Best US Cell Carrier for PinePhone Pro

[nmatt]

Just preordered my PinePhone Pro and very excited to have mainline linux on a phone and get involved in development efforts.

What are the best options for getting data/calls/texts working in the US? I currently use Verizon for my main android phone but I've heard it can be a pain to get a PinePhone on their network. Can anyone in the US who has data/calls/texts working well on their PinePhone let me know what you think works the best?

I'm hoping to daily drive my PinePhone along side my android phone to put it though its paces.

Thanks,
nmatt

[brb78]

Have had a PP and PPP on VZ network since early 2020 with no issues (other than lack of MMS support). Early on Chatty had some cdma SMS issues, but for the last year its been plug and play with an activated SIM. Have not tried to activate a SIM on PP/PPP.

---

also, these

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...5#pid65065
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...014&page=2

SMS over CDMA will clog you modem eventually. get minicom and clear the modem cache when necessary.

[rocket2nfinity]

I have had the most luck with VZ sim via US Mobile (you have to activate with a VZ approved android/iPhone) and any T-mobile network sim. As said, on VZ network, something is still wrong with messaging. On Tmobile it works just fine. At&t is tricky to get working and getting trickier.

[alanwake82]

Agree with you, VZ is the one that make things done. At&t is tricky to use

[bcnaz]

The AT&T "resellers" work very well, I have 3 test phones running effortlessly on Pure Talk prepaid, and only 1/2 the monthly price of AT&T prepaid direct.
Their customer service is the best I have come across. *(sim cards activate very easy in the Pine phone)

My daily driver Pine phone is still on AT&T because I have had that 'Number' for years, but the data is screwy there, 3 years of bugging tech support with no success.
Customer service is very friendly, but ..... not much success.

all of the T-mobile "resellers" (like Simple) that I have tried, activate and work with no issues. *(sim cards activate easily in the Pine phone)

I have never had any luck trying to activate a Verizon sim card, a very few have had store associates help them activate a sim in a different phone, then swap
..... that into their Pine phone.
................ but some of those encountered more problems later.

There are some threads on this forum that discuss this in great detail, check the sim cards and carriers threads.

[bcnaz]

There are only 3 Backbone Carriers across the USA, 

but there are hundreds of "Resellers" that resell their re-branded carrier services. 

As these are smaller companies they 'sometimes' give better customer service/ & support

They are usually much less expensive per month,  I believe they are all prepaid, some with option for auto-pay.

> . It is possible to purchase the sim card and an 'airtime' card from some stores with cash, and activate

  **    The local Dollar store has a 3 pack of sim cards from TracFone, one for each of the big carriers.

  You can try the sim cards un-activated, --> just to see which has the strongest signal in your location,
airtime cards start at $10-20. USD per month.

Cheap way to take your new phone for a test drive,   even if you choose a different carrier later

Welcome to the Pine Forum !

[S H]

The AT&T  "resellers"  work very well,  I have 3 test phones running effortlessly on Pure Talk prepaid,  and only 1/2 the monthly price of AT&T prepaid direct.
Their customer service is the best I have come across.    *(sim cards activate very easy in the Pine phone)

My daily driver Pine phone is still on AT&T because I have had that 'Number'  for years,  but the data is screwy there, 3 years of bugging tech support with no success.
Customer service is very friendly,  but ..... not much success.

all of the T-mobile  "resellers"  (like Simple) that I have tried,  activate and work with no issues.  *(sim cards activate easily in the Pine phone)

I have never had any luck trying to activate a Verizon sim card,  a very few have had store associates help them activate a sim in a different phone, then swap
..... that into their Pine phone.
................  but some of those encountered more problems later.

There are some threads on this forum that discuss this in great detail,    check the sim cards and carriers threads.

Hi, I had a quick question. I am trying to activate a sim card with T mobile but they refuse and say the PPP is not a compatible device. what did you say or how did you activate a sim card with T mobile?

[bcnaz]

I have tried a multiple of the Tmobile  "Resellers"  one was Simple or Simply,  I bought the sim card(s) and airtime cards from the neighborhood dollar store.

One of them I just put the sim card in and restarted the phone, then it connected and asked for the number from the airtime card.
Another required me to activate the sim card at their website.    One was Tmobile through TracFone... think there was more just don't recall this moment.

The last one I tried of the Tmobile's resellers was Oct/Nov 2021

They were $20 - $25 a month,  I didn't renew any of those, but they worked for testing.--  I did quite a few posts on carriers/sim cards last year. 

**  I have not dealt directly with Tmobile  --  just  their  MVNO's

[S H]

Thank you for the info, I actually have a T mobile family account and wanted to use this pone as a daily driver. (I"m aware of it's shortcomings) I wonder if we need to start a thread for how to get onto each carrier when they say the phone is not supported and have people post here?

[bcnaz]

I do wonder if there is a difference between "Not Supported" and "Black-Listed" ?

Not supported meaning they cannot help you with problems, and Black listed meaning Not Allowed....