topic Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile in Get Support

Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dougcurley — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:09:41 GMT

When roaming in the US, does roaming utilize both the AT&T and T-Mobile networks? I frequently travel to Alaska, where T-mobile does not operate, but AT&T provides LTE service. Does anybody have experience to suggest whether Public roaming will work there? Thanks.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

Yummy — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:11:25 GMT

It used to be both but now only recommendation is to connect to t-mobile.

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.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dougcurley — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:16:44 GMT

I wonder if this will change now that voLTE seems to be working now on Public (in Canada at least).

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

Hollister — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:27:43 GMT

@dougcurley

See second bullet:

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

DennyCrane — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:56:16 GMT

Where did you find that? On the Telus site? I'd argue it's not applicable anymore, or becoming not applicable as we speak. As of yesterday im now able to make calls with VoLTE on PM in BC.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dust2dust — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 23:01:06 GMT

We're all waiting for reports from folks. I was in the states up to yesterday afternoon. No volte on T-Mobile. I guess I should have tried connecting to AT&T after this news.

So for now, no, not Alaska. If you're going then try connecting to AT&T and see if you can and see if you get the welcome text.

For here - nor in Richmond, nor in Kamloops.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

Hollister — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 23:13:23 GMT

@dougcurley

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/how-to-use-volte

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

popping — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 23:20:58 GMT

@dougcurley wrote:
I wonder if this will change now that voLTE seems to be working now on Public (in Canada at least).

Yes, I read a post yesterday that a PM member had the VoLTE working on his/her phone.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/VoLTE-is-now-working/td-p/956848

But PM has not announce the VoLTE support yet. YMMV

@dougcurley

PM may be testing the VoLTE feature ATM. Check your phone or wait for official PM announcement.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

gohan84ever1 — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:05:43 GMT

Wife is currently up ALaska right now (in port of Juneau) - she connected to 5G (AT&T) - but unable to get data going...any suggestions? I've asked her to see if there's 4G network from AT&T for her to connect on to see if that will go. Still waiting to hear back, her voice and sms are going through on the 5G network.

She's on the CAN/US plan currently, so hopefully the switch to it was worth it hahahaha.

Any suggestions would be great!

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

DennyCrane — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:07:43 GMT

Wow that's great news that talk and text are working on AT&T in Alaska. That's definitely progress from no service at all on AT&T. Hopefully that's a sign of good things to come (i.e. data working too).

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dust2dust — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:15:23 GMT

@gohan84ever1- That is great news. Roaming data on? Of course cell data on? Maybe have her switch the phone down to 4G LTE. Maybe roaming on 5G isn't working.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

hTideGnow — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:18:01 GMT

Hi @gohan84ever1

so her phone actually connected to AT&T and voice working ? that is new. But no reason not data. Ask her to check if roaming data is on

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

gohan84ever1 — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:14:40 GMT

Correct - but *HER* stupid iphone...for some reason, she can't find the Network selection tab, her sister who's an avid iphone user went through her settings as well - and it's different than hers LOL - don't ask me - I'm android - so right now, she's connected to 5G still - can TXT, can call - but NO MMS (obviously) - and no Data. Better than nothing I guess...

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dust2dust — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:24:44 GMT

@gohan84ever1- Oh come on. 🙂 Settings, mobile data, mobile data options - turn on data roaming. In the same spot - voice & data - select 4G. Maybe it's set to 5G.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

gohan84ever1 — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:28:19 GMT

LOL! Yes, Roaming has been on the entire time. Will pass on your text to her, and see if it's there...I tried to walk her through with another iphone here, but the screens are different... like I said... go figure. =p

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

dust2dust — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:32:03 GMT

@gohan84ever1- I'm also not an Apple guy. But those menus seem to be ongoing with the same thing for many iphone iterations. I was just playing around with the oh come on maybe more towards the friend. 🙂

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

softech — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:35:35 GMT

@gohan84ever1 what iPhone she has and what iOS? So , did she go through this and cannot find the menu?

Settings app, tap Cellular, or Cellular Data, or Mobile Data. Turn on Cellular/Mobile Data, then tap Cellular/Mobile Data Options. Turn on Data Roaming.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

gohan84ever1 — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 20:33:06 GMT

OK... so wife is back, and I was walking through her phone... so on HER iphone ... both her and her sister swear the part in cellular / Talk & Data / 5G Auto ..that was NOT available for them to see. So what I would suggest is...if you KNOW you are heading over the border... change your settings to LTE - and hopefully your internet will be more accessible than my wife. Recap - on 5G mode in Alaska - connected to AT&T, but data was very very spotty - couldn't always connect to it. I'm thinking it's the 5G that was screwing things up... hopefully someone who's going up can further test & confirm.

🙂

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

DennyCrane — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 20:36:28 GMT

@gohan84ever1

AT&T isn't supposed to work at all, but it seems something is happening (not sure if it's intentional or not). I was in Washington state yesterday and was able to phone and text on AT&T, but no data at all. I had to jump over to T-Mobile for full services, which isn't available in Alaska of course.

Re: Roaming AT&T vs. T-Mobile

softech — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 20:37:13 GMT

@gohan84ever1

thanks for confirming we have roaming in Alaska again, finally 🙂

you were actually lucky that you had some connection on AT&T when you were in Alaska, althought not great :(. AT&T has not been working for a year and T-Mobile has no connection there. It was only where recent that roaming on AT&T starts working again.