Pinephone on Cricket Wireless (USA) no service

[acm006]

This morning, I woke up to a text from Cricket saying:

This device is not eligible for activation on the Cricket network. Cricket's High-Definition Voice network requires use of a compatible device...

Things were working fine yesterday when I went to bed.  Clicking the link in the text takes one here, regarding their 3G network shutdown https://www.cricketwireless.com/support/...=3G_Sunset

Entering my IMEI says that the device is not compatible with network.

I checked my VoLTE settings, and it looked like I was using "VoLTE-ATT", which makes sense since it's an MNVO

The wiki states "Cricket wireless is a MVNO that uses AT&T's network. VoLTE is fully supported and the PinePhone is considered a compatible device in the US by the carrier."

]I just joined Cricket last month when my phone arrived, and I'd prefer to not have to switch networks again.

I'm at a loss, so any help would be appreciated.

[acm006]

As an update, it appears looking a r/cricketwireless that Cricket is suspending accounts with any VoLTE device that isn't whitelisted.

So let this be a warning to anyone that is looking at Cricket that they should be avoided at all costs.

I'm out a month's subscription, I just reupped last Thursday.

[rocket2nfinity]

Well, that's early. That wasn't supposed to happen until later in the year. Pinephone is not on AT&Ts whitelist. We need people to call and message AT&T to harass them into whitelisting the Pinephone.

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And demand your money back

[KiteX3]

I just contacted Cricket support about it this morning and tried to get them to add the EG25 modem in the Pinephone to their whitelist; no luck. It really seems like they're trying to get all their customers to buy new devices from them. Heck, I couldn't even activate my old Moto E LTE 2015 on their network anymore using my SIM card.

I'm now looking at Red Pocket, since they seem to have a lot of different network options, but now I can't decide which SIM card I would need -- I assume GSMA might have the same problems, but I hear GSMT requires VoLTE also, and I don't know anything about CDMA or CDMAS. Anyone have any (recent) experience with Pinephones on Red Pocket?

[desca]

I'm now looking at Red Pocket, since they seem to have a lot of different network options, but now I can't decide which SIM card I would need -- I assume GSMA might have the same problems, but I hear GSMT requires VoLTE also, and I don't know anything about CDMA or CDMAS. Anyone have any (recent) experience with Pinephones on Red Pocket?

I've been on GSMA for four months, and it's been pretty much all right so far. I have been having some trouble sending texts in recent days, but that might have to do with OS updates, eg25-manager or something.

[tnmarktx]

Do you have a contact # to call ATT to complain about blacklisting the pinephone modem?

[rocket2nfinity]

Do you have a contact # to call ATT to complain about blacklisting the pinephone modem?

https://www.att.com/support/

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I just contacted Cricket support about it this morning and tried to get them to add the EG25 modem in the Pinephone to their whitelist; no luck. It really seems like they're trying to get all their customers to buy new devices from them. Heck, I couldn't even activate my old Moto E LTE 2015 on their network anymore using my SIM card.

I'm now looking at Red Pocket, since they seem to have a lot of different network options, but now I can't decide which SIM card I would need -- I assume GSMA might have the same problems, but I hear GSMT requires VoLTE also, and I don't know anything about CDMA or CDMAS. Anyone have any (recent) experience with Pinephones on Red Pocket?

I've used Red Pocket's gsm-T and Verizon sim. Both work, both require VoLTE enabled. But you'll have to use a non-ofono based OS such as Mobian and Manjaro. Ubuntu won't work at the moment.

The Pinephone won't work on cdma but it will work on a cdma carrier's LTE. It's a different protocol.

US Mobile also works well.

[TravelerHD]

Looks like it might be time for me to switch providers then. What would be suggested? I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance all AT&T-based MVNOs will take this whitelist stance eventually? T-Mobile has kicked some devices off the network recently too, and Verizon is notoriously a headache when it comes to unofficial devices. I'm at a bit of a loss knowing where to switch to if I decide to do so. Maybe it's better to wait and see what happens over the coming year.

[rocket2nfinity]

Looks like it might be time for me to switch providers then. What would be suggested? I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance all AT&T-based MVNOs will take this whitelist stance eventually? T-Mobile has kicked some devices off the network recently too, and Verizon is notoriously a headache when it comes to unofficial devices. I'm at a bit of a loss knowing where to switch to if I decide to do so. Maybe it's better to wait and see what happens over the coming year.

I settled on US Mobile. I've got both their t-mobile and verizon sims and they work perfectly. I keep the t-mobile one for ofono build OSes as ofono is still not good with VoLTE support. Red Pocket is just as good. Ting could be an option now that they have gone to t-mobile's service

[RTP]

If anyone deserves floods of complaints it is Cricket for blacklisting new paying customers (really, Cricket deserves the complaints here, not AT&T as far as I can tell).

I have seen no issues with (Official) AT&T (for over 1/2 year straight). ATT customers who have wrong APN set may be running into a problem.
However, if they get too many complaints I wouldn't be surprised if they took the "whitelist" approach to remove what they will see as a new widespread problem off their table.

Official AT&T is not a problem atm, and is among the most supported for US users I have seen yet (ie: don't poke the bear). I have had nothing but good experiences using a preactivated (from Android) AT&T sim.

I think it may be wiser at this time to instead write personal thank you letters to those at AT&T of influence, from customers who appreciate having working Pinephone options. 

This would be my approach.

Complaining about currently working AT&T may speed up any possible blacklist plans (as complaints tie up resources, it becomes easier for them to just "stomp it out"). It may make Pinephone appear to be "too much of a problem."

Hoping ATT appreciates all their new Pinephone customers. Linux phones they could show ATT to show some support for Open Source community.

These are just my thoughts (and hopes). Definitely Cricket deserves to hear from all possible users (even those just considering their service- more the better) if they are indeed blacklisting. They know Pinephone exists, is compatible, and chose to start blacklisting anyway. If it used to work on Cricket, sounds more like blacklisting (whitelisting is the term for public relations).