Calls to Canada fail on US Roaming

[Salsa]

I purchased the US Roaming with 3GB data Add-on this morning. I’m now in the US and have able send and receive texts, but calls to Canada are failing. I’m using an iPhone 6s with the latest iOS. Roaming is turned on and I have 5 bars on the T-Mobile network. Run out of ideas on what to do next. Any suggestions?

[CdnSk8r]

Is it a possibility that problem calls are because of not using the area code or not using the ‘1’ prefix + area code? Please clarify situations: calling US to Canada, calling US to US, Calling Canada to US when you are out of your local Canadian area code. 

[CS_Agent]

Hi,

It's great that it woks with a local SIM card. At the end of the day, we have to choose the most convenient option.

All the best,

Vlad

[Salsa · Accepted solution]

I looked into the voip solution. Technically should work, but seems like a lot of fuss to manage when I’m already in the USA. Much easier to find the nearest Bestbuy and buy a prepaid SIM card. It means that I have to use a different phone number, but that also applies to the voip solution. Ultramobile, 3GB, unlimited talk and text including Canada and Mexico for 30 days, $US 19.

I have suggested to customer service that customers purchasing the US roaming add-on be forced to check their phone against the list of VoLTE enabled phones before completing the purchase.

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Salsa I would imagine it's because Public Mobile has only enabled VoLTE for iPhones 8 and newer.  In the US most carriers support VoLTE on iPhone 6 and newer so a US sim would work. PM is not alone, in Canada Fizz also starts VoLTE at iPhone 8, I don't know about other Canadian carriers.  It doesn't matter in Canada since we still have 3G here.  If data worked for you there you could use a free voip app like TextNow or Fongo for voice calls over data or wifi when in the US.  Data should still work on PM roaming wven without VoLTE, texts also.

[Salsa]

Thanks for the comment Phil_Adelphus. I did try setting the phone to 3G, which resulted in a "No service" notification on the screen.

There is something else that I don't understand about this situation. On previous trips to the US, I put a US tourist SIM card in the phone, which worked fine. Why should roaming with my Canadian number work differently?

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Salsa as the 2G network was turned down in 2017.

T-Mobile still has some 2G, it was planned to shut down completely this past April but they cancelled that for now, however it's spotty as they gradually continue shutting it down.  Although there isn't any 3G in the USA since 2022 you might try connecting to T-Mobile and setting the phone to 3G as someone else said that worked, presumably because it enabled the phone to drop to 2G.  

[Salsa]

The only two options that I see under Voice and Data are LTE and 3G.

It would have been nice if the hardware limitations were more prominently displayed at the point where one buys this add-on.

[hairbag1]

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@Salsa wrote:

I am on a T-Mobile network. I don’t understand the suggestion to force the phone to use 2G, as the 2G network was turned down in 2017.

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Open settings > Cellular Data Options (Roaming ON) > Voice & Data...there you can select 2G for calls while in US without volte. BUT...you might find talk is underwhelming unless you're close to a cell tower. As you get in to rural areas, 2G simply doesn't work very well. If you're going to be visiting US frequently, my suggestion is to remove your PM sim from your i6s and install it in a cellphone that is on the PM whitelist.

[Salsa]

I am on a T-Mobile network. I don’t understand the suggestion to force the phone to use 2G, as the 2G network was turned down in 2017.

I decided to give roaming a try, as this is a shorter trip. In the past, I have purchased US travel SIM cards, which made calls without a problem. Looks like I will have to go back to that.

[Dunkman]

@Salsa 

iPhone 6 does not have VoLTE on the PM network.  Since 3G network is decommissioned in the USA, your talk services will be spotty in the USA.  Try the T mobile network and force your phone to the 2G network if possible.  Then you may be able to talk.  

Here is some additional information:

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