Assurance Wireless

[WheelieBoot]

After reinstalling Network Cell Info Lite again, the map still says it's unable to locate a tower. One of my phones used to show one nearby, a street on the other side of the university.

It does show 4g and the signal strength on the gauge, & the band.

I'm not really technical but it's a very visual app.

After reinstalling this application and posting a few messages to this thread the battery is down to 62%.



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[PennyGirl]

Definitely, the battery stinks. You are soooo right about how quickly the battery loses charge. From 100% to 78 or 68, takes less than an hour, I think just fom texting or browsing online. It is highly suspicious that so many of the phone's apps cannot be disabled (at the very least) nor can certain features be turned off.

I am far from anyone's cell tower so the signal is poor. I could ask AW for a signal boost (they did it before), but why bother since I'm splitting. Our relationship has deteriorated, and I no longer trust them.

I am considering SafeLink, but of the 3 lifeline/ACP choices available for my area, none of them have good reviews. In fact, AW received slightly better reviews. Next year, I hope to ditch Lifeline and go with Consumer Cellular. I also have an internet provider lined up for standalone ACP. Hopefully I can tolerate Safelink for a year or so.

The audio on this Koobee is the pits. I have read a lot of complaints about the poor volume on Androids. I am about to have my hearing checked; not sure if it is me or the phone or both. LOL. Moto G Pure had low volume, too.

No data transfer? Rats! Well, I keep most everything on the SD card. Haven't downloaded much on this phone. Just isn't fun. Websites load too slow, browser crashes, YT crashes, Google searches are nearly useless, etc, etc.

Best end this before the browser crashes. Until next time. . . . Be Well and Be Safe. 😁

[WheelieBoot]

I only rarely do download or streaming with the Koobee data. I use Google Voice to send messages, pictures, and that app can be configured to use WiFi as well as phone minutes.

I have made a few calls with it. The speaker is under the bottom end and unless I lift it off the surface, it sounds muffled.

I'm using the phone on WiFi right now to write this.

I hope you can find a service that works for you. If you're far from the three main provider's towers then it'll be difficult.

I knew someone with Consumer Cellular and they ran on AT&T and T-Mobile but I think I heard T-mo was being discontinued.

They have good customer service but there are cheaper plans if you want AT&T service and have an unlocked phone they'll let you use. AT&T has a whitelist for what phones they'll allow on their network.

I have an AT&T Smartflip on H20 Wireless on the 90 day/$10 plan but their monthly or annual plans would be necessary if you need data.

There are quite a few less expensive MVNOs available such as Tello, I think it may use T-mobile but not sure. You can post a thread and ask for recommendations for inexpensive MVNOs with reasonable data services.

One good thing about TracFone is that if you buy a phone from them and activate it, in 60 days you can get the phone unlocked.

It's sometimes cheaper than buying an unlocked phone. They run on Verizon though, and data add ons are $10/gb unless you buy a plan that gives you monthly data for less. They sell phones on their website and in the TracFone eBay store. You can use those on SafeLink because SafeLink is owned by TracFone (Verizon) now.

Once unlocked, the phone should work on other services but they still need to pass their IMEI checker, and for AT&T they have to be on the Whitelist.

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[WheelieBoot]

The WiFi has been down most of the time the past few days. I just found out the AW Koobee allows hotspot for up to 8 devices. I tested it by downloading some text files ~40-50kb from Google Drive to my LG Stylo 3 and it was fast.

I'm within at least a mile of the T-Mo towers and the signal is fairly strong.

As long as I don't experience dropouts and lose a file I'm creating while using Google Docs, that's the best part so far about the service. I can use it with a device that works better and the Koobee can act as a portal. We'll see how it goes.



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[cparke]

i am not 100% but i believe you can 'hot swap' or place the SIM in any unlocked or T-Mobile handset if the one they send does not suit you

It's very annoying how nobody gives a straight answer for this. With no clear information, I tried that just. The answer is NO, that does not work, even now on the T-Mobile network. The reason is Assurance Wireless simply will not allow an unapproved IMEI to register on the network. In my own factory unlocked phone, upon putting in the activated Assurance Wireless SIM (which they won't activate for you unless you give them their phone's IMEI), I get pop-up messages that my device is not allowed on the network and voice service is disabled or not provisioned by the carrier. In short, non-Assurance Wireless devices are blocked, regardless of whether they are actually compatible with the T-Mobile network. Because, in their view, it isn't the T-Mobile network (even though technically, it is), it is the Assurance Wireless network, and only whitelisted devices will be allowed to register and connect. Put the SIM back in the phone that it was intended for, and then it registers and works there.

For me, using their device is simply unacceptable. So, sorry Assurance Wireless (if you're reading this), your out-dated service model doesn't work for me. Cancelling service immediately and returning your device, and I'll try another Lifeline carrier instead.

(and BTW, as I read the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) rules, Lifeline providers don't get paid at all for the last month of service, which I guess is USAC's solution for people to resolve issues like this without running afoul of the "one benefit per household" rule if the service they order does not work)

[WheelieBoot]

@ cparke, thank you for the input. I had read AW reviews online and there were complaints about the phones, one being that they couldn't swap SIMs to another phone that worked better. It's why I never tried it. It doesn't seem to make sense that they won't allow BYOP unlocked devices (or any T-mobile compatible device).

It would be more economical for AW to send a SIM and the person provides the phone, but maybe they make more money charging the Lifeline program for the lower end phones they sell for more than a service like TracFone would. SafeLink allowed people to use Tracfones from their website.

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[cparke]

It doesn't seem to make sense that they won't allow BYOP unlocked devices (or any T-mobile compatible device).
...
It would be more economical for AW to send a SIM and the person provides the phone, but maybe they make more money charging the Lifeline program for the lower end phones they sell for more than a service like TracFone would.

Lifeline pays the carriers $0 for providing the phone or SIM card. All they get from Lifeline is $9.25/month for the service. Clearly, all these Lifeline carriers must be making a ton of money on tons of people who sign up but then almost never use the service. So much so that they even have to constantly remind everyone to use their device at least once a month in some way to avoid the plan from being cancelled out. There probably is also a significant chunk of people who later convert to prepaid customers of the parent company when they lose lifeline eligibility or need additional lines.

So, no, I don't think Lifeline program itself is the reason for this policy. Probably, it is rooted in the early Sprint business model where every MVNO was responsible for selling their own branded handsets, and activation of devices across business lines (even Sprint-branded onto a MVNO) was prohibited under the MVNO contract. Another thing, upon activating the SIM in the AW phone, I noticed the phone all by itself started self-installing "recommended apps", so I suspect the real money for AW is not even the Lifeline program, but rather phone sales, bloatware advertising, and spyware data collection sales. This would explain why when I cancelled the newly activated service today, the reps were neither surprised nor was there any disappointment, no effort to get me to stay, and in fact they don't even want the phone returned --- it was free and yours to keep it! Just like in the TV infomercial ads. The phone is also SIM network locked to AW, but I see no reason why I would want to ever use it anyway, so maybe I can give it away for just shipping cost to another Assurance Wireless customer who broke their screen or lost their phone or something (that would bite AW the most).

[WheelieBoot]

Lifeline pays the carriers $0 for providing the phone or SIM card. All they get from Lifeline is $9.25/month for the service. Clearly, all these Lifeline carriers must be making a ton of money on tons of people who sign up but then almost never use the service. So much so that they even have to constantly remind everyone to use their device at least once a month in some way to avoid the plan from being cancelled out.

So, no, I don't think Lifeline program itself is the reason for this policy. Probably, it is rooted in the early Sprint business model where every MVNO was responsible for selling their own branded handsets, and activation of devices across business lines (even Sprint-branded onto a MVNO) was prohibited under the MVNO contract. Another thing, upon activating the SIM in the AW phone, I noticed the phone all by itself started self-installing "recommended apps", so I suspect the real money for AW is not even the Lifeline program, but rather phone sales, bloatware advertising, and spyware data collection sales. This would explain why when I cancelled the newly activated service today, the reps were neither surprised nor was there any disappointment, no effort to get me to stay, and in fact they don't even want the phone returned --- it was free and yours to keep it! Just like in the TV infomercial ads. The phone is also SIM network locked to AW, but I see no reason why I would want to ever use it anyway, so maybe I can give it away for just shipping cost to another Assurance Wireless customer who broke their screen or lost their phone or something (that would bite AW the most).

I always assumed Lifeline providers got well paid for the service, that it was why they provided it.

If there's little profit except with people who hardly use the handset, I wonder why they bother unless they use the Lifeline customers as part of bragging rights when they say how many people are on their network.

Does the state mandate that each of the major network providers participate in the Lifeline program?

The low to no reimbursement might be a reason they give out crippled sets to so many, they make more profit if people don't use them.

I hope you find a service that works better for you. A cheap service you pay for would probably be better than a free one you can't use.

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[cparke]

I always assumed Lifeline providers got well paid for the service, that it was why they provided it.

If there's little profit except with people who hardly use the handset, I wonder why they bother unless they use the Lifeline customers as part of bragging rights when they say how many people are on their network.

None of the Lifeline carriers are Lifeline-only. Rather they are all a division of much larger, prepaid MVNO. Assurance Wireless is actually part of the main carrier, T-Mobile, which you would think would be a major advantage they have over the others to provide reasonable service, but apparently not true entirely true. I think the business practices they've inherited from this division and allowed to continue may become a major liability for them one day.

I have been doing well for many years on Safelink (Tracfone) using BYOD, but they put me into a pickle recently when they moved everyone (including me) from T-Mobile to Verizon networks last year, and simultaneously (in my case) disabled my Wifi Calling feature as a result. I know my device's Wifi Calling software works on the Verizon network, as it is enabled and working perfectly with a Verizon postpaid SIM installed as well as with a U.S. Mobile (Verizon MVNO) SIM installed. But no Wifi Calling at all on these same devices with a Tracfone SIM for both my phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 9) as well as even the iPhone 6. I know the Wifi Calling feature itself is also enabled on my Safelink account, and it works perfectly fine when I put my SIM in a newer phone like the iPhone 7. All Safelink reps can say is that my phone is too old and not compatible with their network. Meaning: "not on the whitelist for wifi calling feature". Sound familiar? So I am looking now for another Lifeline carrier to hopefully get back this calling feature, as I have poor service coverage at home on all the networks, and I really need this feature enabled. Really dumb problem, but since Tracfone customer support is even worse than Assurance Wireless, absolutely nothing I can do about it except walk or buy something newer.

[WheelieBoot]

None of the Lifeline carriers are Lifeline-only. Rather they are all a division of much larger, prepaid MVNO. Assurance Wireless is actually part of the main carrier, T-Mobile, which you would think would be a major advantage they have over the others to provide reasonable service, but apparently not true entirely true. I think the business practices they've inherited from this division and allowed to continue may become a major liability for them one day.

I have been doing well for many years on Safelink (Tracfone) using BYOD, but they put me into a pickle recently when they moved everyone (including me) from T-Mobile to Verizon networks last year, and simultaneously (in my case) disabled my Wifi Calling feature as a result. I know my device's Wifi Calling software works on the Verizon network, as it is enabled and working perfectly with a Verizon postpaid SIM installed as well as with a U.S. Mobile (Verizon MVNO) SIM installed. But no Wifi Calling at all on these same devices with a Tracfone SIM for both my phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 9) as well as even the iPhone 6. I know the Wifi Calling feature itself is also enabled on my Safelink account, and it works perfectly fine when I put my SIM in a newer phone like the iPhone 7. All Safelink reps can say is that my phone is too old and not compatible with their network. Meaning: "not on the whitelist for wifi calling feature". Sound familiar? So I am looking now for another Lifeline carrier to hopefully get back this calling feature, as I have poor service coverage at home on all the networks, and I really need this feature enabled. Really dumb problem, but since Tracfone customer support is even worse than Assurance Wireless, absolutely nothing I can do about it except walk or buy something newer.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. It should help people make decisions concerning service providers. Now that it's down to the big 3and the variety of MVNOs that run on their towers, it's getting narrower, but at least some of the MVNOs are fairly good for some things if not others.

It's my experience that no one provider or phone is good at everything and it's why I occasionally look elsewhere.

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[WheelieBoot]

I got a text message on Monday that my AW Koobee phone is eligible for unlock...

Quote:

Your Assurance Wireless phone is eligible to unlock. If you’d like to unlock it, go to assurancewireless.com/unlock and follow the instructions.

End Quote.



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[quahogs]

I believe Assurance must make more money off selling your data with all the bloatware (borderline malware) that they install on your phone, than the cost of the cheapo phones that they require many people use. That's why they whitelist only their own phones.

Sure they offer the most lifeline data, but the low specs phones combined with the heavy overhead of running the bloatware and the data deprioritization, often make the phone either unusable or a barely functional extremely poor experience.

After you get one of their awful phones there are ways of using a different phone on their network, , but that requires some creativity and tech know-how, which I don't think is allowed to be mentioned on this forum.

[WheelieBoot]

The point for having a Lifeline phone is to be able to make a call when you absolutely need to.

Lately I've been having difficulty trying to place telephone calls.

I have it connected to Google Voice so that I can make telephone calls over Wi-Fi as well as use the phone's regular telephone number.

When I try and place a call, it shows that it's starting to dial but I can't hear anything and the phone dialing pad does not pop up so that I can turn on speakerphone.

I have two ways I can place a call, by choosing someone from contacts or by pulling up the phone dialer.

I have Google Voice set to ask me which number I want to use to make the call, my Google Voice number or the phone's number.

When I tried to make a telephone call by pulling up the phone dialer, it seems to work.

It seems that the malfunction is occurring when I try to make a phone call using contacts.

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[PaulCrawhorne]

I would do a factory reset on the Lifeline, and just use it for that, no gVoice app, no gV outbound, do forwarding only.

To do full gV integration, get a second Android phone, maybe $40 for a decent modern one, and a cheap plan to suit, maybe $5-6/mo

[whacker]

Does GV's integration with contacts allow simply looking at those stored on the phone, or must they be available via Google-sync, meaning in the cloud as Google Contacts (so GV can access) ? My setup is all Google friendly, but what about WheelieBoot's?

WheelieBoot, do you store contacts directly to the phone and allow the sync to Google, or are you Google-shy? Just taking a shot here. I don't know if it makes any difference.