Since we first reviewed the Punkt MP02 at the start of this year, the voice phone scenario in the US has changed for the better, with good low, middle, and high-end choices.
In addition, the MP02 now works on AT&T's voice-over-LTE system, which makes it a viable option for AT&T and Cricket customers nationwide.
The $350 MP02 is certainly the best-looking voice phone you can buy, though you might find it a little too simple compared with some of the competition.
Punkt at AT&T
The MP02 has been out for about a year.
Before now, though, it couldn't work on US voice-over-LTE systems, which meant it was relegated to 2G and 3G networks.
All of the US carriers' coverage expansion and improvement efforts are now focused on 4G, and to use a non-4G phone right now means you're going to suffer from declining coverage and call quality.
The big change from when we previously looked at this phone is that Punkt now works on AT&T's 4G system.
That means the MP02 is be able to take advantage of all of AT&T's band 5 and 12 LTE coverage, which can make a big difference in rural areas and inside buildings.
For its next trick, I'd like to see Punkt work with AT&T's NumberSync system, which lets you have the same number on multiple devices, the way the Light Phone II does.
Punkt said it's working on it.
The phone is also somewhat compatible with T-Mobile, but not really.
On T-Mobile, it will get stuck on a wobbly, low-quality 2G network.
Punkt is working on T-Mobile certification.
Design
Punkt is a small, Swiss company that makes great-looking electronics that evoke mid-20th-century design.
The company's alarm clock, USB charger, and cordless phone are all expensive, and clearly designed from the outside in, but they're lovely to look at.
The MP02's physical design is the best thing about the phone.
A friend of mine jokingly referred to it as "the calculator," with its round, black buttons, but we think the buttons more evoke Marc Newson's work or kooky 1980s design phones.
The phone is made of matte polycarbonate, with a sort of trapezoidal back and a rubber bottom.
It's protected against splashes, but it isn't fully waterproof.
At 4.6 by 2.0 by 0.57 inches and 3.5 ounces, it fits easily in your hand and slips effortlessly into a pocket.
The only ports on it are a USB-C charging port and a nano SIM card slot.
The 2-inch, 320-by-240 transflective screen is readable in sunlight and has a minimalistic, text-only interface; the only time you ever see an image is when someone sends you a picture message.
By default, you see the date and time; that's it.
As a physical object, Punkt nails the feeling of phone where Light doesn't.
The Light Phone II is a little too square and a little too short; it sits slightly awkwardly in the hand, and its E Ink face reveals a bit too little when it's not in use.
The MP02, on the other hand, is closer to the ideal of phone, and much nicer to fiddle with in your hand and pocket.
User Interface and Software
The phone takes two clicks to unlock: the power button on the top, and then the action button between the navigation arrows to the left of the keypad.
You can add a passcode, too, if you like.
At that point, dialing is simple—just dial.
Anything else is more complicated.
If you get a new text, that's down, click, click.
Two quick action buttons, to jump to your texts and your address book, only work from the home screen, not from anywhere in the UI.
There are no dedicated volume keys, and changing the volume during a call is a multi-click process involving looking at the screen.
The MP02 has a few limited, built-in applications.
The address book's only sync option is importing VCF files or SIM contacts, via USB or Bluetooth.
Considering the MP02 runs customized Android (more on this shortly), I would have loved to see a cloud-based contact sync.
There are 10 built-in ringtones (the default is a bird chirp) and you cannot assign ringtones to specific contacts, or create groups.
See How We Test Phones
For texting, you get multilingual predictive text and the ability to receive and view, but not forward or send, picture messages and emoji.
You're not going to type anything long on this, the way you can more easily dictate text messages via Google Assistant on the Alcatel Go Flip 3/Smartflip3; Punkt says this is on purpose, to prevent you from getting sucked into long texting conversations.
You will also not be notified of new texts while the screen is off.
That's another conscious Punkt choice to put you in control of your texts, rather than your texts in control of you, although it can create a counter-behavior where you start obsessively unlocking the phone if you're expecting a text.
Other apps include an alarm, a calculator, a clock, and a stopwatch, as well as calendar and notes apps that are difficult to type into and don't sync anywhere, another place Punkt could have thought of some cloud connectivity without endangering its disconnecter philosophy.
The Light Phone II and Alcatel phones do much better at this (the Alcatel phone, probably too well; it has a web browser and Facebook, which may be too much for the sort of committed disconnector who's looking at the MP02).
Light's approach, with a simple cloud-based interface for inputting your contacts (and maybe notes and calendar entries too), is a good middle ground; Punkt is working on this.
This isn't a data-free phone: It has LTE tethering, for when you need to pull out your tablet or PC and check those emails.
With relatively slow Category 4 LTE, I found it got 5-10Mbps down on AT&T and T-Mobile, which is OK for basic access but nothing stellar.
Tethering really hits the MP02's battery hard, though.
The phone also has 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but only to receive software updates, not for Wi-Fi calling.
Under the hood, the MP02 runs a stripped-down version of Android 8.1 with BlackBerry security extensions on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 chipset.
It's unrecognizable as Android, and you can't add apps or anything like that.
Making Calls—and Just Making Calls
As I said, for now you should think of the MP02 as an AT&T and Cricket phone.
With all the globally used 2G and 3G bands, as well as 4G bands 1/2/4/5/7/12, it can work in theory on T-Mobile or Verizon, but it doesn't do well on T-Mobile and won't connect on Verizon at all.
On AT&T, the phone has HD calling, but not the higher level of HD known as EVS, which is only available on high-end smartphones.
Audio tuning is now quite good.
Punkt goes for mellow, well-rounded sound rather than punching up the gain and achieving distortion.
The Light Phone has a little more distortion at top volume.
The Sonim XP3 manages to balance high volume and lack of distortion the best, but that's one of Sonim's specialties.
The speakerphone is on the back, designed so that it amplifies itself slightly by bouncing off your desk.
I got a maximum of 74db at 6 inches, which is the same as the Light Phone and the Alcatel phone, but is outmatched by the Sonim and high-end smartphones.
The phone connects to voice-only Bluetooth headsets using Bluetooth 4.1, or to Punkt's proprietary USB-C headset; it didn't work with my OnePlus Bullets USB-C headphones, and it doesn't have a headphone jack.
I had no problem getting a week's worth of standby on the 1,280mAh non-removable battery, but there's only about four hours of talk time, according to Punkt.
Comparisons and Conclusions
As a small, artisanal European company, Punkt has made a lovely art object that lets you make calls and receive messages.
It feels classy and soothing.
Now that it works with VoLTE on AT&T, it's ready for US buyers.
I'd like to see the company rethink its approach to UI.
I get not wanting to bombard you with features, but on a phone like this, most options should be one press away.
In the name of simplicity, Punkt often makes things a little too complex.
Light Phone gets some usability issues better, with physical volume buttons and such, but its voice quality and ergonomics are a little off.
I'm rating these two premium, quirky voice phones the same as a result.
At $349, this isn't going to be a top recommendation for a mainstream audience.
Most voice phone buyers I know want something less expensive, and for them, we recommend Alcatel Go Flip 3/Smartflip or the Sonim XP3.
Cons
No cloud sync for contacts, notes, or calendar.
No physical volume buttons.
Doesn't alert you to incoming texts.
The Bottom Line
Punkt's simple MP02 voice phone offers an admirable mission statement and a lovely design, but it's a little too pricey and niche to appeal to mainstream buyers.
Since we first reviewed the Punkt MP02 at the start of this year, the voice phone scenario in the US has changed for the better, with good low, middle, and high-end choices.
In addition, the MP02 now works on AT&T's voice-over-LTE system, which makes it a viable option for AT&T and Cricket customers nationwide.
The $350 MP02 is certainly the best-looking voice phone you can buy, though you might find it a little too simple compared with some of the competition.
Punkt at AT&T
The MP02 has been out for about a year.
Before now, though, it couldn't work on US voice-over-LTE systems, which meant it was relegated to 2G and 3G networks.
All of the US carriers' coverage expansion and improvement efforts are now focused on 4G, and to use a non-4G phone right now means you're going to suffer from declining coverage and call quality.
The big change from when we previously looked at this phone is that Punkt now works on AT&T's 4G system.
That means the MP02 is be able to take advantage of all of AT&T's band 5 and 12 LTE coverage, which can make a big difference in rural areas and inside buildings.
For its next trick, I'd like to see Punkt work with AT&T's NumberSync system, which lets you have the same number on multiple devices, the way the Light Phone II does.
Punkt said it's working on it.
The phone is also somewhat compatible with T-Mobile, but not really.
On T-Mobile, it will get stuck on a wobbly, low-quality 2G network.
Punkt is working on T-Mobile certification.
Design
Punkt is a small, Swiss company that makes great-looking electronics that evoke mid-20th-century design.
The company's alarm clock, USB charger, and cordless phone are all expensive, and clearly designed from the outside in, but they're lovely to look at.
The MP02's physical design is the best thing about the phone.
A friend of mine jokingly referred to it as "the calculator," with its round, black buttons, but we think the buttons more evoke Marc Newson's work or kooky 1980s design phones.
The phone is made of matte polycarbonate, with a sort of trapezoidal back and a rubber bottom.
It's protected against splashes, but it isn't fully waterproof.
At 4.6 by 2.0 by 0.57 inches and 3.5 ounces, it fits easily in your hand and slips effortlessly into a pocket.
The only ports on it are a USB-C charging port and a nano SIM card slot.
The 2-inch, 320-by-240 transflective screen is readable in sunlight and has a minimalistic, text-only interface; the only time you ever see an image is when someone sends you a picture message.
By default, you see the date and time; that's it.
As a physical object, Punkt nails the feeling of phone where Light doesn't.
The Light Phone II is a little too square and a little too short; it sits slightly awkwardly in the hand, and its E Ink face reveals a bit too little when it's not in use.
The MP02, on the other hand, is closer to the ideal of phone, and much nicer to fiddle with in your hand and pocket.
User Interface and Software
The phone takes two clicks to unlock: the power button on the top, and then the action button between the navigation arrows to the left of the keypad.
You can add a passcode, too, if you like.
At that point, dialing is simple—just dial.
Anything else is more complicated.
If you get a new text, that's down, click, click.
Two quick action buttons, to jump to your texts and your address book, only work from the home screen, not from anywhere in the UI.
There are no dedicated volume keys, and changing the volume during a call is a multi-click process involving looking at the screen.
The MP02 has a few limited, built-in applications.
The address book's only sync option is importing VCF files or SIM contacts, via USB or Bluetooth.
Considering the MP02 runs customized Android (more on this shortly), I would have loved to see a cloud-based contact sync.
There are 10 built-in ringtones (the default is a bird chirp) and you cannot assign ringtones to specific contacts, or create groups.
See How We Test Phones
For texting, you get multilingual predictive text and the ability to receive and view, but not forward or send, picture messages and emoji.
You're not going to type anything long on this, the way you can more easily dictate text messages via Google Assistant on the Alcatel Go Flip 3/Smartflip3; Punkt says this is on purpose, to prevent you from getting sucked into long texting conversations.
You will also not be notified of new texts while the screen is off.
That's another conscious Punkt choice to put you in control of your texts, rather than your texts in control of you, although it can create a counter-behavior where you start obsessively unlocking the phone if you're expecting a text.
Other apps include an alarm, a calculator, a clock, and a stopwatch, as well as calendar and notes apps that are difficult to type into and don't sync anywhere, another place Punkt could have thought of some cloud connectivity without endangering its disconnecter philosophy.
The Light Phone II and Alcatel phones do much better at this (the Alcatel phone, probably too well; it has a web browser and Facebook, which may be too much for the sort of committed disconnector who's looking at the MP02).
Light's approach, with a simple cloud-based interface for inputting your contacts (and maybe notes and calendar entries too), is a good middle ground; Punkt is working on this.
This isn't a data-free phone: It has LTE tethering, for when you need to pull out your tablet or PC and check those emails.
With relatively slow Category 4 LTE, I found it got 5-10Mbps down on AT&T and T-Mobile, which is OK for basic access but nothing stellar.
Tethering really hits the MP02's battery hard, though.
The phone also has 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but only to receive software updates, not for Wi-Fi calling.
Under the hood, the MP02 runs a stripped-down version of Android 8.1 with BlackBerry security extensions on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 chipset.
It's unrecognizable as Android, and you can't add apps or anything like that.
Making Calls—and Just Making Calls
As I said, for now you should think of the MP02 as an AT&T and Cricket phone.
With all the globally used 2G and 3G bands, as well as 4G bands 1/2/4/5/7/12, it can work in theory on T-Mobile or Verizon, but it doesn't do well on T-Mobile and won't connect on Verizon at all.
On AT&T, the phone has HD calling, but not the higher level of HD known as EVS, which is only available on high-end smartphones.
Audio tuning is now quite good.
Punkt goes for mellow, well-rounded sound rather than punching up the gain and achieving distortion.
The Light Phone has a little more distortion at top volume.
The Sonim XP3 manages to balance high volume and lack of distortion the best, but that's one of Sonim's specialties.
The speakerphone is on the back, designed so that it amplifies itself slightly by bouncing off your desk.
I got a maximum of 74db at 6 inches, which is the same as the Light Phone and the Alcatel phone, but is outmatched by the Sonim and high-end smartphones.
The phone connects to voice-only Bluetooth headsets using Bluetooth 4.1, or to Punkt's proprietary USB-C headset; it didn't work with my OnePlus Bullets USB-C headphones, and it doesn't have a headphone jack.
I had no problem getting a week's worth of standby on the 1,280mAh non-removable battery, but there's only about four hours of talk time, according to Punkt.
Comparisons and Conclusions
As a small, artisanal European company, Punkt has made a lovely art object that lets you make calls and receive messages.
It feels classy and soothing.
Now that it works with VoLTE on AT&T, it's ready for US buyers.
I'd like to see the company rethink its approach to UI.
I get not wanting to bombard you with features, but on a phone like this, most options should be one press away.
In the name of simplicity, Punkt often makes things a little too complex.
Light Phone gets some usability issues better, with physical volume buttons and such, but its voice quality and ergonomics are a little off.
I'm rating these two premium, quirky voice phones the same as a result.
At $349, this isn't going to be a top recommendation for a mainstream audience.
Most voice phone buyers I know want something less expensive, and for them, we recommend Alcatel Go Flip 3/Smartflip or the Sonim XP3.
Cons
No cloud sync for contacts, notes, or calendar.
No physical volume buttons.
Doesn't alert you to incoming texts.
The Bottom Line
Punkt's simple MP02 voice phone offers an admirable mission statement and a lovely design, but it's a little too pricey and niche to appeal to mainstream buyers.
