Net10 and an International Samsung A50 (A505F/DS) phone - will it work?

To all viewing this, here are some facts I've discovered along the way which I think may be useful for those who are seeking GSM unlocked phones for use under Net10 and similar providers.

The following applies to a Samsun A50: 

There are only 2 American versions of the A50 - Sprint and Verizon.  Sprint is strictly CDMA.  You cannot use a CDMA phone on Net10. Period, so that one is out even unlocked.  So only a Verizon unlocked phone would work because they use GSM networks.

Most Samsung A50s are International.  Can you use an International version with Net10?  Only if the bands listed are used by Net10, which uses the Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile bands in the US.

NOTE: There isn't a problem with 2G and 3G frequencies on any of them--they will all work with Net10.  It is the 4G frequencies/bands (US) that are the problem.  Each International phone will have a different identifying letter series after the phone serial, and those letters differ by region. 

For example, the International A50 that I am looking at is serialized "A505F/DS".  This is a phone originally sold in South or Central America, I believe.  It uses the following LTE bands: 

LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 38(2600), 40(2300), 41(2500).

ATT, Verizon and T-Mobile use the following bands for 4G in the US:  2, 4, 12, 13 and 17.  What is weird is, I read somewhere  that Net10 uses all of these: 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 26, 29, 30, and 41.  I'm guessing this is worldwide, because 41 is a Chinese band.

At any rate, you can see that the *only* band that overlaps between the phone I'm looking at and Net10's bands (or ATT, T-Mobile and Verizons' bands) is, well, none of them, if 41 is, indeed, Chinese.

Everywhere I've read, you need at least a couple of matching bands.  And  yes, there are International, unlocked phones that have several of the bands used by Net10's networks.

So check this website for information to make sure the phone's bands match the various networks' bands before you buy!!    https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/smartphone-bands-explained/2/  

@titianmom  The phone may work on other networks that Net10 uses. Net10 uses multiple carriers like Verizon, Sprint

Link below has the bands that AT&T uses

https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/cell-phone-networks-and-frequencies-explained

Net10 is one of a handful of prepaid carriers under the TracFone umbrella. Like its parent company, Net10 offers pay-as-you-go and monthly plans. It also contracts with each of the four major cell phone carriers, so Net10 customers use the nationwide networks of Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon, depending on their phone and where they live.

@titianmom        You most certainly CAN use a Verizon phone on Net10. I've been with them for over 10 years. I currently use a VERIZON iPhone 7 using the AT&T network on Net10. Most phones from Verizon are automatically factory unlocked. For example an iPhone 6s or iPhone SE from Verizon not only have CDMA bands but ALL GSM bands as well. So you will actually get better service on ATT or Net10 AT&T using a Verizon iPhone. Also, Verizon no longer uses CDMA as their service,they have upgraded to where you can use ANY CELL phone tower nearest to you even if it's a AT&T tower and you have Verizon service. As far as Net10 though, if you are using the "bring your own phone" plan. You can use any of the 4 carriers sim cards you'd like if you purchase the net10 sim card packet that includes sim cards to work with Net10  using ATT, Verizon, sprint, Tmobile. Net10 also supports VoLTE now so you can now use just WiFi for making calls especially if you get not so great signal with whatever carrier you're using