Just Some Basic Questions About New Sim Card/VoLTE/Upgrade

Hi @MobileMoose 👋🏻

The only question I can answer for you is with regards to your Samsung, as I had the same problem with my Samsung Galaxy J4+ which I was gifted by my sister.

Under Settings - Connections - Mobile Networks you should see an On/Off toggle for ‘VoLTE’ (which is 4G Calling) and under the Network mode you should see LTE rather than 4G to be able to make use of the 4G network. If this option isn’t available then the software isn’t up to date.

What many people don’t know is that the phones software and updates are actually controlled by the network the handset it was originally sold by (even when ‘Update Software’ is selected in the devices settings).
My sister purchased the SG J4+  from Vodafone and so the VoLTE/WiFi Calling software updates, that enabled these and were not available when I got the phone, couldn’t be downloaded unless I had access to their network i.e. connected to it via a Vodafone SIM.

To see if this is the case for you, go to Settings - About phone - Software information.
Look at the details under Service Provider SW Ver. and this shows if your phones software is controlled by a certain network.
This was the SW ver. on the SG J4+ :-

VOD shows that Vodafone controlled all updates to the software.
These are the codes to show if your SG software is controlled by a specific network:-

EVR (EE)                                                                                                                   

BTC, CPW (Carphone Warehouse)

H3G, O2I, O2U (O2)

ORA (Orange)

TMU (T-Mobile)

TSC, VIR, VOD (Vodafone)

XEU (EE & Three)

If you find that this is the case then, if your preference is to continue using the SG, you will need to ‘Flash’ your phone with Unbranded software (BTU). 
Flashing your phone to ‘Unbranded’ software means you will get software updates from Samsung rather than a specific Mobile Phone Network.
This is NOT as scary as it sounds (as I managed to do it fine and I’m a Numpty when it come to technology)!
This is the site where I found the information required to do this (look at the posts by HJ_E):-
https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/other-galaxy-s-series/unable-to-find-the-option-of-volte/td-p/9426801/page/2
The only info you really need off your phone(so that you update the correct version of your software from the Samfw.com website) is the  ‘J’ number in the Build Number details under Software Information.

Here are the websites you will need (from the post in the Samsung Community link):-
 

https://samfw.com/                                                                                     For Samsung Firmware download

https://technastic.com/odin-download-samsung-latest-all-versions/ Download Odin3B (flashing software)

https://technastic.com/samsung-usb-driver-download-windows/      To download Samsung drivers (*)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuV5-v91IUA                             Flashing tutorial video

https://technastic.com/flash-firmware-update-samsung-odin/           Odin3B – How to use

Extra Info :-

These are things I found out about when I Flashed my phone and were not obvious when doing so. Small details but necessary.

• Check which OS version you are using:-

Settings > About Phone > Software Information – One UI Version and Android Version

e.g. One IU Version – 1.0           

       Android Version – 9

(This OS needs ODIN V3.13.3)

Then download the compatible ODIN3 software from (*)

• Back up all data to SD card and make note of all Apps and shortcuts on the device

• REMOVE BOTH THE SD CARD AND SIM BEFORE FLASHING.

  Only replace these in the phone once it has fully rebooted (NOT before as it will get stuck in a Boot Loop!).

• To put Samsung phone into ‘Download’ mode press and hold both volume button then connect, via a USB cable, to the PC. Then press volume UP button.

  This needs to be performed to enable flashing of the firmware (check on-line if this the correct way to perform it for your SG model)

• When loading files into ODIN3B:-

  HOME_CSC    - Will keep all personal data (photos/contacts etc) on phone

  *CSC_OMC      - Will delete all personal data

   

  * This is the one to use, hence the need to copy all personal data to SD card. Using the ‘HOME’ file may leave the phone in a Boot Loop i.e. stuck on the ‘opening screen’ and won’t boot up.

  If this does happen then use the information at the bottom of this page to fix it

  https://technastic.com/flash-firmware-update-samsung-odin/

Once you have ‘Flashed’ the phones software the details should now look something like this (XEU is Unbranded and uncontrolled by mobile networks):-

I Flashed my SG J4+ (as above) and all is working great and VoLTE/WiFi Calling options are now available and my phone will now get ALL further updates without being tied to a specific network.

Please do your research and look through all the info I have given.
THIS worked for me but I can not be responsible if you wish to proceed and something goes wrong (This is a disclaimer as I won’t be held responsible if you wish to go ahead with this even though when I preformed this it was successful).
 

If you wish to go down the route of using your Alcatel phone and obtaining a Nano-SIM  then you may still come up against the same problem with the software being controlled by a MP Network and the VoLTE/WiFi Calling options not being available to use. This is the same if you were to purchase another handset as it may have the ‘capability’ for VoLTE (4G Calling)/WiFi Calling but unless the software is ‘Unbranded’ then updating it will not help.

I hope this is useful x x