The TCL Linkport IK511 is a tiny, affordable and minimalistic way to give your computer (or other USB devices) 5G/4G data via USB-C, without abusing your mobile phone, its hotspot plan or its battery. Calyx Sprout is the new total «freedom offering» from the non-profit company dedicated to preserve our privacy, as I have covered in prior articles. I had previously been a member of Calyx and just returned quite happily, immediately after finding out about the new Sprout offering, which allows us to pick our own device, as long as it’s compatible with T-Mobile’s US and Puerto Rico network for truly unlimited data service. When Calyx says «unlimited», they really mean it, without any fine-print, data caps, throttling and without any ifs, ands or buts. Previously, Calyx required us to use only devices provided from them, of which there were very few options. Ahead I’ll go into detail about the TCL Linkport IK511 I acquired independently for less than US$88 and how —together with Calyx Sprout— it can become your dynamic duo if you spend a lot of time in the United States and/or Puerto Rico, the two areas of Calyx’s coverage.
What is 5G RedCap
5G RedCap is a «reduced capacity» version of 5G. In the case of the Linkport IK511 from TCL, the 5G data is officially limited to 220 Megabits per second download and 120 Megabits per second upload. I don’t recall getting that much 5G in my area even with devices which were supposed to have full 5G capabilities. The Linkport IK511 in my main location has given me considerably less then the official ceiling, but it has fortunately given much more than I ever measured with any 5G device I ever tested in this same spot, and without any limits to my use.
Features I love in the Linkport IK511
- It is tiny and minimalistic.
- It has no internal battery. (Instead, it’s bus-powered.)
- It does not generate any wifi.
- Its only connection is a single USB-C, which can connect to computers, smartphones, tablets and mobile routers if desired.
- It works with practically any operating system, including Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, macOS or Windows, without any driver or software to download.
- Settings and firmware updates are done via any web browser pointed to the local IP 192.168.0.1 (default but changeable).
- Apparently, the Linkport IK511 is always sold as unlocked, although its bands are apparently limited to those from T-Mobile in the US and Puerto Rico. (I did not have to do any unlocking procedure or request in order to use it with Calyx Sprout.)
- The Linkport IK511 allows setting a private DNS like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 on the device to avoid sharing your specific visits with the ISP. Even though I have that set in my macOS and in browsers, having it set upstream in the Linkport IK511 can be even safer and more reliable, especially when you use some app that connects to the Internet but does not have internal settings for DNS and could potentially ignore or bypass what’s set in the macOS (or other operating system you may be using).
Where to purchase a TCL Linkport IK511
Don’t go to a T-Mobile retail store to buy a TCL Linkport IK511. They may have them in stock and offer to sell you one, but I discovered that they refuse to sell you one without having or initiating a direct T-Mobile account for the Linkport IK511, which would be counterproductive since it would not be truly unlimited, as Calyx Sprout is. Fortunately, there are online resellers who offer the TCL Linkport IK511 both new and refurbished, without any such obligation like the retail T-Mobile stores. Just search for the TCL Linkport IK511 and buy it from a reputable seller, as I did. Then install the physical T-Mobile SIM card you receive in the mail from Calyx and plug the Linkport IK511 into your device. If your device asks for permission to connect to it, give it permission.
What I love about Calyx Sprout
- Calyx Sprout costs only US$500 per year (which works out to be US$41.66 per month) or US$150 per quarter (which works out to be US$50 per month).
- There is no sales tax, because you are not buying mobile service. You are making a donation to a non-profit organization (the Calyx Institute), which gives you this truly unlimited 5G/4G data service as a benefit of membership.
- With the new Sprout service, you are free to use any compatible 5G/4G device which is unlocked (not locked to another carrier). You can check compatibility here by entering your IMEI number.
Although most people use the Calyx Sprout with a standard compatible hotspot device (like the Linkport IK511 or any of the other hotspots and mobile routers compatible with the T-Mobile network in the US and Puerto Rico), the Calyx Sprout physical SIM card can also work with compatible unlocked (not locked to any other carrier) tablets and even smartphones that have a physical SIM slot, as long as you understand that no standard telephone calling capability is included with Calyx Sprout. However, you can use any type of VoIP telephone service that can run on a conventional computer, tablet or smartphone device, including Google Voice and Calladito.com (DecoyNumber.com), Google Voice includes domestic and internaltional voice calls, but outgoing SMS texts are domestic US-only. Calladito.com (DecoyNumber.com) includes domestic and international calls and SMS texts if your current plan offers it. Viber Out also works for outgoing standard domestic and international telephone calls, but not SMS texting.
Why no eSIM?
A friend asked me the other day why Calyx Sprout does not offer eSIM. The reason was obvious to me: So far, I have never seen any dedicated hotspot device which offers eSIM. Since the primary use case of Calyx Sprout is to use inside of a hotspot device like the Linkport IK511 or any of the many other hotspots and mobile routers compatible with the T-Mobile network in the US and Puerto Rico, it would not be very helpful to offer eSIM for Calyx Sprout members, as long as the majority of standard hotspot devices don’t have eSIM capabilities so far. Even though the physical SIM card provided by Calyx Sprout can indeed work with unlocked and compatible tablets and smartphones with a physical SIM slot (with the caveats covered in the prior paragraph), that use case likely represents a small fraction of Calyx Sprout users.
One of the advantages of the Fairphone 4 (I reviewed it here) is that it has both a physical SIM slot and eSIM capability. I already verified using the above compatibility link and my unlocked Fairphone 4 is indeed compatible with Calyx Sprout. However, I plan to use the Calys Sprout SIM card mainly inside the Linkport IK511, where the included USB-C cable can freely plug into any computer or even to the Fairphone 4 via its USB-C port if I ever need to do that.
Privacy projects by the Calyx Institute
In addition to the mobile data offered with the Calys Sprout membership described above, the Calyx Institute of New York currently offers:
- CalyxOS, one of the top de-Googled Android systems for privacy, as covered here.
- Digital services
- Educational programs
- Microgrants
- Privacy research
- SeedVault
- The Sepal Fund
- Source code
Privacy features of the Calyx Sprout plan
- You can have your physical SIM card sent to any address.
- You don’t have to use your real name, as long as you are sure you will receive the physical SIM card.
- Whatever name you use when ordering can be later changed within your account on their website. According to Calyx, if you change the name, it will be updated in its own server, in the record at Mobile Citizen (Calyx’s partner-bridge with T-Mobile for non-profits), and in the record in T-Mobile.
For more information, visit the Calyx Institute.
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Reseña: Linkport IK511 de TCL con Calyx Sprout: servicio 5G realmente ilimitado
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