(02-14-2022, 09:28 AM)bcnaz Wrote: Cheap test kit,
TracFone has a 3 sim card kit, one for each major carrier, the kit sells for $1. you can install the cards
un-activated to check for signal strength in your area.
The Dollar Stores have them as well as many other retailers.
Got a few of those kits sitting around, and already know TF works with Verizon service here. I swapped over one of my working SIMs to the PinePhone and it showed a full connection, but when attempting to make a call I got an automated message that they had detected the SIM was not in the correct phone (it has been possible to swap working "GSM" SIMs between phones but not "CDMA" ones).
Unfortunately TF does not offer any hotspot services. I'm considering Net 10 as well as a few other MVNOs at the moment.
Oddly, I do have a AT&T GSM trail camera on the property that has been sending clear communications, and my Androids with TF 'at&t' SIMs have worked, albeit with sporadic problems, which is why I tried to go with T-Mo. Perhaps the trail camera is proper AT&T which has a roaming agreement with the Verizon equipment that the AT&T MVNOs lack? Is this kind of information supposed to be freely available to the public?