topic Re: US add on data roaming in Get Support

US add on data roaming

rmm2 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:55:53 GMT

I purchased the $30 add-on for roaming in the US. I have been here 3 days now and it still is not working. Unable to make or receive calls or use data. Please advise.

Re: US add on data roaming

Handy1 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:57:23 GMT

@rmm2 Make sure you connected to T mobile and reboot phone ,

Re: US add on data roaming

softech — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:57:46 GMT

@rmm2

Voice could be trickier but data should be ok

First, which city and state you are at?

Also, you see the phone connected to T-Mobile network?

If not, try to manually choose T-Mobile to connect and don't rely on Automatic

And make sure you phone's setting, Roaming Mobile data is enabled

See if you can connect to T-Mobile first and let us know if data works

Re: US add on data roaming

dust2dust — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:06:16 GMT

If you see that you're connected to T-Mobile then data and real sms texting should work. Did you get the welcome to US text? That would mean you're connected to T-Mobile. You can receive real sms texts without the add-on.

Talk needs to be in the old 2G coverage area and your phone needs to be able to drop down to 2G.

2G coverage is much less than 4G. Even that could be a coverage problem.

Re: US add on data roaming

rmm2 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:21:25 GMT

Thanks for response. I received a welcome to US - but it was from Public Mobile and told me to purchase an add on. However, I'd already done so and paid the $30 before I left. I've toggled back and forth between letting the phone automatically select the network and selecting T-mobile -- but either way it doesn't work to make calls. I had this happen previously - but assumed PM had upgraded by now.

Re: US add on data roaming

Meow — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:24:29 GMT

Your mileage may wary with US add-ons...

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: US add on data roaming

rmm2 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:38:14 GMT

How do I drop to 2g?

Re: US add on data roaming

computergeek541 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:44:51 GMT

@rmm2 wrote:
How do I drop to 2g?

For the most part, this happens automatically, although some phones have 3g-only (or even LTE-only) setings. Some recent phone models also have a seperate option in the settings menu that must be checked off to allow 2g network connections.

Re: US add on data roaming

softech — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:51:39 GMT

@rmm2 wrote:
How do I drop to 2g?

@rmm2 your device will take care of that when a voice call is made or when a call comes

But are you able to connect to T-Mobile and able to access data? Check that first. Once data is working, you can try your voice call

Re: US add on data roaming

dust2dust — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:16:00 GMT

For seamless functioning Public would need to implement volte (or vowifi). No one here knows when that will happen.

Getting that text tells us that you are connected to T-Mobile.

Further to other replies, some phones have even removed the ability to use 2G at all.

But it's more likely that you're just out of 2G range.

Re: US add on data roaming

darlicious — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 20:46:46 GMT

@rmm2

Voice calling is very dependent on where you are in the US. Generally urban areas are good while rural is poor. East is better than west. Flat over mountainous. Maine and West Virginia have very poor coverage. Florida isn't great and New York City is hit and miss. The west is pretty good in most cities but almost nonexistent in rural areas especially Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa, North Dakota, the northern part of Colorado, mountains of Washington state and there's no coverage in Alaska.

Use the links in the update post of this thread for the cell mapper network coverage map where you ca get detailed info on your local cell towers with T-Mobile's 2G network.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/US-Roaming-Add-ons-Decommissioning-of-US-3G-HSPA-Networks/td-p/843202

Re: US add on data roaming

Luc1234 — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:48:44 GMT

AT&T not T-Mobile works here in Portlan, Oregon.

Link above is not working either:

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Click your browser's Back button to continue.

Return to my original page

Re: US add on data roaming

Luc1234 — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:52:21 GMT

Same here as rmm2:02-15-2023 01:21 PM.

I am in Portland, Oregon, ( a Major city)

Re: US add on data roaming

Luc1234 — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 23:01:52 GMT

I meant neither AT&T nor T-Mobile work for me herei n Portland, Oregon.