0

Here is an interesting one. I have a mobile phone that I use daily. I have a PAYG package that allows unlimited Data with it.

They have just changed their policy that now sees my particular mobile phone as a Tablet. With that they have blocked my Data use via the Sim for this mobile only!

What I am interested in is if there is a way to make my mobile look like another model of mobile to my carrier.

Like this.....

My mobile is a Samsung Galaxy P1000 - I want it to look like a Samsung Galaxy S3 to my network... Hope that makes sense..

I have used this phone for 14 months every day without problems and spoken to my network provider at length regarding the problem. They said if the SIM is used in any other Smartphone it will work, just not mine!!

Look forward to your answers on the matter..

Area51
  • 1
  • Did you ask how they identified you phone as a tablet? By it's IMEI perhaps? And by the way, it is a tablet with voice call functions, not a phone. – aleksikallio May 23 '14 at 05:44
  • This wouldn't be possible unless your phone is rooted (which is not mentioned). If you have root access, there are apps (Market Helper) and manual methods to change which device is reported to Google Play Store. This might not work if the device is reported based on IMEI or something else, but might be worth a try at least. – filoxo May 23 '14 at 14:33
  • Regardless as what it is classed as I was advised by 3 that is would be prefectly fine to use on the package i was using, they have only recently changed their attitude. – Area51 May 24 '14 at 17:41
  • @onik you cannot classify the device as a tablet or a phone. It has enough characteristics of both to be on the midpoint. Specially since the device only runs up to gingerbread (official roms). – Mindwin Remember Monica Jun 13 '14 at 21:02
  • 1
    @Mindwin I can't but the manufacturer can, which is why the device is known as Galaxy Tab, and is marketed as a tablet. User opinions can differ, but if a device is created, branded, marketed and distributed as a tablet, I'd say that user opinions can't sway the carrier. – aleksikallio Jun 15 '14 at 14:14

1 Answers1

0

Your TL;DR; answer is: NO.

Your carrier will always see the IMEI code of the phone. It is like a MAC address on a LAN.

Spoofing or changing the IMEI of a device is Illegal.

Since in S.E. we won't go beyond the law, nobody is changing the IMEI.

You can check the model and status of any device by its IMEI, in this link here.

The P1000 sits on the boundary between a phone and a tablet (Humpty Dum-P1000 sitting on a wall...).

There are some like @onik♦ or your carrier that will see it as a tablet, but screen size (and there are several 7 inch phones out there) is hardly enough to make a device a tablet...

P1000 runs only up to 2.3 gingerbread (stock) - Several apps behave as phone only because of that. It makes calls and messaging, so I call a mistrial on this whole tablet or phone thing.

We are specifically talking of the P1000 here. The other generations of the Galaxy Tab series can fall into the tablet side of the wall, but the P1000? no.

Good luck convincing your carrier of either. My money is on them telling you to suck it (as bad as it sounds).

Community
  • 1
Mindwin Remember Monica
  • 1,133
  • 6
  • 14
  • 27