Planning ahead: what and how to report on L5 when the time comes

Librem Phones (Librem 5)
#2

I think the easiest way to do this is for us to collect information from various sources and put it on the Librem 5 Community Wiki. Once the information on the Community Wiki is useful, people will start adding directly to the wiki. For info that we take from the forum, Reddit, Mastadon, reviews, etc, we should provide links in the Community Wiki back to the original source. That way, people who have questions can go and ask the original poster.

For example, we can create a table in the wiki that breaks it down by country and cellular providers with information about what has been tested and what works:

Cellular providers

Location Provider Bands provided Modem Bands tested Calls SMS Data VoLTE Notes Sources
USA Verizon LTE: B2 (1900 PCS), B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1), B13 (700 c)
CDMA: BC0 (800), BC1 (1900 PCS) 		BM818-A1 LTE B2, LTE B13 Yes Yes N/T No Calls not reliable in Texas userX, userY, userZ

* N/T = Not tested

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#3

That seems like a reasonable approach for cell services / modem related - especially the links and sources. This would mean (when using a table in stead of a database) that every country would have several entries for each provider and the modem variations (I’d move that as the second column maybe?).

For some regions, I’m wondering should the area be more granular (like states in USA or even smaller areas). Perhaps it could be left to the user to give, if they so wish, and have format like “[country], [state], [area or city], [coordinates]”. Also, how does the user know which bands they are (able) to use? Can we have signal strength? Does the date, or more to the point, wouldn’t the used OS or any software component version matter (have the latest patches been applied)? Also, how old the info is. Does tower distance, line of sight or number towers have any relevance (probably unnecessary, right)?

On the notes, I like the reliability info, but maybe include something about in which way not reliable, and would also like have reported voice quality impressions, possible timing/delay/slowness aspects, compared signal strength/quality to other phones (with same provider and location) and any comments/communications from operator representatives related to L5. These would also be interesting if and when, over time, they improve.

Any other separate info columns needed/wanted?

#4

Someone might have to provide hints about how that information can be gathered.

For example, let’s say that my phone and modem work, how do I know which band it is using (at any one time)? Some magic AT command incantation? Varies depending on the modem (Broadmobi v. Gemalto)? Available on some GUI screen somewhere? shell command?

VoLTE may be more than just a “yes” / “no” answer. Some networks might allow it optionally, some not at all, some might make it mandatory - and for some the answer might depend on the MVNO, in addition to the underlying network. In particular, where it is available but optional, again, how would a user gather the information about whether it is being used? (However, as I understand it, today VoLTE is not working yet on the L5 - so for the moment a hypothetical.)

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#5

@dylanlesterpvcs is providing some Dogwood battery stats in another thread (Still no dogwood?) and I there mused if his data could be expanded:

…could it be possible to add a column or two to that script for more info? Load average would give some indication how much use device is getting (for instance cat /proc/loadavg all five or just the first and fourth). And maybe data transferred (total cumulative or separated by method/radio)?

Copied here to keep these together in their appropriate thread.

If someone would want to gather such data, should something be added or changed get the best picture? Better commands to use in a script? Especially that data transfer would be interesting: how much do those affect the battery and usetime - would make for an interesting graph, maybe (also maybe: an estimator/calculator to tell how much battery is needed for some large transfer).

[Edit: link to @dylanlesterpvcs’s data and script https://github.com/dylanlester-librem/Librem5-battery-data]

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#6

I’ll toss load avg into the script, As for how useful it will be I’m not sure. I think Finding the files that tell if the baseband, camrea, etc are powered would be more helpful over all. The issue is I don’t know where they are. I’m far from an expert on where in the system they would be. Already from the data that I’ve captured I can say times when I had it in lockdown mode with it idle were the least power hungry. So if any of you have an idea where in the file structure that data would be found I’ll gladly add it to the script as well.

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#7

Good thinking. More data is always more data. I vaguely remember that something related to this was discussed long ago in one of the threads but couldn’t find it. Maybe first try lsusb to see if the HW switch changes that and go from there (device present or not - though, I’m not sure if there should be anything showing or not)…?

#8

To get this started, I have added a Cellular Providers page to the Community Wiki.

Please add information there.

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#9

There’s a wiki too? I learn something new every day!

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#10

Hi @amosbatto. Thought I should point out (since I don’t see it mentioned in the table), that Ting has 2 different available SIMs, one on T-Mobile’s network and the other on Verizon. I’m not sure which one the table refers to, but we might want to differentiate.

Interesting fact: The Ting SIMs also have international roaming (although the data is expensive). Currently, only a few US MVNOs provide that, as far as I know.

I’m using Truphone’s prepaid international SIM, which runs on AT&T’s network in the U.S., and provides roaming in most countries of the world…kind of expensive roaming in most, but a select few countries are classed by Truphone as “local rates.” You can also add an additional number to your SIM, e.g. a UK or Australia number to your US SIM, and vice versa. (Truphone does not support MMS.)

[Edit: Another interesting thing about Truphone is that they don’t enforce regular usage of the SIM. I’ve gone for months and months (maybe a year) without a single billed event, and it stays active as long as you have a balance.]

Red Pocket’s AT&T SIM (“GSMA”) also works fine in the L5. (As it should, since it’s AT&T.) Red Pocket has a SIM for all 4 major U.S. networks: AT&T (GSMA), T-Mobile (GSMT), Sprint (CDMAS), and Verizon (CDMA). A global roaming add-on is available on CDMAS only, and only with certain Sprint-compatible phones.

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#11

@amarok, I added your info to the wiki. Having you tested calls, SMS and data on Truphone? Have you tested calls SMD and data on Red Pocket GSMA?

#12

Yep! No problems!
(Edit: It’s just AT&T, after all.)

#13

@amarok, Did you test data as well? @dylanlesterpvcs said that data didn’t work on AT&T.

#14

Yep! I’m lookin’ at it right now.

#15

The guy setting up the simcard could not figure out how to set it up, the excuse he gave me apon looking into it seemed fishy. So I’m not sure what went wrong for him in trying to do it.

#16

By default I believe cellular data is turned off in Settings, or at least that would be a place I would look if you have LTE but no IP address. After that I’d make sure that you are using the appropriate APN for your carrier–the database that’s built in may not always automatically pick and know the proper one to use. You could do that either from the carrier’s docs, or by swapping the SIM into a different phone that works and seeing what APN they use.

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#17

As I said then, don’t try to get them to set up a new line with it if you have another phone that is set up swap the simcards and have them set up the simcard on the other one. That will likely work. These people are working from massive manuals that take the “Teach a man to fish” analogy into the real world. He spent two hours messing around trying to figure it out and could not.

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#18

He stated he could not figure out how to se up the APN after those hours of fiddling, the phone after checking with your support team said it had tfdata and att.mvno listed under APN in the settings. Am I meant to tell him how to get there so he can put in some username and password as it says under the settings bubble? With looking into it att.mvno seems to be for third party networks that us AT&T’s network, and I can’t find anything about tfdata.

#19

Launch Settings app, then Mobile->Access Point Names, then click the + at the top right-hand side of the screen to add a new APN and try “PRODATA”

If that doesn’t work could you give me more info about your carrier and maybe we can look up the proper LTE data APN to use online.

And to answer your other question, you shouldn’t need to enter a username and password anywhere I wouldn’t think.

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#20

I got it working with the 3G settings as it all 3G in my area, the settings I used are

Name : ATT
APN : wap.cingular
Username : wap@cingulargprs.com
Password : cingular1

After looking it up a few times and trying a few. At least it finally works. Thank you for your help Kyle.

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Privacy-loving Luddite needs some translation help <3
#21

It seems Truphone has discontinued its prepaid international SIM as of this month. Existing activated SIMS are still working, though.

They’ve switched to an eSIM + App model. (And only for a few phone models.)