I bought the Peplink eSIM and have put it in my carrier unlock Pixel 8. While it’s advertised as supporting all 3 networks it will almost never connect to AT&T, when in areas where AT&T has the strongest signal it invariably says not allowed when connecting to AT&T. I have connected to AT&T with the eSIM so I don’t think it’s an IMEI whitelisting issue. Any insight?
The Peplink eSIM is a SIM from an aggregator known as Webbing (or Telroaming Advanced Communication Solution). Peplink purchases access from them in the form of various plans that ride on various IMSIs from Webbing and can further be defined into allowing and disallowing things based on on preference. With wholesale roaming data, you can see how much 1MB of data will cost in a location on Carrier A vs Carrier B, etc.
Further to all of that, it’s possible for the customer (Peplink, in this environment) to further limit capabilities to align with the financial model they expect out of the purchase and inevitable resale of the data. I have zero insight into how Peplink has negotiated these rates, or how they have their data and access policies modeled, but not being allowed to connect to a network could mean a few things:
- That network is not permitted per the IMSI you are using/have been issued
- Your device is not permitted on that network based on the roaming agreement and TAC of your device
- That network is denylisted based on customer preference, carrier preference, or host network (AT&T) preference based on a multitude of factors.
The Peplink eSIM does support (from what I recall) over 10 networks in the US and it will select the network to use based on a multitude of factors, most of which are described above, that you as an end user have essentially zero control over 
However, the eSIM will progress through a priority list of networks to connect to in the event other networks are unavailable, so it will eventually end up on AT&T if it’s the only option.
EDIT: a letter
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Ah, so they can whitelist specific towers, good to know. I’ll go back to using my pooled line with USMobile to have reliable AT&T coverage since I’m on TMo and the wife is on Verizon.
Yes and no. It’s not really by tower, it can be by TAC (and it’s not really up to Peplink to do this, AT&T could be limiting it, or Webbing). The TAC is “tracking area code” and is not the same as the TAC (type allocation code) that’s part of your IMEI.
If i were you, I’d file a ticket with Peplink (or contact your reseller if you have one) to make sure everything is sorted out on their end and there are no issues as the Webbing SIMs that Peplink uses are pretty darn good.
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How have you gotten your routers activated on US Mobile? I’m trying to do so right now, I was told by support via email I had to order a sim kit for it to work. I did that, and It says like “device does not have 5g or 4G LTE capability”
I’m using my phone, not my router, but US Mobile’s pooled plan should work with a router.
You should be able to carrier scan on your phone and select the carrier you wish, then if it that carrier is available and it’s not down rated by capacity or cost optimizations it will connect.
My google search AI returned the following information which is quite informative, and not knowing if you will receive the same information I am posting it below.
A “multi-carrier SIM selecting a PLMN carrier” means that a SIM card capable of connecting to multiple cellular networks (multi-carrier) will automatically choose the best available network to connect to based on its “PLMN” (Public Land Mobile Network) code, essentially allowing the device to switch between different carriers depending on signal strength and coverage in a given location.
Key points about this process:
- Multiple network access:
A multi-carrier SIM stores information about various networks it can access, allowing the device to choose from multiple carriers.
- PLMN selection:
The device identifies the available networks by their PLMN codes, which are unique identifiers for each mobile network operator.
- Automatic switching:
Based on signal strength and network availability, the device will automatically select the best PLMN to connect to, providing seamless network switching.
How it works:
- SIM card profile:
The multi-carrier SIM contains profiles for each network it can access, including their respective PLMN codes.
- Network scanning:
The device continuously scans for available networks and their signal strengths.
- Priority list:
Some SIMs allow users to set a preference list of PLMNs, prioritizing certain networks over others based on their needs.
Benefits of using a multi-carrier SIM:
- Improved connectivity:
By automatically switching to the strongest network available, users can experience more reliable signal regardless of location.
- Cost optimization:
Depending on the plan, users can potentially save money by utilizing the most affordable network in a given area.