Calling while in USA using the 10 Day Add Ons - Will it be reliable.

[CountyDownIeUk]

While I am not that knowledgeable on 3G, LTE throttled to 3g or 5G. Some have mentioned that the loss of 3G in the USA can make it difficult to use your phone. But is that for calling, text or data or all 3 while roaming on AT&T or T-Mobile? What I just found that it appears PM has no fix for it as per pic below.  So does that mean the USA add-on will be come glitchy, not working everywhere and just fade away?

[softech]

@CountyDownIeUk  did you check this:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/FYI-on-US-roaming/td-p/788170

I think we can use VoLTE down in US if our devices are compatible.

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@darlicious wrote:

@CountyDownIeUk 

The LTE setting must be an autoconnect setting so that your phone gets caĺls without issue when  on LTE. I'm a little surprised that I am the first to explain it.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

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Geeesh..That further confuses me. This is stuff that I can’t get into! So autoconnect......not on my phone! 3G or LTE and I assume if I put on LTE that it will work downwards?

[darlicious]

@CountyDownIeUk 

The LTE setting must be an autoconnect setting so that your phone gets caĺls without issue when  on LTE. I'm a little surprised that I am the first to explain it.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[CountyDownIeUk]

@darlicious 

Thanks for the explanation. Much to my surprise my phone only has an  option to select 3G or LTE. And quite awhile back I changed it from LTE to 3G because the time on phone is incorrect when it is set on LTE. 

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@CountyDownIeUk 

The shutdown of the 3G network in the US primarily affects voice calls. Unless your device is not compatible with the 4G LTE network but since most devices have the frequencies to connect with the 4G LTE network this won't be an issue for the vast majority of customers. Most pm customers have their devices set to 4G LTE/3G/2G (autoconnect) as such both your mobile data and your SMS/MMS texts use the 4G LTE network. When using pm's US roaming add ons you will see no difference with those services they will work exactly as they do here.

The question is how a well if at all will the usual workaround for this issue work during the transition period as the 3G network is decommissioned by at&t and T-Mobile with different sunset dates for each provider. Customers in Canada who may live in an area with no 3G coverage can use their conditional and/or unconditional call forwarding options to forward their pm calls to a voip provider when they enter an area without coverage.

The problem with doing this when roaming in the US is until the 3G network is completely decommissioned if your sim card connects to a US tower that still has a working 3G signal it will cancel any call forwarding settings leaving the customer without the ability to rest them. However they can rely on a voip provider for their voice calls and outgoing texts using just pm's 10 day US roaming data add ons or instead use a US providers mobile service and leave their pm sim cards in Canada with call forwarding enabled and if they want a text forwarding app as well to be able to recieve both incoming pm voice calls and texts.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[NDesai]

We don't know is this will be wide spread. Eventually, they will get rid of 3G HSPA completely, but at this time it might be in some areas. Below is what I found on Fido. considering PM do not have VoLTE, calling and texting won't work. However, the 3G data is still over LTE so data might work in some areas with LTE signal. 

"Who's affected by the shutdowns?

The US 3G/HSPA network shutdowns will only affect a small number of phones that do not support 4G LTE data and Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) roaming.

Those with an affected device will no longer be able to make or receive mobile calls (including 911 calls), send or receive text messages or use cellular data while in the US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands).

Most phones today support 4G LTE data and VoLTE roaming networks, so only a small number of devices will be affected."

[HALIMACS]

@CountyDownIeUk 

Great question.   I'd say you won't be able to make or receive calls.   You also won't be able to likely send SMS, but you may be able to still receive.

I'd say data would be out of the question - just a hunch.

Curious if any resident experts can weigh in?   We, the Community, really need certainty around this as it's less than 2 weeks away...