For over a year I’ve been using T-Mobile SIMs successfully with my Peplink setup, which consists of:
Peplink Balance 20X (I used AT&T SIM in it, but retired it last month after adding Starlink. I tested TMO in this and it didn’t work either.)
Peplink FlexModule Mini 5G - Upgraded earlier this year from an LTE version, I had two TMO sims working in this, then switched to just one when I added Starlink last month.
Peplink MAX Adapter 5G - This had the VZN, though previously I had TMO in it. I switched it today after TMO stopped working in FlexModule, and VZN works fine in it. TMO isn’t working in any device, though it does work with my iPhone SE.
The TMO sim stopped working on November 16. Peplink support has been spinning it’s wheels on this ever since.
A clue to what is going on may be related to my prior experience with the Netgear Nighthawk, which I originally used, until TMO mysteriously stopped working with that over a year ago. It turned out TMO changed the account so it would only work with an Inseego MiFi that they sell at their stores. I reluctantly purchased one, and use that as backup, but there’s no way to connect that to the Peplink Balance in order to be part of the tunnel (I could temporarily possibly via USB, but it relies on the USB to keep it charged – the battery only lasts a few hours when not plugged into power).
I’m trying to get Peplink to escalate this with T-Mobile, and it would help if anyone had any similar experience.
Hmmm. Actually, I can say that we have never had a problem with using any TMO SIMs in any Peplink routers – so long as (1) the Peplink product was on the list of devices certified by the carrier and (2) the data plan was just that – and not a cellular “phone” plan. (My first guess is the latter is your issue – since it works in no Peplink devices but does in your phone. Also note that the carriers sometimes implement “checks” and what once worked no longer does as the “rules” are enforced.)
You may wish to give TMO your IMEIs and confirm that the plan you have selected is approved for use with that device. Escalate beyond Tier 1 if required (likely.)
FWIW, I might mention that in addition to the TMO SIMs our customers are using, we are presently using TMO SIMs in the following equipment, or have done so within the last 30 days (+/-):
5G Adapter
Transit, CAT18, HW2
MAX Mini LTE, HW1
MAX Mini LTEA, HW1
MAX ENT, HW1
Balance 20X, HW1
Balance 310X, HW3
Please let us know what happens as you continue to investigate.
Thanks for sharing Rick! Jonathan at 1Simplephone in Dallas actually set up and administers the TMO and other carrier accounts, partly to ensure this sort of thing doesn’t happen. I can’t imagine the wrong kind of account would work for over a year then suddenly stop, and he would not have made that kind of mistake. I have no idea what the other possibilities are, I’m getting desperate (T-Mobile is the only carrier in my location that I can get a 5G signal, and consistently over 20 mbps. ATT and VZN often drag under 1 mbps). Starlink is wildly inconsistent and needs both carriers in the tunnel to keep the signal going, especially for work video calls.
Frankly, I doubt he made an error - agreed. This is not his first rodeo. But don’t discount the possibility that something changed with TMO. Frankly, this does not smell like a “Peplink issue” at all. Please keep us informed.
This may be scant comfort (since you have paid for the 5G module) but fwiw: We have a CAT-12 transit Duo in the way out there hinterlands doing 40 Mbps with a run-of-the-mill TMO connection, and a CAT-6 in Silicon Valley doing no better (or worse).
We have plenty of CAT-4 and CAT-7 Balance 20X units also using TMO (and still connected - you made me a tad anxious, so I checked).
On the other hand, a CAT-18 Transit did not connect with TMO, nor did the CAT-18 Flex Mini Module (for that particular plan, at least).
To echo @Rick-DC, this seems likely to be a TMO policy enforcement or hiccup. Since your plan is through a third party, I’d say it is their problem to fix (easy enough to say…).
Support said, “it cannot attach to the cell tower due to some some reject logs from the tower” and their engineering team is going through collected diagnostic logs.
That is certainly possible. It’s not at all uncommon for a non-legit plan for work for quite a while until the carrier detects it and pulls the plug. That’s why the common experience with LTE resellers is that it will work well for a while until they need to send you a new SIM at short notice.
I know nothing about that vendor so take this for what it’s worth but it may not have been a “mistake”, it may have been more like there are very few options in what plans you can get for a router / modem and this was a common option that mostly works. If it was any sort of “unlimited” plan then I would be suspicious. Have you been back to 1Simplephone?
It’s still a mystery why, but the SIM card just suddenly went bad I guess, because once they re-activated one of my other SIM cards, it worked. Wished that happened 13 days ago, sigh. Now my Starlink is down, the fun never ends!
Jonathan w/ 1Simplephone here.
It’s a full business plan 100GB with support and the correct imei attached.
We don’t sell or offer grandfathered or un-supported carrier plans, because of this exact headache.
I always want the customer to have a positive experience.
For whatever reason that sim even tho it had an active plan stopped attaching to the tmobile tower.
The other sim he had that had no active plan did attach to the tower.
I ended up doing a sim swap and the problem went away.
Tmobile never indicated why that first sim simply stopped working.