What is APN and how to change the APN

Unlocked phones and alternative mobile networks are now more popular than ever. Most companies create one or two unlocking models that you can buy directly from their websites or retail sites like Amazon with the software needed to use it in any GSM network. on the world. Moreover, when your phone is not connected to the service provider through sponsorship, you can feel free to try other service providers and see which company fits your needs.

The conversion or try another network on the phone is quite simple without causing any loss to the user. However, you need to know how to set up APN on the phone. Let's find out what APN is and how to change or add APN!

What is APN?

Access point name (Access Point Name - APN) is the name of the settings that your device reads to establish a connection to the gateway between the carrier's mobile network and the public Internet.

The provider reads these settings, then makes sure to confirm the correct IP address, connects to the correct secure port and whether you need to connect to a private network like VPN. All operations are performed on the service provider side, but you also need to make sure the settings are set up correctly to get the network you need.

Depending on how the service provider's network structure, different settings are required. The rest can be slightly modified to change some parameters but in many cases we need to use the exact settings of the provider.

The good news is that your phone has some default APN settings and will do the work automatically for phone calls. It is very handy if you need to call for help because if you do not use one of 4 large networks like AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, no network will work correctly and you will have to manually add APN.

The bad news is that vendors can customize the software on any device they sell, including blocking the ability to change APNs even if your phone is unlocked. You can find an alternative solution on the Internet.

How to change the APN

The first thing you need to do is find the appropriate APN settings for the network you want to use. You can find it at the vendor's support website. The settings will be similar to the example below for Mint SIM:

1. Name - Ultra
2. APN - Wholesale
3. Proxy - (left blank)
4. Port - 8080
5. Username & Password - (leave blank)
6. Server - (left blank)
7. MMSC - http://wholesale.mmsmvno.com/mms/wapenc
8. MMS Proxy - (leave blank)
9. MMS Port - (left blank)
10. MNC - 260
11. Authentication Type - (leave blank)
12. APN Type - default, supl, mms
13. MCC - 310

These are the settings you need to enter for APN to use Mint SIM for data and MMS services. Now we need to find a place to import it.

This entry will be different on each device depending on the supplier that makes your phone, but it will always be in the Wireless & networks section of the installation. You must search for Access Point Names settings and it can be nested in another setting like Cellular Networks.

Once you have found the Access Point Names section . Touch to open.

You will see a list with at least one APN in it. If everything doesn't work with the current APN, you'll need to add another APN. Do not edit or delete the part you see, instead, create a new one and you can select it when done. At the top of the page or maybe in a menu (if your phone has a menu button), click the + to open the " Edit access point " screen.

This is where you will enter the settings received from the service provider's website. There are two quite important things here:

1. Not all settings in the Edit access point screen are filled in. Only fill in the items provided by the supplier and keep the other parts intact.
2. Make sure you have entered everything exactly as provided. For example, default, supl, hipri will   different from default, supl, hipri by the space between these items. The service provider's system is set up to read a set of values ​​and any changes - even small can break everything.

Once you have installed, you need to save the APN. You can do that by clicking the three dots on the upper right (or menu if your phone has one) and clicking Save.

Once your APN information has been saved, return to the screen to see the list we have previously viewed. On this screen, tap the new APN setting you just entered to activate them. Your phone may lose data connection for a short time because it takes time to connect to the new network. If you still can't connect after a few minutes, you may have to restart your phone.

Sometimes, your provider may have up to 2 APNs to import. This is because they use a separate port for MMS or other data separate from your data plan. If this is the case, you will see a full explanation of the APN settings on your service provider's support website. However, you only need one APN.

It is done! Now your phone has worked with SMS, MMS and data already. Now make sure to set up any Data Saver application or set up your phone alert to keep track of the amount of data you use and control it.

Good luck!