FAQ

Unfortunately we are unable to pre-install an app store on your device due to US regulations. However, there are alternatives to BigtechPlay. One such option is the Aurora Store (https://auroraoss.com/), which offers a full suite of original apps. TIP: You can use your own google account to connect to the app store OR use the anonymous mode. Anonymous mode means you are using a shared account. This shared account is often rate limited. It can be frustrating to get in. We have found that connecting using a shared account and waiting to search apps the next morning work best. This often results in the rate limit being lifted for that particular shared account. Be sure to have a list of apps you want to install ready for when you do have access. If you are having issues finding a particular APP/APK please reach out. We can try and point you in the right direction.

Backups are crucial for protecting your important data. We recommend backing up your photos, videos, contacts, and SMS/message history regularly. You don’t need to use third-party apps to do this. Instead, you can save the files to your jDrive account, and transfer them to your desktop at a later time. This way, if anything happens to your device, you can still access your data and restore it to a new device if needed. Remember to back up your data frequently to ensure that you always have access to the most recent versions of your files. Jacktel is not responsible for data loss. It is your responsibility to create local backups on a regular basis.

Transitioning away from big tech may require some patience, but we strive to make the process as easy as possible with the technology available. It may be helpful to familiarize yourself with alternate systems such as DuckDuckGo and VPN to gauge your chances of success.  While it may take some time to adjust to new systems and tools, the benefits of increased privacy and control over your data are worth the effort. We encourage you to take your time and be patient with the process as you make the transition to open source systems.

Our devices utilize open-source systems that are developed through public efforts. While some may find it difficult to choose between a billion-dollar email system and an open-source system, the good news is that you have a choice. You may find that most alternate services work as well or even better than bigtech options, but others may fall short in some areas. For example, replacing bigtech Maps may be challenging for some. However, don’t worry; you still have the option to use a bigtech service if you prefer. Our goal is to limit your data being sent to bigtech companies. The trade-off for specific services is your decision to make. We can only offer tools and options through our device, and it’s up to you to decide what works best for you. The alternative is having one or two big tech players forcing their services upon you. Jack Tel give you the choice.

Transitioning to an AOSP-based device may require some commitment, like quitting any habit. However, once you have selected your preferred apps and are settled in, the transition becomes easy. The first week is crucial, and if you feel comfortable with your device after two months, you’ll probably never want to go back to bigtech devices.  We put a lot of work into releasing our devices, and if you find that your JackTel device is working well for you, take good care of it. With proper maintenance, it’s not uncommon to get three years of service from a single device. We hope you fall in love with your JackTel device, just like we have. Please reach out if you are stuck on am issue. We want to resolve the issue before it becomes a serious headache. Our goal is not to sell you a device. Our goal is to have you as a customer for many years to come.

The first step is to search our FAQ page. If you can’t find a solution to your problem, please visit the Support Forums link on the Jack.Tel website or use the Contact Us page to get in touch with us. We are here to help, and we will do our best to address your concerns. At this time, we are unable to offer phone support for non-billing issues. Regardless, we are committed to helping you resolve any issues you may have with your device or service.

To prepare for remote assistance, you will need to install and prepare AnyDesk for the connection. First, download he app(APK) from HERE and install on your device. You will need to give login credentials to your device during the call.Credentials will be provided by the app.

There are over 100,000 apps available for JackTel devices, but we recommend avoiding bigtech driven apps if privacy is important to you. You can search the internet for open-source alternatives to any app, and often find superior replacements. For example, searching for “Open Source Android Music” will pull up several articles on potential replacements, including Apple Music. While BigTech may still get some of your usage data, it will be split among several companies. However, some apps, like bigtech Maps, may be difficult to replace because they work reliably all the time. Very good alternatives exist such as Sygic. Sygic is a map system that is usable offline. The Sygic team has done a very good job and creating an independent navigation system.

A privacy-centric operating system is designed to limit or restrict big tech companies from harvesting and selling your personal user data. While not everyone may be concerned about privacy leaks, using such a system can offer benefits to those who are concerned about their privacy. It can provide you with greater control over how your data is collected and used, and give you more privacy and security when using your device.

When using privacy features such as VPN or embedded search engines, it is possible that some location-based services may not function properly. This is because these services rely on your device’s accurate location information to work correctly. When your location is spoofed or routed through a VPN, the service may not be able to accurately determine your location and provide the expected results. When you search using jSearch on your device it is routing through switzerland.

To address this, we recommend disabling any privacy features that may be interfering with your navigation software or other location-based services. Alternatively, you can try using a trusted navigation app that respects your privacy and doesn’t collect or share your data with third-party companies. Some examples of such apps include Sygic, OsmAnd, Magic Earth, and Maps.me. Please never use VPN to access bank systems.

If an update is detected, please select and follow the instructions to install it. It is important to perform a full backup of variable data before updating, including photos/videos, 2FA codes, text messages, and contacts. Please note that not all updates are Over-The-Air (OTA). Some updates may be available in your jDrive account. You will be notified of instructions through your jMail account and/or you may find the instructions in your jDrive account when appropriate.

Some apps rely on bigtech payment systems for processing. These systems are not always compatible with Jacktel as we have intentionally removed any type of bigtech functionality. Unfortunately, this is a limitation of using AOSP based systems.

All phones are new unless otherwise stated. We offer two types of devices when available.

New phones. New phone with warranty and support.

Refurbished Phones restored to near-factory specs were previously used.

See our returns page for more information.

Jack Tel LLC makes every effort to ensure that its products and services are compatible with various devices and networks. However, due to the complexity of the constantly evolving technology landscape, we cannot guarantee compatibility with every device on every network. We encourage customers to inquire about a sample IMEI if they are unsure about compatibility. We will hold that particular phone for 72 hours. If you decide to make the purchase, please include the referenced IMEI at checkout.

It is important to note that carriers may have different policies regarding device compatibility. While some carriers have a bring-your-own-device program and allow customers to insert their sim card in any network-compatible device, others do not allow phones on their network that were not originally purchased from them. Some carriers may also consider AOSP based devices to be a breach of its end-user agreement. Therefore, it is the customer’s responsibility to confirm compatibility with their carrier before purchase.

Opinion on Compatibility: Based on our experience, Verizon, T-Mobile, and its subsidiaries such as MetroPCS have been more receptive to customer device freedom, whereas AT&T and its subsidiaries have been less receptive. We personally use T-Mobile service on our devices.

Please note that we are not affiliated or endorsed by T-Mobile. You can download and install this app on your device through your preferred app store interface. Simply search for ‘Visual Voicemail’.

As a company based in the USA, we are required to comply with licensing and regulatory requirements. Therefore, we do not load bigtech software on handsets, nor are we authorized to do so. This also includes any alternate app store software that accesses the bigtech play store, such as the Aurora Store. However, there are several app stores available for download. As an end user, you will need to choose one and install it. For more information on how to install an app store, please refer to our guide ‘How do I install an App Store?’.

Absolutely. Hardware is not modified. The device you purchased is fully registered and approved by the FCC.

The United States via a two-day service if selected at checkout. Your order will ship from California or Florida depending on stock levels.

Please note that JackTel services are passive, meaning that they are offered but not mandatory for use. You can even remove the pre-installed JackTel apps on your device. You are free to use any service of your choice. We encourage our users to explore other options as well. Our systems are built on the foundation of privacy, but this may come with certain limitations in speed. For instance, if you frequently use email, you may find it more convenient to use an alternate mail provider that specializes in email. Our internet browser is not the fastest as you are connecting to privacy hardened servers in Switzerland.  This may drive you nuts. You can still connect to mainstream search engines/apps but some of the privacy benefits will be lost. We provide a base option for our users, but ultimately, you are free to choose which services you want to utilize and how you want to use them.

The reason you may be seeing search results for a foreign country is due to your phone using a foreign location based on your chosen privacy settings. This can include the privacy settings on your phone or the VPN tunnel you are connected to.  For instance, if you are connected to a Swiss VPN tunnel, your search results may reflect your location as Sweden. Your phone thinks you are in Sweden. Simply set the browser or site to USA.   Our privacy data servers are located in Sweden. To ensure the search engine recognizes that you are located in the USA, you can typically set the default location in your internet browser or choose an alternate VPN tunnel.

It is not recommended to use spoofed tracking information or a VPN when accessing financial information as your phone cannot identify your true location. This may lead to your bank flagging your account for suspicious activity if it thinks you are logging in from a foreign country. Therefore, it is important to always disable privacy features and disconnect from any VPN tunnels when accessing financial institutions.

You will need to connect your phone via Bluetooth if you want to play music or listen to maps. Controls such as volume and skip should still function normally.

Bigtech Play is not installed and not compatible by design. You will need to connect your phone via Bluetooth if you want to play music or listen to maps.

If you are experiencing lower speeds due to using our free shared privacy internet pipe with VPN, you can always return to normal speed by disabling VPN. A VPN is used to conceal your location while in privacy mode, but the shared pipe for free users can become congested. We recommend only using the free VPN when needed. If you require a more robust and less congested VPN service, consider upgrading to our paid VPN service, which includes premium VPN tunnels.

Compatibility: Jack Tel LLC makes every effort to ensure that its products and services are compatible with various devices and networks. Currently all T-Mobile accounts and most Verizon accounts work with Jack tel devices.  However, due to the complexity of the constantly evolving technology landscape, we cannot guarantee compatibility with every device on every network. We encourage customers to inquire about a sample IMEI if they are unsure about compatibility. We will hold that particular phone for 72 hours. If you decide to make the purchase, please include the referenced IMEI at checkout.

It is important to note that carriers may have different policies regarding device compatibility. While some carriers have a bring-your-own-device program and allow customers to insert their sim card in any network-compatible device, others do not allow phones on their network that were not originally purchased from them. Some carriers may also consider AOSP based devices to be a breach of its end-user agreement. Therefore, it is the customer’s responsibility to confirm compatibility with their carrier before purchase.

Opinion on Compatibility: Based on our experience, Verizon, T-Mobile, and its subsidiaries such as MetroPCS have been more receptive to customer device freedom, whereas AT&T and its subsidiaries have been less receptive. We personally use T-Mobile service on our devices.

Data centers in Switzerland host all Jack Tel data services for privacy reasons, which can cause minor latency issues. For instance, when using jSearch.ai, searches may take an additional second to load due to the ~4200 cable mile distance between you and the data center. This delay is equivalent to about 1/7th of a second(135 milliseconds). Although this may seem like a long time in computer language, it is a tradeoff for utilizing privacy-focused services. If you are a heavy user of a specific service we recommend choosing an alternate, less private service.

No, you are not required to use the free services included with your purchase. You have the option to remove any of the Jack Tel apps from the device that you will not be using. Our system is completely passive and you are free to decide what services and apps to install. You can also request that we cancel any free services that your phone shipped with. In fact, we encourage you to only keep the services and apps that you will use on your phone, as it is your personal device.

All of our value-added services are passive. Each device ships with free privacy-based services, which you are free to use or delete as you see fit. If you find that you rely heavily on the free basic services, you may want to consider upgrading to one of our premium service accounts. However, the decision to upgrade is entirely yours and we encourage you to choose the services that best fit your needs.

All of our value-added services are passive. Each device ships with free privacy-based services, which you are free to use or delete as you see fit. If you find that you rely heavily on the free basic services, you may want to consider upgrading to one of our premium service accounts. However, the decision to upgrade is entirely yours and we encourage you to choose the services that best fit your needs.

Not at this time. Services are limited to one account, per user, per device. you are not permitted to use JackTel services on third party devices. We cannot guarantee or offer services on third party devices at this time.

Not at this time. you can get close though by looking at LineageOS.  We rebrand our product due to licensing restrictions, but the source code is available to the public. If you would like to use a product similar to jMail, you can install the unbranded equivalent called RoundCube. Information on loading your device with LineageOS can be found on the LineageOS website. However, we are unable to provide guidance on this issue as it could burn your device and expose our team to liability. Our systems are built using open-source technology, and we are not trying to reinvent the wheel. For more information about our mission, please see the About Us page.

Your account will not be deleted but it will be downgraded to the free version. If any account remains inactive for 12 months it will be deleted, and data will be lost. If your premium account files exceed the limitation of the free account, we will contact you to offload the excessive files before deletion. Excessive files that are not removed will be held for a period of 90 days.

Credentials used to access services are sent when purchasing a device. The same credentials cannot be used to access your Jack.Tel billing / order history account, by default. The password used to access Jack.Tel billing are set by you when making the initial purchase.  Services such as VPN, Email and Cloud storage are hosted and managed on privacy-based servers. Jack.Tel is hosted in the USA and is not privacy based. Using one password for both service and billing would be convenient but it can pose a privacy risk. If you would like these passwords to match simply login onto your Jack.Tel account and initiate a password change using the interface. We strongly discourage this as the Jack.Tel site / server is subject to regulations that others systme may not be. If you have lost the password you can use the forgot password option. This will trigger a reset email sent to the email address you have on file for that account. If you no longer have access to the original email address please use the Contact Us page on the website.