ZTE A7P

[sun2go]

I am looking at purchasing a ZTE A7P phone from the Telus store. However when I went online to research ZTE I see a lot of articles about ZTE being banned and discontinued soon in Canada. Yet Telus continue to offer these ZTE phones. The Telus clerk was not knowledgeable about this so I’m wonder if anyone can clarify this for me. Thanks.

[softech]

@dubba9   the reason you might need VoLTE in US is for voice.  US has decommissioned 3G for voice and hence everyone either need 2G or VoLTE to have voice working

2G will work for everyone except T-Mobile 2G coverage is limited

VoLTE would be ideal choice but only work on compatible phones

You can try on your S6: 

Select Apps.
Select Settings.
Select Mobile networks.
Turn on VoLTE Call.

[dubba9]

This all began for me because I received a text from PM that if I went to the US I needed a 4G phone with VoLTE to use the PM addon. I have two phones. [1] A Samsung Galaxy S6. It has 4G and LTE. The Web" says it should work fine in the US. is there something weird about the service PM buys from T-mobile in the US that makes the PM sim specifically require VoLTE? [2] My other phone is a Samsung J3 (2016). The web says it should work too. It has LTE, which is a version of 4G. It worked in the US with a t-mobile sim on my last trip to the US. Again, is there something weird about the service PM buys from T-mobile in the US that makes the PM sim specifically require VoLTE? Any thoughts on this will be appreciated. PM Customer service on this is useless. It should be renames the "customer placation department". They just send form emails back even when I ask a simple specific question. Over and over and over. Any way, any advice you can give will be appreciated.

[dubba9]

softech, thanks for the info.

[dubba9]

Thanks sun2go. I'll look up that phone.

[dubba9]

OK. Some people are just wrong. Others suspect conspiracy. OK. Why not.

[dubba9]

softech, are you sure of this. What the ban orders seem to say is "telecommunications equipment." That would include phones. Or please a link from a government agency or ZTE that says that does not include phones. 

[dubba9]

BKNS27, I emailed ZTE. They replied that are no longer shipping any phones to or selling any in Canada. [1] be careful what you write please. and [2] I think it's just fraud on Telus' part.

[softech]

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@dubba9 wrote:

hycm53, I agree. Yet, aren't all iphones samsung phones for the consumer market made in China?

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@dubba9 

no, Samsung has phones Made in Vietnam

Also for iPhone

Apple is slowly moving manufacturing away from China. Production centers are popping up in Mexico, India, Vietnam, as well as the US, according to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, 

[dubba9]

Handy1, it's bad business to sell a phone which is no longer sold by it's company in Canada and will soon be banned. This is very bad business for PM and Telus. Some one call CBC Marketplace.

[dubba9]

hycm53, I agree. Yet, aren't all iphones samsung phones for the consumer market made in China?

[sun2go]

Just so those of you who kindly gave me advice i want to let you know I didn’t purchase a ZTE after all. As I said previously this phone is only used as an emergency phone so ZTE price was right and I was not concerned about what might happen in a few years with them being banned. I called the Telus store who originally suggested the ZTE and told the clerk to go ahead and order one. However after a week of not hearing about my order I called and left a message but no reply after a few days. So I called again and left another message telling them to forget about it.
I reread some of your comments here about phones and again did some online checking.

 I went to the Staples out of town and purchased a Samsung Galaxy Blade A03. It’s more phone than I need but was happy with the service there and the phone.

I ordered a SIM card from Public Mobile and received it within a week. I then read through the community support topics about installing a SIM card and found out it is not an ‘activation process’ regardless of what the instructions said in the box.  I just had to log into my account and change the SIM card number….how easy was that!  Yea me!

Many thanks to a great community helping each other.

[dubba9]

On a different note ... .    On this phone, google play:

1. Loads The Guardian app (a UK newspaper popular here) but the app opens and immediate closes. Any ideas?

2. Does not show the app for thelocal.dk in google play. My older 4G phone shows that fine. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[hTideGnow]

HI @dubba9   thanks for the update.

I think we should avoid ZTE for now.  Even it is not a ban, I would assume the support would just get worse from here as they are certainly not focusing on Canadian market anyway

And with all the negative news with ZTE and Huawei, I rather pay a bit more.  Yes, Apple and Google and Samsung are all holding on to our data, but at least they are more reputable brands I can trust and they play by our rules 

[dubba9]

Wow. That's truly bad and possibly paranoid advice. ZTE has stopped shipping anything to Canada. That's no joke. See above.

[dubba9]

Can you quote anything that says phone are not "equipment"?

[dubba9]

Thank you for that quotation. In your view does "equipment" include individual cell phones?

[dubba9]

OK, Folks. First, my apologies because this might not be good news. I wrote to ZTE. The only email address for customer support is in China. Here's what they said:

"Yes at the moment we are not shipping devices to Canada. We are not sure if that is banned or not, but as far as the update is concerned we do know that we are not shipping anything to Canada at the moment."

The poor sod who answers these emails probably, in China, is never told the full story just like call centre workers here. Their job is to protect their employer, of course. To me that means that Telus is very likely selling an embargoed  product. I'm not a lawyer but that seems probably illegal to me. Does anyone from Telus read these boards? Telus should stop selling these phones and refund the money to anyone who bought one with a request they not use the phone. (When you sell embargoed product, you do not want them back.)  What is the name and address of the President of Telus?

[hTideGnow]

HI @dubba9   generally I would avoid Zte or Huawei.  it might work not, but what if it got blocked from Play Store later?  there are better phones out there 

[dubba9]

Sorry. I cannot find any verification of that. One has to assume it includes the telephones since nothing I can find says it does not.

[dubba9]

Not true. Google it. Plenty of reputable sources say ZTE's ban is already begun on some phones and will apply to all "ZTE telecommunication equipment" some time in 2024. Telus is selling us their trash, texting us that we'll need it when we go to the US (which is NOT true since my current phone is 4G/LTE). Telus is lying. Email ZTECanada. Ask them if they are banned in US and Canada. They would not answer me on this. Clearly if they were not banned, they would have answered. How do we report it to CBC marketplace?

[dubba9]

I emailed ZTE Canada and asked if ZTE is or will be banned in the US and/or Canada. He answered and asked some identifying questions. Then I never heard again. Clearly the answer must be yes or he would have answered no. Return all the ZTE phones and no one should buy them.

[dubba9]

I think I have about 6 old smart phones. Each cannot really be used for much. Too slow. Apps no longer can be loaded due to old version of android. Either or both simm or sdxt sockets are broken. But, they all still work on wiifi! With a free dialer I can still make calls over wifi. Some still work as a local FM radio. Any of them are still a decent alarm clock. It's all a scam about planned obsolesence and rising prices. 5G is generally a scam for most people. Watching a film on a 6 in. screen is really just silly. But, having those old phones can help in a pinch when I'm needing to multitask.

[dubba9]

Sun2Go, you are correct. Telus may be guilty of fraud and the "answer" was incorrect. It is all over the web that any telecommuncation devices from ZTE and Weiwei are banned in 2024. Now, that is a bit unclear but it still means they are banned soon. Telus and publicmobile should pay us for our time (or at least refund our money and let us keep the phone as a toy). ZTE is said to include a back door for them or the Chinese government to copy anything off their phones and to have hidden through screen camera to develop a database of facilial recognition. Plus the phone could use some apps, like The Guardian newspaper. I know China blocks the NYTimes, maybe the Guardian, too. PLUS, I only bought the ZTE phone because of a text from I needed to if I travel to the US. That's not true either. My phone is 4G/LTE. It'll work fine in the US. Where's CBC marketplace?

[LitlLdy]

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@RCO wrote:

I would suggest if you can put the word out to friends and nieghbors 

.

a lot of people have older phones 

I currently using a Iphone 4 with PubMo

I have a 4 Year old android some gave me as a backup

Heres Hoping

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@RCO , my friends/neighbours don’t have cell phones. They have landline phones. 😏 They don’t want any part of having a cell phone!

My iPhone 6S no longer gets updates & the battery is not good after having my phone for over 7 years. Phone still looks brand new! If my ZTE flip phone had speech to text so I don’t have to type it would be good enough for me. Especially if it included a flashlight to use in the dark to see! 🙂

[RCO]

Last for Now 

Here is a Short Video about an one of

the First Flip Phones

Hope You Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eik96tIjAg 

[sun2go]

Interesting background info on the pre owned phones RCO. I didn’t realize the different grades available.

I’m still trying to get my head wrapped around the fact that people still might have their old phones at home.….but that’s a topic for another day. 😊  Mine’s going to recycle next week.

thanks for your research time.

[RCO]

Oops 

I meant this one

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/phone-section/alcatel 

I think its better than FLIP

ALCATELCertified Pre-Owned

Online only

Every Certified Pre-Owned phone is tested, inspected, cleaned and re-packaged to look and function like new. The battery health of Certified Pre-Owned phones meet TELUS’ testing standards. Battery health may vary upon prior usage.

Each phone is assigned one of three grades.

Like-new:
Someone opened the box on these phones and then changed their mind: it’s as close to perfect as you can get with a pre-owned phone.

Great:
These phones are just a couple of nicks and scuffs shy of perfect, but have passed all inspections and are the best opportunity for a great phone on a budget.

Very Good:
These phones were well loved by someone - and now they’re ready for someone new! We took care of the buffing and cleaning, and while they may still have bumps and scratches they work perfectly well.

Phone Condition:

Like-new

[RCO]

Check this out,,,,,, its from PM

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/phone-section/zte-cymbal-2 

.

EN|BC

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ZTE Cymbal 2Certified Pre-Owned

Online only

Every Certified Pre-Owned phone is tested, inspected, cleaned and re-packaged to look and function like new. The battery health of Certified Pre-Owned phones meet TELUS’ testing standards. Battery health may vary upon prior usage.

Each phone is assigned one of three grades.

Like-new:
Someone opened the box on these phones and then changed their mind: it’s as close to perfect as you can get with a pre-owned phone.

Great:
These phones are just a couple of nicks and scuffs shy of perfect, but have passed all inspections and are the best opportunity for a great phone on a budget.

Very Good:
These phones were well loved by someone - and now they’re ready for someone new! We took care of the buffing and cleaning, and while they may still have bumps and scratches they work perfectly well.

Phone Condition:

Like-new

Storage:

8GB

Colour:

Black

Phone Price:

$69

Buy Now

Don’t need a phone right now?

[sun2go]

Great idea. I’ll inquire around.

[sun2go]

I hear ya on cheap!