[LG V30 Questions & Answers] ChazzMatt:
Was not BOLDY stated to you?

If you are already rooted and don't know this, then you failed to read the WTF Instructions thoroughly. Blame only yourself? See WTF Section 9: EXTRAS - MODEMS, RESTORING VARIANT FIRMWARE, UPDATES TO LATEST FIRMWARE. That section headline is pretty BOLD.

Also see attached screenshot.

What do you think all Sprint users do after rooting? They use [MENTION=6815443]JohnFawkes[/MENTION] TWRP-flashable zip (stock ROM) to go back to Sprint firmware and get back Sprint bands.

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WRONG. US998 is LG official North American Open Market. Just like G6 US997, etc. U.S. Cellular was also allowed to sell US998 -- instead of a dedicated model, and the "Open Market" US998 variants were sold by LG through authorized 3rd party retailers -- supplied directly by LG. B&H Photo and Best Buy, among others back in early 2017 and 2018. Had NOTHING to do with U.S. Cellular carrier. However, what's being sold at Best Buy and Wal-Mart right now is probably not native US998. I'll explain that in a minute...

Please do NOT spread misinformation. US998 is NOT (only) "U.S. Cellular". It can be U.S. Cellular. But you need to check your IMEI online -- it will tell you whether you have U.S. Cellular or Open Market -- or something else! All US998 have the same bands and are carrier unlocked. Two US998 variants were sold by U.S. Cellular, but US998 is also the official Open Market variant sold by other retailers -- supplied straight from LG.

The Open Market variants were released MONTHS after the U.S. Cellular variants. The Techwalls article you link was written PRIOR to the US998 Open Market variants being released. While it's a decent resource, it's outdated.

ALSO many US998 V30+ -- even those bought in big box stores like Walmart and Best Buy -- are ACTUALLY former Sprint LS998 V30+. They were surplus LS998 V30+ bought by wholesalers and converted to US998, now sold by Big Box stores. They were NEVER NEVER sold by U.S. Cellular nor were even official Open Market US998. Again, check your IMEI online to see. ;) I bought a US998 V30+ from Wal-Mart a year ago and it was fomer LS998 V30+. All packaged nice and new. The info on outside of the box said LS998 but the firmware inside was US998 Nougat -- and it was being sold by Wal-Mart.com as "US998".

CHECK IMEI

https://swappa.com/esn

Whereas, all US998 (native or converted) are carrier unlocked, but LS998 firmware is locked to Sprint.

There are several US998 variants. For instance, US998 V30S was NOT sold by U.S. Cellular -- was only designated Open Market. The Open Market 64GB US998 can obtain the official LG bootloader unlock code, but the U.S. Cellular variants cannot. (Doesn't matter, we have WTF bootloder lock exploit.)

For Nougat and Oreo all the US998 actually ran the same firmware -- but for Pie there is a difference between U.S. Cellular firmware and the not-yet-released Open Market Pie KDZ firmware. That's why the current US998 Pie 30b is so wonky.

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This is all explained in the WTF instructions, how to get the Sprint LTE bands back. You are repeating two year old news. If you are rooted, then you failed to thoroughly read the WTF instructions?

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He just failed to read information already written in this forum, especially if he's rooted through the WTF method. Section 9 tells how to return to carrier firmware of your choice -- with affiliated LTE bands.

Plus it irks me when people claim US998 is "U.S. Cellular". LG merely let U.S. Cellular sell some US998 instead of having a dedicated model for them (like Verizon VS996, Sprint LS998 or AT&T H931). They are a regional carrier (not even in all 50 states) and it was cheap way to let them think they are important.

Reporters who reviewed the LG V30 -- PRIOR TO OFFICIAL RELEASE -- were given the Open Market US998 by LG. They weren't given "U.S. Cellular" phones. They were given phones that work on all carriers. US998 Open Market variants. Yet, LG then let the carriers have 3 months of uninterrupted sales before releasing the Open Market US998 in Q4 2017.

If the Open Market US998 is missing some Sprint bands, blame LG. But US998 owners can get those Sprint bands back. It's specifically mentioned in the WTF Instructions... Which I wrote TWO YEARS ago and keep updated. Sprint users have to TEMPORARILY convert LS998 to US998 for bootloader unlock and root. They I supply links instructions on how to convert back to Sprint firmware/bands if that's what they want. Or if you have an US998, you can CONVERT to LS998. See attached screenshot straight from WTF Instructions. Sprint US998 owners who never had LS998 also use that method to get LS998 LTE bands on native US998.