Existing Metro Customers: 11" 128GB Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G Tablet

lou2004

Sep 5, 2026 2:17 PM

7.5K Comments

Joined Jul 2007

lou2004Sep 5, 2026 2:17 PM

7.5K Comments

Quote from ScottoDono

:

Yeah, they are giving me a tough time, they want me to make a payment for the 2nd month of service to activate the line. Not sure what happens if I do not activate it, will they try to charge me, will the device never unlock?

Just use it as wifi device or use T-Mobile sim.

ScottoDono

Sep 5, 2026 2:42 PM

14.7K Comments

Joined Dec 2005

ScottoDonoSep 5, 2026 2:42 PM

14.7K Comments

Quote from isaacl

:

Got my tablet last night and was able to play with it a bit.I have the A9+ as well, definitely seems faster and hasn't locked up the A9+ did yet, though I haven't tested it enough.For anyone interested in the technical info and what worked for me:For the A9+, at least from what I saw on samfw.com and other firmware sites, there was no U1 firmware builds, only the U builds, which are generally carrier branded.On those, after I put a SIM card in and got past the initial setup, I used the SamFW tool to switch the CSC to USC (US Cellular), based on what I did on a S10+ 5G tablet as well, because that seems to remove the carrier branding. I didn't really use those afterwards with service, so putting a SIM card back in may switch the CSC and switch the carrier branding back as well.I do know that on my S10+ 5G, I have a T-Mobile SIM card in there, and it's on the USC CSC, and I don't see any carrier branding - the software info shows USC/TMB, so the SIM card doesn't seem to switch it back fully.On the A11+, I put a T-Mobile (deactivated) SIM card in initially, I didn't test to see if it would set up properly without the SIM card, though it's possible it may not need something, unlike the A9+.I allowed it to download the Metro eSIM, and later removed the T-Mobile SIM card, which made it switch to Metro carrier branding, and seems pretty intrusive. Once I confirmed it was active, I removed the eSIM, and I was able to switch it back to the T-Mobile branding by putting in the T-Mobile SIM card, which was much better than the Metro branding.I found that samfw.com had U1 builds (https://samfw.com/firmware/SM-X238U1), which are unbranded and the builds you get when you buy an unlocked phone from Samsung, and that shouldn't allow the carrier branding to take over.I downloaded the latest USC build, and used the patched version of Odin to flash that to the tablet.Once that was done, I put a T-Mobile in initially to set it up and to test (still have to reset and see if it actually needs a SIM card at all), and then used the SamFW tool to switch the CSC to USC.Both the A9+ and S10+ only appear to have U versions of the firmware, and no U1 versions, so that's not an option.I do see now that it does appear that there are U1 XAA builds for the A11+, so that probably would work as well, going to try switching the CSC to XAA when I have a chance, but not sure if there will be much difference, as long as Samsung does release updates for that CSC, the OTA updates should work.Also, one important thing I found with the A9+ - in order to eventually unlock the tablet, I believe you have to have a SIM card and it has to be on the carrier firmware to go through properly, not sure if it would have to have a Metro card, or if T-Mobile would be fine, though I won't be able to test that for another year or so until the tablet actually is ready to be unlocked from the carrier.Hope that helps someone, happy to try to help if anyone has any more questions.Enjoy!

You need to use adb to disable a process called cidmanager. If you don't do this, by putting in a sim it reboots phone and changes the csc back. I successfully changed to xaa on my first a11, used patched Odin, used regular csc file not home csc . So it does wipe data but don't to save data. Just backup data first.

I used Frija to download firmware and I am on U1 unbranded firmware so it does exist

Last edited by ScottoDono September 5, 2026 at 07:45 AM.

coachclass

Sep 5, 2026 4:39 PM

2.5K Comments

Joined Dec 2010

coachclassSep 5, 2026 4:39 PM

2.5K Comments

Quote from huge

:

FP.
Great deal. It's totally fine if you remove the bloat. And it's unlocked for tmobile

Lots of people posting info about the lock status in this thread and I don't think it's accurate. I just got mine.

It came with an esim, so you need to enable wifi to auto-activate the esim. Can't even get to the main Android screen without doing that first - they force you to as part of the setup.

The cellular network lock is in place. Unlock previous generations of Metro provided tablets that come unlocked, this one is network locked.

Since it's a Metro phone, I'm not sure if it's unlocked for t-mobile. Yes metro is a MVNO for t-mobile, but that doesn't mean it'll work on a pure T-mobile sim. I don't know where people are so confidently getting their info from.

showelliang

Sep 5, 2026 4:43 PM

134 Comments

Joined Aug 2011

showelliangSep 5, 2026 4:43 PM

134 Comments

I don't have metro line and I don't have a number to port in for A37 deal (and I don't need another phone).
Can I just pay $30 basic prepaid phone plan today, in order to get this deal?

EDIT: I just tried, yeah it works

Last edited by showelliang September 5, 2026 at 01:29 PM.

1

kunal2212

Sep 5, 2026 9:39 PM

326 Comments

Joined Dec 2008

kunal2212Sep 5, 2026 9:39 PM

326 Comments

I was also able to get a second tablet by calling in and using a different credit card than the first order. Now let's see if it actually ships.

withnoe

Sep 7, 2026 2:03 PM

81 Comments

Joined Sep 2013

withnoeSep 7, 2026 2:03 PM

81 Comments

Quote from chris112784

:

Easy deal! Just make a new account online, 30 bucks for the first month. After checkout log back in, add the tablet with a $20 monthly plan, tablet becomes free. $50 all in for one, then cancel after you receive it.

I tried this but how do I log back in when I have to wait for the sim to come to activate?

chris112784

Sep 7, 2026 2:17 PM

354 Comments

Joined Jan 2015

chris112784Sep 7, 2026 2:17 PM

354 Comments

Quote from withnoe

:

I tried this but how do I log back in when I have to wait for the sim to come to activate?

I did an esim

isaacl

Sep 7, 2026 3:55 PM

456 Comments

Joined Nov 2009

isaaclSep 7, 2026 3:55 PM

456 Comments

Quote from ScottoDono

:

You need to use adb to disable a process called cidmanager. If you don't do this, by putting in a sim it reboots phone and changes the csc back. I successfully changed to xaa on my first a11, used patched Odin, used regular csc file not home csc . So it does wipe data but don't to save data. Just backup data first.

I used Frija to download firmware and I am on U1 unbranded firmware so it does exist

Thanks for the info, curious to see if cidmanager matters when using the U1 firmware, have to test later.

Quality-Learing

Sep 7, 2026 8:51 PM

7K Comments

Joined Jul 2015

Quality-LearingSep 7, 2026 8:51 PM

7K Comments

You can activate the tablet before you receive it by using the Order Number you get in the confirmation email

https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/r...s/activate

ScottoDono

Sep 7, 2026 11:25 PM

14.7K Comments

Joined Dec 2005

ScottoDonoSep 7, 2026 11:25 PM

14.7K Comments

Quote from isaacl

:

Thanks for the info, curious to see if cidmanager matters when using the U1 firmware, have to test later.

It absolutely does. It won't change the firmware but it forces reboot and configures carrier settings and it is an obstacle to csc change

isaacl

Sep 8, 2026 5:41 PM

456 Comments

Joined Nov 2009

isaaclSep 8, 2026 5:41 PM

456 Comments

Quote from ScottoDono

:

It absolutely does. It won't change the firmware but it forces reboot and configures carrier settings and it is an obstacle to csc change

Interesting, though if you do want to eventually unlock the tablet after a year, you might still want that available, and not sure I mind the carrier settings change as long as the branding and bloat isn't there...

CleverKite3150

Sep 8, 2026 6:28 PM

24 Comments

Joined Nov 2025

CleverKite3150Sep 8, 2026 6:28 PM

24 Comments

Activated 2nd tablet. Tried to order a 3rd and got the you must call in to order message. Anyone successfully order a 3rd?

ScottoDono

Sep 8, 2026 8:02 PM

14.7K Comments

Joined Dec 2005

ScottoDonoSep 8, 2026 8:02 PM

14.7K Comments

Quote from isaacl

:

Interesting, though if you do want to eventually unlock the tablet after a year, you might still want that available, and not sure I mind the carrier settings change as long as the branding and bloat isn't there...

I have no idea how the unlock will work if not on Metro firmware. Since I have two, I'm leaving one on and with U1 firmware. Guess I'll be able to test in a year. Can always reenable the process

ScottoDono

Sep 8, 2026 8:03 PM

14.7K Comments

Joined Dec 2005

ScottoDonoSep 8, 2026 8:03 PM

14.7K Comments

Quote from lou2004

:

Just use it as wifi device or use T-Mobile sim.

The second agent was able to do the 3 day extension

Afeldman1

Sep 8, 2026 9:07 PM

137 Comments

Joined Jul 2013

Afeldman1Sep 8, 2026 9:07 PM

137 Comments

Quote from ScottoDono

:

I have no idea how the unlock will work if not on Metro firmware. Since I have two, I'm leaving one on and with U1 firmware. Guess I'll be able to test in a year. Can always reenable the process

With the Metro A9+ 5G, activated with just WiFi, and not flashed with anything the tablet did not unlock after a year

Existing Metro Customers: 11" 128GB Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G Tablet

Free w/ New $20+ Monthly Plan

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