F(x)tec on Verizon?

[Polaris 423]

6 hours ago, GeekOnTheHill said:

This isn't a device-specific limitation. VZW is no longer activating even their own CDMA devices. All new activations will be VoLTE.

This is not entirely accurate.  Verizon won't activate any device that doesn't support VoLTE; however, once they activate a VoLTE device it it will work on their CDMA networks.  I know this to be a fact because I have done it, and, last weekend, a friend just activated an older LG G3 with them and never even turned on VoLTE.  All his SMS and voice calls are taking place on the CDMA network.

 

4 hours ago, Craig said:

I believe all that means is VZW will no longer activate devices that don't support volte, not that they won't support cdma on devices that do support volte (that they are willing to activate).  That's been the case for a while.  

Correct.

[GeekOnTheHill 27]

2 hours ago, Polaris said:

This is not entirely accurate.  Verizon won't activate any device that doesn't support VoLTE; however, once they activate a VoLTE device it it will work on their CDMA networks.  I know this to be a fact because I have done it, and, last weekend, a friend just activated an older LG G3 with them and never even turned on VoLTE.  All his SMS and voice calls are taking place on the CDMA network.

 

Correct.

 

With VZW, I find it's often a matter of who you talk to. Their technicians vary widely in their knowledge of the company's policies and their network's capabilities; and the people on the account side of things know even less.

I have a MiFi device on their service that shouldn't work with the plan I have (or so they told me), but it works spectacularly and required zero configuration. I inserted the SIM, it activated, it updated its firmware, and it worked. No intervention required. It even registered itself and shows up as itself on my account. But if I ask them if it will work, they'll say no -- at least as of the last time I asked (which was before I took a chance and bought the device). I no longer ask because it's a grandfathered unlimited plan that I know they'd love to cancel because I abuse the shit out of it. I don't want to give them a reason.

The store employees tend to know even less; but because there's often a sale connected to get a device working, they'll work a little harder. The last one I spoke to told me emphatically that no new CDMA activations would be processed as of January 1st, even of their own devices. Perhaps what he meant was no CDMA-only devices would be activated. The official policy is vague enough that either could be officially correct.

As anyone who's dealt with VZW for a long time knows, however, there's often a canyon between what's official and what works in the real world.

Richard

[Hook 3,043]

What I was told was that the Pro1 could not be activated on their CDMA network-- they tried to do it and had to give up.  The impression I got was that if it was an already approved Phone, it could still be activated on the CDMA network but not a non-approved, untested phone.  (This was before January 1st).  I also got the impression that it is only the CDMA network that requires some kind of certification or verification, not LTE.

I agree with Richard that there is great variability in how good the techs are, but my shop is pretty good and I had 3 different techs really trying hard,  So my Pro 1 works very well but on LTE only and Verizon still thinks the SIM is inserted in a Moto G6.  Luckily, my area is saturated in LTE-- I'm not even sure we have much of the CDMA network left here.

[D1ggs 141]

What's a good and cheap mule phone to buy?

I've sadly been on GSM networks too long to have a good VZW mule.

[Hook 3,043]

I'd guess their cheapest LTE capable pre-paid phone.  😉

 

[Polaris 423]

3 hours ago, GeekOnTheHill said:

 

With VZW, I find it's often a matter of who you talk to. Their technicians vary widely in their knowledge of the company's policies and their network's capabilities; and the people on the account side of things know even less.

I have a MiFi device on their service that shouldn't work with the plan I have (or so they told me), but it works spectacularly and required zero configuration. I inserted the SIM, it activated, it updated its firmware, and it worked. No intervention required. It even registered itself and shows up as itself on my account. But if I ask them if it will work, they'll say no -- at least as of the last time I asked (which was before I took a chance and bought the device). I no longer ask because it's a grandfathered unlimited plan that I know they'd love to cancel because I abuse the shit out of it. I don't want to give them a reason.

The store employees tend to know even less; but because there's often a sale connected to get a device working, they'll work a little harder. The last one I spoke to told me emphatically that no new CDMA activations would be processed as of January 1st, even of their own devices. Perhaps what he meant was no CDMA-only devices would be activated. The official policy is vague enough that either could be officially correct.

As anyone who's dealt with VZW for a long time knows, however, there's often a canyon between what's official and what works in the real world.

Richard

I agree with everything you have said about things being a matter of who you speak to at Verizon.  I have also stated on these forums that Verizon is a huge bureaucracy where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.  That said, I can assure you that regardless of who you are speaking to (and, most of the time, I deal directly with engineers at the NOC), a device will only be activated if it's an 'authorized device', and you don't have to rely on a Verizon employee to find out if it is authorized.  You can just use the BYOP URL (https://www.verizonwireless.com/od/prepaid/bring-your-own-device/#/checkDevice), and it will tell you if your device is authorized to be activated.

If your device is allowed to be activated, and you do so, then it will also work on their CDMA network (assuming the device is capable, and its firmware is set to use it).  If your device is not VoLTE capable, then it's not authorized (and hasn't been since about July of 2019), period.  I know the current page says as of January 1 of 2020 (that page modified when they pushed back shutting down the CDMA network by a year), but in reality one hasn't been able to do so for many months.  It doesn't matter if it's a customer service rep, a store clerk, or whomever doing the activation because the first thing they do is ask for, and plug in, your IMEI and, if it's not in their 'authorized to be activated' database, everything comes to a grinding halt!

To be clear I'm not only referring to "CDMA-only" devices you describe, but even LTE devices which are not VoLTE capable!  A good example of this is a Motorola Droid 4.  I have one, use one as my daily driver, and it's LTE capable.  However, I can absolutely assure you that Droid 4s haven't been able to be activated for many months now, dating back to when it was, along with hundreds of others that were, removed their activation database.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Polaris

[silversolver 849]

@Polaris I suspect I'll run the D4 until it stops working just to annoy the whackos at Verizon who think I should have binned it in 2014. :)

[Polaris 423]

1 hour ago, silversolver said:

@Polaris I suspect I'll run the D4 until it stops working just to annoy the whackos at Verizon who think I should have binned it in 2014. 🙂

Those whackos are the pencil pushers.  I promise you there is many an engineer over there who are using D4s.  I too will use it till the bitter end, but because it's such a productive device.  It lacks the necessary LTE bands, but it hauls ass on their CDMA network where 13 isn't implemented.

[Hook 3,043]

So this is strange and I can't figure out what to do about it.  I can receive text messages but I can't send or reply.  I don't send many texts, so my last text sent was Dec 14th which was the same day I discovered Verizon "worked."  It appears to have been a test of send on Verizon, so I think it was working.  I have been receiving texts just fine. Phone calls are good also, making and receiving.  If there is a setting that affects this, I can't find it.

I tested another SMS app (I use Google messages) but no change.  I tested my Wife's Pixel 2XL which is also Verizon prepay and it worked fine-- but of course, it is on the network officially and probably has the CDMA network.

I don't use SMS a lot, but would hate to be without it.  I may have to think about jumping back to  AT&T if I can't figure a fix.  Any theories or suggestions welcome.  Mostly I dread digging the sim drawer back out again.  😉

 

[VaZso 1,998]

10 minutes ago, Hook said:

I don't send many texts, so my last text sent was Dec 14th which was the same day I discovered Verizon "worked." 

Maybe try to set up the correct SMSC number for your SIM card.
You can do it if you dial *#*#4636#*#* - query what is the current setting and check if it is correct.

[Hook 3,043]

35 minutes ago, VaZso said:

Maybe try to set up the correct SMSC number for your SIM card.
You can do it if you dial *#*#4636#*#* - query what is the current setting and check if it is correct.

The trouble is, I have no idea what correct is.  It's got a number there...

[VaZso 1,998]

18 minutes ago, Hook said:

The trouble is, I have no idea what correct is.  It's got a number there...

You may check with somebody who also uses Verizon with working SMS centre to see if you have the same number there (just a guess).
...or maybe try if their support will tell it.

[Hook 3,043]

9 minutes ago, VaZso said:

You may check with somebody who also uses Verizon with working SMS centre to see if you have the same number there (just a guess).
...or maybe try if their support will tell it.

I checked my wife's phone and it has the same number as mine, so I suspect it's the right number.  But thanks for the suggestion.

[Polaris 423]

@Hook Before I throw in my $0.02, can you verify that you can send MMS messages.

[Hook 3,043]

6 hours ago, Polaris said:

@Hook Before I throw in my $0.02, can you verify that you can send MMS messages.

@Polaris Yes, AAMoF.  I didn't realize that was still working.

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Hook

[Polaris 423]

Ok, well that makes sense because the MMS default provisioning sends the messages through the data core (either EV-DO or LTE).  However, the default provisioning for outgoing SMS and non-VoLTE voice is via CDMA.  For now, just convert all the messages you are sending to MMS and they will go through; however, the only way that I know to successfully get texts working is to start with a fresh SIM, in a mule, without access to the CDMA system when activated.  That said, it might be worth putting it back into your Moto (I think it was a G6), setting the preferred network type to only LTE, and calling Verizon complaining that you can't send SMS messages.  I don't know a time when this has ever worked, but, IMO, it's worth another shot as, with each passing month, they are getting closer and closer to shutting down the CDMA system.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Polaris

[Hook 3,043]

So the story gets weirder.  I have a story to tell about nearly bricking my Pro1 3 times... that's  a story for another thread and would tell you more about the user than the Pro 1, but I finally ended up just reflashing the original  image that Chen posted and taking all four updates including yesterday's.  Lol, I forgot how much I put into getting this phone set up the first time.  But at least my SMS is working again.  I knew how to set up Verizon again and it just worked.  Will it fail again at some point or did I do something different in the setup?  Did the  January update do something?  Lol.  We my never know.  But, for now, everything is working grandly.

By the way, again thanks to @netman and @Craig -- it's good to remember that you aren't just buying a phone, you are getting access to a very helpful community! 😎 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Hook

[Polaris 423]

2 hours ago, Hook said:

But, for now, everything is working grandly.

Glad to hear it!

[windraver 63]

Just got the Pro1 today and somehow got it working on Verizon based on the instructions here.

Context: I have an existing account with Verizon. I've been swapping my sim to new devices for years. I've been carrying my sim from Droid Turbo, Turbo 2, Moto Z force, Moto Z2 force, Pixel 3 and now to the FXtec Pro1.

Steps I took:

1. Insert existing active sim from Pixel 3.
2. Skip initial setup step to setup network
3. Connect to wifi
4. Update to latest update
5. go to dialer
6. enter *#*#4636#*#*
7. Enable all toggles under phone 1
8. Set network to LTE only
9. Restart

It now shows it is connect to 4G.

• Data confirmed working. Web browsing, connected to Google account, downloaded apps.
• SMS sent and received
• MMS sent and received
• Call made and received 

Anything else I should be testing?

• update 1: Added clarifying information
• update 2: tested and confirmed call and SMS both ways
• update 3: test and confirmed MMS both ways.
• update 4: cleanup

Edited January 27, 2020 by windraver

[YelloDumpling 23]

If i'm not mistaken, Verizon is CDMA.

My PRO1 box specifically states for CDMA/EVDO that bands 'BC0', 'BC1' are supported.

I'm in the US on AT&T (GSM)

Hope that helps.

[windraver 63]

48 minutes ago, YelloDumpling said:

If i'm not mistaken, Verizon is CDMA.

My PRO1 box specifically states for CDMA/EVDO that bands 'BC0', 'BC1' are supported.

I'm in the US on AT&T (GSM)

Hope that helps.

The CDMA bands are supported but as you may have read in the messages prior, folks are finding that Verizon intendeds to decommission their CDMA services.

[ermghoti 88]

It appears I've got the SIM on Phone 2? Is that normal, and/or does it matter?

[EskeRahn 5,471]

24 minutes ago, ermghoti said:

It appears I've got the SIM on Phone 2? Is that normal, and/or does it matter?

Slot 2 is the dual slot so it matters if you are going to use an SD-card. I do not know if a single card usage works better if in slot 1 than 2. I have tried both some time ago, and did not notice any difference - but there could be.

[ermghoti 88]

18 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Slot 2 is the dual slot so it matters if you are going to use an SD-card. I do not know if a single card usage works better if in slot 1 than 2. I have tried both some time ago, and did not notice any difference - but there could be.

Ah-ha, I thought I had put the SIM in the primary slot per the quick start guide, but it was not. For whatever it's worth, it's in slot 1 now.

[guyq 1]

On 1/27/2020 at 5:45 PM, windraver said:

Just got the Pro1 today and somehow got it working on Verizon based on the instructions here.

Context: I have an existing account with Verizon. I've been swapping my sim to new devices for years. I've been carrying my sim from Droid Turbo, Turbo 2, Moto Z force, Moto Z2 force, Pixel 3 and now to the FXtec Pro1.

Steps I took:

1. Insert existing active sim from Pixel 3.
2. Skip initial setup step to setup network
3. Connect to wifi
4. Update to latest update
5. go to dialer
6. enter *#*#4636#*#*
7. Enable all toggles under phone 1
8. Set network to LTE only
9. Restart

It now shows it is connect to 4G.

• Data confirmed working. Web browsing, connected to Google account, downloaded apps.
• SMS sent and received
• MMS sent and received
• Call made and received 

Anything else I should be testing?

• update 1: Added clarifying information
• update 2: tested and confirmed call and SMS both ways
• update 3: test and confirmed MMS both ways.
• update 4: cleanup

 

I followed these steps and have data, SMS, and MMS, but no call functionality.  I took screenshots of my *#*#4636#*#* and put them here:
https://imgur.com/a/B9zMxsH
Is there something else I'm missing?

 

EDIT:
I was able to get it working by putting my sim card back into my old phone, running these steps on there to enable wifi calling and volte provisioning, setting up wifi calling and making one call, then moving the sim card back to the pro1.  Maybe something needed to get okayed on verizon's end first?  Like "oh this number is good for wifi calls, don't block it."?  I'm not going to question it.

Edited January 30, 2020 by guyq