Trip

Or, perhaps, holding companies to rules they agreed to follow?

- Trip

Same here.  Diagnostics sent.

- Trip

I'm wondering if I need to just update the phone to a more modern build.  The NR5G CA option doesn't work ("not supported" it says) but n71 SA does work on it as long as it's set to TMB.  Just not in GCF or XAA.

- Trip

My A52 is actually sitting on the April 1, 2022 update version and I did a lot of my tinkering on the March version.  So that doesn't really explain the issues.

- Trip

Well, chamb e-mailed me to suggest looking for a specific option in the *#2263# menu, and while it didn't work (actually, I didn't understand what he was saying at first), it did give me an idea.  I used *#73#, made my way to the band selection menu, then backed out and got to NAS Configuration, and then backed out again and that landed me on the UE Setting screen, which allowed me to do the steps in the guide.  Bizarre, but I'm glad.

Bad news is that while it allowed me access to add additional bands, it only added them in NSA, not in SA (still only n71-SA is available).  I tried redoing several different steps in the guide to get SA enabled for other bands without success.  I also tried changing the CSC back to XAA and that didn't help either.  Also, it seems that n71 SA only actually works with the TMB CSC set; in XAA, I get a "no connection" instead.  So I've switched it back to TMB.

Next I tried "Method 2" in the guide.  I believe this is what chamb meant for me to do.  This worked!  I now had access to SA for all the NR bands the phone supports.  Unfortunately, actually locking any SA band now results in no service.  I'm still fidgeting with it in the hope that I can figure out what I need to do to make SA work properly.

- Trip

Not sure if this is the right place to talk about the A52 5G, but I want to talk about it.  I bought a T-Mobile branded but network unlocked one from eBay, with the intent to use the SamFW FRP tool to unlock all the bands on it, like I had with two Verizon-branded A42 5G phones, and my S21FE.

As it came, the phone only has three NR options in the *#2263# menu, n41-NSA, n71-SA, and n71-NSA.  So not particularly helpful on the NR front.

Well, after several hours of futzing with it, I seem to be unable to get more out of it than that.  By flashing first the firmware from the TMB to XAA variant, and then changing the CSC from TMB to XAA as well, I was able to at least allow the *#73# menu to open.  But upon doing so, the UE Setting and Info menu necessary to enable the missing bands isn't present.  The option that was in its place just says to go to *#2263# when selected.  I tried changing the CSC to VZW in the hopes that it would make it work properly like it did on the A42 5G phones, but no luck.  I seem to be stuck with it as-is.

I imagine that if I let it update all the way up to the most recent update, I'll lose the Samsung Band Selection tool, but gain the ability to lock it through *#2263# or *#73# as T-Mobile has, presumably, enabled n41 SA and n25 SA in a later update.  I'm considering doing that, as I think the trade-off is probably worth it in the long run.  Alternatively, this could just be my n71-locked phone.  I'll have to think on it.

After all the frustration I've had with the Samsung phones I've tried to adapt for band locked logging purposes (my A32 and A42s both had their own problems), I will probably not buy any more Samsung phones for this purpose.  Shortly after I ordered the A52, I saw a post on Reddit from someone who bought a Moto Edge 5G (2022) and rooted it, and it band locks NR with Network Signal Guru and supports all the Dish bands as well as most everything else.  I think that's my future.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'll gladly take them, but I think I'm at the end of the line.

- Trip

1 hour ago, dkyeager said:

Note the band locking works and the actual bands.

 

I really wish this wasn't still so shrouded in mystery.  I see these phones available new on eBay (Boost locked, but again, I don't care) for $99, and would love to buy one of those and activate a Rainbow SIM on the $100/year plan, and I can't find a good answer on whether or not that is something that can be done, even if I drove down to Richmond to try to do it.  Don't really want to be out the $100 if they won't let me do it.

- Trip

While I've been loath to update my Samsung devices past the May 2022 update to keep the Band Selection tool, I note that it looks like Android 14 is going to add Timing Advance for NR to the API.  (Was looking today as I have another Verizon A42 5G now that I'm going to unlock for T-Mobile, and wanted to figure out if I should let it update or not.)  Since I can technically make band changes from *#73#, on the A42 5Gs, I can probably live without the Band Selection tool if a later Android version adds something useful like TA values.

I assume SCP will be updated to support that once it becomes publicly available.  The real question is whether or not the phones will support it.  My S21FE and A42 5G devices do on LTE, but I know the S22 and the A32 5G do not support it even on LTE, providing just zero in that field.

- Trip

46 minutes ago, dkyeager said:

I mapped out the various phone choices to Dish's NR bands.  Used trade press for many of the phones, which can be unreliable.  Just starting with N71, you are down to three phones: Moto G Stylus 5G 2022, Moto Edge+ (2022), Celero 5G+.  Add in the less frequent n66 and you are down to: Moto G Stylus 5G 2022, Moto Edge+ (2022).  The Moto G Stylus 5G 2022 then walks away with the rest of the bands.  

A negative is even if you pay cash, the phone is carrier locked for a year.

The A23 5G appears to support all of the Dish NR bands except n26 which they don't even own yet, and n29 which as SDL can't be logged as far as I can tell.  https://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=6760  I mean, n71, n66, and n70 are there, and those are the ones I'm most concerned about.

I know that's not trade press, but I've found Phone Scoop to tend to be missing bands rather than including bands that should be there.

I don't really care if it's carrier locked; if I'm buying a device specifically for Dish, then I'm probably not switching it out in the immediate future.

- Trip

4 hours ago, dkyeager said:

A bit if confusion, but rhe rainbow Sim is expected to be on sale in Columbus OH tomorrow. If you buy the phone outright, unlocking still takes a year.

I'm curious to know if the A23 can be band-locked.  I'm considering buying it through them with the $100/year service, if at all possible, in order to record Dish.  I mean, once it's possible to get a Rainbow SIM.

- Trip

And SCP has labeled it that way for a long time.  I've taken my unactivated T-Mobile phones out all over the eastern part of the Shentel region to check whether 312250 was being broadcast (thus indicating a keep site). 

Here's a link to a screenshot I have from summer 2021 with that terminology in it:  https://imgur.com/a/hUzTbUW

- Trip

6 minutes ago, jreuschl said:

Apparently T-Mobile is on its own forcing Sprint SIM holdouts to switch. At least on iPhones they've moved the service to eSIM automatically! 

This sort of stuff really exposes the danger of eSIM.  So who else can change your phone's configuration without your consent?  Can a bad actor wipe your eSIM remotely?  Very, very alarming stuff.

- Trip

I'm in DC today, and was curious to see what's been happening in the underground parts of the Metro with NR, if anything.  Short answer, some, but not much.

I figured n25 would be most likely, but spotted none.

I figured n71 would be least likely, and spotted none as expected.

I figured n41 could go either way, and it did.  Surprisingly, I connected to n41 SA in Crystal City/Pentagon City/Pentagon, but nowhere else.  No B41 LTE that I saw when spot-checking, either, even though Sprint had it previously, so the system will support it.

- Trip

Looks like it was a temporary issue.  I'd be surprised if they dropped US Cellular roaming.  I was chatting with someone well-placed at T-Mobile about adding a site to fill a US Cellular roaming gap and was told that the US Cellular roaming agreement is so cheap that it's hard to convince the higher-ups to build new sites in those areas.

- Trip

11 hours ago, dkyeager said:

Is that info from the former Shentel area (whose deal was closed late compared with other merger areas) or from other areas such as around Washington DC, etc? Could mean they have barely touched their planned 10,000 new rural sites)

I was definitely speaking with someone about a site in the Shentel region when it was made, but it was a more general statement.  While many conversions have happened, there are plenty of sites still running Sprint PLMN outside the Shentel region.  I drove around in Stafford and Fauquier Counties two weekends ago and passed 8 of them, plus one that was offline with new gear in place, one that was offline but I couldn't see to confirm new gear was in place, plus two new build sites that had yet to be turned on.  EDIT:  Oh, and I passed at least three pre-existing T-Mobile sites that hold permits for upgrade that have yet to happen.

- Trip

From what I'm told, the focus right now is converting Sprint sites.  Once that is done, more new builds will follow.

- Trip

I'm aware of three planned sites in places near where I grew up and the one I know an estimated construction date for is scheduled for July.

- Trip

Wow, have I really not posted here in so long?  Well, let me update from recent trips to Farmville first, then the purpose of this post at the end.

As of our last visit in mid-January, these sites are now operating with T-Mobile gear in the Shentel region:

Keysville
Amelia East
Buffalo Hgts (Farmville)
Gross Creek Water Tower (Farmville)
Dixie
Cumberland
Rosney
Fordsville
Others in western Buckingham and southern Albemarle Counties

Also drove down US-29 on that visit and found a number of sites on wooden poles had been converted, and it looks like T-Mobile used the full-sized low-band antennas for them.  They look funny on the poles, but it implies the best possible service.  Also some more conversions spotted in Lynchburg, Campbell, and Appomattox Counties, plus B41 is now running in Amherst.

New T-Mobile gear was installed on the Verizon tower near Meherrin on US-360, but had not been turned on yet.  It will fill a gap on US-360 between the two Keysville sites and the Green Bay site.

I was able to verify, by locking a phone to B26 in Farmville, that Sheppards and Dillwyn still were on Shentel gear.  The WFLO tower also had yet to be upgraded.

We're going down again this weekend and my intent is to come across on US-60 and VA-45 to Farmville, to try and pick up new conversions that have appeared on the coverage map along the way.

=====

Anyway, that's not even why I looked at this thread today.  I saw a press article about Caswell County, NC cell towers, and it prompted me to look at Street View at some of them.  I was thoroughly amused when I looked at the one I call Providence, between Yanceyville and the Virginia state line.

https://imgur.com/a/pyjtIAV

Pretty sure Shentel is at the top and AT&T below, but look at what's on the ground. 

- Trip

Weird.  Then I guess my phone's behavior has changed somehow even though I went through and meticulously disabled all updates on it.  I have never had secondary PLMN reporting turned on.

- Trip

6 hours ago, mikejeep said:

Re: Unable to edit site notes -- try disabling the mobile cell timestamp option and see if that works. That was a bug I (thought) I fixed but perhaps I discovered it after the last update went out. I will have a new beta ready soon, that fix is definitely included.

I didn't have it enabled, but I enabled and disabled it again.  No change.

6 hours ago, mikejeep said:

I believe that was always yellow? I do not think I touched it in recent releases. In the upcoming beta update, I have already changed the accent color to a magenta/yellow blend.

I don't think it was.  I've disabled all updates on my S21FE, which is technically on 311490 but the PLMN reported to SCP is 310260 or 310120 as appropriate, though sometimes when it's between cells, it will show 311490.  Recently it suddenly started flashing yellow at me when it sees 311490, which draws my eye (it definitely didn't used to).  It didn't used to do that, and it can't have been a software update in the phone as I'm purposely keeping it on the last version that has the band selector app, which definitely still works as I used it today.

- Trip

I actually had the same issue but assumed it was something wrong with my phone.  One of my Moto One 5G Ace devices won't let me edit or add a site note, while the other one works fine.  I had similarly tinkered with the "lock" setting and restarted.  I just sent diagnostics as well.

Separately, it looks like you recategorized 311490 from being a T-Mobile PLMN to being a Sprint PLMN, so the accent is now yellow.  The problem is that since 311490 is the unified network, I would expect that more than 90% of such sites are on T-Mobile, and I personally almost never see them, so I'd say it really should be categorized as a T-Mobile PLMN.

- Trip

I'm told that work on Sprint conversions is slated to continue until at least summer.

- Trip

Just got back, and it didn't crash once!  I think you've fixed it. 

Was the issue anything interesting?

- Trip

8 hours ago, mikejeep said:

Hot on the heels of the release an hour ago, here comes another SCP beta, with another bugfix for force closes on startup.. @Trip let's see how this goes!

I've installed it this morning, and it hasn't crashed yet!  I also tried Reset Mobile Connection and it stayed open.  I'm taking my wife up the hill to the Metro in a few minutes and I'll take it with me.

I'll post when I'm back to let you know if it stayed open.

If it works, I may upgrade all my phones and go out driving a bit this weekend.  My wife has her best friend coming to visit and they're going to be watching TV shows I don't care for, so that's always a good excuse to go see what some cell sites are doing.

- Trip

1 minute ago, mikejeep said:

Yours was one of the ones I was hoping this release would fix.. thank you for the reports, that's the only way I can try to keep digging!

Did you actually get the Android report?  Not sure if you did, or if you did, whether or not it's helpful.  I want to know if I should send more of those or not.

- Trip