Best Carrier/Network for American/Canadian Users - MMS/SMS Issues
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@ian I saw that comment, but it seemed like some people were having success with different carriers.
I'm not sure what he knows about the bug or if this is a bug that can be resolved. Im not sure what it means that "all IMS stuff has been shut off" either.
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Hi @ssc
To summarize:
There is no more service for 2G and 3G in northern America.
All carrier moved to VoLTE which is not yet implemented in Ubuntu Touch. -
@applee ok. So there is zero 4g support - at least in America - in Ubuntu Touch at this time. Ok, this clarifies things.
I also don't see any information so far on working to get support for that either.
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@ssc
There is 4G support, but for data only, not for calls.
The current workaround is to use SIP IIRC (I'm slow today and I don't want to check so pardon me if that doesn't make any sense)
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@applee lol. I understand. I'm a little slow when it comes to tech stuff. Honestly got into tech in the past couple years and I'm trying to do as much open source as I can now.
Data working over 4g is good. I actually wanted to start using multiple phone VoIP phone numbers anyways for privacy & security reasons (just want to see if I can do it). This gives me a reason to explore doing this.
Is there any way I can help assist with expanding the VoLTE feature too?
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@ssc I rmember there is more information in this thread:
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/7384/the-definite-volte-deadline-date-in-the-usa-is-now-known/30?_=1658776384257 -
@messayisto oof. that doesn't inspire much confidence. I guess I just have to look at getting a pinephone pro if I want a usable non-android linux phone.
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@ssc Pinephones will not work with VoLTE either for now.
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@keneda Dang. That isn't good either.
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Not not, but just kinda not for VOLTE service in USA.
UBports pinephone distro worked poory on VOLTE. Not not-at-all, just not well. My last test was over 2 months ago, so more recent experiences should chime in. Phone audio was best described as "chipmunks". You could make and receive a call, but you might not understand each other.
Sailfish OS on pinephone distro worked with "weird" audio on the other end using VOLTE. According to my wife it was "helium voice". Approximately a 1 month-old experience.
PostmarketOS with Phosh frontend has acceptable voice service on US 4G-only carriers. Usable for voice calls when voice service is working. Unfortunately, VOLTE sometimes drops out, and you can't make or receive calls.
I've recently tried an ATT MVNO and T-Mobile with PMOS. Experience with network dropouts are similar.
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I should add that I'm using PMOS/Phosh in the USA as a daily driver right now on original pinephone. I have a script running to detect network dropouts to minimize the time I'm unavailable.
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@robthebold
Here i'm talking about UT.
I don't follow other distros. -
What I gather from this is that I probably should move back over to android until something changes.
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Clarification for future readers of this post that might be considering Ubuntu Touch in Canada: All 3 major Canadian networks have stated that they're maintaining 3G until December 2025. Different story in the USA, where at different points in 2022, the major networks discontinued 3G.
In Canada, Ubuntu Touch is very much usable as a phone. Telephone calls, SMS, MMS photos, audio, and video all work as expected for me. (Group texts do not, and MMS has caused me plenty of headaches in general, though I think I've got a stable setup now.)
Hopefully VOLTE can work soon. I'm much too inept to be of use in that quest other than to keep donating to UBports and crossing my fingers. My enduring gratitude to those working to make UT better. It's already improved considerably since I started using it in late 2020.
