Joao AzevedoIt is up to buyers of the Librem 5 to test the phone with their own cellular network provider. For people in the US who wish to avoid testing, Purism offers its AweSIM cellular network service in the US, which is compatible with the Librem 5.
The following is a list of the cellular providers which community members have tested with the Librem 5; note that VolTE is still work-in-progress. The table is sorted alphabetically by countray and provider but keeps USA at the top and international at the end:
| Location | Provider | Bands provided | Modem | Calls | VoLTE | SMS | Data† | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA |
GSM: 850, 1900 (PCS) |
BM818-A1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Using 3G (dated info); [AT&T 3G was scheduled to shut down on Feb 22, 2022; 4G data works, VoLTE with BM818-A1 works on At&T. But user needs to enable VoLTE on the Librem 5] |
Edited on 06-17-22 by João Azevedo to add status information on VoLTE |
||
| USA |
PureTalk (on AT&T) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Post-3G-shutdown (info per @N8W): VoLTE working after enabling in terminal; 4G data works. Due to AT&T's device whitelisting, status needs reconfirming. |
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| USA |
Surfroam (on AT&T) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | No | No | No | Yes |
Data only (prepaid). Data roaming must also be enabled. [AT&T 3G was scheduled to shut down on Feb 22, 2022; 4G data works.] |
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| USA |
Truphone US (on AT&T) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | Yes (until AT&T's 3G shutdown) | No | Yes | Yes |
works now, but AT&T may not allow L5 activation; prepaid SIM now discontinued; existing SIMs still usable. Cost varies by region/country. MMS not supported by Truphone on any device/network. [AT&T 3G was scheduled to shut down on Feb 22, 2022; 4G data works, but unclear whether Truphone will implement VoLTE with any network for its prepaid SIM.] Due to AT&T's device whitelisting, status needs reconfirming. |
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| USA |
Red Pocket GSMA (on AT&T) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | Yes (until AT&T's 3G shutdown) | No | Yes | Yes |
works now, but AT&T may not allow L5 activation; [AT&T 3G was scheduled to shut down on Feb 22, 2022; 4G data works, but VoLTE with BM818-A1 still experimental, not yet implemented.] Due to AT&T's device whitelisting, status needs reconfirming. |
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| USA |
Consumer Cellular (on AT&T) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes |
works; [AT&T 3G was scheduled to shut down on Feb 22, 2022; 4G data works, but VoLTE with BM818-A1 still experimental, not yet implemented.] Due to AT&T's device whitelisting, status needs reconfirming. |
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| USA |
CDMA: |
BM818-A1 | No | ??? | Yes | No | Had to change APN settings; got LTE SMS to work, but no calls or data. | |||
| USA | Mint Mobile (on T-mobile) |
GSM: 1900 (PCS) |
BM818-A1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | |||
| USA |
GSM: 1900 (PCS) |
BM818-A1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Reports that LTE works well. Passes T-mobile's IMEI compatibility checker |
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| USA | Ting X3 SIM (on T-Mobile) |
GSM: 1900 (PCS) |
BM818-A1 | No | ??? | Yes | Yes | |||
| USA |
US Mobile (on T-mobile) |
ditto | BM818-A1 | Yes | ??? | ??? | Yes | Data and 3G calls work. | ||
| Australia |
GSM: 900, 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | n/t | Only LTE tested. "Voice Calls work well. SMS works great!" | |||
| Australia |
GSM: 900, 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-T1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | OK (slow) |
SIM already activated in another phone; using APN |
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| Australia |
GSM: 900 |
BM818-T1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes |
SIM already activated in another phone; using |
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| Austria |
GSM: 900 (E-GSM), 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Using already activated SIM and needed to modify the APN settings. "LTE is working fine too." | |||
| Canada |
UMTS: B2 (1900), B5 (850 MHz) |
BM818-A1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Postpad account; temporarily changes from 4G to 3G during calls.* | [spacesurfer] | ||
| Germany |
GSM: 900, 1800 (PCS) |
BM818-E1 | yes | yes | yes | yes | Reports that voice calls, SMS, MMS and LTE works well. VoLTE works on the Librem 5 with this carrier. But VoLTE on the Librem 5 needs to be enabled by the user. | João Azevedo's Evergreen | ||
| Germany | O2 |
**GSM:** 1800 (PCS) **UMTS/HSPA+:** B1 (2100), B8 (900) **LTE:** B20 (800 DD) |
BM818-E1 | yes | yes | n/t | yes | Voice, data, SMS and MMS work well | Guido's Evergreen | |
| Germany | Telekom |
**GSM:** 900 (E-GSM), 1800 (DCS) **UMTS/HSPA+:** B1 (2100) **LTE:** B3 (1800+), B7 (2600), B20 (800 DD) |
BM818-E1 | yes | no | yes | yes | Voice, data, SMS and MMS work well | Evangelos's Evergreen | |
| Poland |
GSM: 900 (EGSM), 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Tested with "nju mobile"-branded pre-paid SIM | |||
| Portugal |
GSM: 900 (E-GSM), 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Tested with Altice/MEO family pack. This carrier does not support VoLTE nor Visual Voicemal. Calls, SMS, MMS and LTE work well on a Librem 5. | João Azevedo's Evergreen | ||
| Sweden |
GSM: 900, 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Drops to 2G during phone calls, cutting all internet access.* | |||
| Sweden |
GSM: 900 (EGSM), 1800 (DCS) |
BM818-E1 | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Using a prepaid SIM card; temporarily changes from 4G to 3G during calls.* | |||
| International | Varies by region & modem | Any | No | No | No | Yes | Data only (prepaid). Data roaming must also be enabled. 2G/3G/4G (varies by networks). Cost varies by region/country. | |||
| International | Varies by region & modem | Any | Yes | ??? | Yes | Yes | Prepaid SIM & Top-ups now discontinued; existing SIMs still work until balance depleted. 2G/3G/4G (varies by networks). Cost varies by region/country. MMS not supported by Truphone on any device/network. | amarok | ||
|
Location |
Provider |
Bands provided |
Modem |
Calls |
VoLTE |
SMS |
Data† |
Notes |
Sources |
n/t = Not Tested.
B_X_ = Cellular bands with strikethrough are not supported by the installed cellular modem.
† Data needs to be enabled by going to Settings > Mobile > Mobile Data.
* Purism developer Sebastian Krsyszkowiak says this is caused because the Librem 5 doesn't support VoLTE:
There’s no VoLTE, so it drops to 3G when in call. This would mean that there’s no 3G reception where you live, so it makes it drop all the way to 2G (but data should still work, although much slower - unless there’s something wrong carrier side of course).
The BM818 has VoLTE support but it is not enabled by default. This is still a work in progress.
Please add to this table and modify it if more columns are needed.
Protocols and bands supported by the different cellular modems in the Librem 5:
BroadMobi BM818-E1 (for Europe):
- GSM: 850, 900 (EGSM), 1800 (DCS), 1900 (PCS)
- UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA: B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B5 (850), B8 (900)
- FDD-LTE: B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B20 (800)
- TDD-LTE: B38 (2600), B40 (2300), B41 (120M, 2500)
BroadMobi BM818-A1 (for the Americas):
- GSM: 850, 1900 (PCS)
- UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA: B2 (1900), B4 (1700), B5 (850)
- FDD-LTE: B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B4 (1700), B5 (850), B12 (700), B13 (700), B17 (700), B25 (1900), B26 (850), B66 (1700)
- TDD-LTE: B41 (200M, 2500)
BroadMobi BM818-T1 (for Asia, Australia & New Zealand):
- GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- CDMA: BC0 (800)
- UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA: B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B4 (1700), B5 (850), B8 (900)
- LTE-FDD: B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B3 (1800), B4 (1700), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B28 (700), B66 (1700)
- LTE-TDD: B34 (2100), B38 (2600), B39 (1900), B40 (2300), B41 (200M, 2500)
Thales Cinterion PLS8-E (for Europe):
- GSM: 900, 1800
- UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA: B1, B3, B8
- FDD-LTE: B1, B3, B7, B8, B20
Thales Cinterion PLS8-US (for the Americas):
- GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
- UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA: B2, B4, B5,
- FDD-LTE: B2, B4, B5, B17
The Cinterion PLS8 modems will cost extra, because Purism is having to custom manufacture their M.2 cards. Birch, Chestnut and Dogwood were only shipped with the Broadmobi BM818 modems.