I thought to avoid unnecessary confusion I'd post in the General Questions as I'm unsure if it really fits in the others.
Anyway, I switched to Ultra Mobile recently, from Net10 Wireless. This involved activating an Ultra Mobile SIM, and swapping out my Net10 AT&T SIM. This unfortunately was the simplest part. Upon activation, I used the APN settings provided in the "activation" booklet that comes with the SIM. This resulted in a nice capital E lighting up my data icon.
As I am well within Ultra Mobile's LTE service area, with an LTE compatible device, I was quite frustrated. Changing the APN to ones suggested online to no avail, I called customer support. They were rather useless in solving my issue, the one I chatted with even suggesting I "wait for a whiel to see if connection improved" spelling and mechanics verbatim.
I am using a GSM unlocked VS985 (Verizon's LG G3).
Update: 4G connectivity works but not in my home area as I originally thought it would. Most likely the LTE bands on the G3 not supported by carrier in my area. Whatever the reason, works fine elsewhere.
Still need verified working APN to ensure MMS functionality.
Update 2. Talked with my friend who now works for AT&T, after working for Verizon for 2 years... Apparently, carrier signal coverage maps are to be taken with quote "several quite large grains of salt" and I'm probably just in a low signal area, contrary to the map's indication. Quite annoying but I suppose I can stop bothering technical support now.
Answers are no longer required but additional insight always appreciated.
Related
I bought a Google Pixel from Verizon and paid it off and ported it to Ting (Sprint). My understanding was the Verizon version was absolutely identical to the Google Play one and was fully unlocked and usable on other carriers, and while I can receive and make calls and texts, I am only getting 3G data -- no LTE.
Ting has no idea why, but after doing some more reading there is a lot of conflicting info and some people are saying that certain LTE bands are disabled, and that is exactly what happened with a Verizon LG G4 I had a little over a year ago. I could never get that fixed but since this phone is a bit more popular I'm hoping someone has the answer.
Is there any official way to see what bands are enabled and enable the required ones, or to flash some other build on here to allow Sprint's LTE bands? Or does anyone know what else might be causing this?
Are you using the C5 sim card for ting?
Ring+ user with google store model and its working expectedly.
Edit: Look here https://www.reddit.com/r/ting/comments/5ep5tw/unlocked_cdma_phone_on_ting/ Last commen "Sprint reps are stating that T-Mobile Nexus 5s can be added to Sprint's MEID/IMEI database via a ClickIT ticket. But it may take 24-72 hours to process." otherwise, its not looking so good. If sprint wont do it for you, maybe sign up postpaid for a month so they can whitelist your imei.
That might be what's happening... thanks for the info.
At this point I'll probably just go to Page Plus or Total Wireless or something like that, I'm just annoyed that Ting's IMEI checker said full compatibility with LTE support and that's not the case. Oh well.
Ting says they work with gsm. How about the gsm sim card?
Usmobile.com has similar rates. They are a T-Mobile reseller. I have my kids on that. $17/month with 500mb.
If you are not on AT&T postpaid plans, then please refrain from posting. I had enough research that Sprint and T-Mobile are working fine with the phone with all the advanced connectivity options.
AT&T currently has a crappy insincere BYOD policy even though they said they welcome your device. Here's the link from AT&T website about the Essential PH-1.
https://www.att.com/plans/essential-phone.html
In reality, the Essential PH-1 on AT&T will be restricted to HSPA/UMTS for voice and LTE for data. Advanced connectivity options such as HD Voice, VoLTE and WiFi calling do not work on Essential PH-1. Looking around, the same frustrations do apply for others with unbranded phones from Google and OnePlus.
How does this differ from prepaid? I'm getting LTE+ and WiFi calling. Not getting Volte though. Would it say Volte up top of it's active during a call? I get HSPA during calls.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
Airwolf79 said:
How does this differ from prepaid? I'm getting LTE+ and WiFi calling. Not getting Volte though. Would it say Volte up top of it's active during a call? I get HSPA during calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think AT&T prepaid has any of the advanced connectivity options. How do you know WiFi calling is working for you? Having the option showed up in Settings->Wireless & Network does not imply it is working. Mine has the option, too, but placing or receiving calls still drop down to HSPA/UMTS. You can check what kind of network you used on placing/receiving calls by going into *#*#4636#*#* menu.
Mine stays on LTE during calls. You have to call them and give them your IMEI and let them provision it and then reboot your phone. Did it today, works great. Never tried prepaid, standard unlimited data family plan here.
SquireSCA said:
Mine stays on LTE during calls. You have to call them and give them your IMEI and let them provision it and then reboot your phone. Did it today, works great. Never tried prepaid, standard unlimited data family plan here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did.
When I got my Essential PH-1 from BestBuy, I even called up AT&T rep to get a new SIM card for the phone. I provided the phone make/model and IMEI to them, since my old SIM card from OnePlus X back in 2015 was not getting these advanced connectivity options. Essential tech support recommended that I obtained a new SIM card from AT&T. I am surprised that you were able to get this done over the phone with AT&T tech support without having a case opened and wait for another 9~11 business days.
My case is currently opened and expected to be resolved by 11/30/2017. I had threatened to move to T-Mobile if they did not escalate the resolution. Researching further, I have less hope that Essential PH-1 will be fully supported by AT&T BYOD in all the advanced connectivity options. And, I am not alone with such frustrations.
https://forums.androidcentral.com/google-pixel-2-pixel-2-xl/843382-psa-t-pixel-2-owners.html
https://forums.att.com/t5/Device-Features/Pixel-Pixel-2-VoLTE-Wifi-Calling-HD-Voice/td-p/5285018
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/wifi-volte-calling-on-at-t.579611/
I am really after VoLTE, WiFi calling and HD Voice are nice to have. Essential PH-1 LTE HSPA/UMTS indoor reception seems to be poor compared to OnePlusX from where I live.
It all works fine here. Just had to provide the IMEI for them over the phone and reboot my PH-1 after. Getting all of these features on mine, no problem.
If you register the PH-1 IMEI to the SIM you will not get VoLTE on AT&T as it is not an AT&T carrier branded phone. AT&T reserves those features for their phones.
To get around that, register an IMEI from an AT&T carrier branded phone to the SIM. Then you will get VoLTE. Unfortunately WiFi calling does not work even though the option is available on the PH-1.
My SIM is registered with my old AT&T S8 IMEI. I'm still on LTE during a call and also get HD icon on the call screen for HD Voice call also.
Quick and easy test would be to take a friend's AT&T SIM and plug it in to verify VoLTE.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
I never thought of that. Yeah, maybe the difference is that a lot of us had a SIM from a previous AT&T branded phone that we just tossed in here, so when we gave them our IMEI it all just worked.
If I had to ask them for a new SIM and told them it was for this phone, maybe it wouldn't?
SquireSCA said:
I never thought of that. Yeah, maybe the difference is that a lot of us had a SIM from a previous AT&T branded phone that we just tossed in here, so when we gave them our IMEI it all just worked.
If I had to ask them for a new SIM and told them it was for this phone, maybe it wouldn't?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange though. In my case I've never had an AT&T branded phone with this SIM and it all still works since getting them my IMEI. Every phone I've used has been bought outright from the given manufacturer.
Sent from my Essential PH-1 using Tapatalk
AT&T just closed my case with a disappointing response.
------ AT&T response ------
Regrettably, we do not support HD Voice/Wi-Fi Calling on non-AT&T Branded devices. As the device in use on the line is an unlocked non-AT&T branded device, we are unable to support those services on the device. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Thank you for choosing AT&T. We truly value and appreciate your business. If you have any further inquiries, please contact Customer Care at 1-800-331-0500 for assistance.
Justin H.
Billing Application Specialist
AT&T Customer Service
------ AT&T response ------
So for those of you who claimed VoLTE/Wi-Fi calling/HD Voice work on Essential PH-1, I would seriously doubt the validity of such claims. AT&T system is smart enough now to detect IMEI mismatch if you reuse existing SIM on AT&T branded phone. AT&T periodical system audits may disable such advanced connectivity options once it is flagged by the system.
kjliew said:
AT&T just closed my case with a disappointing response.
------ AT&T response ------
Regrettably, we do not support HD Voice/Wi-Fi Calling on non-AT&T Branded devices. As the device in use on the line is an unlocked non-AT&T branded device, we are unable to support those services on the device. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Thank you for choosing AT&T. We truly value and appreciate your business. If you have any further inquiries, please contact Customer Care at 1-800-331-0500 for assistance.
Justin H.
Billing Application Specialist
AT&T Customer Service
------ AT&T response ------
So for those of you who claimed VoLTE/Wi-Fi calling/HD Voice work on Essential PH-1, I would seriously doubt the validity of such claims. AT&T system is smart enough now to detect IMEI mismatch if you reuse existing SIM on AT&T branded phone. AT&T periodical system audits may disable such advanced connectivity options once it is flagged by the system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's right, we're all lying. Dumbass.
Sent from my Essential PH-1 using Tapatalk
I know for a fact that I have HD voice. The dialer shows HD on some calls and doesn't on the others. When it doesn't, there is a sound quality difference.
The SIM that I'm using came from an AT&T branded HTC M8 which i l used on an M9 and then the 10... Now it's in the PH-1
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Galaxy S3 w/new T-mobile SIM, calls & texts but no data after APN set-up, need HELP!!
Help! I need to use old Verizon S3 temporarily on my T-Mobile account. I moved a T-Mobile SIM card into the S3, changed to GSM, and used my T-Mobile account to make calls and verified texting works. All of this with a notification that reads:
Phone Activation - "This SIM card is from an unknown source."
When I press on that message and hold it, I can open the "App Info" screen and see that it is from the Verizon "Setup Wizard" version 1.0 (which I cannot disable in application manager).
(FYI this SIM card works in an old NOTE 1 that I own, AND the data works; Originally the SIM was in my NOTE 4 that stopped working recently, but is another issue for later)
I have called T-Mobile and gone through the Access Point Names set-up:
Name: T-mobile US LTE
APN: fast.t-mobile.com
MMSC: http(added to allow this post)://mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc
MMC: 310
MNC: 260
APN type: internet+mms
APN protocol: IPv4/IPv6
APN roaming protocol: IPv4
(the rest are defaults)
After telling the T-mobile person about this SIM card message, he said he thought Verizon might have it locked so I called them and was told there is NO LOCK enabled on the S III phone per their records.
I looked on-line elsewhere and tried a couple of suggested "codes" but they did not work (failed without running).
I am at a loss on what to try next, so I am hoping someone "out there" has an idea (other than rebooting which I have done many times or factory resetting the device [it was already factory reset before I started]).
Thank you in advance everyone. I know someone probably knows exactly what is happening and I appreciate your efforts to help!
Rob
Headdog said:
Help! I need to use old Verizon S3 temporarily on my T-Mobile account...... ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you take a look at the "Mobile networks and data" category on the following link (with the comparison of the Verizon and T-Mobile devices)...
https://www.phonemore.com/compare/p...16gb-vs-galaxy-s3-sch-i535-verizon-16gb/12090
... You'll notice that the Verizon uses the CDMA Network Bands and the T-Mobile uses the GSM Network Bands.
From what I can see, only a small part of the Network Band Frequencies will work while the others are not compatible.
This is why your Verizon device is just not capable of using all of the T-Mobile Frequencies on its towers. The CDMA and GSM is not cross compatible with each other.
A final clarification... There's nothing you can do to make the Verizon device able to Fully operate the GSM network.
I hope that I had explained this okay via text... :thumbup:
Good Luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNLESS asked to do so, PLEASE don't PM me regarding support. Sent using The ClaRetoX Forum App on my Commodore 64.
Response to Ibuprophen
Sorry for the delay (Christmas/New Year's and all) . . .
I have been able to get the phone to receive data at the "G2.5" level (I think it is called "Edge" and it shows up as an "E" on the phone). It is very slow and unreliable unless I am close to the tower. I never get 3G to work.
I do see that the frequencies are different between the Verizon and T-Mobile versions of the Samsung Galaxy S3 but those differences DO NOT affect calling or texting as far as I can tell (both calling and texting work fine). So I have to conclude that the differences only affect the data reception.
As an EE, I guess I was not aware that there were so many different frequency bands (i.e. one for calling, one for texting, one for 4G data, one for 3G data, etc.) and a new "set" between GSM and CMDA. Anyway, I have ordered a new phone so I can use the data I am paying for!
So in conclusion if you (Ibuprofen) mean "data" frequencies by the term "network bands" then you are spot on. However, for anyone that may care, the S3 phone DOES work on both GSM and CMDA networks for calling and data (with the proper SIM). Also you have to add a new APN set-up if you try to repeat what I tried to do.
Thanks everyone, I am letting this go (ending this thread) unless some new info comes to light.
I will be posting stuff about the "fun" I have had with my two Note 4 phones on that forum. It will be good for a laugh! Thanks all! -- Headdog (Rob)
Headdog said:
Sorry for the delay (Christmas/New Year's and all) . . .
I have been able to get the phone to receive data at the "G2.5" level (I think it is called "Edge" and it shows up as an "E" on the phone). It is very slow and unreliable unless I am close to the tower. I never get 3G to work.
I do see that the frequencies are different between the Verizon and T-Mobile versions of the Samsung Galaxy S3 but those differences DO NOT affect calling or texting as far as I can tell (both calling and texting work fine). So I have to conclude that the differences only affect the data reception.
As an EE, I guess I was not aware that there were so many different frequency bands (i.e. one for calling, one for texting, one for 4G data, one for 3G data, etc.) and a new "set" between GSM and CMDA. Anyway, I have ordered a new phone so I can use the data I am paying for!
So in conclusion if you (Ibuprofen) mean "data" frequencies by the term "network bands" then you are spot on. However, for anyone that may care, the S3 phone DOES work on both GSM and CMDA networks for calling and data (with the proper SIM). Also you have to add a new APN set-up if you try to repeat what I tried to do.
Thanks everyone, I am letting this go (ending this thread) unless some new info comes to light.
I will be posting stuff about the "fun" I have had with my two Note 4 phones on that forum. It will be good for a laugh! Thanks all! -- Headdog (Rob)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify...
If you looked at the following SGH-T999 vs the SCH-I535...
https://www.phonemore.com/compare/p...16gb-vs-galaxy-s3-sch-i535-verizon-16gb/12090
... You'll notice that the Verizon I535 uses CDMA and the T-Mobile T999 uses GSM.
Based upon that (above) information, I can see why the I535 isn't obtaining a 4G LTE signal from the T-Mobile towers and can confidently state that it never will.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNLESS asked to do so, PLEASE don't PM me regarding support. Sent using The ClaRetoX Forum App on my Enigma Machine {aenigma = Latin for "Riddle"}.
First post but super frustrated with AT&T. Just moved over five lines over from T-mo (only with them 5 mos. due to signal issues). Unlocked all phones and ported 5 lines over. All lines have 5g except mine. When I called advanced tech support they ran my IMEI, sent signals to the phone and then told me some unlocked phones just don't transfer well to their network. What? I then called Samsung and was told the IMEI that I was giving them for my S21+ was a Verizon phone! Only problem is I've never been with Verizon and the phone in questions was received from a T-mo store on a trade-in back in July!
When I originally was activated with AT&T a couple of weeks ago, the only AT&T network I was connecting to was HSPA+. I did a network reset and reluctantly a factory reset but it didn't change the network setting. I have a Verizon work phone that I swapped out the SIM, hoping it would work. When I switched SIMs back, it now is registering on an LTE network for AT&T. It is odd that when I go into my Settings>Connections>Mobile networks, I don't have a choice of to choose 2G, 3G,4G, or 5G like most of the YouTube videos have. Model is SM-G996U1.
Part of the problem and I think this was an issue with T-mo is that all other lines are identified on the phone account with their respective phones. My number shows up as an "unknown device" associated with it. Consequently, I can't utilize Visual Voicemail either.
Just to foreclose things, there is great 5g in my area and all of the other phones are currently showing 5g reception.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
If I try to edit an existing APN it will no let me all the options are grayed out
If I try to add a new APN it says that it saves but its nowhere listed. I changed carriers and this is driving me nuts. Any ideas or similar problems?
EDIT - finally got it. no idea why but if you have the wrong number for the one setting (which was provided by the company) it won't save. finally found a reddit thread with the fix
knives of ice said:
If I try to edit an existing APN it will no let me all the options are grayed out
If I try to add a new APN it says that it saves but its nowhere listed. I changed carriers and this is driving me nuts. Any ideas or similar problems?
EDIT - finally got it. no idea why but if you have the wrong number for the one setting (which was provided by the company) it won't save. finally found a reddit thread with the fix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you share thread?
knives of ice said:
If I try to edit an existing APN it will no let me all the options are grayed out
If I try to add a new APN it says that it saves but its nowhere listed. I changed carriers and this is driving me nuts. Any ideas or similar problems?
EDIT - finally got it. no idea why but if you have the wrong number for the one setting (which was provided by the company) it won't save. finally found a reddit thread with the fix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you have VoLTE with your new carrier?
frcraig said:
do you have VoLTE with your new carrier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, VoLTE has never been a problem. I've had an absolute nightmare switching providers though all because of using a Xiaomi phone
I have always used month to month cell providers because I never know what device I want to get and don't want to be locked into a carrier that won't work as well depending on my device.
anyways, I had been using Straight Talk in the US because what was great about straight talk is you could pick the sim you wanted and use any towers AT&T (gsm), Sprint/Verizon (cdma), Tmobile (Gsm)
I had been using straigh talk with AT&T towers for years. The mix fold worked fine on it.
I saw that AT&T was offering a full year of service with 16gb per moth on their prepaid plan for $300. great deal I thought. I was already using the mix fold 2 on AT&T towers with no problems.....so I thought.
so I order the AT&T service, to do this you have to start porting your number and I do that. Well, once I get the sim it will not activate. I come to find out that AT&T will not activate any Xiaomi devices on their network. I thought no problem, just activate it on another phone and then put the sim in the mix fold 2. That will not work either, the entire account is based on IMEI and it won't work in another phone according to everyone on reddit, etc. So my phone number that I started porting never completed because I could not activate the sim. So ATT sends my phone number port back to straight talk. straight talk claims the number is gone they ported it out.
its an absolute nightmare. after a few days Straight Talk finally figures out they do have my number but they tell me in order to get it on my account again I have to activate a new straight talk sim. straight talk was recently just bought by verizon. so I can only activate a straight talk verizon sim to get my number working. Verizon ties everything to IMEI as well. None of the 5 or so phones I have will work to activate cause they are all gsm only. I ended up having to borrow a friends verizon phone to get a sim activated and the number back in my account to then port it out to Mint Mobile that users Tmobile towers. It was an absolute nightmare and took hours on the phone with clueless CSRs all because I want to use this mix fold 2 phone.
anyways, Tmobile pretty much sucks for data speeds but I am done. I'll live with it. I've never seen it connect to 5G. I have seen LTE+. I can't figure out if its so bad because of the phone or if tmobile just sucks that much in this area. I might go to the tmobile store to see if the acual tmobile is better and if they are nerfing the mvno prodivers.
anyways, from what I can see if you want to use the Mix Fold 2 in the USA you have to use Tmobile towers. none of the AT&T mvno's like Boost mobile will let you use xiaomi it seems, but i'm not completely sure either.
I have always been an Android man because all of my forensics training, etc, has been on Android, but I will admit that iPhones have one big advantage - they work on any network anywhere. I realized a couple of weeks ago with the Xiaomi that just because your carrier allows VoLTE doesn't mean they allow VoLTE Roaming. I travelled from Nova Scotia to Colorado and although I was connected there to T-Mobile towers, I had no VoLTE and couldn't place voice calls. I happened to put a friend's SIM into my device in Denver - and bang, instant VoLTE. I put my Canadian SIM back in (which gives me VoLTE at home) and no VoLTE. Although more and more carriers are provisioning VoLTE for the device, very few have provisioned VoLTE Roaming. Android needs to get its act together, and stand up to the carriers like Apple does.