topic Re: US Roaming in Get Support

US Roaming

cjan — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:45:14 GMT

I am going to Florida for March break, and was going to purchase the US roaming add on. But PM has an announcement on their site saying that US roaming won't necessarily work. I'm not really that tech savvy, so I'm wondering if I am in fact interpreting this correctly. If this is in fact the case, what are my best and easiest options to be able to talk with my cell phone in the US? A google search tells me to do one of the following:1.Something about VOIP, or 2. get a us SIM card. I'm not too familiar with how to go about doing either of these options. Any advice? Thanks.

Re: US Roaming

Handy1 — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:49:25 GMT

@cjan If I were you I’d just get local sim in your destination be cheaper and more reliable

Re: US Roaming

LoveNature — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:52:47 GMT

Hi @cjan

when you visit US then purchase Add-ons,
go to your account and Add-ons and there choose which Add-ons you like to buy it,,

when enter US then go to your setting network and manually put it to T-Mobile, and rebooting device.

Re: US Roaming

cjan — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:53:36 GMT

Do you mean just go to Target or something and buy a sim card? Do I have to sign up for a plan though? Is there a simcard/company you can recommend? I'm not too familiar with how it works - it sounds easy, but I'm getting old haha.

Re: US Roaming

dust2dust — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:54:36 GMT

Talk is where the problem is. If there is T-Mobile 2G in that area then you should be able to use talk. Text and data should be fine.

VoIP is an app that needs the internet whether by wifi or cell data.

Getting a US cell service is a matter of finding them in many larger stores and signing up a service. Very much like you would have done signing up here.

Re: US Roaming

cjan — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:55:06 GMT

Ok thanks - I've done that in the past, but I'm just concerned that the 3g network apparently doesn't work in the US anymore.

Re: US Roaming

LoveNature — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:56:41 GMT

@cjan

is will be working on T-Mobile, i think for voice 2G and for data 4G,

Re: US Roaming

cjan — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:57:23 GMT

Thanks.

1. Can you recommend a good VOIP app for me to download? I have whatsapp, but I don't know if that is what you are talking about.

2. So if I got another SIM card while down there, I would just choose a pay-as-you go plan? You don't need a US address to sign up for this while down there?

Re: US Roaming

LoveNature — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:25 GMT

@cjan

if you want to buy it prepaid US SIM card get this,

name: Jethro Mobile USA Sim Card,

Re: US Roaming

Handy1 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:02:12 GMT

@cjan Yes target the air port or anywheres they sell SIM cards . pick up a prepaid SIM card for your duration … it’s what I’d do personally

Re: US Roaming

Meow — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:04:45 GMT

According to Public Mobile:

PM will have T-mobile 2G network for US talk. Try to manually connect to T-mobile.

Roaming is for Data only. Voice and SMS text will still work.

Data will work on LTE, but will switch over to 2G to make a call.

However, the quality of service will vary depending on the different coverage areas when roaming in the USA.

If you really have to be in contact with somebody while in USA, download and install TextNow: get free Canadian phone number and use it for calls/SMS whenever WiFi is available.

Re: US Roaming

hairbag1 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:29:28 GMT

@cjan wrote:
Thanks.
1. Can you recommend a good VOIP app for me to download? I have whatsapp, but I don't know if that is what you are talking about.
2. So if I got another SIM card while down there, I would just choose a pay-as-you go plan? You don't need a US address to sign up for this while down there?

@cjan

if you have whatsapp, you should be ok using wifi at resort, cafe and McD's...you'll only be able to call / text people who are also whatsapp'ers.

Depending on how long you plan on being there...I'd invest in the Public Mobile 15 Day US Roaming Unlimited talk/text bundle for $15. Text should be fine. If you let us know what make and model phone you have, we can show you how to prepare ahead of time. You'll have to know how to manually select T-Mobile as the preferred network for the phone to work. It's EZ to learn with our help we'll get you there.

Re: US Roaming

dust2dust — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:24:11 GMT

I use TextNow. I also recently got a service called Red Pocket Mobile. I had it sent to the hotel I was staying at. But remember that voip and another us service are all a different phone number. You can forward your number to Textnow though. Don't let the public sim see a us tower though or the forwarding will break.

Forwarding texts is a whole lot trickier but doable.

As has been already mentioned though, roaming should be fine but talk is the flaky part. I was in West Maui and it was fine. We hear some reports of areas that have NO T-Mobile service. They simply aren't there. You may experience that.

Re: US Roaming

HALIMACS — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 01:06:02 GMT

@cjan

Personally, if you're going to be generally in an area with reliable Wi-Fi, just use your device's native RCS options (iMessage or Chat) to carry on SMS-like messaging with anyone.

There's also Facetime, and Duo, and the such for making web-based video or audio calls.

Granted, the above options are limited to reliable Wi-Fi.

Re: US Roaming

cjan — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 03:40:37 GMT

Thanks for your responses! Based on everyone's advice, I think I will get the 15 day US roaming talk/text/data bundle. Hopefully the voice calls on available 2g will work fine. We are driving down, so I just want a way to confidently make voice calls in case of a roadside emergency. If I download textnow, I can use data (from the addon) to make a voice call instead of using a wifi signal correct? I think this will be my plan.

Re: US Roaming

dust2dust — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 03:43:24 GMT

You could still be subject to coverage gaps even for data and text as you go through rural areas. Just be aware. Find a T-Mobile coverage map and turn off 5G to see 4G and see how it looks for your route.

Re: US Roaming

Peter-65 — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:00:48 GMT

Because of the US shutting down 3-G, US roaming is spotty at best. I was only able to send 2 messages, it took 12 hours. I was not able to send or receive phone calls. Setting your phone manually to 4G LTE is supposed to help. I ended up buying a cheap US talk and text plus 1GB data for about $10cdn. $100 US for a year. Sim cards are free or $1 depending on the provider. Very easy, available at convenience stores, some sales people will help. Public Mobile did refund my roaming purchase and promises they are rolling out 4G LTE in the US.

Re: US Roaming

softech — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:03:50 GMT

@Peter-65 just an FYI, setting your phone to 4G LTE will help text and data but not voice calls

PM roaming now using T-Mobile's 2G network for voice and 4G LTE for text and data. You need to set the phone to Automatic for the phone to switch to 2G when a call is made (or came)

If you got the roaming addon not long ago, you can open a ticket with PM support and share your bad experience, they might be able to provide partial refund based on your experience

Re: US Roaming

Peter-65 — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:03:58 GMT

True, 3G is gone in the US as of December 2022- January 2023.

Re: US Roaming

Peter-65 — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:10:39 GMT

I did use automatic as well, Public Mobile recommended manual. I was in the US days ago and had no luck with Public mobile roaming anywhere. I shared with PM support and did receive a full refund. Unfortunately, it seems something hasn't been addressed in the software. September 2022 there were no issues, US roaming was excellent.