I expected so, but had to ask.
Would be great if a wrong network mode setting was the cause of your problem. 
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I believe that it is carrier-specific. What underlying mobile network are you on? This topic probably isn’t conducive to following this up but have you asked in a separate topic whether there is anyone on the same underlying mobile network as you in the UK and for whom VoLTE works? Failing that, whether there is anyone in the UK for whom VoLTE works?
I don’t know whether we can assume that all three modem variants are at functional parity when they have the same firmware version. This is the kind of thing that Support would know. I suppose that you have the -E1 variant in any case.
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Without connectivity, it’s just a computer with an annoyingly small screen and keyboard that needs a dock to be truly functional for the things I want to use a computer for. (And even then I am stuck with a sub-optimal desktop environment.)
If it’s not a phone with mobile data (so it can be a hotspot) that works … then it is basically an expensive paperweight.
And in my case I can only make calls if I’m within a few hundred feet of a tower. That effectively makes it useless.
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Fortunately we have a real usable mobile coverage here and have no problems with the L5 and Vodafone or O2 as provider
Bu I see the situation as You: Without working phone calls the L5 is worthless for me.
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Thank you for getting back. I am on EE which is a major, possibly the biggest (?), UK carrier. My L5 can use data on 4g on this network, but just cannot make calls any longer, now that 3g has been turned off. I told them back in October when I raised the issue that I had been notified that the 3g service was due to be turned off here - so they have known how things stood.
I bought a de-googled phone from e.foundation and this works fine using the same (EE) network and sims (I have tried two).
I don’t know if there are any other UK L5 users who have experienced the same issue as myself (I will try to find out), but technical issues aside, I am just so disappointed in how Purism seem to have just abandoned the problem (and me). With that approach, they will be found out sooner or later.
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Thank you for getting back.
I will see if I can borrow a Vodafone or O2 sim to see if it might work.
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What version of modem firmware do you have?
And do you have the bm818-tools installed?
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I have latest firmware on the modem and VoLTE enabled in Vodafone-Germany. Works!
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“it” was intended to refer to my Librem 5, not to any Librem 5. So yes, my Librem 5 is useless, yours is (I hope!) not. I wasn’t trying to speak for everyone.
I think mine is defective.
Although I live in a weak-reception area, and a non-defective phone could have problems with it, I’ve taken it to places with five bars (on my other phone), and it won’t make calls. I should think ANY non-defective phone, even one with a modem that has a reputation for weakness, should be able to make calls under those circumstances.
It really does need a SUPER strong signal to function at all. When I drive by that tower a signal strength reader says it’s -61 dbsm or so. I have to get closer than that, to be able to make a call. Normally a -90s signal is considered a good signal; I need one ten thousand times stronger.
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…and apparently neither does support…or they don’t care to.
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I’m wondering if this batch of modems is garbage and they don’t have an alternative so they are stuck? Or maybe they are working on returning bad ones. I can’t explain why my phone worked fairly consistently despite the OS related issues with calling but at least it was getting a signal at home. Then when I sent my phone in the first time and it came back with a new modem it would only work in certain parts of the network and not at home. I guess it’s anyone’s guess as to what the issue is.
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I was working with support to flash my L5 firmware, then to try to get a call to happen. I eventually discovered I could make a call provided I am very, very close to a T-mobile tower. (I suspect a bad antenna.) I sent this info to support, and never heard back. I sent an email to remind them, and never heard back.
I’m going on two years now with a brick that won’t make calls except under very unrealistic circumstances. I probably need to send it in for repair, but I’d love to hear back from support first.
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Thank you for your suggestion.
Back in October, Joao took me throught the process of updating the modem etc. At the time I found this assistance to be very helpful. However, once it became clear that those ‘fixes’ did not work, then they just stopped communicating with me.
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But, could they not just explain that to those of us who are left ‘in the dark’? Not one for you to answer I know, … just stating my own thoughts.
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An excellent summary of my situation.
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I have not gotten any feedback on my phone either when they had it (they may have found it but nobody has returned my email asking if they found it). I think they may have run out of track with this modem to be honest. I think they are scrambling to figure out a replacement because clearly this one has all kinds of problems. If the u.fl connector popping off so easily on my original modem is any indication then maybe this modem has run it’s course and was never a quality item to begin with.
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The question then becomes…can we just buy some other kind of modem?
In my particular case I strongly suspect a bad antenna, but a defective modem isn’t completely ruled out.
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This is not easy, constrained as it is by:
- must be M.2 with correct keying and correct pins used
- must physically fit (thickness needs to be checked carefully, other two dimensions should be right as long as you buy the correct format, 3042?)
- must have a driver for Linux on ARM
- must have an open source driver
- must not require firmware blobs (although you are clearly free to waive this requirement and even the previous if you are desperate)
- must be able to get it working yourself
- must support voice (because of the target market, a lot of modems around are data-only)
- counterproductive as far as mucking around with antennae.
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I’ll reach out to support directly to see if they can explain the communication gap to me, and if there are resources that they would need in order to provide informative responses.
I’d have to see the thread of what has already been discussed, but I do know that, in general, u.fl connectors can be very finicky and delicate; this is a quirk we’ll have to cope with for now, due to the form factor and removable nature of the cellular modem in the L5.
Perhaps securing the connector with a small piece of kapton tape could be a workaround if the connector is easily disconnected. A bad connector would have to be replaced, of course.
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In my case the u.fl connector on the modem had a cold solder joint and the grip of the cable on it was stronger than the solder joint, so it came off still connected to the cable, so while putting tape over it might be a good idea I don’t think it would have helped me in my situation.
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