searching for a new device/carrier

[knoober]

I recently became fed up with an old device and service and made the decision to upgrade. However I cannot seem to find a carrier that will give this device the time of day. It seems this device is not VoLTE capable (even though apparently some variants are, and I have a toggle for it in the settings).

So this thread is to ask: what device and/or carriers should a guy look at?

wants:
-external sd card capable phone with modern-ish specs and a few roms to play with
-unlimited talk/text + however much data I can get my hands on for moderate usage

It doesnt seems like a tall order, but Ive been looking at the cheap NMVO retailers for service plans because of the low cost, and the most popular brands all say my Pocophone is not compatible.

I am willing to buy a new device if I must, but I would just like some roundabout suggestions for good non-dinosaur devices that support VoLTE or carriers in the US that arent requiring VoLTE. Thanks

 

[kate]

All three US carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) require phones to support VoLTE now. That also means all the MVNO carriers also require Volte for any phone you want to activate.

If your Pocophone doesn't support VoLTE on any of the three main carriers it's unlikely you can activate it.

Most Moto phones have an SD card slot and some ROM development. Lots of MVNOs to chose from - Ting, Cricket, Mint, US Mobile, Page Plus.

 

[knoober]

I had been looking at the moto devices but recent offerings had lacked build quality. 1 that I had took on a banan shapre from riding in my back pocket while I drove a car (over time, not all at once), another got a cracked screen when I dropped it from my hand about 4 ft. Another screen was crushed in my front pocket while I was crawling under a car. Now to be fair, none of these are deal breakers by themselves, but given that I had 3 devices that were all easily dispatched, I am hesitant to purchase another Motorola, even though 2 previous devices had helped me to start a sort of brand loyalty with Moto devices. Not only that but the Poco F1 had the stronger SoC, a better gpu and bigger batter y IIRC), for near the same price on the used market. I just didnt know about the VoLTE requirement. Most of the carriers listed in the post above only state bands that the device must operate within, and I thought I had looked far enough.

If I was really going to scratch my itch and get the device that I crave, it would be the Pinephone, but I have heard varying degrees of success with US carriers, as well as the fact that Pinephone Wiki doesnt list MMS working with any carrier at all.

Ill post back in this thread in a while after I do some digging on devices to see if anyone has make or break opinions on the candidates. Thanks for the help so far guys

 

[mikedt]

If you wasn't in the US, you might have been OK with the Pocophone.

Xiaomi Pocophone is primarily sold in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. And phones intended for that region may not include American bands and modes.

As I'm not in the US, I can't really suggest what is suitable there, other than what the American carriers list on their BYOD.

 

[knoober]

Been wading through the weeds on this one for a minute now. I am still not certain what bands signify VoLTE or what it really is. There is alot of jargon, Like HD voice and 5g that seem to be used interchangeably, as well as many articles claiming that "most but not all" current/newer devices will fit the spec. The articles that I have read seem to indicate that anything using LTE was also capable, but then contradict themselves before the paragraph is over. I dont seem to be able to find a spec that specifically denotes a VoLTE capability. GSM arena and phonearena are my goto site to compare specs, but they only list GSM/HSPA/LTE with no mention of VoLTE (even on devices that are confimed as VoLTE capable).

The newest article I can find that lists VoLTE devices is written in 2018, and while the list is long, I fear it may be outdated. If I am goinng to pony up for a new long term daily driver, I do not want to dig through a list of 2018 devices.

Can anyone point me towards better info, or fill me in on where my search is going wrong?

Edit: in regards to Moto devices: I have had a few and liked them quite a bit, but it seems build quality has dropped over the years. I am encouraged by the active community that surrounds these devices, but if I can't keep it in my back pocket without it turning into a banana, that's an issue for me. I may still go for a Moto, but I want to have a look at other devices as well.

 

[kate]

VoLTE support varies, even on different versions of the same phone so most carriers don't have a list of phones. AT&T is the only one I found with a recent list. If you can get the IMEI number use the carriers BYOD checker to see if it will work.

AT&T HD Voice unlocked phones for VoLTE:
https://www.att.com/idpassets/image...Capabilities-Unlocked-Devices-ATT-Network.pdf

AT&T sold phones that work with VoLTE:
https://www.att.com/idpassets/images/support/wireless/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf


T-Mobile doesn't have a list that I could find, this lists older phones that should have VoLTE on T-Mobile:
http://www.spectrumgateway.com/compatible-phones

Check if your phone is compatible with T-Mobile:
https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/bring-your-own-phone


Verizon - They don't have a list, but many US phones made after 2016 should work.

Check if your phone is compatible with Verizon:
https://www.verizon.com/bring-your-own-device/

 

[knoober]

Aside from getting a seller to give me the IMEI is there a way to know the IMEI? I mean, if carriers carry a database of IMEI, wouldnt it be simpler to just give a list of devices to choose from?

Looks like I will be grabbing a Moto for convenience sake. I have me reservations, but I am going to get a good case and screen protector, so hopefully it will be alright. There are better devices with better SoC/GPU combos but I just haven't been able to find another device that ticks off all the most important boxes. A better screen, removable battery, and better glass would make this purchase a lot simpler (but devices with those things ad volte support often lack a removable sdcard or reasonable rom support). The price is right however, and that cannot be ignored

Edit: was looking at the specs for the g7 plus and saw 4gb of ram. Seems pretty weak. I am going to keep looking but I do not think I will find a better option. Thanks for all the help guys

 

[kate]

Motorola has a page to check which phones work with carriers, it only has recent phones listed:
https://www.motorola.com/us/carrier-compatibility

Other manufacturers might have similar lists. If you go to a retail store the IMEI is listed on the box, you could check it on your carriers site before buying.