USMobile recently added a way to add additional users with limited privileges. Turns out that even "Viewers" can top up a pool (they don't even have to have a line of their own!).
I'd recommend adding a user with view-only privileges and using that limited user to get tokens for scripting. Should be somewhat safer than using a token for the account admin.
Go into settings and enable "Long press for symbols".
While you're in there, look around. There are lots of fun options.
Look at Restic too. Similar feature set. Really simple to set up (I think Borg is too but I haven't tried it).
Tar has to scan the whole archive to find the file you want to extract. That's why it's slow. Compression doesn't really change that.
As for what tar is made for, that would be archiving directly to tape.
We're talking about Verizon. The company that still refuses to unlock the bootloaders of the phones they sell.
My guess:
Band selection - 5g uses bandwidth more efficiently. They don't want us using 4g anymore.
Backup calling - they want to sell you expensive roaming packages or hit you with insane roaming fees.
Just to close this out...
Verizon blocks this feature for all their postpaid customers - there is no separate carrier config for USMobile. I doubt we're going to see this restriction removed.
Visible, on the other hand, does have a separate carrier config and it does allow backup calling. Will Verizon remove it? Stay tuned.
I've finally done the research into where these settings come from. They're part of the factory image (or OTA, presumably). USMobile doesn't even have its own dedicated settings - it looks like we're just getting the default Verizon settings. The ability to select network type was removed for all Verizon customers in the June update. I checked both the generic and the Verizon carrier versions (I hoped it was a mistake and was fixed in the carrier version).
This is a very bad finding. It's just Verizon being Verizon. I'd be pretty surprised to see USMobile get preferential treatment.
The lesson as usual is: you don't own your phone if you don't root it.
(Technically speaking, unlocking the bootloader is enough.)
Maybe another phone would work better but be sure to do some research.
I may have a dud. We'll see. I finally started getting responses yesterday. Seems their help desk system was upgraded and the email was broken?
What y'all talking about? The original was originally black and white.
AT&T prepaid support is just awful. So's their website. If you need their coverage is good to know how to file complaints. I've had luck with the FCC and also with their "Office of the President".
"The open source part of iVentoy" is on GitHub. Perhaps it's not completely open?