Do you have OS bugs related to the modem ? (SMS/MMS/sync of apps, etc.)

Hardware Librem 5
1

Hello, I’ve noticed some issues recently probably related to the way the modem is used:

  1. First of all, SMS aren’t always received instantly (ex : I’ve received a “where are you” SMS several hours after the author sent them to me… not very practical).
  2. Next, I use NewsFlash connected to Nextcloud News for my RSS feeds. I’ve opened an issue on the application’s gitlab because I’m having trouble with random 4G synchronization (once every x amount of time, the sync happens, then stops working for days on end for no reason). Strangely, the same application worked fine on a OnePlus 6 running PostmarketOS/Phosh. In hindsight, I can see a problem with the modem’s software rather than with the application.
  3. With regard to MMS (despite the correct setting of the APN) and Matrix via Chatty, it was impossible to receive photos in MMS, and impossible to download images as attachments on Matrix (there is an image icon, and the “download” loop animation turns forever if I click on it). However, this was also functional with the Oneplus 6 under Phosh.

What do you think? Do you receive late SMS? Do you have problems synchronizing your applications in 4G?

Thanks for your feedback!

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With my last mobile provider, MMS originally worked really well. Then, sometime around a big PureOS update (and possibly an update on the mobile provider’s side, so could be a coincidence), I could no longer send/receive MMS. The main thing I saw in the logs was that I no longer had an IP4 address when connecting to mobile networking. Even with both Purism’s and my mobile company’s support, I could not resolve it.

So I eventually changed mobile provider.

Now MMS works, unfortunately with the toggle between internet and MMS APNs, but at least it works. But receiving SMS only succeeds at a guess 75-50% of the time. If I power down and restart the modem, or reboot, then I quite often get SMS from days ago. Not ideal.

The tick/cross icon when sending SMS messages no longer seems reliable since I changed providers, but luckily so far it seems I get a cross even though the SMS is sent correctly.

Finally, I still have the modem occasionally drop out, so I cannot make or receive calls. Sometimes with an indication in the header that something is wrong, but sometimes it looks like everything is perfect.

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SMS works fine for me. I only receive them late when I deliberately turn on my phone after it has been shut off, or disabling the cellular hardware kill switch, but both are expected behavior. My phone plan does not have data, to significantly reduce reoccuring costs.

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Sometimes I see a ! close to the 4G icon. I still think there is strange behaviors related to the modem management, but I am not sure.

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I have that issue when “Mobile Data” is toggled off by default. You can remove the “!” from the cellular network icon by toggling it on in Settings -> Mobile.

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I cannot receive SMS or MMS while connected to 4G. If I force a 3G connection, things seem to work most of the time.
Do we have any update on this, anyone?

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My provider does not support MMS, but I do get logging about missing MMS settings.

Sending SMS does not work when I have VoLTE enabled.

I also heard from another user in the Netherlands that had issues with SMS.

I noticed that the 4G symbol in the status bar lately is now and then 3G. I have the feeling that this recently happens more than in the past.

I still have the old WiFi module. When leaving the house, switching to 4G does not work well. The phone “stays connected” to the out of reach WiFi.

Sometimes it takes me a lot of fiddling with HKS and settings to get mobile data working outside my home (at home I have WiFi on, so there I would not notice issues with mobile data). In the end it is usually possible to get a mobile connection again without rebooting. But I could not figure out what the exact sequence is to get mobile data working again when it stops.

I usually have a terminal open with a ping 1.1.1.1 sometimes ping just stops getting responses.

However, when mobile data works (usually only after the second time) it can stay up stable for long time. But the first time after leaving the home, usually it stops working after a few minutes.

I know that many of the descriptions above a rather vague, but unfortunately, I could not pinpoint what is exactly going on.

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