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Show HN: Carrier-Explode: iPhone, Pixel and Galaxy carrier settings decoded

carrierexplode.com

321 pointsby simplyalec41 comments

Showing off carrier-explode, one of my side projects that continuously archives carrier settings for all major phone brands.

carrier-explode also contains decoders and explanations for all the common baseband configurations, etc.

There’s still quite a bit of work to be done in checking my assumptions, but the tool has already been proven useful for a few enthusiast groups.

etatester[3 comments hidden]
This is super cool. Particularly for the fact that it just showed my country's operators rather than the usual America First.
esperent[2 comments hidden]
Same, there was a moment of shock to see a list from HN that started with Vietnam, followed quickly by appreciation. Good job, more like this please.
pftburger[hidden]
Same! I stayed on the site to explore instead of just clicking away. Seeing relevant information definitely helps engagement.
isomorphic[3 comments hidden]
I saw this linked from MacRumors during the AT&T iPhone 18 Pro Max lockup news discussions. It was interesting to see what AT&T/Apple did to try to get ahead of the issue. So far it looks like they disabled 5G Standalone mode, possibly just to prevent a bug from literally destroying the hardware (possibly only on one batch of phones).

Apple/AT&T still haven't released any kind of statement addressing the issue other than to replace affected hardware.

kridsdale3[2 comments hidden]
I straight up returned my iPhone 18 Pro Max last week. This was infuriating. I was having the baseband lock up and drop to SOS Mode on Verizon, so I got an AT&T eSIM (spent money). Same issue, full loss of connectivity 5 times a day requiring a reboot. So I got a T-Mobile eSIM (spent money). Same issue, full loss of connectivity 5 times a day requiring a reboot.

Then I read online that ONLY the Pro Max uses a Qualcomm modem and the Pro uses Apple C2. My wife's iPhone Air with C2 has great connectivity, better than my 17 Pro Max did before I swapped it for 18.

So I returned the Pro Max, got a Pro, am on T-Mobile full time and my signal strength is good now in buildings that I had 0 or 1 bar before, for years.

Fuck Qualcomm.

iririririr[hidden]
interesting you're not slightest angry at Apple
jakobdabo[5 comments hidden]
I wonder which field is responsible for disabling the Personal Hotspot feature? About a year ago mine suddenly got disabled in the phone's UI. Since then, the only time it got enabled was when I was traveling and using a travel eSIM.

It's sad that phone companies allow carriers such anti-user things.

mitxela[2 comments hidden]
Did you buy your phone through the carrier?

There are apps that can act as a SOCKS proxy for limited hotspottivity. Probably mostly on Android.

jakobdabo[hidden]
> Did you buy your phone through the carrier?

No.

dawnerd[hidden]
Mine did the same the other day. I had to toggle airplane mode on and off for it to show again. Probably just an iOS bug if I had to guess.

I have mine on an automation to turn on when I get in my car.

Melatonic[hidden]
Sounds like a bug ?
seba_dos1[5 comments hidden]
It would be great to contribute whatever's applicable to https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/mobile-broadband-provider-inf...
simplyalec[hidden]
will look into this :)
KetoManx64[3 comments hidden]
Probably not a good idea if you used AI in any way to help with obtaining this info, they will ban you at the tiniest whif of you using AI
mitxela[2 comments hidden]
Best is to contribute the info, make sure it's accurate, and if they ban someone for contributing accurate info, let them.

GNOME is a circus.

KetoManx64[hidden]
I disagree, people should not donate their efforts to companies that hate them.
mycofunguy[hidden]
What do you use the info you have gathered for? It seems comprehensive but curious as to how you use it?
roundup[4 comments hidden]
Can I use these settings to disable incoming calls? Does GrapheneOS have this option at the android level?
KetoManx64[hidden]
No, but you can automate rejecting an incoming call with Tasker
DANmode[hidden]
All of them?
a022311[hidden]
You could use SpamBlocker and configure it to block everything. AFAIK you can't do this at the android level. If you don't need outgoing calls either, just use a data-only SIM.
tylergetsay[hidden]
Reminds me of the CDMA days when the qualcom software got leaked
denysvitali[hidden]
What's more useful, or at least was a while ago, is the CA combos list - basically showing which bands can be aggregated and how.

A while ago I built a decoder for that (Qualcomm only!), it was fun and helped me improve the support of my device for my carrier.

https://github.com/denysvitali/ca-combos-editor

tantalor[2 comments hidden]
How did you build the UI? Is it custom?
simplyalec[hidden]
plain old CSS w/ svelte (and their new-ish remote functions)!
rustcleaner[2 comments hidden]
Nice! Thank you for this public service. Phone makers & carriers should be ashamed of themselves for hiding such important configuration behind proprietary formats. If you [lurker] are a decision maker who decided to make our world this way: for shame, for shaaame!
huijzer[hidden]
Bible wrote that we wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12) and that satan is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4) who deceived everyone (Rev 12:9).

Regardless of whether one believes this, it’s probably nice to know that rulers have been doing bad things for a long time already.

DylanMerigaud[hidden]
Good luck with the launch!
mrweasel[4 comments hidden]
Not really sure what to do with the information, but I love the UI.
mjhagen[hidden]
Very early-2000s
willio58[2 comments hidden]
Also interested in this - what does this information unlock?
chiefwilsion[hidden]
nerd tier 8. and after that you get nerd tier 9
ahmedfromtunis[3 comments hidden]
Are these configs read-only on the phone or is it possible to manipulate them using the data here to de/activate any service?
flotzam[hidden]
Depends on the OS. GrapheneOS can override a bunch of them: https://grapheneos.org/usage#carrier-settings-overrides
simplyalec[hidden]
You can trick iOS into running different bundles for your carrier up until the most recent beta (just fixed)

A very common thing to do in Russia for instance where WiFi calling isn’t available: https://github.com/ios-bundles/CarrierSIM

dorianmariecom[hidden]
very interesting here is my carrier for instance https://carrierexplode.com/ios/carriers/Free_fr/72.0/setting...
niuniuqqqniuniu[hidden]
wow
m463[3 comments hidden]
just amazing - good work!

...and wonder what kinds of settings "restrictive regimes" will use

I could imagine stuff like com.apple.voicemail.imap use SSL => false

simplyalec[2 comments hidden]
https://carrierexplode.com/wiki/ios/china-self-registration

mhm!

m463[hidden]
huh. look at that.
arslan9063[hidden]
bro this is neat