Does the BraX3 fully support VoLTE? If so how do you check if its active? I can’t find anything in the cellular or sim settings?
My carrier says it’s not. Sadly, it’s seems unable to do VoLTE Emergency Calling, which is a bit if a bummer, as 3G is being phased out where I live.
I’ve read that other phones continue to ping the cell tower even when turned off and the only way to stop this is to take the battery out of the phone. Since this battery doesn’t come out, I would think it continues to phone home.
I don’t think it would boot off the micro SD card.
Perhaps I’m wrong on this. I am only a BraX3 user and one of those from the BraX3 team would know better than me!
Lazarus
Question #3 I changed the imei from a broken Motorola XT2513-1 (same CPU, whitelisted on att approval list) I have on AT&T network, a couple of months ago after receiving the Brax3, with no problems. its not my daily driver though so general usage I can’t confirm. Its the first phone I’ve every changed imei on, didn’t know it could be done til then. I’m not the most tech savvy (diesel mechanic) just a linux enthusiast waiting for Ubports to finish for it.
That may not be correct by the carrier. If they can’t identify the model (from IMEI) and aren’t familiar with it they will just report it doesn’t have VoLTE regardless…
My understanding is its a combination of phone hardware, OS and carrier to be able to use it (they all need to have the support). I believe BraX3 phone physically does from comments elsewhere but I can’t find anywhere in iodéOS to verify it works or check its enabled (although iodé does supposedly support it)…
Also apparently the Ubuntu Touch build for Brax3 will support it too.
On the Pinephone the modem is disabled when off, confirmed by schematics as well as battery life mentioned previously. There is also a hardware switch to make sure it’s off if desired and of course the removable battery if really paranoid. Would be nice if it could be confirmed that the BraX3 does actually turn the modem off when the phone is powered down. That’s kind of a big deal if concerned about privacy. (Look at how law enforcement uses cell tower pings to track someone they think is a “suspect”.)
Wasn’t really expecting that but would be a nice feature if it happened to be implemented. Not a deal-breaker.
I changed the IMEI on my Pinephone not long after buying it, using the info from a carrier approved flip phone that I own. Have not had any problems.
I’ve been using linux for a long time (primary OS since around 2000), and while very comfortable with it I certainly could not do the work of a diesel mechanic! 
I would also be interested in Ubports for if I buy a Brax3. I’m not sure what to make of a de-googled OS based on Android. Anything even peripherally associated with Google gives me a bad feeling and I’d think they might eventually swat down something like iodéOS.
Yes, VoLTE is supported by the BraX3. There are a few ways to identify if you’re using VoLTE. HD icon during the call is what I’ve seen on iodeOS.
What’s your carrier?
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Let’s clarify something. Phoning home means that it sends data to ours or a supply chain partner’s servers. First off, there is no phoning home when the device is on. There is no phoning home when the device is off either.
It isn’t isolated, no.
If you have the right drivers / tools installed, it’s pretty quick and straightforward. Just not supported on iode currently, so you need to switch to another OS, change the IMEI, and then switch back to iode.
Not at the moment, but multi boot through a microSD is in the pipeline.
Full disk encryption was discontinued on Android since Android 11. It’s file based encryption now.
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Fair enough! (I was using “phone home” in the sense of contacting the carrier.) I’ll rephrase the question: Does the BraX3 modem continue to ping cell towers when the phone is turned off? (The ideal situation would be the modem being completely powered off when the phone is off.)
Modem isolation is probably not a serious issue since there is likely less chance of snooping malware getting into the phone with iode or especially Ubuntu Touch than there is with stock Android.
As long as changing IEMI is doable it should be OK, though my preference will be Ubuntu Touch rather than iode. (With Mobian on the Pinephone it’s just a matter of sending the appropriate commands to the modem with available software.)
Great, booting from microSD is a really nice feature.
Full disk encrypt might be possible with Ubuntu Touch when that’s available - will have to keep an eye on that. (I’d much prefer running Ubuntu Linux rather than an Android-based OS.)
Switzerland’s Swisscom.
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To Check VoLTE settings on the Brax3:
Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Click on the phone Number > Scroll down to VoLTE
Interesting, thats not showing for my provider, only the 4G calling option. But they support it and are SMS’ing me every couple of days saying 3G is being turned off at the end of the month and they can’t identify if my phone supports VoLTE so I may not have access to emergency calling…
I presumed it was an IMEI thing for the SMS’s (don’t know my phone model) but maybe my APN settings are out of date (as I have had this physical SIM for a long time)…? Could APN settings affect this?
P.S. my second (e)SIM with different telco doesn’t have the option either, and its obviously newly installed in August so should have latest/correct APNs, etc…
Thanks for clarifying. So for a device to ping the tower when off, 2 things need to be present - capability by the motherboard enabling that, and configuration in the OS as well.
I don’t beleive this feature is at all available for the BraX3. We can double check. It certainly isn’t configured as an option in iode as it has no utility whatsoever (apple, pixel, samsung, etc. use it for locating your phone when off).
Maybe worth checking in the test app if VoLTE is enabled.
Type * # * # 4636 # * # * (no space betwene symbols/numbers) and click on phone information.
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Thanks @plamen - are you referring to the VoLTE Check app?
Thanks, it would be great if it could be confirmed that the modem is not transmitting to cell towers at all when the phone is off. I think for a privacy phone that’s pretty important.
I was referring to the Phone Information menu inside the Test app, which can be opened by dialing * # * # 4636 # * # * in the phone app. Sorry I didn’t explain the steps better.
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It’s already turned on.
I also double-checked the IMS Status. VoLTE is said to be available.
On the other hand, Swisscom web portal, still says my phone doesn’t support 4G/5G Emergency Calls.
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It works just fine as frog fur in my Brax 3. 
I already used my credit when I ordered another B3, Made in China but it’s already passed customs for the US.
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It should say “Android 16” now, can you update it?
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