T-Mobile SIM Going to Fail?

[KennethPiper]

Hi, this is going to be a long story, so bear with me.

I live in the country and put together a WE826-T2 with an EM7565 to use on a third-party Verizon plan. That plan went away, and Verizon wouldn't sell me anything for home internet. I tried buying a Verizon phone plan with USB tethering, but I couldn't get it to stop showing as hotspot data no matter what settings I tried (including many guides from this great forum).

Next I tried Nomad internet service. I don't know if you're allowed to bash a company on here, so I won't go into details. Let's just say that didn't work out.

About the same time, I saw an ad for unlimited home internet with T-Mobile. I called, it was available, so I signed up. Got the modem and, as I expected based on the Nomad experience, only one bar of signal and 1 mbps down and up speeds.

With T-Mobile as my only option, I decided to try an antenna. Unfortunately, the brand new, hot-off-the-shelf Nok 5G21 modem they sent me doesn't have external antenna connections. So, I opted for an antenna/wifi booster package. It was VERY expensive, but it worked as advertised, and my speeds jumped to high 20s down and about 10 up.

I thought all my problems were solved until after a few days of my son and I trying to play games on XBox, we realized we couldn't talk to one another (party chat). After much frustration, I saw a little line in my XBox settings that said UPnP not available. Long story short, the great new modem from T-Mobile does not support UPnP, which XBox requires for party chat. You can play okay, but you can't talk.

Online research revealed there is no workaround for activating UPnP on the Nok 5g21, so I called T-Mobile to see if they could send me an older modem (the old ones support UPnP), or if they could maybe just send me a SIM and let me use my WE826-T2.

This is where I'd like some input: The guy says he can send me a SIM, but it would have to be a new line. It would have unlimited and unthrottled data for $60/month taxes and fees included.

I said why not let's try it. In reading through the confirmation emails, the plan reads as follows:
MAGENTA TABLET 1
BYOD 3in1 MBB SIM KIT 1
ASSISTED SUPPORT 1
Caller Name Display Opt-in MI 1
SCAM BLOCK MI 1

So if this is going to work as easily as the guy on the phone said it would, why isn't everyone who is having my troubles doing this? Something doesn't seem right here.

What say you?

[gscheb]

Think you are saying they are going to allow you to use the home internet sim in your own device?
If so never heard of that.

[KennethPiper]

That is exactly what I'm saying. I was perfectly upfront about what I wanted to do. I even asked the guy if he wanted the IMEI number of my modem. He said he didn't need it.

Oops, wait, that is not right. He is sending me a SIM for a separate data plan that is not the home internet plan.

Looking at the order details, it's a Magenta Tablet plan, maybe, possibly?

But if they offer anyone a SIM for your own device with truly unlimited for $60, everyone would be jumping on it.

[KennethPiper]

Well, I'm going to possibly answer my own question. I looked up the Magenta Tablet plan on T-Mobile's website, and this is what it says in the fine print:

Tethering: Tethering at max 3G speeds. For the small fraction of customers using >50GB/mo., majority of data usage must be on tablet. Tablet usage is prioritized over tethering usage, which may result in higher speeds for data used on tablet. See T-Mobile.com/OpenInternet for data management details. Plan not available for hotspots and some other data-first devices.

Sounds to me like the guy on the phone just wanted to make a quick sale of a new line. He never once said the plan name but specifically said there was no throttling.

Should I cancel immediately or give it a try?

[gscheb]

I have never done a T-Mobile tablet plan.
Have done several T-Mobile phone sim plans and they are simple to do.
Apn = fast.t-mobile.com
TTL = 64
And that is about it.
Try the tablet plan the same way. Got nothing to loose there.
T-Mobile are pretty relaxed about people abusing their terms of service for home internet.
Probably because they know their phone service as phone can't compete in rural areas.
And at least they are selling you something.

[tetranz]

No, you're not going to jail.

(glasses on now )

[Didneywhorl]

Well, I'm going to possibly answer my own question. I looked up the Magenta Tablet plan on T-Mobile's website, and this is what it says in the fine print:

Tethering: Tethering at max 3G speeds. For the small fraction of customers using >50GB/mo., majority of data usage must be on tablet. Tablet usage is prioritized over tethering usage, which may result in higher speeds for data used on tablet. See T-Mobile.com/OpenInternet for data management details. Plan not available for hotspots and some other data-first devices.

Sounds to me like the guy on the phone just wanted to make a quick sale of a new line. He never once said the plan name but specifically said there was no throttling.

Should I cancel immediately or give it a try?

Setting the TTL for IPv4 and IPv6 should bypass this, as it hides the hotspot/tether usage as on tablet usage.

[Didneywhorl]

The Tmo tablet plans have worked in everything I've built. the unlimited voice plans work even better. Just not with the Telit LM960A18, so far. All gear from thewirelesshaven.com.

[sharkbait]

I started by trying to use the sim from my Verizon phone in my EM7565 but that was a disaster that kept blocking my sim. I then did a test drive with the Tmobile hotspot and it would also not work in my EM7565. I am considering buying an old phone to register with T mobile to try but am not feeling very confident given the hours I've wasted on trying to get this solution working so far.

[gscheb]

I started by trying to use the sim from my Verizon phone in my EM7565 but that was a disaster that kept blocking my sim. I then did a test drive with the Tmobile hotspot and it would also not work in my EM7565. I am considering buying an old phone to register with T mobile to try but am not feeling very confident given the hours I've wasted on trying to get this solution working so far.

Hello,
Those T-Mobile test drives are locked to the device that it comes with.
Have hooked up several T-Mobile phone sim cards in these routers. They work.
Just need apn correct and TTL 64 and ready to go.
Here is a link about set up with T-Mobile, Don't have to use the 55+ plan just cheaper option if the right age.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=32 ... =140#p7409

[sharkbait]

Hello,
Those T-Mobile test drives are locked to the device that it comes with.
Have hooked up several T-Mobile phone sim cards in these routers. They work.
Just need apn correct and TTL 64 and ready to go.
Here is a link about set up with T-Mobile, Don't have to use the 55+ plan just cheaper option if the right age.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=32 ... =140#p7409

Did you need to tell Tmobile what phone you had or the IMEI number when signing up or ordering your Sim card? I don't currently have a phone and the IMEI for the EM7565 fails the check for the byod.

[gscheb]

Did you need to tell Tmobile what phone you had or the IMEI number when signing up or ordering your Sim card? I don't currently have a phone and the IMEI for the EM7565 fails the check for the byod.

When they ask just told them someone I knew was letting me have a phone that would work on it. Dont know what kind of phone it is. They said it would work. Not good with all this computer stuff.
They sent the card to us it worked right in router without ever being in a phone.

[MattB29]

This stuff is changing fast though. What worked for someone yesterday may no longer work today.

[gscheb]

Honestly haven't seen anyone have issues with T-mobile. So easy to get to work. It really is. Have couple systems for sale on here can set them up for T-Mobile before hand if someone is very concerned with it.
As long as you have the Service at you location it will work.

[sharkbait]

Matt - I think that was the statement he gave to the tmobile rep to get them to send a sim card without having to tell them the IMEI number.

[MattB29]

I got that. I just was pointing out that his solution to get a working T-mobile sim is subject to change. He seems to think it is still good though. All you can do is try it for yourself.

[gscheb]

This is true they can just say no and won't cost you nothing. You will need to be able to receive message to set it up online account. So if your device can't get messages that could be an issue. Then would need phone.
For example heard people say mofi can't do this.
Know rooter/wifix can.

Understand have hard time believing in something not done your self. Took me awhile to finally try att post pay tablet plan. Finally just tried and it worked.
Now have set up two of them.

[sharkbait]

I just did a chat session with tmobile and told the rep someone is giving me an old Tmobile phone. It was no big deal for them to not have the IMEI. I should have my sim and new phone number in a couple of days.

[bosleylabs]

Must open T-Mobile Gateway case (home internet device - NOK 5G21 GATEWAY KIT) to access antenna connectors. Multiple sites and YouTube videos tell how https://www.google.com/search?q=tmobile ... nal+antena
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