T-Moblie APN won't save

[SabotTX]

Greetings!

I am trying to bring my T-Mobile S21 and join Visible but Visible (both website and tech support) said it's not compatible with their network. I can bring it to Verizon with no issues. I check, it's an unlocked phone. I searched around here and found some information about APN and how to change it. The default APN is T-Mobile US LTE. I click on "Add" and enter all the information, click on the three buttons (upper right) and click on save. Nothing appears under APNames but the default T-Mobile. I restart the phone, same nothing but the default. I tried this three times without success. What does this mean?

Thank you for your time!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

APN settings have nothing to do with the compatibility issue. Phone is not compatible due to the IMEI number not being on the list for compatible phones with Visible. APN settings I believe are set by the SIM card when activated on Visible, they can't be manually changed, or at least on my phone I can't change them. 

If you have checked you phone, guessing you have, you can check your phones compatibility here. https://www.visible.com/shop/compatibility 

Another thing about the compatibility issue from what has happened to me. I bought a Motorola phone from Visible when I joined in July 2021. We have to switch to the new plans(I haven't yet to save $5 a month until they make us switch) and that phone I bought from Visible shows not compatible with the new plans. I was told that they were working hard at getting as many from the old list as possible transferred, that was over 3 months ago and it still shows not compatible. I can take that phones IMEI number and bring it to Verizon, who owns Visible, and the phone is compatible with them. There has been at least one person that has posted they have taken a card that was activated on the new plan in a compatible phone and moved it to a phone that showed not compatible and the phone worked. I have yet to read that anyone has activated a SIM for the new plan in a noncompatible phone. 

Conclusion, it is all about making money and one way for Visible to do that is block your phones IMEI number so they can sell you a new one. If it were an iPhone you might have had a better chance of it being compatible.

Hope this answers your question. If not try customer service again. Good luck!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

APN settings have nothing to do with the compatibility issue. Phone is not compatible due to the IMEI number not being on the list for compatible phones with Visible. APN settings I believe are set by the SIM card when activated on Visible, they can't be manually changed, or at least on my phone I can't change them. 

If you have checked you phone, guessing you have, you can check your phones compatibility here. https://www.visible.com/shop/compatibility 

Another thing about the compatibility issue from what has happened to me. I bought a Motorola phone from Visible when I joined in July 2021. We have to switch to the new plans(I haven't yet to save $5 a month until they make us switch) and that phone I bought from Visible shows not compatible with the new plans. I was told that they were working hard at getting as many from the old list as possible transferred, that was over 3 months ago and it still shows not compatible. I can take that phones IMEI number and bring it to Verizon, who owns Visible, and the phone is compatible with them. There has been at least one person that has posted they have taken a card that was activated on the new plan in a compatible phone and moved it to a phone that showed not compatible and the phone worked. I have yet to read that anyone has activated a SIM for the new plan in a noncompatible phone. 

Conclusion, it is all about making money and one way for Visible to do that is block your phones IMEI number so they can sell you a new one. If it were an iPhone you might have had a better chance of it being compatible.

Hope this answers your question. If not try customer service again. Good luck!

[SabotTX]

Wow! Thank you for taking time out of your day and for providing such a detail response! Have a wonderful day!!!

[SabotTX · Accepted solution]

For grins, I installed the Visible app. I ran through the process, and it said my phone was compatible! In the app, the app put spaces in the IMEI number which I couldn't replicate on the website. I am assuming this was the issue of why it would inform me that my phone was not compatible. Strange... If you wish to join Visible, I would recommend downloading the app and doing the setup there, and skipping the website. 🙂

[Anonymous]

I have been a customer of Visible since July 2021. Plans are a good deal and it if it weren't for Visible totally unlimited data plan I probably still wouldn't have a cell phone. The bad thing is customer service is poor at best but I can put up with for the price. I am still using the original unlimited plan under the party pay discount. That plan is being phased out shortly and they have raised the rate by $5 for the basic plan versus the discounted original plan and also added the Plus plan. I have yet to switch to a new plan to save some money. It was bad enough I had to get another phone to be compatible for the switch but at least the phone I bought I found on eBay in like new condition for about $90, Visible wanted over $200 for the same phone and it happened to be a phone that was sold here earlier last year which is why it is compatible. I know my first phone I bought here will work with the new plan even though it says it is not compatible, I just wasn't sure I could activate a card on it when they send out a card for the plan I select. I found a way to get around the IMEI not being compatible by going on Google and searching for an IMEI number generator and select one of the newer Samsung models(I think it was) and just put in a few of the numbers until I hit one that worked. But again I didn't know if I could activate the new card.

I have not liked using the app, I don't consider it use friendly. I would rather use the website on my laptop. 

I and other helping out here are customers. I am retired so I am here trying to help out new customers with any information I can help with since customer service here is lacking.

If you join Visible I hope it goes smoothly with no issues.

[SabotTX]

The porting over was a bit rocky and nerve-racking, for it took two attempts and about six hours for my phone to become active. Customer support did a marvelous job at working on their end to aid in the transfer. The nerve-racking part is that I thought my phone would not work on the network for those six hours, plus it happened when I needed the phone. It's sad to see how addicted I am to the phone and fail at being ok with being out of touch for a few hours. I was reminded how easy the leading carriers make the transfers seem.

Today, I will take it out into the dead zones around my house to see if the Verizon network works. I have been with Sprint for over fifteen years and switched only because we live in between towers. It became so frustrating that the phone would have such poor reception that it wouldn't work. Around the house, it was ok as long as we could connect to my wifi. The cost was not an issue for me to leave. I wanted better coverage. We have been grandfathered at the same rate for most of our time with Sprint, thus paying what today is cheap.

Thank you for reading and taking time out of your day to assist! Have a wonderful and blessed day. 

[Anonymous]

I live in a rural part of my state and in area coverage is spotty and of course I am 13 miles from a tower. Outside I get maybe 2 bars but in the house it varies between 1-2. I solved this issue by buying a signal booster but it only limits me to about 15 feet from the output antenna so it is in my living room. I get 4-5 bars now so it made a big difference. Something in the small town, which is on a gravel ridge, is causing some interference.

Glad to be of help what little bit I was of help. Just another customer trying to help out the new customers.

You have a good day also and welcome aboard!

PS, have you checked you APN settings now since you have activated? It should have VSBLINTERNET and everything should be greyed out unless that is just my phone. As mentioned I think the SIM card sets and locks it to where everything is greyed out and can't be changed but not 100% sure. That is the way it appears on my phone.