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Upgrade Android on unlocked AT&T Branded Phone with foreign Service Provider
I purchase an unlocked AT&T Branded Phone (Axon M) a while back through an Amazon FBA seller for use in Canada as a backup.
It is passed the return period.
I set up the phone working fine except Android version is 7.1.2
AT&T Software Update says it is up to date!
I read there is no way to update Android without an active AT&T Sim Card
That's fine but before spending money to get an AT&T Sim Card I would like confirm two things:
1) Will an active prepaid AT&T Sim Card will work or does it have to be a postpaid AT&T Sim card?
2) Can I activate the AT&T Sim Card in Canada and upgrade through Wifi or do I physically have to get across the border say Buffalo to activate there and push the update to the phone while in the U.S.
If I have to go to the U.S. then I've purchased an expensive brick and learned a valuable lesson to never purchase an AT&T branded phone product again.
Thank you in advance for your response.
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Official Solution
joeldf
ACE - Guru
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970 Messages
4 months ago
Also, according to AT&T support page for that phone, Android 7.1.2 is it.
The last security patch AT&T releases for it was the Aug. 1, 2018 patch released on Sept 18, 2018.
If you already have that, there would be nothing else to get from AT&T.
They only released 4 security patches since its initial launch. There were no major Android updates at all. At least not from AT&T.
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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63.9K Messages
4 months ago
Prepaid will work fine but you need to be in the US connected to ATT’s network to initiate any upgrade.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.6K Messages
4 months ago
ATT pulled the updates for that phone off the servers years ago it was released in 2017 and then canceled not to long after.
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AxonMfromCanada
New Member
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2 Messages
3 months ago
Thanks for everyone's responses. I will need to do better research when purchasing unlocked older model phones (it was brand new when I purchased it) from third party sellers on Amazon (or any other platform) especially those branded to a service provider like AT&T.
Someone from AT&T approved the sale of these AT&T branded unlocked phones to resellers knowing full well that it would not be supported and does not allow you to uninstall/remove the AT&T software to get any updates through third party software so I feel I need to add to this post in hopes that the next person doesn't make the same mistake as me and wasted over $200 on this phone.
Apps like Slack (Messaging) do not allow me to use it with older version of Android. I have had no problems in the past purchasing U.S. branded phones such as T-Mobile and using them in Canada. Plus I feel there must be security issues (known or unknown) with using Android 7.1.2 (since we are on Android 12 now) that Slack refuses to allow me to use the app on this phone.
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joeldf
ACE - Guru
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970 Messages
3 months ago
Actually, AT&T has nothing to do with 3rd party resellers re-selling AT&T phones that are unlocked. AT&T does not sell unlocked phones themselves to anyone. 3rd party resellers may purchase AT&T phones, but once that happens, those phones are out of AT&T's hands. That's the risk you take buying an AT&T phone but not from AT&T or planned to be used on AT&T. Unlocked or not.
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