Unopened Librem 5 for sale

Given that I am tied to Verizon for phone service and given their refusal to support Librem 5 phones on their network, I am not going to be able to use the phone I waited so long for. It has the BM818-A1 modem for use on the US networks. Well, some US networks…

Message me directly with an offer if you are interested. I will look at all offers received in the next week or so.

I don’t want to hijack the thread and don’t intend to sell you on anything, but it’s worth noting that Purism now offers the ability to transfer an existing number to their data plan packages as a $15 service.

Thanks, but I don’t know if that would solve my problem. Verizon is the only carrier whose signal I can receive in my office. Unfortunately coverage at home is weak, but (barely) functional.

Another option as well, you can use Xfinity. They use the verizon network, but might be willing to work with you? I don’t know just an idea.

Thanks for the suggestion. Part of the issue is the family shared plan at a pretty good discount with Verizon, but I will check on Xfinity.

That wouldn’t work. MVNOs can’t opt to ignore the underlying carrier’s compatibility requirements. The BM818-A1 modem has to pass the IMEI compatibility check anyway:

https://www.xfinity.com/mobile/byod/compatibility/device
https://www.verizon.com/sales/prepaid/byod.html

It’s pretty much T-mobile (and associated MVNOs) or nothing in the U.S.

Yeah after I actually got to reviewing the wiki I was about to post that. It appears only data works? Yeah so sounds like the phone needs more work to support the network.

Or Broadmobi needs to get their modems certified with Verizon and its VoLTE implementation.

But still… Verizon gonna Verizon.

Are no modem chips available that support Verizon as well?

Not currently; not for sale by Purism, and which fit into the L5, anyway.

Of course, they may have the opportunity to make other modems available at some point, if they happen to find a compatible one (that aligns with their mission).

Which pretty much leaves us early purchasers up a creek if we can’t use T-Mobile.

Honest question: what else did you expect? I’m not from US and never been there, but I know that Verizon has had a very bad reputation when it comes to allowing third party devices on their network for at least the last 15 years or so. From over here I always knew Verizon as the butt of a joke and a company that does things that would be outright illegal here in Europe :wink:

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Given that I ordered the phone over two years ago, I had hoped that Purism would have made some attempt to work with them in that time, but I gather from forum posts that they don’t do that. I hope that is a wrong impression, because it is a huge disservice to their customer base.

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I tend to agree. Has no one figured out a way to work with Verizon professionally or technically? In what way do they not allow third party devices?

EDIT : it does appear pinephone supports it - https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php?title=PinePhone_Carrier_Support

Maybe Verizon is not going to cooperate with Purism. It’s not like Purism is big enough to heavy Verizon into mending its ways.

More accurately, Verizon supports (allows) the modem in the Pinephone (Quectel, soldered in, I believe).

Now if only Quectel made a modem that fits in the Librem 5 (and meets any other relevant requirements) …

As always there are three parties (carrier, modem manufacturer, phone manufacturer) and the stars have to come into alignment for it to work.

It is interesting that I have had zero interest in my Librem phone since I started this thread two months ago.

Can you change the IMEI in the Broadmobi modem to match the IMEI of your existing spyphone?

I guess that would then force the much more important issue of: does the modem actually work on their network? Rather than making it an arbitrary up-front rejection based on a number.

I wouldn’t say that this topic is the last word on Broadmobi v. Verizon - but for now maybe ‘we’ are stuffed.

Warning: Changing the IMEI may be illegal in some circumstances in some countries. If this applies then this is not a suggestion to change the IMEI.

Alright, if you are interested in giving it away for free as in gratis, I would be happy to take it.

I’m not surprised at all. It is absurdly expensive and on top of that the phone has not reached the functional parity of flip-phone from 2005. On top of that anyone who is not in USA has to pay import tax on that already absurd price tag. And then there is the possibility that the local network provider will outright reject the device. Just like in your case. So you can see why there is almost no interest in it.

On the other hand Steamdeck is selling so well it is out of stock most of the time.

Many of your points are incorrect or not applicable.

In particular, as far as I can see, the OP has never specified a selling price. The selling price may be the current new price of a Librem 5 (which is comparatively expensive and potentially not attractive since a purchaser may prefer just to buy a new device from Purism). The selling price may be the seller’s original purchase price (substantially less than the current new price). The selling price may be some other amount.

Failure to nominate a price may be a contributing factor.

I would like to suggest another possible contributing factor: Purism must be really close to shipping parity. So the “impatient market” of people who decided to jump the queue by buying someone else’s phone is rapidly disappearing.

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