US Mobile, via T-Mobile, won't support Pinephone Pro - SOLVED, SIMPLY
07-02-2023, 08:22 AM
(07-02-2023, 01:27 AM)rocket2n Wrote: T-mobile (and US Mobile) usually do not ask, nor care about your imei as long as it's not black listed. So, you should get one of their trial sims and drive around with it, particularly to a populated area, and see if it works. It should. The modem is perfectly compatible, it just lacks a few bands such as band 71, that are necessary for rural areas.
The way to register your Pinephone on Verizon's network with US Mobile is to provide the imei of a Verizon compatible cellphone. A cheap flip phone will do. US Mobile controls their access list. So, they let you swap your sim with another phone (your pinephone). Verizon itself and most MVNOs won't allow that. There are quite a few of us on US Mobile for that reason. They usually know what a Pinephone is, and yes it shows up as a data device, not a cellphone.
And use Cellmapper or a similar service to determine the actual coverage of your area by a service provider. The cell companies will just go by their map which is not reliable. Cellmapper provides field data gathered by users. They have a webpage in addition to their android app.
Regardless of which provider I use, I still have support telling me that they my stand-alone modem will not work.
Good to know about Verizon. I do have a SIM for Verizon from US Mobile.
Instructions to change the IMEI - https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16752
I do have the IMEI from my old Verizon flip phone. I presume I have to follow the above link's directions to use Verizon (and benefit from a 100 days free usage from US Mobile).