FairPhone 2

[Korth]

I'm looking at the FairPhone2 I mentioned in this thread.

I realize it's a bit overpriced and chunky, basically a "high end" device for a "top end" price, but I consider the initial cost worth it as a longer term savings because the modular approach allows repair/replacement/upgrades of specific components over time.

It's also fully open source, open code, open firmware, open software, common part availability, open hardware schema.  Nothing "black box", nothing proprietary, no backdoors or lockouts or telemetrics or bloat.  Which is all very attractive to me, modules can be made or modified by any manufacturer (even by me, if I feel like doing one-off PCB runs, haha).

The enviro-happy green hippy recycling stuff and sustainable business ethics and all that are cool, too, but I don't really buy into greenwash unless it's excessively compelling.

(A FairPhone3 is underway, but it'll be a long while before it's ready for market.  And customers were able to trade-in their FairPhone for FairPhone2 - so the parts could be recycled, lol - with a good discount, so the same trade-in option is anticipated with all subsequent models.)

Technical specs for "Network technologies" include:

Configuration	Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby (DSDS)
SIM Sockets	2x Micro-SIM (3FF)
Network Technology	2G / 3G / 4G
GSM/GPRS/EDGE	Quad-band: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
WCDMA	Bands 1 (2100 MHz), 2 (1900 MHz), 8 (900 MHz)
3G Max Downlink Speed	Cat. 24 - 42.2 Mbps
3G Max Uplink Speed	Cat. 6 - 5.76 Mbps (Cat. 7 capable)
LTE	Bands 3 (1800 MHz), 7 (2600 MHz), 20 (800 MHz)
4G Max Downlink Speed	Cat. 4 - 150 Mbps
4G Max Uplink Speed	Cat. 4 - 50 Mbps

Is this device fully compatible with PM/Telus?

[sheytoon]

@Korth

No B4 LTE and no B5 UMTS is a deal breaker. You may not have voice coverage in some areas.

[Korth]

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@will13amwrote:

Back to @Korth's question about the FairPhone 2, I would not touch any device that does not have band 4 LTE.  That is the go to band and so why suffer with hspa needlessly. 

The phone doesn't support LTE band 4 "out of the box" ... but it can be reconfigured.  The Snapdragon SoC it uses has the capability, as does the antenna array and intermediate hardware.  It's been configured and "streamlined" for use in European/UK/Australian networks but there are detailed dev discussions about how to reconfigure for other network stations.

A moot point in any case, if a phone like this was about $300-$500 then I might buy it, but $822 (plus taxes, shipping, etc) is just too much, there are many better phones available (right now, on shelves at nearby stores) for ~$400, let alone those which cost ~$800+.  Until it can become more competitive, FairPhone is just not for me.

[will13am]

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@zhadj030wrote:

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@Korthwrote: 

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@kav2001cwrote:

after watching the Essential Phone spectacular crash and burn I would be very hesitant to even consider any more modular cell phones

Essential had all these plans for upgrades but nothing ever happened really 

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I'd never heard of this Essential PH-1, but at a glance it doesn't look like it really crashed and burned.  It just proved unpopular because it got branded and retailed by carriers, and at the wrong price so it wasn't competitive.  And haunted by always-pending legal issues about rightful ownership of the imaginary intellectual properties used within.  Apparently the PH-2 is underway, though many people believe it's vaporware or is doomed to mediocrity.

Still, thanx for the heads up.  I'll read some more about FairPhone and wait for any more PM community feedback before deciding.  FairPhone does have a thriving community and actively (aggressively) supported lineage/ubuntu ports so while it might be a ripoff it's not a total fail.

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The Essential  phone was betting on the reputation of the company owner, nothing more. 

From the first day it was an extremely overpriced phone compared to the mess (software + camera+ performance issues) that came with it . It came with a big price tag despite not having a headphone jack, no micro SD card, or an open back.

Oh, did I mention that it received  a 1/10 for Repairability  they had to freeze the phone to get anywhere. Meaning if it is broke then it is toasted.

The point is that PH1 should be priced in the 200 $ anything other then that is just useless waste of money. if by any chance I will find one with a price tag of 150 $ I will have to fight with @will13am to get one before he does . 

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@zhadj030, it is not going to happen.  That is a bit low.  Some long term Koodo customers have reported getting the phone for $285+tax.  I cannot imagine another 30% discount from this point.  If it goes to $200, I am going to go against my policy of not hoarding tech.  You are going to have to stand in line behind me.

Kidding aside, the phone has its quirks but otherwise many aspects are solid.  As with all first time models, it is a bit like a prototype with lots of variability between batches.  Mine has a battery problem in the cold.  At -5C or lower, the battery loses calibration and thinks there is no power.  So the phone shuts off.  I have to defribilate it with a few minutes on the charger.  Other than that, nothing else significantly wrong with the phone. 

Back to @Korth's question about the FairPhone 2, I would not touch any device that does not have band 4 LTE.  That is the go to band and so why suffer with hspa needlessly. 

[zhadj030]

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@Korthwrote:

The Essential PH-1 specs are certainly impressive.  No FM Radio is no big deal, but no card slot is unfortunate (for my usage anyhow).  Not at all fond of USB-C or USB-Micro connectors, smaller is fancier and prettier but also flimsy and delicate.

But $500 USD ($632 CDN) for Essential PH-1 or €529 ($822 CDN) for FairPhone 2 is just too much to spend on a phone.  I initially thought it would be worth it for a phone which lasts around 5 years, but really a $250-ish device costs $250-ish to replace and comes out ahead even if two replacements are needed over the same period.

Looks like a Moto G5 (or Moto G5+) with LineageOS is still the smartest smartphone for me.

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As much as I hate LG, I will admit that the fact that their top phones looses value after just one year is very helpful. For exemple here is the all powerful LG V20 for just 335$ USD, 64GB of storage, microSD, Headphone Jack, replacable battery and very much last year hardware installed for a fraction of the price Certain companies offer in canada. (No band 66, but FM radio works )

[Korth]

The Essential PH-1 specs are certainly impressive.  No FM Radio is no big deal, but no card slot is unfortunate (for my usage anyhow).  Not at all fond of USB-C or USB-Micro connectors, smaller is fancier and prettier but also flimsy and delicate.

But $500 USD ($632 CDN) for Essential PH-1 or €529 ($822 CDN) for FairPhone 2 is just too much to spend on a phone.  I initially thought it would be worth it for a phone which lasts around 5 years, but really a $250-ish device costs $250-ish to replace and comes out ahead even if two replacements are needed over the same period.

Looks like a Moto G5 (or Moto G5+) with LineageOS is still the smartest smartphone for me.

[zhadj030]

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@Korthwrote: 

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@kav2001cwrote:

after watching the Essential Phone spectacular crash and burn I would be very hesitant to even consider any more modular cell phones

Essential had all these plans for upgrades but nothing ever happened really 

---

I'd never heard of this Essential PH-1, but at a glance it doesn't look like it really crashed and burned.  It just proved unpopular because it got branded and retailed by carriers, and at the wrong price so it wasn't competitive.  And haunted by always-pending legal issues about rightful ownership of the imaginary intellectual properties used within.  Apparently the PH-2 is underway, though many people believe it's vaporware or is doomed to mediocrity.

Still, thanx for the heads up.  I'll read some more about FairPhone and wait for any more PM community feedback before deciding.  FairPhone does have a thriving community and actively (aggressively) supported lineage/ubuntu ports so while it might be a ripoff it's not a total fail.

---

The Essential  phone was betting on the reputation of the company owner, nothing more. 

From the first day it was an extremely overpriced phone compared to the mess (software + camera+ performance issues) that came with it . It came with a big price tag despite not having a headphone jack, no micro SD card, or an open back.

Oh, did I mention that it received  a 1/10 for Repairability  they had to freeze the phone to get anywhere. Meaning if it is broke then it is toasted.

The point is that PH1 should be priced in the 200 $ anything other then that is just useless waste of money. if by any chance I will find one with a price tag of 150 $ I will have to fight with @will13am to get one before he does . 

[Korth]

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@kav2001cwrote:

*edit - And you really should have B4 for LTE support on Public 

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That's kinda what I thought.  Full compatibility (and full performance) with active Telus networks should support 850/1700/1900/2100MHz bands 2/4/5?  And with future Telus networks should also support 700/2600MHz bands 7/12/13/17/29?  (As summarized on the Wikipedia article and all the technical sources it refers to.)

After some reading, I've learned that I can configure the firmware/driver - or download preconfigured firmwares/drivers - to enable/disable radio control and wireless protocol controls at the hardware level.  I'm not a telecomm or datacomm guy but I am an embedded systems code guy, lol.

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@kav2001cwrote:

after watching the Essential Phone spectacular crash and burn I would be very hesitant to even consider any more modular cell phones

Essential had all these plans for upgrades but nothing ever happened really 

---

I'd never heard of this Essential PH-1, but at a glance it doesn't look like it really crashed and burned.  It just proved unpopular because it got branded and retailed by carriers, and at the wrong price so it wasn't competitive.  And haunted by always-pending legal issues about rightful ownership of the imaginary intellectual properties used within.  Apparently the PH-2 is underway, though many people believe it's vaporware or is doomed to mediocrity.

Still, thanx for the heads up.  I'll read some more about FairPhone and wait for any more PM community feedback before deciding.  FairPhone does have a thriving community and actively (aggressively) supported lineage/ubuntu ports so while it might be a ripoff it's not a total fail.

[zhadj030]

The idea of the phone is great , I vaguely remember a project similar to this (maybe from google) but I forgot about it ...

*Edit : Project Ara

But looking at the frequencies , this phone will *almost* just not work with PM. 

[kav2001c · Accepted solution]

@Korth after watching the Essential Phone spectacular crash and burn I would be very hesitant to even consider any more modular cell phones

Essential had all these plans for upgrades but nothing ever happened really

*edit - And you really should have B4 for LTE support on Public