Time to take action - US-carrier whitelisting (Verizon and AT&T)

[KingOfTerrible 69]

On 7/29/2022 at 10:05 AM, TechLvr said:

I find this very interesting. Are your voice calls placed via VoLTE? Supposedly shut down their 3G network, but I have my doubts.

If VoLTE, what ROM are you using?

A couple of days ago I ordered an activated AT&T SIM for testing. Since the account is new, I don't expect 3G to function even if the network is still active.

Yes, VoLTE.  I've changed my phone's preferred network to LTE only, maybe like a year ago after AT&T kept sending out messages saying 3g was going away and my phone wouldn't work.  Check earlier posts in this thread for more details / screenshots.

By ROM, I assume you mean am I running Lineage or Android...etc?  It's the stock Android 9.

I previously used this SIM on an ATT branded BB Priv that was bought new off ebay from an att reseller.  My point being I didn't buy it in store / tell them this si the phone I have and to change the associated service on the SIM.  Just before I started to use it in Pro1 I realized I wasn't getting 4g and called ATT and they added 4g service to it.

I really think part of the reason I'm still functional here is because I had the SIM provisioned for 4g and I've shut down hopping to 3g on the phone settings.  Of course some day I might be dead.

[Trained2Type 7]

On 2/18/2022 at 11:32 PM, Fullmetaljacket223 said:

As many people know, the situation in the US for choice of carrier has recently been obliterated.

-T-Mobile is affordable and so far, accepting of most devices. However, they have AWFUL coverage, and once they retire their old network in December 2022, they may also begin cutting off devices.

-AT&T has more or less cut off access to anybody that does not use an AT&T branded LTE/5g device as of the beginning of February. No more bring your own phone. RIP my BB Key2

-That leaves Verizon as the only remaining good option. They have the best coverage anyway, and they are mostly accepting of devices. Starting in March 2022, when they retire their old network, the issue with Verizon for users that want to use foreign devices like the Pro1-X, is that Verizon will only allow LTE/5g devices that are on their 'whitelist'. 

The old methods of using a mule device to activate a sim and transfer it etc, no longer work. They know what device you're using. This brings us to the proposal of the post.

I have read that several people, including myself, have attempted to stress this issue to Fxtec with not much of a response. That leaves the responsibility up to the users. Given persistence with tech support, it has been shown this year that Verizon is willing to work with people to have phones added to their whitelist. They want your business. 

What we are in need of here, is a group of US pro-1/Pro1-X users, or users to be (given the device gets approved), to come together on some level. We can present as a group to Verizon and push for them to approve the devices. It's easy to brush off individuals, it is hard to ignore a passionate group.

What do you people have to say about this? Any suggestions of ways to go about doing this?

I wrote to Mr. Diego Scotti, Verizon Exec VP and Chief Marketing Officer via snail mail. Someone might actually read it that way. Basically said they need to support their loyal customers. They should white list the PRO1X. They should find the tech guys in Verizon who already know how to interface the PRO1 with Verizon, and send a tech support note out to all their marketing stores. Fingers crossed. [BTW I told him how long we have been w Verizon and the total amount we have spent with them over that time.  HINT over 20 yrs, over tens of thousands of $.]

 

[Fullmetaljacket223 28]

Nice! That's good leverage and a clever arrangement. Finding people that have that type of history with them AND care about getting keyboard phones white listed is very difficult. I've paused my own push on it until we start getting these phones so we can push in mass volume