Uninstall Metro bloatware from Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+

Cleaning T-Mobile and Metro Apps from a Tablet Using Ubuntu

This guide explains how to remove bloatware installed on a Metro tablet.

Metro apps send unwanted push notifications, install additional apps, and perform background telemetry and analytics. This guide will help you remove the visible App Hub and Metro Android App from your tablet, along with other background carrier apps, reducing unwanted notifications and telemetry while keeping your device fully functional. You do not need to root the tablet.

The guide is written for Ubuntu but is similar for other Linux distributions: you may need to replace the sudo apt with another package manager. Windows does not have apt or grep, but otherwise it is the same process.

Backstory: I bought a Galaxy Tab A9+ from Metro for free with a $20/month unlimited data plan. A voice plan was required, so I signed up for the $25 BYOD unlimited phone plan. The first $20 covered tax, fast shipping, activation, and everything else. A few months later, I downgraded the tablet to a $5/month 2GB plan. Others report that this plan can be canceled immediately after receiving the tablet. It's not a top-of-the line tablet, but I am happy with it. It's a little slow when switching apps, but otherwise it's what I was looking for.

Step 1: Enable Developer Mode on the Tablet

1. Open Settings > About tablet.
2. Tap Build number seven times to unlock Developer Options.
3. Go back to Settings > Developer Options.
4. Enable USB Debugging.

Step 2: Connect Tablet to Ubuntu

1. Plug in your tablet via USB.
2. Switch to the tablet and accept the Allow USB debugging prompt.

Step 3: Install ADB on Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install adb

Step 4: Verify Connection

adb devices

You should see your tablet listed. If it says unauthorized like this, check the tablet and accept the prompt.

List of devices attached
A34B781CDF9	unauthorized

It should look like this (with a different device ID than mine):

List of devices attached
A34B781CDF9	device

Step 5: List T-Mobile and Metro Packages

This step is optional but recommended in case your package list differs:

adb shell pm list packages | grep -i tmobile
adb shell pm list packages | grep -i metro

Tip, if you see the error below, then look at the tablet for an authorization prompt:

adb: device unauthorized.
This adb server's $ADB_VENDOR_KEYS is not set
Try 'adb kill-server' if that seems wrong.
Otherwise check for a confirmation dialog on your device.

Step 6: Uninstall Packages for Your User

Run these commands to uninstall carrier apps without affecting system-wide functionality:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.applovin.array.apphub.tmobile
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.dti.tmobile
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.ironsrc.aura.tmo
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.tmobile.dm.cm
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.tmobile.dm.ms.services
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.adapt
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.metro.android.app
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.metro.dm
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.metro.services

For all packages except one, ADB responded with Success. However, the package com.tmobile.echolocate cannot be uninstalled via ADB. Attempting to remove it returns Failed to uninstall a package. It is a protected system service and will remain on the device.

Step 7: Verify Removal

adb shell pm list packages | grep -i tmobile
adb shell pm list packages | grep -i metro

Only protected or remaining apps will appear in the list.

Note: Some apps may return after Android upgrades unless you flash the tablet firmware. I am avoiding that for now because this adb process was quick and easy.

Enable 5G standalone (NR SA) on Samsung Galaxy A13

(Update December 2025) My Galaxy S22 and A13 needed this procedure to enable NR SA, but my unlocked A15 and S15 worked out of the box on NR SA with Google Fi. While the article's primary purpose is dated, there are still still parts that may be of interest to Samsung Galaxy users. My Galaxy S24 is limited to 3CA download and 1 CA UL with the Google Fi SIM/eSIM, but the same phone will do 4CA DL and 2 CA UL with a Metro SIM. I expect a similar procedure as below would unlock the carrier aggregation, but I couldn't get the SamFW part working. Another way in which the article is still helpful is that the dialer codes (e.g., 0011) continue to work on my Galaxy S24 with One UI 8, but you must disable the Auto Blocker feature!

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I bought two Samsung Galaxy A13 5G phones from Google Fi for $100 each on promo, but by default, they connected in NR NSA (non-standalone) mode, which requires an LTE anchor. Performance was okay in NR NSA except in few geographic areas where LTE bands 2, 4, and 66 had high packet loss of 50-100% because of low signal or interference.

With a little effort, Samsung Galaxy phones can be put into NR SA ("pure 5G") mode. The process is similar to the Galaxy S22 (see guide by peacey8 at end), but there are a few differences. In particular, the A13 uses a Mediatek MT6769V/CU Helio G80 chipset instead of the Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on the Galaxy S22, so the serivce menus differ.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Lower latency and packet loss (sometimes/generally).
• Latest generation of cell network technology.

Cons

• Requires compatiable carrier. (In the USA, it's only T-Mobile and their MVNOs such as Google Fi and Mint Mobile.)
• Requires somewhat modern phone.
• Requires compatible cell tower. (In my area, 5G coverage is excellent.)
• T-Mobile does not support voice yet on NR SA mode. If band locking is set to NR SA, phone calls will not work. If band locking allows LTE and NR NSA, it will automatically fall back to LTE/NR NSA.
• Allowing NR SA mode requires some initial technical set up.
• Without band locking, the phone may often favor NR NSA over NR SA, even when NR SA has better network performance.
• Band locking settings (optional) gets lost after phone reboot.
• Set up varies by chipset.

Guide

This guide assumes your phone has the XAA (unlocked) CSC profile. If not, see peacey8's guide at the end. If you have TMB profile, then NR SA mode should already work. Once you have XAA, proceed here.

1. On the phone, enable developer mode: go to settings (gear) - About Phone - Software Information - tap seven times on build.
2. In phone settings (Gear) - Developer Options - enable USB debugging.
3. Install Samsung USB driver for Windows. (Sorry, you need a laptop or desktop.)
4. Launch the SamFW FRP tool on Windows.
5. Connect phone by USB cable to Windows machine.
6. In SamFW, enable secret code for Verizon. (You do not need to use Verizon as a carrier.)
7. SamFW should stop at "Waiting for DIAG."
8. In Samsung Phone app (with the blue icon), call *#0808#. (It does not work for me in the Google Phone app with the green icon.) After hitting the last pound (and before hitting the call button), the USB settings menu should appear.
9. If you have two options, then you did not enable USB debugging. Start over.
10. Tap DM+ACM+ADB and tap OK. (The Galaxy S22 has way more USB debugging options, by the way.)
11. SamFW should stop at "Disabling DIAG."
12. Then call *#0808#, and switch back to MTP.
13. Phone can be disconnected from USB, if you wish.
14. In the Samsung phone, app use the dialer code *#27663368378#.
15. UE SETTING AND INFO -SETTING - PROTOCOL- NR -ALLOW LIST- ALLOW LIST OFF
16. Three dots (top right), back
17. NR5G SA / NSA mode control - SA / NSA enable
18. Reboot phone.

Once it is working, you can disable the USB debugging and developer options menu on the phone, and you can uninstall SamFW.

Troubleshooting

Unlike the Galaxy S22, the *#2263# menu will not look any different on the A13. Even when NR SA is active, this service menu looks the same. It doesn't distinguish NR NSA and NR SA, so to confirm you are on SA, some options are:

• Dial *#0011#. Pick relevant SIM. Check fourth line "Serving PLMN." If you see Nr5G, it's SA. If LTE, then it's not.
• Use app such as CellMapper, Network Cell Info Lite, or NetMonster. They will all show the network type on the main page.

If you are still on LTE or NR NSA, some options:

• Check your carrier supports NR SA. Right now, T-Mobile does, while Verizon and AT&T do not.
• Check you have a 5G SIM and a 5G plan.
• Turn off wifi. (It may use LTE only for power savings.)
• Move closer to the tower.
• Move to another tower.
• Reset the connection like this: phone settings (gear) - Connections - Mobile networks - LTE/3G/2G. Wait a moment and set back to 5G/LTE/3G/2G. On our two A13, S22, and S22+ phones, we often need to reset the connection like this, and airplane mode does not seem to help. Otherwise, it may stick to LTE when NR NSA or NR SA are available.
• Disable LTE like this: in the Samsung Phone app (green app icon), call *#2263#. Tap the relevant SIM. Tap CLEAR ALL BANDS. Tap "BLOCK SET BY AP," so the asterisk goes away. Tap NR menu to enter it. Select NR ALL. Go back to main. Apply selection. This may reset after rebooting the phone.
• Alternate way to force NR: in Google Phone app (blue app icon), call *#*#4636#*#*- Phone Information - Set preferred network Type - NR only.

I tested this two Galaxy A13 phones running Android 12 with T-Mobile via Google FI. In case you want to join Google Fi, here's a referral code to get a $20 credit when you join: 2RD2V5.

On the Galaxy S22, voice calls do not work with NR SA: incoming calls go straight to voicemail, and outgoing calls stop a moment after dialing because VoNR apprently is not enabled. It is probably the same on VoNR.

Thank you much to the NR SA for Galaxy S22 guide from peacey8 and molexs's comment about the SCR01 hotspot.