How to Network Unlock Your Samsung Galaxy S3 to Use with Another GSM Carrier

Why unlock your Samsung Galaxy S3 to use with a different SIM card? One possible reason is that you love your phone, but not your cellular provider because of the poor service or an unreliable connection. If you purchased a Samsung GS3 with AT&T, T-Mobile, etc. on a contract, it might be locked for a specific amount of time called the contract period.
After the contract period, you may request your network provider to unlock your phone, but it's not as easy to unlock as you think. In the U.S., unlocking became illegal after January 26th, 2013. However, a new bill is in progress to make it legal again.

To switch network providers, you need to first unlock your device. Many online websites or offline local stores can do it for a fee, but why pay if you can do it yourself?

How to Carrier Unlock Your Samsung Galaxy S3 Easily

Here's the step-by-step guide to show you how to quickly unlock your Galaxy S3, any model. If you have a newer Samsung Galaxy S4, check out these step-by-step instructions for SIM unlocking it.

Warning

Before start unlocking, make sure you have properly backed up your device. It's risky if you don't properly use the instructions or follow the steps one by one, so it's not my responsibility if something happens.

Step 1: Check Your Phone Version

Your phone must be running on Android 4.1.1 or later to successfully use this method. Check your device Android version by opening the Settings menu, scroll to the bottom, and select "About Device" and check your phone's "Android version" number.

Step 2: Update Your Phone Version

If your phone is not updated to Android 4.1.1 or higher, you can do it by selecting the next menu to "About Device," select "System Updates," and then click on "Check for Updates." Your phone will automatically looked for the update over the network.

Step 3: Dial the Secret Code

Open the dialer of your phone and enter the secret code *#197328640#—it will open the Service Mode Menu.

Step 4: Select UMTS Menu

In the Service Mode Menu, select [1] UMTS. Tap the menu selection on you phone's screen to select it. If you select the wrong option by mistake, press the MENU button of your device and select back.

Step 5: Open the Debug Screen

In the menu under UMTS, select the [1] DEBUG SCREEN.

Step 6: Select Phone Control

In the Debug Screen, select [8] PHONE CONTROL.

Step 7: Select Network Lock

In the Phone Control Menu Screen, select [6] NETWORK LOCK.

Step 8: Select Perso SHA256 Off

In the Network Lock Screen, select [3] PERSO SHA256 OFF and wait for 30 seconds. Then press the Menu button and select back.

Step 9: Choose NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ

After going to back to main menu, select [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.

Step 10: Backup & Reboot Phone

Once you select NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ, kindly wait for almost one minute and then reboot your phone. Note you didn't receive any confirmation for the process.

Insert the New SIM Card

Insert the non-accepted SIM Card and power on the Phone. If your phone didn't ask for Unlock Code, it's permanently unlocked to use with any GSM carrier.
You may have to downgrade your firmware version in order to let this method work. alternatively you can call your service provider and ask them for SIM unlock code without paying from your wallet. The only catch is that each service provider has few criteria which must be met before they give the unlock code for your device.
If you do not meet the criteria required by your service provider, a third-party SIM unlock service for your Galaxy S3 is your only other option. Please note sometimes your device may need hard reset to perform unlocking.

hello everyone... I want to share the tool for editing apk, and making a slightly guide for decompile/recompile apk and basic editing xml/smali... and this guide and tool for Windows user...

REQUIREMENTS :

Download and Install on your computer

1. JDK here

2. 7zip here or Winrar (recommended) here

3. Notepad++ here

4. Android SDK for patch 9.png until Zipalign the apk here

5. Apktool & baksmali/smali + Signer for all GB/ICS/JB ROM here

6. Apktool & baksmali/smali + Signer for all GB/ICS/JB ROM v2 here

7. Apktool & baksmali/smali + Signer for all GB/ICS/JB/KK ROM v3 (4.4 Kitkat support/optimized) here

Save or extract apktool to folder directory :

Windows XP : C:\Document and Settings\folder your computer name\here

Windows 7 : C:\User\folder your computer name\here

CREDITS & BIG THANKS TO :

- Brut.all for apktool
- Team Reject for Quick baksmali/smali file
- Yorzua for Sign apk file
- Rizal Lovins for support me
- pantrif13

1. How to Decompile and Recompile *.jar file or classes.dex

- Copy *.jar file to apktool folder (make sure is the same folder). for example : android.policy.jar

- Open android.policy.jar using Winrar or 7zip and extract classes.dex file

- Drag & drop classes.dex to Quick-Baksmali.cmd (decompile process)

Screenshot example for Baksmaling/decompile classes.dex using drag & drop method :

- wait and you will see a folder with the name "classout"

- now you can start editing smali file on classout folder (use Notepad++ for editing it)

- After editing is complete, Drag & drop classout folder to Quick-Smali.cmd (recompile process)

Screenshot example for Smaling/recompile classout folder using drag & drop method :

- After recompile is complete, there will be a file with a name "new-classes.dex"

- Open android.policy.jar using Winrar or 7zip

- Rename new-classes.dex to classes.dex, and Drag & drop to android.policy.jar with normal compression

- finally, push back android.policy.jar into the system your device. push manual using root explorer/similar application or make a flashable zip.

2. How to Decompile and Recompile *.apk file

a. Copy framework-res.apk to apktool folder (make sure is the same folder).

(Attention : to edit other default apk on system/app like Contacts.apk, Phone.apk. MusicPlayer.apk etc.. needed framework 2.for example : twframework-res.apk)

b. Copy other *.apk you want to edit to apktool folder. for example : GreenRockers.apk

c. Open Command Prompt.bat

d. Decompile and install framework

Code:

apktool if framework-res.apk
apktool d GreenRockers.apk

Screenshot example for installing framework and decompiling apk :

if your apk is Contacs.apk, Phone.apk, Camera.apk etc.. follow this guide :

Code:

apktool if framework-res.apk
apktool if twframework-res.apk
apktool d Settings.apk

Screenshot example for installing framework 2 and decompiling apk :

e. wait and you will see a folder with the name "GreenRockers or Settings"

f. now you can start editing png, xml, even smali file

g. After editing is complete, Now Recompile

Code:

apktool b -f -d GreenRockers

Code:

apktool b -f -d Settings

Screenshot example for decompiling dan recompiling apk :

h. After recompile is complete, go to GreenRockers or Settings folder, Open dist folder and open GreenRockers.apk or Settings.apk using Winrar/7zip

i. Open Original GreenRockers.apk or Settings.apk Using Winrar/7zip

j. Drag & drop META-INF folder and android.manifest.xml (if you not edit android.manifest.xml), also lib folder if there in Original GreenRockers.apk to Modified GreenRockers.apk or Modified Settings.apk on dist folder.

Screenshot example for Drag & drop META-INF folder etc :

k. Now Sign apk, example :

Code:

java -jar SignApk.jar testkey.x509.pem testkey.pk8 GreenRockers.apk GreenRockers_signed.apk

(Attention : Sign apk is only for 3rd Party apps, you can sign apk from system/app. but not all apk on system/app support)

l. Rename GreenRockers_signed.apk to GreenRockers.apk

m. Zipalign the apk

Code:

zipalign -fv 4 GreenRockers.apk GreenRockers-new.apk

n. Rename GreenRockers-new.apk to GreenRockers.apk

o. finally, push back xxxxxx.apk into the system your device. push manual using root explorer/similar application or make a flashable zip.

3. How to Zipalign the *.apk

1. Download and Install Android SDK (if you've downloaded, do not need to download again)

2. Go to C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\tools

3. Search + copy zipalign.exe and draw9patch.bat then paste in the c:\windows\here

4. Open cmd and typing this code (For example : Zipalign SystemUI.apk) :

Code:

zipalign -fv 4 SystemUI.apk SystemUI-new.apk

Sunday, July 20, 2014