Calls go straight to voicemail

[cabarnak]

I am in the USA and do not want to add another roaming add-on. I just want my PM phone number to be forwarded to another QC number. 

My settings for call forwarding are correct and they have been confirmed with either 

- *#21# (when non-conditional fwd is activated)

OR

- *#61# / *#62# / *#67# (when conditional forward are individually set)

Whatever the setup, all calls are routed directly to my PM voicemail. Last week, I had the same problem and ended up buying a roaming add-on. Forwarding then worked properly (though not needed anymore!). I am looking to stay in the US for a while so buying an add-on every 10 days is not a satisfying solution...

Thank you

[Nezgar]

@cabarnak you're welcome. Ahh, I didn't realize you were trying to forward to a USA number too, that's definitely not ever possible on Public Mobile, even with your phone in Canada.

Yes, I'm also a voip.ms customer for my home line and if your travels take you to the USA often, that might be a good "central station" to house your number. Even if you don't use an app for SMS, their system can deliver them to an email address, and you can even reply to the emails and the voip.ms systems will route it back to the sender as an SMS reply. Also, there's a clunky SMS portal too.

Hopefully you don't have a lot of accumulated rewards on your PM account - as a number port out will close out the account, taking those with it. ✌️

PS: I've been using the free "GS Wave" app on my android, works alright - and over PM data as well. (Love seeing the home caller ID popup on my mobile, with the option to answer too.  It has messaging support, but I've literally only sent and received 1 SMS so can't speak to it's robustness.

[cabarnak]

Thanks @gpixel . The problem is exactly that...forwarding my pm calls and text to a US phone number. I already have a US number with verizon.

At this time, I think the best solution will be either:

a) migrate to another provider like Koodo, so that I can fwd calls and still receive texts. Only downside is that I need to make sure I never reply to SMS from my koodo number, otherwise it'll cost me 8$ per day. Not ideal but can be done. 

b) port my number to a voip provider which supports sms (voip.ms for example). Super cheap and fairly easy to DIY. Downside is that SMS will need to be handled through their SMS portal or through another app like Zoiper. 

In all cases, looks like I will need to leave PM behind 😕

Thanks for all of your help guys! @Nezgar you really helped me getting to the bottom of this. Much appreciated. 

[gpixel]

@cabarnak

go to textnow.com and get a free number to use in the US. then purchase the sim card from them and you will have free unlimited calling and texting. they also have data plans if you're interested. I'm not too sure on the procedure to get your pm sim to forward to the textnow number from the states. but, this would be a good solution for the next time you travel to america

[Nezgar]

@kb_mv Right I get you now. If phone is turned off/airplane mode prior to leaving Canada you wouldn't even receive SMS to try to reply through another means...

Anyhow... PM USA roaming add-ons are comparatively cheap, at least for talk+text, and in Canadian dollars. 🙂

[kb_mv]

---

@Nezgar wrote:

---

@kb_mv wrote:

@cabarnak If I am not mistaken, (perhaps @Nezgar can confirm), you don't need Roaming to receive SMS in the USA. You won't be able to send any though. 

---

Correct... But the challenge @cabarnak highlighted is that while you can receive SMS with no roaming add-ons, all calls to your number go to voicemail, regardless if you have set a call forward elsewhere.

---

@Nezgar Yes, I only included it as an addendum to recording a new voicemail greeting as @cabarnak commented that it didn't address SMS. He could still receive them.

[Nezgar]

---

@kb_mv wrote:

@cabarnak If I am not mistaken, (perhaps @Nezgar can confirm), you don't need Roaming to receive SMS in the USA. You won't be able to send any though. 

---

Correct... But the challenge @cabarnak highlighted is that while you can receive SMS with no roaming add-ons, all calls to your number go to voicemail, regardless if you have set a call forward elsewhere.

[kb_mv]

@cabarnak If I am not mistaken, (perhaps @Nezgar can confirm), you don't need Roaming to receive SMS in the USA. You won't be able to send any though. 

Edited: this is a screen grab from Simon, from another thread on this....

 

[Nezgar]

---

@cabarnak wrote:

Yes, this would work...for calls, not for SMS. Turning off the phone before departing Canada prevents me from accessing messages in the US. My wife is with Koodo and she keeps her ability to fwd calls AND she still receives sms on her phone (she can reply from another number, or she can buy the roaming add-on for 8$/day).

It's not ideal but on the positive side think about this: your wife pays $8 per day for just one call or send 1 text, whereas with PM talk add-on for that same $8 you get 10 days of unlimited calling (and call forwarding). for another $7 ($15 total) you can also add the ability to send texts too for 10 days...

But yes, technically if your wife is careful to never use any data, do any talk, and never send an SMS, the $8/day can be avoided while still having working call forward in USA on koodo...  (And similar to other flagship & mid-tiers like Telus, Bell, Rogers, Fido, Virgin)

[cabarnak]

Yes, this would work...for calls, not for SMS. Turning off the phone before departing Canada prevents me from accessing messages in the US. My wife is with Koodo and she keeps her ability to fwd calls AND she still receives sms on her phone (she can reply from another number, or she can buy the roaming add-on for 8$/day).

Thanks for your help everyone!

[cabarnak]

Thanks, this (unfortunately) makes sense. 

[kb_mv]

@cabarnak Perhaps a workaround to the situation that @Nezgar describes is to re record your voicemail greeting asking people to please call the QC number. Not very elegant but it would probably do the job.

[Nezgar]

Call forwarding while the phone is on and operational in the USA will only work with an active roaming add-on. The reason is because the calls are processed by the USA carrier if the SIM is active on a USA network. Once your phone registers to a USA tower, call treatment is handled by the USA network... which means with no talk add-on, calls will all go to voicemail until your SIM registers again in Canada. (Better than nowhere I guess, which I previously suspected)

I *believe* the only way to keep forwarding going is to set the forwarding while still in Canada, and then either physically remove the SIM from the phone or ensure it remains in Airplane mode and never registers to a USA tower for your duration out of the country.

It's quite possible that the forwarding commands can also be set while you have an active talk roaming add-on (Well, you indicated it works) - but again, you might have to ensure that the SIM is removed or the phone is placed into Airplane mode before the roaming add-on expires - at which time the USA network will cease to honour your call forwarding. I suspect it will cease to work though, since PM is still passing calls to the USA carrier until you next register in Canada...