in the UK it will not update over here. If that is the case and I am spending 11 months out of the year here, then maybe better I buy one here.

 

I have a UK banking app on it for mobile UK banking and was a bit worried I may not be able to get it up and running out here on a local phone. When I took my phone to the UK I got Barclays to install it on my mobile device.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Scouse123

[anfh]

Further to previous, any unlocked phone will work anywhere in the world with any sim.

that is the whole point of buying an unlocked phone.

i personnally always buy my unlocked phone outright, rather than contract etc, exactly for this reason. I trave frequently to various countries and can therefore purchase and use a sim wherever i go. 

[Scouse123]

10 minutes ago, HHTel said:

There's no problem getting the phone unlocked at pretty much any of the phone shops here.

 

My phone is already unlocked, I was purely concerned about a very necessary banking app I have on it from the UK which I use regularly.

 

OK, Guys, I got it now and thank you all.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Scouse123
add on

[anfh]

Additionally, especially Iphone, you can update software as well, with no problem, the software is not region specific, etc

[anfh]

4 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

My phone is already unlocked, I was purely concerned about a very necessary banking app I have on it from the UK which I use regularly.

 

I have various banking apps which are UK bank specific, i use Thai sim in Thailand with no problems at all. Same with Cambodia or Phillipine sim etc. All work fine, as it is the phones software which controls use of apps, the sim is irrelevant. 

[Media1]

14 minutes ago, Esso49 said:

Utter rubbish.  All mine update

Correct global platform 

[Esso49]

1 minute ago, anfh said:

 

I have various banking apps which are UK bank specific, i use Thai sim in Thailand with no problems at all. Same with Cambodia or Phillipine sim etc. All work fine, as it is the phones software which controls use of apps, the sim is irrelevant. 

Yes the UK banking apps do work fine with any SIM.   However some bank apps in the UK are linked to the phones MAC number when initially setting it up.   When changing phones you could be asked to input a security code in order to link the app to your new phone.  Now herein lies the difficulty .  Many UK banking apps only send this code to a UK phone number.   So you either have to have a previous registered UK number (sim) or else have a reliable family member or friend with a UK number to whom the code can be sent and then in turn they notify you, allowing you to input that code on your telephone.   No real problem,  just something to be mindful of.

[Scouse123]

Esso49,

 

Well, I can wait until I return to the UK and buy the new phone as I have a UK pre paid SIM and then go to the bank and get them to help me set up as they did before. Thanks again.

[HHTel]

24 minutes ago, anfh said:

Additionally, especially Iphone, you can update software as well, with no problem, the software is not region specific, etc

Iphone is a completely separate animal!  Samsung themselves advised re the software update problem. 

[HHTel]

My daughter spent a year here on an ED visa a couple of years ago.  She was going to buy the latest Samsung here and when she checked with Samsung (not any old phone shop but Samsung call centre), they told her that software updates would not be available.  Maybe things have changed in the last 2 years.

[Jonmarleesco]

It's the SIM that dictates its working, not the phone.

[The Fat Controller]

There are different frequency bands in use in different countries, you can check what will work where here.

 

https://willmyphonework.net/

 

Some Thai operators are rationalising their GSM service, my wife recently had to replace her NON SMART phone to keep service.

 

If your SIM works on 4G now, putting it into any unlocked Samsung will not be a problem.

[Esso49]

28 minutes ago, HHTel said:

My daughter spent a year here on an ED visa a couple of years ago.  She was going to buy the latest Samsung here and when she checked with Samsung (not any old phone shop but Samsung call centre), they told her that software updates would not be available.  Maybe things have changed in the last 2 years.

No , were she went wrong was believing the sales people

[The Deerhunter]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Hi,

 

In Thailand, I use an unlocked Thai phone purchased here and I have a postpaid SIM with my own number. You have surprised me by saying that if I buy one in the UK it will not update over here. If that is the case and I am spending 11 months out of the year here, then maybe better I buy one here.

 

I have a UK banking app on it for mobile UK banking and was a bit worried I may not be able to get it up and running out here on a local phone. When I took my phone to the UK I got Barclays to install it on my mobile device.

Read all the other responders who say it will. Or put a UK sim in it whemn you are home and it will update at least once a year.

Personally it am sure it will but check the band widths the phone will work with as per post 2 Kittenkong.

[Russell17au]

I bought an unlocked Samsung S4 8 years ago in Australia and I moved here to Thailand in Sept 2012 and all I have ever done is change the sim card and my phone updates automatically. I am on prepaid here since I moved here and never any problems and I have not returned to Australia since 2014.

[oyster]

6 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

My brother's U.K. Samsung Galaxy A5 works perfectly on an AIS pre-payed SIM. 

Buy one in Thailand

They are not locked and will take 2 sims..best of both worlds.

..