[Q] How can you tell who is your provider? - General Questions and Answers

I recently let my StraightTalk (ST) expire and switched to ConsumerCellular (CC) keeping the same phone number. CC asked that I keep my ST SIM in until the phone quits than put in the CC SIM. Well it has been over a week since my ST account expired, I confirmed on the ST site my SIM is deactivated, however, everything is still working. I have not tried my CC SIM yet. Both CC and ST are re-sellers of AT&T; is it possible I am getting my CC service through ST SIM? How can you tell who is your provider?

MrTooPhone said:
I recently let my StraightTalk (ST) expire and switched to ConsumerCellular (CC) keeping the same phone number. CC asked that I keep my ST SIM in until the phone quits than put in the CC SIM. Well it has been over a week since my ST account expired, I confirmed on the ST site my SIM is deactivated, however, everything is still working. I have not tried my CC SIM yet. Both CC and ST are re-sellers of AT&T; is it possible I am getting my CC service through ST SIM? How can you tell who is your provider?
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Put the SIM you want to use in your phone, then go into the settings, network connections, more connections, and check the APN settings. As long as your phone is unlocked or compatible with your SIM, you should see an option (or multiple) for the provider you want to use. When you're on the lockscreen or you drag down your notification menu, the carrier name is typically visible as well.

Planterz said:
Put the SIM you want to use in your phone, then go into the settings, network connections, more connections, and check the APN settings. As long as your phone is unlocked or compatible with your SIM, you should see an option (or multiple) for the provider you want to use. When you're on the lockscreen or you drag down your notification menu, the carrier name is typically visible as well.
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I know I can do that and eventually will. But just thinking, I am either getting unlimted ST for free or getting CC service through a ST SIM. That is why I am asking "How can you tell who is your provider?"

Well the free plan ended, 9 days of free service before ST dropped.

Related

[Q] If activated on Sprint, can switch back and forth to AT&T?

If the phone/uSIM is activated on Sprint and working, what happens if you put in another uSIM from AT&T (or T-Mobile) ?
Is only the AT&T (or T-Mobile) uSIM active and only voice data work with this new uSIM phone number?
I want to use this one phone to switch between Sprint and AT&T. As it sounds like the Sprint portion of the CDMA is activated without the uSIM.
I don't want a missmash of both with there is another AT&T sim in there..?
thanks
I'm not sure what you are really looking to do. But I have sprint and activated my phone on sprint. I then wanted to test out T-Mobile so I bought a prepaid sim starter kit. I just reactivated another phone on my sprint account and then popped in the T-Mobile sim and activated the phone on their network and it now it has the T-Mobile number and data services active.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
So can you go between Sprint and T-Mobile service by, powering off the phone, inserting the different uSIM, powering on, then its 100% active CDMA/LTE or GSM/LTE?
I want to be be able to switch between Sprint and AT&T, by just swapping SIMs. I have read the uSIM isn't used in the authentication of the Nexu5 phone...?
Anyone else done this yet?
I'm curious as I read that you have register the phone on Sprint network aswell as using their SIM for LTE.
If using another non-Sprint SIM, is it still going to be on the Sprint network aswell as the non-Sprint network?
To activate and use data on sprint you need to have a sprint sim. Once activated if you take out the sim all you have is voice. If you put in an att/tmo sim it will automatically load up a default apn and connect. Sprint service is not available while the att sim is in place.
If using an mvno like straight talk just add or edit the apn to the correct settings.
When done with att pull the sim and put sprint back in. Reboot and you are back on sprint.
lafester said:
To activate and use data on sprint you need to have a sprint sim. Once activated if you take out the sim all you have is voice. If you put in an att/tmo sim it will automatically load up a default apn and connect. Sprint service is not available while the att sim is in place.
.
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Click to collapse
Thanks, thats what I wasn't sure about, whether putting in an AT&T would prevent the phone connecting to Sprint Voice.
My Sprint SIM is on order, so I haven't activated it on their network yet.
jimmyjoebob said:
So can you go between Sprint and T-Mobile service by, powering off the phone, inserting the different uSIM, powering on, then its 100% active CDMA/LTE or GSM/LTE?
I want to be be able to switch between Sprint and AT&T, by just swapping SIMs. I have read the uSIM isn't used in the authentication of the Nexu5 phone...?
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Click to collapse
The sim is used but you have to call or chat to activate. Hopefully at some point sprint will end this part and just tie the sim to the account so we can swap between sprint phones without activation. Once activated yes you can swap between sprint, att and tmo simply by swapping sims.
---------- Post added at 06:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 PM ----------
jimmyjoebob said:
Thanks, thats what I wasn't sure about, whether putting in an AT&T would prevent the phone connecting to Sprint Voice.
My Sprint SIM is on order, so I haven't activated it on their network yet.
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Any sprint repair center should now have sims on hand and know what they are for.
Google voice integration for sprint is great for this type of thing. one number for multiple carriers on a single phone. nice...
Got it all working now, with both a Sprint SIM and an AT&T SIM.
The only downside is when I open hangouts, it asks me to verify/skip the phone number on each swap.
I mostly use AT&T for work, Sprint is my home cell that I hardly use.
Hi guys, for those of you that have activated on Sprint, does Sprint charge an activation fee ($36?) when you activate the Nexus 5 on your existing line? Thanks!
dawgz said:
Hi guys, for those of you that have activated on Sprint, does Sprint charge an activation fee ($36?) when you activate the Nexus 5 on your existing line? Thanks!
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Not if you got from the Playstore.
jimmyjoebob said:
Not if you got from the Playstore.
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Thanks! so you just ask Sprint to mail you a uSIM card for the LTE service right?
dawgz said:
Thanks! so you just ask Sprint to mail you a uSIM card for the LTE service right?
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Yep, just call the international customer service, tell them you need a micro SIM for a nexus5.
I would think this would be such a major feature and selling point. A phone that can jump between almost all major carriers. I don't know of any other single phone that can do this?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

[Q] "Global" SCH-I535 won't work with T-Mobile GSM SIM

I'm posting this as a new thread because of all of the answers that contradict my experience in similar threads. I took a Verizon SCH-I535 set to 'global' to T-Mobile to have a GSM SIM put in. Even the Verizon customer service said that switching to a GSM card would work as the phone is not locked.
I also took an SCH-I545 in and switched SIMs without any problem. The APN data was reset automatically and my old number was ported over to T-Mobile. All was good.
However, when they put the T-Mobile SIM card (and we tried 3 different SIMS) in the SCH-I535, the T-Mobile APN entry showed up, but the T-Mobile network won't recognize the SIM card. Since they had also transferred the number from Verizon to T-Mobile, even returning the Verizon SIM card is useless. The phone can't make or receive calls on either network. I don't think I can get Verizon to reset the number back to Verizon even temporarily since I am a couple days past-due on my bill and VZW won't give you ANY help until you pay past-due amts (won't have the check for a week ).
Any suggestions? I need an exploit to break the "non-existent" SIM lock so I can return the T-Mobile SIM to the phone and have it recognized.
Playa Cat said:
I'm posting this as a new thread because of all of the answers that contradict my experience in similar threads. I took a Verizon SCH-I535 set to 'global' to T-Mobile to have a GSM SIM put in. Even the Verizon customer service said that switching to a GSM card would work as the phone is not locked.
I also took an SCH-I545 in and switched SIMs without any problem. The APN data was reset automatically and my old number was ported over to T-Mobile. All was good.
However, when they put the T-Mobile SIM card (and we tried 3 different SIMS) in the SCH-I535, the T-Mobile APN entry showed up, but the T-Mobile network won't recognize the SIM card. Since they had also transferred the number from Verizon to T-Mobile, even returning the Verizon SIM card is useless. The phone can't make or receive calls on either network. I don't think I can get Verizon to reset the number back to Verizon even temporarily since I am a couple days past-due on my bill and VZW won't give you ANY help until you pay past-due amts (won't have the check for a week ).
Any suggestions? I need an exploit to break the "non-existent" SIM lock so I can return the T-Mobile SIM to the phone and have it recognized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried changing the apn settings? It may be defaulting to the VZW network
Sent from my Nexus 5
SOLVED
ShapesBlue said:
Have you tried changing the apn settings? It may be defaulting to the VZW network
Sent from my Nexus 5
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the response, but I called T-Mobile's tech services at 611 and (unlike years of dealing with VZW doofs with technical IQs approaching that of a stale Cheez Doodle) immediately got a highly knowledgeable techie. When I was in the store and the SIMs they tried didn't work, I pleaded with them to call tech support, but they insisted that it was the phone's fault since they tried multiple SIMs. Seems that, when T-Mobile (or at least this store) breaks a SIM out of its cardboard holder, but doesn't actually sell it, they simply tape the SIM back to the card and consider it cherry. When I got home and called the techie, he had me read him the SIM id and it turned out it had been tried out before and was still associated with the other cellphone (probably true also with the other "recycled" SIMs they tied. I read him my APN numbers and it turned out that the only problem there was the original name, which should be "T-Mobile" (it was slightly different).
He got the store's number from me, called somebody at the store, told him exactly what to do to get the phone working, and told me to go back within half an hour to get a brand-new unsullied SIM. I edited the APN name, he put the SIM in and - voila!
The onlyl problem I'm having now is that, though I was able to set up my T-Mobile mailbox for my Galaxy 4 with it automatically defaulting to a long-press of key 1 (or dialing 123 and hitting the call button), on the Galaxy III, the mailbox was set up, but a long-press on key 1 calls the non-functioning Verizon voicemail, and there is nothing in the stock system to allow you to edit the quick-dial assignment for button 1 (yes, I removed the Verizon voice-mail app and stuff down at root level). So, I set up button 2 to quick-dial 123 and now button 2 is my long-press voicemail button. Weird - I need to dig a bit more into the innards and find a way to clear the first button assignment - maybe set in build.props???
So, the phone was not at fault and T-Mobile's tech department was a revelation in totally unexpected competence and depth of knowledge (unexpected after 26 years with VZW), but the three people who mucked around with the phone at the retail store are not only proof that we descended from ape-like ancestors, but that many of us are still descending .
Thanks again.

No APN settings?

I recently received a Sprint Note 5 and am trying to use it on my existing MetroPCS account. I went in to the Metro store for an ESN swap, received a new sim card, yet when I popped it in my phone it says "sim not recognized" or something to that effect; also the APN settings section disappears when the Metro sim is installed (visible when Sprint sim is in, but the options are greyed-out). I've searched for almost two hours online for a solution, to no avail. I am certain that at least a few of these LTE bands are going to work on MetroPCS, but not sure why the sim registers as unrecognizable. I called Sprint and they assured both the previous owner of the phone and myself (separate calls) that the phone is unlocked. Are they lying? Did I receive a defective sim from Metro? Am I the ultimate idiot because my search parameters are faulty and this is some common sense issue? I appreciate any help you guys can offer. Love my XDA fam.
It is like Sprint says "OK, your phone is "unlocked" (wink wink)...but you will never be able to use the portable Hotspot or edit the APNs". That's why I will never ever get another carrier branded phone. Altough my phone was unlocked by a "box" device (Octoplus) and I can add/edit APN. But wont receive or send MMS and the Hotspot is unavailable.

How to activate a TracFone/StraightTalk locked iPhone SE 2020 on RedPocket

I have successfully activated a $230 TracFone locked iPhone SE 2020 on RedPocket, and here’s how
What you need to do is go into BestBuy or Target and buy a $1 TracFone SIM kit. Once you have this you will need to remove the Verizon compatible SIM intended for Verizon compatible devices.
Next you will need to go into settings and get the IMEI of the DIGITAL SIM, not the Primary IMEI. If you try and activate using the devices primary IMEI you will receive an error and activation won’t go through
Next insert the new Verizon TracFone SIM into your device, you should see it say “Searching” and then TFW at the top. Go into settings and make sure under Primary that LTE is enabled and set as default.
Next go to the RedPocket activation page https://www.redpocket.com/activate and for ICCID enter in the ICCID of the Verizon compatible TracFone SIM you just purchased and inserted into your locked phone, and for IMEI use the IMEI listed under “Digital SIM” with no spaces. Again, do NOT use the IMEI listed under Primary as this won’t work.
Once you have entered that info in and the fields turn green you can then continue the process of making a RedPocket account, confirming your email and then entering in your billing details, paying for the plan and finishing the final steps to complete activation like saying you want a new phone number and agree to their terms and conditions and then you should receive the message saying it went through with your new phone number.
At this point completely power off the iPhone and wait a few minutes then power it back on and unlock it and continue waiting a few more minutes. Then under cellular settings for the primary plan make sure Data is set to LTE and VoLTE is disabled and off.
I attempted initially to place calls with VoLTE on and it did not work, disabling it fixed the issue.
You should then be able to successfully make a phone call and use data and send texts, the carrier at the top still says TFW and your phone is still locked to TracFone, but you’ve bypassed the lock by programming the Verizon TracFone SIM it accepts with a different Verizon MVNO.
This could work with other iPhone models too however I have not tested this with other iPhone models and cannot guarantee something won’t go wrong especially with the 5G capable devices which use different carrier profiles.
This should work with other Verizon MVNOs however many other MVNOs do not accept regular Verizon SIM cards that aren’t branded to their specific MVNO, for example US Mobile. It is possible you could activate a plan with a VZW MVNO and then ask their support to transfer the plan to a new SIM and give them the new ICCID of the TracFone Verizon SIM however this may not work.
The TracFone SIM kit also comes with an AT&T compatible TracFone SIM which this phone also accepts, and AT&T prepaid’s website also accepts the TracFone SIM ICCID as a valid SIM for service, so it’s possible this may also work to use this device with AT&T prepaid as well however there are absolutely no guarantees and this is pure speculation
Essentially the basis for this is to bypass the carrier lock by using allowed TracFone SIM cards but activating those SIMs with different MVNOs under the same network
I hope to be able to use this same method to allow this phone to be used on other various MVNOs as well besides RedPocket as their plans honestly aren’t that competitive, but this was more of a proof of concept to show this can be done and this locked phone can be used on other carriers without being unlocked or using some sketchy scammy SIM tool since I saw their website was taking ICCIDs of unactivated Verizon TracFone SIMs that work in these locked iPhones.
It should also be noted that any TracFone subsidiary like PagePlus will also work with this phone no issue since they issue TFW branded SIMs out of the box (remember the days when you’d have to pay someone over Skype to flash your Verizon 4G phone to Page Plus with 3G only, glad that’s over)

Question Wifi calling?

Since Consumer Cellular switched me over from T-Mobile to AT&T the wi-fi calling feature on my Moto G Stylus 2021 XT2043-4, Android 11 non-rooted suddenly disappeared. CC claims that this feature is in fact provisioned on my account, but I'm not seeing it. Worked fine before. Any ideas?
Michele31415 said:
Since Consumer Cellular switched me over from T-Mobile to AT&T the wi-fi calling feature on my Moto G Stylus 2021 XT2043-4, Android 11 non-rooted suddenly disappeared. CC claims that this feature is in fact provisioned on my account, but I'm not seeing it. Worked fine before. Any ideas?
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Click to collapse
Usually it is operator dependent feature and shows if the operator has that facility or not, but since in your case CC claimes it is already provisioned for your account it could be because of a pending system update. Try that maybe it helps. if it still doesnt work try your sim on some other device and confirm that if the issue is operator related or device related.
Thanks for the reply. CC claims wifi calling is already enabled. They cycled it twice off and back on, I rebooted the phone, still no wifi calling. It worked fine using CC's T-Mobile SIM. It doesn't work using ATT's SIM. I have to conclude that the problem is ATT, not my phone. I'm tired of dealing with CC so I'm just going to drop them and try Ting. They claim it "may" work over there. At least they use T-Mobile. If it doesn't work, I'm no worse off than now, and I'm saving $7 a month.

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