Carriers do not support PinePhone?

[bcnaz]

Are you on "Post Paid" ?

YEAH Mobian stable is only getting security updates.

But bookworm, while being cutting edge, ---> is where all the development is happening.

[vap0rtranz]

I took the phone down and got the network unlock code, which only showed up on the android when the sim was inserted and booted, the PP did not show the message. Explained exactly what I was doing and what needed to happen. You ever talk to someone and they get this look in their eyes where you just know they have no idea what your talking about but keep agreeing with you that they understand? So that didn't work.

Called the 611 number and explained the situation, I think they understood because they associated the sim to a "Miscellaneous EG25-G", that's the modem, so hope springs eternal. Waiting for the sim to arrive today and will give that a shot.

I also changed my OS from Mobian to Manjaro, I think Manjaro is using the updated modem code but not 100% sure. Mobian has not been updated by the developers since early last year, I was on the stable version. Didn't want to use testing or nightly, so I just put the latest Manjaro on, Beta 21, to ensure I had the most up2date OS.

If this doesn't work, and hearing that others are working, I am not sure how to troubleshoot the modem to ensure that nothing is wrong with it. I have no issue with AT commands or digging deeper but not sure what I am looking for.I am wondering if my IMEI is on some sort of blacklist because early on when switching the sim from my android and back to my android caused some sort of watch program to auto blacklist in the AT&T system, that will be hard to figure out.

Will post back when I get the new sim and share my results. Last resort would be to grab an old broken phone and use that IMEI on the PP for a test.

Jon

I would not expect any carrier to "support" any phone unless:
a) they sell the phone (branded)
b) their approved retailers sell the phone (resellers)
c) the carrier has an official supported phone list (and the Big Boys do)

If one thinks the Big Boys have the best intention, then there's some Q&A involved in hopes for fewer customers calling with complaints, but if you don't believe the carriers are altruistic (at all) then they do it to make money selling consumer hardware (directly or indirectly).  So carrier support isn't really a PinePhone specific thing.

Like others said, simplest is have 2 phones, and go with an MVNO.  Especially if the MNVO's onboarding process is entirely online via mailed SIM card.  Ting was as simple as: 1) activate an approved/branded phone, and then 2) switch SIM into PinePhone. 

I did walk into a local MVNO that rides off Verizon, got voice+sms activated but couldn't get data, finally got escalated to someone smart, and they did admit that the PinePhone modem's frequencies probably weren't compatible with their tower frequencies, and that affected receiving data.  That confirms what others have speculated here when the PinePhone radio won't work or works with limited functionality.

There may be an ATT MVNO that basically as the same coverage as ATT directly in your area.

---

P.S. Wikipedia has a nice chart of the MVNOs.  Not specific to Pinephone.  Just sharing encase others hadn't seen it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Un..._operators

I wish the chart also listed which MVNOs mail SIMs in multiple sizes / microSIM.

[Riley]

Pure Talk is a AT&T MVNO,  but their sim cards WORK -->  just put in the card, Calls and Text work, ---> put the APN into settings and data works,

About half the monthly cost of AT&T,  and much better customer service.

AND NO NEED TO ACTIVATE IN A DIFFERENT PHONE  !

*( I currently have 3 'test' Pine phones on Pure Talk myself  )
  >>>  Reminds me I should get another sim for my new 'Pro' phone

Oh thanks for this tip! I am so looking into this change, tired of AT&T prices!

[rey70]

I believe I know why a PP(PinePhone) is not able to get registered if purchasing a sim card for the phone. This may already be known but it was news to me.

When the sim is provided for a PP, within the AT&T systems the phone is identified as 'Other', Model: EG25G Manufacturer: QUECTEL by the IMEI. In the AT&T systems, and probably other carriers as well, that is listed as a router. Then the system will apply a, 'Voice Restricted' designation for that make and model. This explains why by getting a sim and activating it in an approved phone then moving it to the PP works. 

Just thought I would post this and close out this conversation.

Thank you to all who replied,

Jon

[bcnaz]

HELLO
Sent from my Explorer Edition PPP :

using Pure Talk cell data. :-)

[rey70]

HELLO
Sent from my Explorer Edition PPP :

using Pure Talk cell data.  :-)

Hello, I have my phone working as well. Just wanted to understand what the issue was that prevented the phone from being able to be activated without an MVNO or activating on an approved phone then switching the sim or spoofing the IMEI.

[bcnaz]

While I do see the issue,
I do not understand WHY the main (backbone) carriers Refuse to serve some phones  --->  but DO allow their resellers to deliver that service.

BUT !  Hey I am Glad they are available.

I wish there was more of a backbone selection,  Just 3 Backbone providers  is approaching a Monopoly type condition.

*** (Pertaining to USA usage)

[rey70]

While I do see the issue,
I do not understand WHY the main (backbone) carriers Refuse to serve some phones  --->  but DO allow their resellers to deliver that service.

BUT !  Hey I am Glad they are available.

I wish there was more of a backbone selection,  Just 3 Backbone providers  is approaching a Monopoly type condition.

***  (Pertaining to USA usage)

Yeah, that is what I wanted to know as well. For the large carriers it all boils down to IMEI and the information that provides about the device, they view it as something that doesn't have phone capabilities so they insert a "Voice Restricted" flag.

MVNO's are independent from the carriers, it is up to them on how they perform the device plan validation. So where the carriers look at that IMEI and associate it with a no phone capable device, the MVNO's (some), don't perform that check, or don't care. They figure you are coming to buy a sim card for a phone, we are not going to block you using your phone.

I am glad they are available to, it would suck to have a small computer shaped like a phone that couldn't be a phone.

[bcnaz]

Someone mentioned that AT&T  has this modem 'approved', but,  listed as a 'data only' device.   

I have 3 Pine phones on Pure Talk and those do pretty well,  ---> but I only bought those sim cards originally for Temporary Test  purposes.

My original 2 lines are still directly with AT&T Prepaid, one is a mini keyboard no name message phone,   the other,  a Pine Convergent phone. (v.1.2a)

That AT&T line has been a pain,  I have talked with their tech's for hours about the data (over 3 0r 4 yr period),  but the data problem started with the phone
before the Pine phone,   The data quit working while I had a BLu phone using that sim card.

-->   Back in October I finally found a tech that got my data to work at about 5pm, after talking to him for hours..!
  
***   BUT   The next morning it was off again.    

[rik-shaw]

[quote pid="106215" dateline="1643952430"]
US Mobile is a very friendly Verizon and T-Mobile MVNO (but going forward need to use their Verizon network SIM since T-Mobile 3G network will shut down by July 1, 2022 so you will need 4G VoLTE capable device).

Red Pocket Mobile is the one people have reported good to work with (I think AT&T network).

Both of those are very cost friendly and flexible also. I'll be testing the US Mobile Verizon sim in the next week as I need to move to something since my Pixel 3a with Ubuntu Touch doesn't have VoLTE support yet. Ugh US networks!
[/quote]