Frequency & Bands: Librem 5

[Faizi]

Hello PM Community!

I want to purchase a Librem 5 linux smartphone and they have different modular modem options.

I'm based in Regina, Saskatchewan, so I'm guessing the US/America modems are the correct one to use, but I don't know what Frequency/Band we're on with PM.

There are five modem options https://puri.sm/faq/supported-networks/

Option 1 is Cinterion’s PLS8. Two variants are available, PLS8-E (Europe) and PLS8-US (Americas).

Gemalto PLS8:

1) PLS8-E

2) PLS8-US

Option 2 is BroadMobi BM818. Three variants are available, BM818-A1 (Americas), BM818-E1 (Europe), BM818-T1 (Asia, Australia, New Zealand).

BroadMobi BM818:

3) BM818-A1

4) BM818-E1

5) BM818-T1

Question #1: Please let me know what Frequency/Band we're on.

Question #2: Please let me know which is the best modem to purchase with my phone to use on PM.

Thank you in advance!

Sincerely,

Faizi

[Korth]

@Faizi 

Public Mobile is based on the Telus network. Telus and Bell and SaskTel have a network sharing agreement, they've functionally combined into one nation-wide network, so they all use the same radio bands and protocols. Rogers is the largest standalone network, and Shaw/Freedom is the smallest, but they basically use the same radio bands and protocols as well. There's a few minor differences in how they each allocate their 4G channels, but those affect local performance metrics more than compatibility (more bands means more downlink bandwidth, though Public Mobile caps 4G/LTE at 3Mbps anyhow so more bandwidth channels won't help anyways).

Your phone needs to be radio-compatible with Telus (which basically means it's radio-compatible with all Canadian and USA networks).

Public Mobile does not support eSIM, so your phone needs a compatible SIM slot.

Public Mobile does not support VoLTE, so your phone needs 3G for talk and text.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Mobility#Radio_frequency_summary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

 @Faizi :

HSPA/WCDMA - B2, B5 - required

LTE - B4, B12 - minimum preferred but B5, B7 also and others

Edit: So any of the Broadmobi and the Gemalto US for voice