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+-- Forum: PinePhone (https://forum.pine64.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=120)
+--- Forum: General Discussion on PinePhone (https://forum.pine64.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=127)
+--- Thread: If the modem is certified with carriers, why won’t they activate SIMs? (/showthread.php?tid=11306)
If the modem is certified with carriers, why won’t they activate SIMs? - desca - 09-06-2020
You give a carrier or MVNO your IMEI, where the first 8 digits are a TAC that identifies the EG25-G, and the next six digits are just some sort of serial number (I think), and then a checksum digit, and rather than saying “Oh, the Quectel EG25-G! A fine piece of hardware! It’s been certified by the carrier, has a VoLTE profile, etc., so you’re all set, and enjoy your service!”, they say “Sorry, we can’t help you.” — so most people having to activate their SIMs in other phones.
What am I not understanding?
And is the situation likely to improve in some way over time, or is this just life for PinePhoners?
RE: If the modem is certified with carriers, why won’t they activate SIMs? - ThrillGates - 09-06-2020
I think the secret is to find a MVNO that doesn't care about your IMEI. I activated on Tracfone with just the SIM card number and my ZIP code.
RE: If the modem is certified with carriers, why won’t they activate SIMs? - bcnaz - 09-06-2020
@desca
I do not know if the Quectel-EG25-G is 'carrier certified' or perhaps 'FCC certified'......
But as @ThrillGates points out some carriers are very easy to sign-up with, and some are not.
Have you tried multiple carriers, or tried different methods, perhaps if you have a particular carrier
you want to use and you cannot register online, try using a different portal, or if possible go to their
retail store..?
Just trying to change my sim card for an 'existing AT&T PrePaid account' has been hours & hours spent with
no success what so ever.
While signing up for new service from AT&T through TracFone was done in a few minutes online.
Simple Mobile for T-Mobile service is extremely 'simple' as well....
RE: If the modem is certified with carriers, why won’t they activate SIMs? - desca - 09-07-2020
I looked at some Quectel documentation and it showed certification for the US carriers (as of a year ago or so, I believe, with T-Mobile still in progress at that point), and Deutsche Telekom and some others. But I don’t know a lot about the world of telecom, so I’m trying to understand what’s happening behind the Yes or No. What scares them off.
I can see that, as you’re saying, from the practical user perspective, it’s a process of being patient and maybe having to go through a few. And that if they will just send you a SIM and activate you, the phone can and the software can or soon will make the necessities work.
PS The forum is barely working at the moment; apologies if this ends up multiple-posting.
For the sake of completeness, I looked up the Quectel EG25G page and it lists
Deutsche Telekom/ Verizon/ AT&T/ Sprint/ U.S. Cellular/ Telus/ T-Mobile*/ Rogers*
* Under development