Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9500

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ScarFace

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#138905 21-Jan-2014 13:04

Hi all,

Looking for help as I've just come back from overseas. I bought a secondhand Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9500 in South Africa (originally purchased in Thailand). I used it a bit in SA on their Vodacom network and it worked fine however when returning to NZ and putting my 2degrees sim into it the network connects for 5-10min then drops off and doesn't come back. I have already taken it to 2degrees and to a new SIM card. When it is connected it works fine. It's definitely a genuine model, I have the original packaging.

To summarize:
Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9500
Originally from Thailand
Connects then drops network 5-10min later

Any and all help would be appreciated. Questions? Fire away.

Cheers.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#970621 21-Jan-2014 13:24

Have you checked the IMEI with your provider to see if it's blocked?

Fake models sometimes all use the same IMEI and if one is blocked...

ScarFace

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#970665 21-Jan-2014 13:58

The plot thickens.

The IMEI labelled on the back of the phone (under the battery) is different to the one I get if I dial *#06# ALSO when I put the dialed IMEI into a IMEI database it says it's an S3 but maybe the database is wrong?

So I can just call 2degrees and as them to check both IMEI's?

freitasm

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#971670 21-Jan-2014 14:21

You can now start suspecting this is a fake. But yes, go ahead and call.

Disrespective

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#971757 21-Jan-2014 17:02

When you say 'fake' do you just mean a stolen S4 with an IMEI from an S3? I suppose that does mean the IMEI is fake, but the phone must be genuine hardware, yes?

I have an S4 here with which I have corrupted the EFS partition, so my IMEI is lost, and I can't restore it. I've not delved deeply enough into it but it sounds like it is possible to add a new IMEI? This must also be slightly on the illegal side of things too? This doesn't need to go any further, just interesting to see it work in a device.

What is it in the 2D network that is picking up the S3 IEMI vs S4 hardware that his South African provider wasn't?

ScarFace

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#971771 21-Jan-2014 17:20

Resolved.

I have concluded that this phone is a fake.

*edit* For these reasons:
- Reception drop off
- Lack of standard Samsung Apps
- Incorrect/inconsistent IMEI
- Does not sync with Kies
- Other aesthetics flash, lettering etc

I am genuinely surprised at the quality of this fake (I have seen the abysmal attempts at iphones and ipods from Chna), it had all the right manuals, stickers and smoke screen of ID numbers on the phone and box. To the untrained eye it looks and even acts like an S4. The 2 different telecommunications vendors I have taken it to didn't even know.

I'm just glad I didn't pay too much for it (which in itself should have been a red flag).

Will sell and save for the S5.

Thanks for all the help.

ScarFace

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#971776 21-Jan-2014 17:26

Disrespective: When you say 'fake' do you just mean a stolen S4 with an IMEI from an S3? I suppose that does mean the IMEI is fake, but the phone must be genuine hardware, yes?

I have an S4 here with which I have corrupted the EFS partition, so my IMEI is lost, and I can't restore it. I've not delved deeply enough into it but it sounds like it is possible to add a new IMEI? This must also be slightly on the illegal side of things too? This doesn't need to go any further, just interesting to see it work in a device.

What is it in the 2D network that is picking up the S3 IEMI vs S4 hardware that his South African provider wasn't?

I never checked the IMEI in SA but I assume it's the same anywhere you go?

It just seems the SA providers worked but not NZ (well Vodafone/2degrees at least). Maybe Telecom would be better?

It's been a bit of an education for me, I taught I could spot a fake but the box and all the serial numbers got me. Got me good.

johnr

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#971782 21-Jan-2014 17:39

How much you pay $NZ?

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freitasm

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#971784 21-Jan-2014 17:53

Disrespective: When you say 'fake' do you just mean a stolen S4 with an IMEI from an S3? I suppose that does mean the IMEI is fake, but the phone must be genuine hardware, yes?

I mean a fake, fake hardware.

Dairyxox

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#971839 21-Jan-2014 19:56

Interesting. A guy I work with recently got sold an S4 that his friend brought back from overseas for very cheap, (about $100-200 from memory). I thought it sounded too good to be true, will take a closer look next time I see him.

Does this fake have touch wiz ui? Which Samsung apps are missing?

Pictures of this device would be much much appreciated

ScarFace

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Wannabe Geek

#971846 21-Jan-2014 20:05

johnr: How much you pay $NZ?

About $160ish. The guy I bought it off said he bought it brand new for that in Thailand.

ScarFace

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Wannabe Geek

#971891 21-Jan-2014 20:56

Dairyxox: Interesting. A guy I work with recently got sold an S4 that his friend brought back from overseas for very cheap, (about $100-200 from memory). I thought it sounded too good to be true, will take a closer look next time I see him.

Does this fake have touch wiz ui? Which Samsung apps are missing?

Pictures of this device would be much much appreciated

Would be interesting to see if your mate can get it working on a NZ network.

It has Touch Wiz UI, not as good as my genuine Note 10.1 (2014).

Apps that might (or might not be missing) are:

Some Google apps
Some Samsung apps
S Voice
S note
TripAdvisor

And now on inspection I can see that some apps are called different things e.g.

Genuine Fake
Contacts People
S Planner Calendar
My Files File Manager

freitasm

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#971893 21-Jan-2014 20:58

Removed that last picture with IMEI and serial number, just in case...