[matoro]

I have been using this service for about a year and a half now and I have to say the cost is great but you get what you pay for. It's very unreliable (drops incoming calls, and incoming texts are delayed very frequently) and there are lots of places my friends will have coverage that I will simply have no network at all. So it's servicable, and I would recommend for e.g. a hobby project that needs a cell data connection like a Pinephone/Librem 5, but not for critical cell lines that you need to guarantee won't miss calls.

[deadwing0]

If I'm not mistaken, don't Mint Mobile and Google Fi both use T-Mobile infrastructure in the US?

[commoner]

Mint Mobile is an MVNO that runs on the T-Mobile network. Google Fi is also an MVNO, but it runs on T-Mobile, Sprint, and the regional US Cellular. Since T-Mobile merged with Sprint, the coverage of Mint Mobile and Google Fi will eventually be similar once T-Mobile converts the Sprint towers, which is in progress.

If you live in an area where T-Mobile is weaker (rural areas or areas outside of metropolitan areas), AT&T and Verizon will provide more consistent coverage than both Google Fi and Mint. AT&T is GSM-based and will work on the Librem 5 and the PinePhone. Verizon is CDMA-based and might not fully work on these phones.

AT&T Prepaid is currently offering an unlimited plan with 22GB of unthrottled 5G and 4G data for $50/month plus tax with monthly billing. There is also an offer for 8GB of 4G data for $25/month plus tax with annual billing.

https://www.att.com/prepaid

[kalleboo]

> Verizon is CDMA-based and might not fully work on these phones

CDMA is no longer activated on new contracts/devices, and the CDMA network is planned to be shut down by next year (December 31, 2020).

Verizon is now LTE (GSM/3GPP)-based.

[commoner]

You're right about that. It looks like some PinePhone users are reporting success with Verizon while others are not. Your mileage may vary.

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=9150

https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/PinePhone_APN_Settings#Ver...

Some Librem 5 users suggest activating the Verizon SIM card in an Android phone or iPhone, and then moving the activated SIM card to the Librem 5:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Purism/comments/cjjcdv/well_librem_...

GSM-based networks still seem to be the more reliable option for Linux phones, but it's good to see that Verizon might also be compatible with some effort.