Bought US Roaming Talk/Text/Data Roaming before Trip - Won't make or receive calls at all

[Mike8500]

Hello,

I'm reaching out here to get support from Public Mobile.  I am not able to create a support ticket as it gives me repeated 404 errors.

I purchased a US roaming 15 day talk/text/data add on prior to making a trip into the US.  In the US, I can not make or receive calls, could not access voicemails, data was very intermittent and sometimes text messages will go out, but not always.  Many times they just won't send.  The area we are in has good coverage as my Wife, who was also on Public Mobile and bought the exact same add-on is able to make calls, receive calls, send texts and use data at all times without issue.  

I've tried all the tricks, restarting my phone, toggling airplane mode, checking my network connection settings and it just doesn't work.   

I feel like I've been ripped off as the payment went through to my CC, yet the add-on that I paid for doesn't work.  We bought these add-ons so we could have a reliable way to communicate with each other, but that is not the case.

@CS_Agent 

[DennyCrane]

@chafiq 5G works, but only with T-Mobile. There's currently an issue with AT&T 5G still. Since this thread was last active AT&T has come back online for us, but only their 4G network. And unfortunately if you have your preferred network set to 5G, it will try to connect to it (and it won't work).

It's best to just set your network to 4G when roaming. You'll still get 5G speed. Otherwise manually connect to T-Mobile. As long as you do this Data and SMS should be fine.

As for phone calls, it doesn't look like the A34 is on Public Mobile's VoLTE whitelist, so you're probably out of luck unless you can find a T-Mobile 2G connection.

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/volte

[chafiq]

voice and SMS didn't work for me. Data worked well. I have been in California, Arizona and Colarado within a week.

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy A34 5G. It is supposed to have VoLTE.

With 5G activated (auto mode), even data did not work. I was connecting and disconnecting within 2 seconds.

Voice was not working as well with default settings.

I reduced connection options to LTE/3G/2G to make the data connection possible.

A big disappointment and stress because I could not receive important calls during my trip.

[DennyCrane]

Got it. I'd say from this SOS experience and many others, including mine, it's a lost cause. PM can say all they want via their agents and on their website, but at the end of the day there hasn't been a report of any of us being able to successfully roam on AT&T in a very long time (a couple of years?). This is further substantiated by the lack of roaming available to PM customers in Alaska, which does not have TMobile coverage. 

[softech]

@hycm53   roaming on AT&T has been "broken" for over a year.  Yes, the official help page still showing AT&T.  Not sure what is the issue there.   I know Telus itself also showing both AT&T and T-Mobile .  Not sure if Telus customers can actualy access AT&T network.

[hycm53]

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@DennyCrane wrote:

@hycm53 apologies I may not be following your point. If it said SOS when connected to AT&T, that's confirmation that there is no roaming arrangement with AT&T. But you're staying CS said you can. Are you saying that we can or cannot roam with AT&T?

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I really don't know that we can or cannot connect to AT&T. That's why I would like the OP to try it.  I'm not sure the CS_Agent's information is correct or not.

[DennyCrane]

100%

I'm trying to clarify the point being made for the integrity of the thread. I agree with everything you've said though.

[dust2dust]

Regulars here should know by now that getting a response from one agent one time is nothing resembling reliable information. This OP had also said that they tried to connect to AT&T and couldn't. It has an unreliability factor though with their follow-on statement that now they can't connect back to T-Mobile. We would want them to get back connected solidly to T-Mobile and then tr AT&T and get back. But I think they've lost interest from frustration by now.

This place has had AT&T in their literature all this time. It's wrong.

[DennyCrane]

@hycm53 apologies I may not be following your point. If it said SOS when connected to AT&T, that's confirmation that there is no roaming arrangement with AT&T. But you're staying CS said you can. Are you saying that we can or cannot roam with AT&T?

[hycm53]

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@DennyCrane wrote:

Unless something has changed in the last few weeks, the agent is misinformed. They may say AT&T is still a roaming partner, but myself and others can confirm from first hand experience that that's no longer the case. My experience is as of a month ago. 

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My experience was on April in Boston when member of community asked to connect to AT&T, and phone showed "SOS" only. I asked "is PM a partner with AT&T after April" to CS_Agent, and the answer is "Yes, I can confirm that at&t is a Public mobile partner."

[DennyCrane]

Unless something has changed in the last few weeks, the agent is misinformed. They may say AT&T is still a roaming partner, but myself and others can confirm from first hand experience that that's no longer the case. My experience is as of a month ago. 

[hycm53]

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@Mike8500 wrote:

The phone didn't work in Portland, Eugene, Springfield, North Bend.  Both phones have the roaming add-on before we left.  I'm so done with this issue.  I'm requesting a refund from the CS Agent.  Shouldn't be spending my Vacation on Phone Forums..

Thanks to all those that tried to help.  @LitlLdy @dust2dust @softech @DennyCrane 

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Did you try connect to AT&T? I just get message "I can confirm that at&t is a Public mobile partner" from CS_Agent (who is Carlos) .

[DennyCrane]

Good to know. 

Data should work in 2G, but I wouldn't expect it to function well from a practical use perspective. And I'm sure YMMV.

[dust2dust]

@DennyCrane- Some phones can switch down to 2G when on a call. Sometimes in some areas you might have to switch down. That was my experience when I went to another area when I last had roaming. SMS and talk work on 2G. I'm still not at all sure if data works. SMS and data work on LTE.

[hycm53]

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@Mike8500 wrote:

There is no mention of IMS on either device.  No I didn't try forcing it to GSM only.  I tried restarting the phone at least half a dozen times with it set to automatic.

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Did you check your account to make sure you did have US add on roam on your account?

[DennyCrane]

Without VoLTE the only hope at being able to make a call would be to put the phone in 2G/GSM. I still don't understand the SMS and data issue though, but like has been mentioned it may just be T-Mobile coverage gaps. 

[softech]

@Mike8500   

yes, if you need , get local mobile data

and message support for refund when you are back

Enjoy your trip

[dust2dust]

Ok then no volte for you. Setting it to GSM should then work for talk and text. Setting to LTE would work for data and text not talk. Of course that's once you're connected to T-Mobile. Maybe you're simply not in a coverage area.

[Mike8500]

The phone didn't work in Portland, Eugene, Springfield, North Bend.  Both phones have the roaming add-on before we left.  I'm so done with this issue.  I'm requesting a refund from the CS Agent.  Shouldn't be spending my Vacation on Phone Forums..

Thanks to all those that tried to help.  @LitlLdy @dust2dust @softech @DennyCrane 

[softech]

@Mike8500   In the connection settings, if you change to Manual, does it see T-Mobile? 

[Mike8500]

There is no mention of IMS on either device.  No I didn't try forcing it to GSM only.  I tried restarting the phone at least half a dozen times with it set to automatic.

[dust2dust]

@DennyCrane- Yes, that's an excellent point. Indeed, some devices are removing the ability to select 2G as you experienced. Yes, we were already aware that 2G had much less coverage. But at least it gave us something before the arrival of volte.

[DennyCrane]

Yes and no. My previous phone (Pixel 5a) did not have an ability to set it on 2G, so without VoLTE it was impossible for me to make phone calls in the US. I also suspect coverage may vary with the 2G network, to a greater extent than 4g and 5g networks. 

[softech]

@Mike8500 S9 for sure have VoLTE but the toggle could be hidden by provider

Yes, some of those city have problem with connection, like Portland. 

And both you and your wife got the Roaming addon and cannot connect? Or at least you meant you tried on both phones?   

I would think it is a T-Mobile coverage issue.  I guess you just have to keep trying

And remember, check your Prefered network type, make sure 4G or LTE is selected

For voice, you can try to change the Preferred network to 2G and see if it can connect.  But remember to change it back to LTE  (4G) 

[dust2dust]

volte is not required, it would just work way better (adding - for talk). Did you have a look for the IMS thing I mentioned? On both phones? Did you try setting to 2G (or GSM) only?

To try to get back, leave the network on automatic and the mode on LTE and then restart the phone. T-Mobile is the only thing to connect to so automatic should be it.

[Mike8500]

@softech  I have a S9 and my Wife has an A51.  There is no toggle for VoLTE on either phone.  I was in Oregon all over from Portland, Eugene, Florence, Reedsport, Northbend.  The first time I looked I was connected to T-Mobile, but calls and texts were not working.  Data worked intermittently.  I tried switching to AT&T and that didn't work either.  Went to switch back to T-Mbile and it would not connect or even show up on the list to try and manually select it.

[LitlLdy]

@Mike8500 , After looking at everyone’s responses I wonder if this means that since your Wife’s phone works fine there that it means her account has VoLTE & yours doesn’t! Not all phone are compatible for it on Public Mobile & some still don’t have it activated on their accounts!

Edit: Never mind, I see you said your Wife doesn’t have VoLTE! Sorry, I’m stumped on the issue! Sorry 😕

My page is loading slowing now!

[softech]

@Mike8500  what kind of Android phone you have?  VoLTE just need LTE and a compatible phone. Check if the toggle is there.  The exact location could be different, but try this

Samsung/ Other Android: Settings->Connection->Mobile Data, enable VoLTE there

And, which city and state you are at?

Make sure you change the Connection to Manual and try to pick T-Mobile network manually

[Mike8500]

I read the warnings before purchasing the add on.  There was no mention of VoLTE being required for the phone to work in the fine print. "Differences in coverage" is a really ambiguous way to say "won't work unless you have VoLTE"

My Wife's phone doesn't have VoLTE and she mas making calls, sending texts and using data just fine in the same location.  Both of us toggled on Roaming when we crossed the border.

Important : As of February  22nd, 2022, United States (U.S.) carriers have started turning down certain 3G/HSPA networks. As a result, customers using U.S. roaming add-ons will be impacted by differences in coverage or service quality (including 9-1-1 calls) when roaming in the U.S. Customers may also experience changes to services such as welcome messages, voicemail notifications, usage notifications for voice, notifications when trying to make an international call, interactive voice responses (IVR), as well as the ability to set up voicemail while in the U.S. This shutdown will not impact your service in Canada.

[dust2dust]

Have a look at settings, about phone, status information, sim card status - look for any mention of IMS and if it's registered. That will tell you if the phone has volte. On both phones.

If you have 2G only then try that for talk and text. Turn on roaming data and turn on mobile data and see if you can browse the internet while you're on 2G.

[Mike8500]

Yes.  They are both android phones.