[Android General] Viva La Android R.I.P.:
Hot Pepper™ Mobile

Chilaca 4G-LTE Smartphone

T-Mobile® Certified

Model No. HPP-L60A

View attachment 5768747

General Info &

Discussion Thread ​

OVERVIEW:

The Chilaca is a T-Mobile certified 4G-LTE smartphone, manufactured by Hot Pepper Mobile for eligible recipients of the federal Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) -- government sponsored initiatives which assist low-income individuals and households with mobile phone service and mobile devices.

For an entry-level device, the Chilaca is a surprisingly capable smartphone. The MediaTek Helio A22 chipset platform utilizes CorePilot technology, which provides power-aware scheduling, CPU thermal management and persistent UX monitoring. These attributes work in harmony to assign the appropriate workload to CPU cores at a calculated and specific frequency and voltage, balancing the needed performance load demand with the optimal power efficiency. This landmark feature shines bright on the Chilaca, giving the user palpably smooth performance, the ability to maintain heavy workloads, all while maintaining impressive battery life in between charges. Moreover, the Chilaca's certification with T-Mobile provides remarkable network connectivity, excellent upload/download speeds, and extended range LTE coverage by way of Band 12 & 71 support.

HARDWARE SPECS:

Chipset: MediaTek Helio A22 (MT6761V/CAB)

CPU: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53

CPU Max Clock: 2.0 GHz

Architecture: armv7l (32-bit)

CPU Process: 16 nm

GPU: IMG PowerVR Rogue GE8300

GPU Max Clock: 660 MHz

Display: 6.51" 1600 x 720 HD

Screen Density: 280 dpi (hdpi)

Internal Storage: 32GB eMMC (23.9 GB useable)

LTE Modem: Cat 7 DL; Cat 13 UL

LTE Bands: 2, 4, 5, 12, 25, 26, 41,66, 71

Bluetooth: v5.0, LE

WLAN Support: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz)

Battery: Li-Ion 3200 mAh

RAM: 2.0 GB (+ 1.386 GB zRAM)

Cameras: 5 MP Main; 2 MP Front

Ports: Type-C USB | 3.5mm Headphone Jack

FIRMWARE INFO:

OS/Version: Android 12 (Go Edition)

Firmware Build: HPP-L60A-3.0.18

Build ID: 12/SP1A.210812.016

Kernel Version: Linux v4.19.191

Radio: MOLY.LR12A.R3.MP.V208.3.P5

Security Patch Level: September 5, 2022

API Level: 31

Partition Scheme: Dynamic (Non A/B)

Project Treble: Supported

DEVELOPMENT STATUS:

Hot Pepper Mobile CEO Shawn Sun has selected me as a tester for the Chilaca 4G-LTE smartphone. Accordingly, the Chilaca has not yet been released within the mainstream US smartphone market. . This thread will serve as a general info & discussion forum for the Chilaca as more handsets become available via their release and distribution in the Lifeline program throughout the US.

I have obtained the factory firmware for the Chilaca, but have not yet experimented with bootloader unlocking or rooting the phone. I will keep this thread updated with any news in this regard. Should any members need the stock firmware, just leave a comment with the request.

UPDATE: February 17, 2023:

A recent OTA firmware rollout updates the current build to vHPP-L60A-3.0.19 with the December 05, 2022 security patch level.

I have also discovered that, per contractual terms between T-Mobile and the manufacturer, the bootloader on the Chilaca is not supported for unlocking. However, it appears that the Chilaca can be exploited using the MTK Client utility. Once I confirm bootloader unlocking I plan on writing a full tutorial with the step-by-step instructions and the required files for the task. It does appear that the Chilaca has been distributed throughout several US states via the federal Lifeline and ACP initiatives, making the device prominent on the mainstream market. I would ask that any Chilaca device owners leave a comment below.

UPDATE: March 23, 2023:

Another recent OTA security update has bumped the firmware build to HPP-L60A_3.0.20 with the February 1, 2023 security patch level.

In order to exploit the bootloader using MTK Client, you must be running the HPP-L60A_3.0.18 firmware build, or an earlier build. More recent builds have blocked user-initiated access to BROM mode which is essential to proper device recognition while using MTK Client. Fortunately, device owners may downgrade via the firmware package provided below in conjunction with the SP Flash Tool.

UPDATE: April 15, 2023:

An OTA update dated April 12, 2023, has bumped the firmware build to HPP-L60A_3.0.21, with a security patch level of March 5, 2023. This update included some bug fixes on premature kernel panic triggering and some baseband radio issues involving extended range LTE Band 71.

UPDATE: June 25, 2023

The latest OTA security update bumps the build number to HPP-L60A_3.0.22, with a security patch level of June 5, 2023.

USEFUL LINKS:

• Factory Firmware HPP-L60A_3.0.18

• Chilaca Factory Firmware Restoration Guide

• SP Flash Tool v5.1924 (32 & 64-bit)

• Chilaca FCC Test Report

• Chilaca HPP-L60A User Manual (PDF)

• MTK Client Setup & Usage Guide **

Credit goes to @Sidharth09 for his guide on setting up and using MTK Flash Tool. Please consider hitting the thanks button on his thread.
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