Please suggest the "best", "future-proof phone"(!)

[ShredFred]

What phones on which carriers are everyone using in 2023? If you were in need of a new phone, what would you get?

Looking to upgrade my users in near future as the useful life of a phone is arguably 2-3 years.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using HoFo mobile app

[Serial Port]

What phones on which carriers are everyone using in 2023? If you were in need of a new phone, what would you get?

Looking to upgrade my users in near future as the useful life of a phone is arguably 2-3 years.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using HoFo mobile app

Early this year, I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra on Verizon postpaid.

[robbyrobby]

What phones on which carriers are everyone using in 2023? If you were in need of a new phone, what would you get?

Looking to upgrade my users in near future as the useful life of a phone is arguably 2-3 years.

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using HoFo mobile app

my main work device is an iPhone 12 Pro Max which i got an incredible deal on. if it breaks and i need to replace I would look for a deal on a 14 Pro Max but take 14 Plus or 13 Pro Max if i found great deal on one. no hurry at all though to replace.

my current main personal device(this change a lot, sometimes multiple times in a month) is S20 Ultra and I also still use daily a Oneplus 7 Pro that I have had for years. i actually have several other Android with various SIMs i use for different things and go in and out of rotation. i never pick and purchase a brand new personal android, instead i look for deals and than buy phones that appeal to me that i am getting an exceptional price on.

i also have tons of phones that belong to my stores that i from time to time take home and play around with so I have used most of the common apple and android devices. i never keep the newer ones though that i can easily sell while they have higher re-sale value.

if i did buy something new especially if it was a factory unlocked device though it would likely be an lesser known value brand like Umidigi or perhaps a gray market imported Oppo or Xiaomi. i like having odd less common stuff as opposed to the mass market items. reality is the deal i find are usually on the mass market items so thats what i get.

[brad4cell]

I don't think you can get a future proof phone even if you buy the highest price iPhone.

My strategy is to buy on the low end. My newest phone is the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (Android 13) from visible that cost $200.

I would look for phones with the following features:
1. Unlocked
2. The newest OS version is better.
3. 5G
4. Works on multiple carriers.
5. eSim (This was optional for me because it is currently only available on higher price phones.)

[sillyette]

I don't think you can get a future proof phone even if you buy the highest price iPhone.

My strategy is to buy on the low end. My newest phone is the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (Android 13) from visible that cost $200.

I would look for phones with the following features:
1. Unlocked
2. The newest OS version is better.
3. 5G
4. Works on multiple carriers.
5. eSim (This was optional for me because it is currently only available on higher price phones.)

I have a question that I haven't found a definitive answer to. Regarding 5G and working on multiple carriers - what is the best source to find out if a phone has all the 5G bands that will work on all 3 carriers?

I am confused because it seems like AT&T and Verizon use different "versions" of 5G. So I am looking for some website that lists the 5G bands on all models.

[brad4cell]

I have a question that I haven't found a definitive answer to. Regarding 5G and working on multiple carriers - what is the best source to find out if a phone has all the 5G bands that will work on all 3 carriers?

I am confused because it seems like AT&T and Verizon use different "versions" of 5G. So I am looking for some website that lists the 5G bands on all models.

An unlocked universal phone that is supposed to work on all carriers is not 100% going to work on all carriers. However, if you want to try to get a future proof phone it is still better to get a phone that says it works on all carriers.

As an example, I bought the unlocked Motorola e 2020 from visible that said it is a universal phone that supports all carriers and then just this year visible told me I had to buy a new phone because of their new network.

So the unlocked Motorola e 2020 probably does support all carriers except visible and possibly a few others.

I'm not that familiar with 5G bands so the best thing to do it ask questions about that here on the forums.

I do know that visible has 5G and 5G UW (Ultra Wide) band. 5G UW is faster than 5G. Not all phones have the 5G UW band; however, I checked their website and they only offer 5G UW in a few large cities so if you are not in the area of coverage it does not matter.

What I would do is try and figure out the carrier you plan to use and make sure it has the bands you want for that carrier.

[rpz1]

I have a question that I haven't found a definitive answer to. Regarding 5G and working on multiple carriers - what is the best source to find out if a phone has all the 5G bands that will work on all 3 carriers?

I am confused because it seems like AT&T and Verizon use different "versions" of 5G. So I am looking for some website that lists the 5G bands on all models.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/5G-b...World_id116781

[rpz1]

I do know that visible has 5G and 5G UW (Ultra Wide) band. 5G UW is faster than 5G. Not all phones have the 5G UW band; however, I checked their website and they only offer 5G UW in a few large cities so if you are not in the area of coverage it does not matter.

Large cities you refer to is UW mmwave. But more outlying suburbs and larger towns are now starting to get midband (c-band). Then there's a 3rd original 5G referred to as 5GNW (nationwide) that's low band, and most rural areas now even get that.
Not all 5G is created equal but all carriers basically have those 3 distinctions and share some of the bands. 260,261 for mmwave for example.

You actually don't need a phone capable of UW mmwave unless you're in one of the special cities and do a crap load of big data downloads. And due to mmwave high frequency you better be a block from the cell site and not inside a building. It's more intended for large venues where a bunch of people gather outside or in a stadium and are all on their phones at the same time.

Mmwave UW range 1 block, lightning fast for capacity. Midband UW range 2.5 miles (juries still out), way way more then enough speed, for more capacity. Low band (nationwide) basically same as LTE.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/5G-b...World_id116781

[nnd_newbie]

I have a question that I haven't found a definitive answer to. Regarding 5G and working on multiple carriers - what is the best source to find out if a phone has all the 5G bands that will work on all 3 carriers?

kimovil.com

It's not perfect (there is none), but I think it's the best available. Choose the phone version, and find out which bands are supported by which carriers.

[advcomp2019]

Large cities you refer to is UW mmwave. But more outlying suburbs and larger towns are now starting to get midband (c-band). Then there's a 3rd original 5G referred to as 5GNW (nationwide) that's low band, and most rural areas now even get that.
Not all 5G is created equal but all carriers basically have those 3 distinctions and share some of the bands. 260,261 for mmwave for example.

You actually don't need a phone capable of UW mmwave unless you're in one of the special cities and do a crap load of big data downloads. And due to mmwave high frequency you better be a block from the cell site and not inside a building. It's more intended for large venues where a bunch of people gather outside or in a stadium and are all on their phones at the same time.

Mmwave UW range 1 block, lightning fast for capacity. Midband UW range 2.5 miles (juries still out), way way more then enough speed, for more capacity. Low band (nationwide) basically same as LTE.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/5G-b...World_id116781

I am testing the C-band 5G with my 5G Home Internet device, and it is either my house or Verizon's placement of the C-band tower, but I am still not sure. I am getting an OK-ish to poor 5G signal.

With the C-band tower, it is only at about one mile from me, I can not get that great of signal inside my house. It is upstairs on side of a window facing a wall. I can not use the device straight on a window because the low e storm windows is causing more issues.

I did some retesting to make sure recently.

If you want to know some of the numbers, in the window, I get -113 to -120 on a good days and -118 to no signal on bad days. When facing the wall, I get -100 to -110 on a good days and -112 to -120 on bad days. The only time that I lose the signal when facing the wall is during heavier rains.

[PaulCrawhorne]

There is no such thing as future proofing past a few years out.

This is intentional.

If 5G compatibility around the country is important to you, then buy a branded phone specifically designed for that MNO.

Some expensive flagships will have "most" bands for all three, but never all, and the tech will inevitably change.

[bobdevnul]

...As an example, I bought the unlocked Motorola e 2020 from visible that said it is a universal phone that supports all carriers and then just this year visible told me I had to buy a new phone because of their new network.

That is Visible's party line. It is not true. I have used a couple of phones that Vis no longer accepts as compatible. They worked fine - Moto G7 Power, and Moto E6. Pretty much any phone made to be compatible with Verizon in the past few years will work.

The trick is to get them to let you create an account and send the SIM without an IMEI that they accept as compatible. There is a way to do that.

Put your Vis SIM in the E2020. It will work and they won't kick you off the network.

[Rojniles]

Most any phone will work on Visible except for a certain feature. If WIFI calling is important to you, a Visible non compatible phone can be a crap shoot. I got a Moto G 5G to work but a Moto G Power and a Moto G Stylus 5G would not get WIFI calling.

Sent from my moto g 5G (2022) using Tapatalk

[robbyrobby]

Most any phone will work on Visible except for a certain feature. If WIFI calling is important to you, a Visible non compatible phone can be a crap shoot. I got a Moto G 5G to work but a Moto G Power and a Moto G Stylus 5G would not get WIFI calling.

Sent from my moto g 5G (2022) using Tapatalk

WiFi calling can be a crap shoot on any carrier, although T-Mobile seems to work on more devices than ATT or Verizon

i believe the issue is different ways location is provided on 911 calls, which is highly regulated and can lead to huge fines for the carriers if it does not work properly.

[rpz1]

i believe the issue is different ways location is provided on 911 calls, which is highly regulated and can lead to huge fines for the carriers if it does not work properly.

Many won't run into the same case as me but the address you use to activate wifi calling must be in the USPS address management system. Since I live in a rural area with mail boxes a mile from my home and I'd go into the near by city for work I have a PO Box there. My physical address has never been one I received mail at since I bought the property and built on it. So USPS never had this address. My physical address will show on any map search, but it was never in the USPS system. I couldn't get wifi calling to activate until I had the address added to the USPS address management system, then all was good for activation. I didn't need to change my actual mailing address to here, just had to have it put in their data base.

I know some people just use a valid USPS address to activate wifi calling and not their actual address in similar situations.