Razer Phone 2 and Total Wireless can't receive SMS due to APN issues

[scameron09]

TL;DR - Need to reset the APN for Total Wireless instead of Verizon

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Bought unlocked RP2 from Best Buy and a brand new Total Wireless sim card to go with it. Total Wireless website says phone is compatible. Tons of stuff on XDADevelopers saying Verizon gave certification to phone in Oct. So I buy the phone.

Inbound/Outbound calls work
Inbound/Outbound MMS work
Outbound SMS works
Inbound SMS DOES NOT work
Data DOES NOT work

Used this nifty code to get to hidden network settings

It shows lots of red flags: 0.0.0.0 for DNS, 0 bytes of data, other errors indicating provisioning error.


Spent many hours with Best Buy supervisor troubleshooting, Total Wireless support, and finally Total Wireless Corporate support.
Even replaced the phone with a new one per Total Wireless support suggestions -- same issue.

We now think the issue is the APN name. The APN name is: VZWINTERNET, but the corp agent thinks it needs to be: TRACFONE.VZWENTP

I'm unable to change it.

I tried inserting a GSM card to update the information per some thread I read that worked on an Essentials phone. While that indeed allowed me to make the necessary changes, when I put back in the Total Wireless sim card, the information disappeared.

Phone company is telling me that if I can't change the APN, then the phone won't work on their network.


I don't mind some hackery on the device to solve the issue -- but new job that apparently checks root status of phone before allowing things like SSO login, and since last phone was rooted and was unable to check work stuff... I'd prefer not immediately root the phone in a noticeable way. Although I'm not sure how they checked the root status of my previous phone.

Anyway, I need to change the APN or else return this device. Any solutions?

Thanks

 

[Twiggy000b]

You could always try rooting the phone downloading build.prop editor and then making a change and there that would allow you to make changes to the APN. I remember doing it back in the day.

Edit: found the old Link. Of use this in the past that works quite well.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44200684&postcount=4

 

[scameron09]

Ok, going to update with the status:

I was told yesterday by Total Wireless Corporate support that they could escalate this issue to Verizon. The only problem was that the agent had to confirm certain settings were correct before doing so. One of those settings was the APN value. The APN value is listed as VZWINTERNET, but it should be TRACFONE.VZWENTP

Since we couldn't update the APN, she couldn't escalate the issue.

But I spent 2 hours on the chat support with Razer. We finally got a new APN to add into the phone and persist through reboot.

Here were my steps:

• Turn off phone
• Remove sim
• Insert GSM (non-functional AT&T sim)
• Open Mobile Networks > APN's
• Create new APN

Now, I had an issue here. When I added the new APN and hit save, everything disappeared for me. (the entire entry disappeared from the APN window after hitting save) The workaround was to create a random entry with junk data, then go into each value one at a time, update to the correct info, and safe after modifying each entry. After doing all that, the APN would save to the configuration.

Used this data from a URL I can't post due to reputation

Name: Verizon Internet
APN: TRACFONE.VZWENTP
Proxy:
Port:
Username: Not Required
Password: Not Required
Server: Not Required
**YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THIS LINE PLUS THE SPACES BELOW FROM THE URL **
MMSC: h t t p : / / m m s . v t e x t . c o m / s e r v l e t s / m m s
MMS proxy:
MMS port: 
MCC: 311
MNC: 480
MMS Type: default,dun,supl
Authentication type: Not Required

• Save configuration
• Exit all windows
• Reopen Mobile Networks > APN to confirm changes remain
• Turn off Phone
• Remove GSM sim
• Re-Insert CDMA sim
• Power on phone
• Check that the settings remain in Mobile Networks > APN

After making the changes, data now works. But...
Incoming MMS is broken
Incoming SMS is broken

 

[Josh8131]

If you have any updates on this situation. I would be very interested. I'm having the same literal issue. I need to add a new APN - TRACFONE.VZWENTP. Currently, it just has VZWINTERNET listed for APN. I'm Unable to add a new APN due to the "Name" field being locked. Page Plus (My mobile provider) and Razer have been absolutely no help.

 

[scameron09]

If you have any updates on this situation. I would be very interested. I'm having the same literal issue. I need to add a new APN - TRACFONE.VZWENTP. Currently, it just has VZWINTERNET listed for APN. I'm Unable to add a new APN due to the "Name" field being locked. Page Plus (My mobile provider) and Razer have been absolutely no help.

Did you try the steps I outlined above? You will need a GSM sim card. Best Buy gave me one for free. I have a call scheduled tomorrow with Total Wireless escalations. I'm hopeful I can get them to escalate the issue to Verizon, as I heard Verizon had a way to provision the phones.

 

[scameron09]

Proof or it didn't happen...

 

[Josh8131]

Did you try the steps I outlined above? You will need a GSM sim card. Best Buy gave me one for free. I have a call scheduled tomorrow with Total Wireless escalations. I'm hopeful I can get them to escalate the issue to Verizon, as I heard Verizon had a way to provision the phones.

Thank you for messaging me back! I'm going to follow the instructions you laid out tonight and see what results I get. How did the tech support call go with Verizon?? Were they able to help prevision your device? I'm still very curious if this is a Verizon issue or a Razer issue.. I've never had these crazy issues implementing the correct APN on a HTC One, Samsung Galaxy or Motorola X4. This is the first Razer manufactured phone I've ever purchased. That being said, I really appreciate the work you've done so far. It's good to know I'm not going crazy dealing this unfortunate situation.

 

[Enigma_cpl03]

Since they are using VzW network they have to add CDMAless features to your account. This will fix everything

 

[Bvkbads]

Hey so I know that the original post was in april but I was having the exact same problem with the oneplus 7 pro.
I initially read some of the forums and tried to enable cdma less. (however the total wireless customer service cannot enable it) I called 1-866-663-3633 and after about an hour asked to speak with someone who could enable it.
I was then transferred first to their manager and then the manager gave me a different number to call 1-866-806-1840 but you need a reference number. This man knew who obviously had some knowledge with this problem and enabled cdma less within minutes.

Now the current problem is one month in after the billing cycle reset and i am not receiving texts again. I called and had them enable the setting again and it worked. few hours later and now i am not getting service anywhere. I called again and they have told me they launched an "investigation". long story short total wireless sucks just go with the real verizon.

 

[scameron09]

Nearly 5 months later... I'm getting answers

Sept Update: This problem still exists. Incoming text messaging quits working.
But I think I have some answers....

I've resorted to writing letters. Total Wireless general tech support is horrific, however, if you can get to a Corporate Support agent, they will help.
It's taken 3 letters, and then waiting nearly a month for a reply to each. But when you do get a reply, it's from a Corporate Support representative. After the call today, I have new information to report.

Maybe this will help with the OnePlus 7 problem:

Hey so I know that the original post was in april but I was having the exact same problem with the oneplus 7 pro.

What's the issue

Indeed, this is a provisioning error. Upon my insistence, Total Wireless provided the provisioning information used to associate the phone to the TW network. This includes the CDMAless provisioning code that has been rumored to be necessary.

[B]Provision Name:[/B]
R20 Tier VZ footprint only

[B]Provision Code:[/B]
Wholesale CDMAless feature

So... Why is this happening?
According to the TW representative that I spoke with, the issue is being caused by a provisioning reset that is occurring each month at the automatic billing cycle. Basically, when the TW service renews, the provisioning is reset on the phone and text message quits working.

I was advised there is no current resolution to the problem, but that they are aware of it and working on it. The rep advised for me to reboot the phone after the billing cycle and once text messaging quits -- you know, as a means to test to see if they've yet corrected the issue

 

[jhcomputerguy]

Any update to this? I was thinking about getting TW on my RP2 as well if the issues are solved. Thanks

 

[scameron09]

Any update to this? I was thinking about getting TW on my RP2 as well if the issues are solved. Thanks

[edit] aww.. my gif wouldn't load:
https://giphy.com/gifs/mrw-week-job-4xpB3eE00FfBm

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.


It took a while, and came with a bit of.. shall we say.. dispute to get it resolved. But I do now believe the problem is fixed within the back-end system. If it happens again, I have the direct number of someone who has the ability to crack the whip and get the problem corrected.

 

[empireryu]

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.


It took a while, and came with a bit of.. shall we say.. dispute to get it resolved. But I do now believe the problem is fixed within the back-end system. If it happens again, I have the direct number of someone who has the ability to crack the whip and get the problem corrected.

Any chance I could get that number? Total wireless support keeps telling me, even though the rp2 is compatible, that there must be something wrong with my phone.... and now my old note 8 isn't even working on their network, even though it worked fine for 3 years