Dropped calls in the USA

[lefty4666]

Just completed a 20 minute conversation with CAA Niagara about an important insurance issue. The call was dropped 6 times over 20 minutes. Fortunately the CAA rep was very patient, kept calling me over and over and we finally concluded the issue. Now this event was from CAA to my cell in Temple Texas, since I could not call from here - CAA number is not available from this area. T Mobile is showing on my cell from time to time. Then my wife had to interact with CAA Niagara - they called her but she could also call them with her cell and Virgin. Her 20 minutes proceeded without a single dropped call.

[darlicious]

@computergeek541 

Geez could you make this thread more convoluted by tagging a new question by the OP onto their thread from 10 days ago?

@lefty4666 

When looking thru your daily usage pages the data entries tagged WEB are logged usually shortly after midnight denoting data usage in two 12 hour blocks from the previous 24 hours. That data usage reported is for the entire 12 hour time period. You will usually notice one 12 hour block will have more usage than the other ( depending on your habits) as one will often encompass the period of time that you are asleep. If you average 50mb per day between the two usage reports then over a 30 day plan cycle you will use approximately 1.5gb of data less than the average Canadian mobile user of 2.7gb of mobile data.

To contact customer support click below:

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

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #

[darlicious]

@lefty4666 

Public Mobile is a DIY mobile provider but you have learned much of what you need to know now. Admittedly until telus decides pm customers are worthy of voLTE calling the decommissioning of the 3G network in the US does throw a wrench into very important component of pm service while roaming in the US. However keep in mind that over and above your plan cost I would imagine the most you spent on US Roaming was $20+$15=$35? Whereas if your wife used her phone every day for the full 14 days her phone bill will have 14×$10/day=$140 extra billed for her flawless services. Convenience does come at a price.

To contact customer support click below:

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

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #

[dust2dust]

The other talk is what messed you up for talk. The data should have been fine. So that's unfortunate.

While an add-on is active (whether single or bundle), you can't buy that same add-on (whether single or bundle) until upwards to another 24 hours after expiry. Or you can ask the support people to buy it for you at any time earlier. But after expiry and before that 24 hours, you can buy a different talk add-on. As you found you were able to buy the other data.

I think a plan would be to buy the talk/text/data bundle and then it warns you that you've used up that data so then buy maybe the 1gb data add-on. Then after the 240 hours of the first bundle you could buy the other talk/text (not the data one because you can't yet) bundle or single add-ons. If you run out of that 1gb then buy the 500. Then the 250. All the while watching that 240 hour count down. Keep track of the time of day you bought them so you can know when the 240 hours is up other than it stops working.

How much is the Virgin roaming?

[lefty4666]

After 6 days I was alerted that my data was mostly gone, I then purchased separately more data and more talk and text, could not buy the original add on. The only way I got on the internet for many of my events was because of the hospital wifi system - it became fundamental, thankfully it was there because my hot spot just did not work a lot of the time..

[lefty4666]

I would have thought a package for service in the USA would come with some responsibility for coverage and reliability...value for value maybe. I have no knowledge about Auto networks and resetting. I have an LG Q6. My wife had zero issues, pefect service, perfect reliability , no monkeying with networks, it just worked. The PM setup at home is much less expensive and totally functional, travelling - Virgin wins all the prizes. 

[dust2dust]

Wifi is not mobile data.

Mobile data is the data connection via cellular. To use mobile data in the US you need roaming add-ons. Then you need to have the roaming option set on the phone.

Your phone might have an optional ability to automatically switch to mobile data when weak or disconnected.

[JL9]

T-Mobile seems to be more reliable for PM users using a roaming add on due to AT&T and the 3G issues in the US

[darlicious]

@lefty4666 

You likely experienced a few issues for your disjointed service. It is always preferable to manually select either at&t or T-Mobile to ensure a consistent connection to the network. In areas where at&t may have already decommissioned their 3G network which would only affect voice calls or where one network offers better service or is the only option manually changing providers is necessary. This is probably the primary issue with your mobile data service being somewhat unreliable.

The inability to place a call from that calling area message may have been the result of not having access thru at&t 's decommissioning of their 3G network. However the dropped calls likely occurred after purchasing another roaming "package" vs just a US Roaming data add on. Overlapping two US Roaming add ons with a talk feature causes a glitch that drops calls just before the 2 min mark  after usually hearing 3 beeps.

I suggest contacting customer support and relating your experience and asking for a partial credit for the portion of your service affected by the glitch with the talk feature. Here is some additional info on US Roaming add ons that you may find helpful the next time you travel to the US.

Spoiler

1. While you have to have an active plan to purchase and use US roaming add ons the type of plan you have does not affect the roaming add ons features.
2. US roaming add ons start the moment you confirm and submit your purchase in your self serve account and expire 240 hours later (10 days×24 hours).
3. You can pre-load the funds needed to purchase the add ons in your self serve account so you only have to log in, select the US roaming add on and then confirm and submit your purchase.
4. Wait til late as possible to purchase since they are immediately valid so on free wifi at the destination airport or stopping shortly before the border at mcd's or timmy's to buy the add on while on free wifi.
5. If you are staying longer than 10 days you must wait a minimum of 24 hours to purchase the same US roaming add on or contact the moderators to add it before the waiting period ends.
6. If you have two US roaming add ons with a talk feature that overlap the talk feature basically gets disabled. Avoid this....but you will have to get one removed by a moderator to get your calling feature back if this happens.
7. After purchase reboot your phone and manually select either at&t or T-mobile to get better reception. Some areas have better coverage by either provider so when travelling around the US you will be better served by choosing the provider with better signal strength by locale.
8. You will recieve incoming texts without any US roaming add ons. Adding the fongo app and textnow app for use on wifi are good to use for a back up plan or you could call forward your pm phone # to your fongo # before you leave Canada and purchase just the US data roaming add on. Fongo also works on mobile data (1 min=0.5mb/100 min=50mb) so you could still recieve incoming pm texts, recieve incoming pm calls to your fongo #/app, outgoing calls from your fongo number and outgoing  texts from textnow for free or small fee from fongo. Edit: The call forwarding option will only work using a local SIM card as call forwarding is reset if the pm sim card connects to a US cell tower.
9. All US roaming add ons have either unlimted text, talk or both. Only data has limits depending on your purchase 250mb/500mb/1gb. Once the data is consumed it will just stop you could then purchase different roaming add on, wait 24 hr to buy or contact the moderator to buy the same US roaming add on again. (* except talk as previously mentioned.)

Happy travels and Stay--Safe!

Please note currently due to the decommissioning of the 3G network in the US by pm's roaming partners at&t has already begun this process but as of March 3rd 2022 still has some areas that are still served by the 3G network. T-Mobile has an end date of July 1st 2022. This will affect the ability of pm customers to send and receive voice calls and emergency service such as 911 while in the US and using pm's US roaming add ons. The current work around is to download a voip app such as textnow or fongo for use while on wifi or mobile data for voice calls when in areas no longer served by the 3G network which will eventually include all areas served by at&t and T-Mobile.

To contact customer support click below:

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

To pre-verify your account include in your private messaging only your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #

[Luddite]

@lefty4666  Don't stay home! You only live once. 🤔

Check out my post in your other thread for a possible solution to your travelling woes. 
Of course vacationing Canada eliminates all these issues. 🥴

[softech]

@lefty4666   When you are in US, you will have to turn on both Mobile Data and Data Roaming.  

Data roaming means you are using data outside of your own network or country.  So, when you are in USA and you want to use Roaming data, you need to enable Data Roaming as well as Mobile Data

Also, when you want to use the network in US, you have to manually change the network carrier from Automatic to either T-Mobile or AT&T

[esjliv]

whoops @lefty4666  - did you mean to add this to your other post...https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/I-don-t-understand-quot-Data-quot/td-p/81...

[Luddite]

Yes with 3G now hit & miss in USA, the only dependable add-on is data. In which case, get a TextNow account and train all your friends to use that number when you are in USA. For $10 they will hold your TextNow number indefinitely when it's not being used. 

For longer stays pickup the TextNow SIM and their data plan. If you can survive without data, they also have free cellular calling/texting while in the US. 

[hTideGnow]

HI @lefty4666   what you meant by "purchased two Public Mobile plans sort of end to end before leaving and while in the USA",  you bought two roaming data add-on before your trip to US?

Data events are MMS receive and sending and do not count towards your data bucket

Yes, checking email, google things would consume data.

[lefty4666]

As I recently struggled to get connection to the internet while in the USA, with Public Mobile packages in place, via my hot spot or the hospital wifi, I turned on mobile data.....sometimes ok, sometimes not. I turned on mobile data and data roaming.....sometimes ok, sometimes not. Back at home - wifi off, mobile data on, hot spot on = instant internet, every time. Should I just stay home or leave my cell in my desk drawer when I travel?

[dust2dust]

It's possible you may have settings on the phone to use cell data if wifi is weak or unconnected. Hotspotting could easily use a lot of data depending on settings on the devices using the hotspot.

[esjliv]

---

@lefty4666 wrote:

I purchased two Public Mobile plans sort of end to end before leaving and while in the USA and when I look at the usage information, all seems ok in terms of no unexpected charges, numerous voice events, a few text events, numerous data events - about 500MB in total, all of them tagged "web".

"web" is using your data connection/service at some point.

I assume that indicates that I had acheived internet connection via my hot spot or the hospital wifi system. Now, I checked emails and sent emails and read articles from my emails and goggled some. Do these activites all consume this "data"?

If your DATA option is turned on in the settings of your device, even when you are connected to a wifi zone, apps can use DATA in the background. So to prevent this from happening and using DATA unknowingly, best to turn of DATA completely when in WIFI areas, or ensure your check your settings in your phone and each app to ensure all background data is turned off.

Some of these events were 5 -- 10 minutes in duration and  show 70 and 75 and 80 MB each time, some were shorter and used 20, 30, 40, 50 MB. It looks like that I may need to load up much more "data" for even my modest activities while travelling. Thoughts. 

---

See my comments above to your inquires.

[lefty4666]

I purchased two Public Mobile plans sort of end to end before leaving and while in the USA and when I look at the usage information, all seems ok in terms of no unexpected charges, numerous voice events, a few text events, numerous data events - about 500MB in total, all of them tagged "web". I assume that indicates that I had acheived internet connection via my hot spot or the hospital wifi system. Now, I checked emails and sent emails and read articles from my emails and goggled some. Do these activites all consume this "data"? Some of these events were 5 -- 10 minutes in duration and  show 70 and 75 and 80 MB each time, some were shorter and used 20, 30, 40, 50 MB. It looks like that I may need to load up much more "data" for even my modest activities while travelling. Thoughts. 

[JL9]

I second this suggestion not just on potential savings but also on the reliability of the service as it looks like the 3G situation in the US is causing a lot of headaches for PM users getting the Roaming add on.

[softech]

@lefty4666  Roaming is always truoble and pricey.  And with US started turning off 3G , Roaming talk would be more unreliable than ever

If your wife was going with you  on the trip, you really should have got US local data, you would have spent less and would have got a lot of data.  And if you got local data there, if there is any problem, you can always head into a store and ask them to help.    For voice calls and text, you will have to rely on VoIP app then.

[esjliv]

@lefty4666 - Did you buy the same addon within your first 10 days of buying the first one?

Roaming addons in the USA with Public Mobile services are finicky if you are buying the same one or trying to overlap the same type of addon within the 240hours after purchasing it. Or even 24 hours after the addon expires.

It is silly really.

It usually requires assistance with a customer support agent to have the same one added within this period of time, or you can purchase a totally different addon so they 2 same do not overlap.

If your travel plans in the USA are for longer than 10 days consider a travel sim, or stay up on these finicky things. I am sure many people use these addons successfully, but Public Mobile DOES NOT explain these strange hiccups very well.

This service likely needs some fine tuning and more clarity to the customers.

[hairbag1]

Your 10 Day US Roaming options last for 240 hours from when you actually buy them. After 240 hours, you need to wait for 24 hours before rebuying...you can't just buy the same add-on before old one expires + 24 hrs. It is puzzling...I know.

[dust2dust]

Could you show us an image or copy/paste of your payment history so we can see what you bought and when.

It would have been preferable to leave it manually on T-Mobile as AT&T is currently shutting down their 3G.

Wifi in a hospital is unrelated.

I suspect the add-ons you bought 6 days in were another talk part.

[hTideGnow]

HI @lefty4666   Did you try AT&T as well?  Did you disable Automatic network and use Manual selection to choose T-Mobile or AT&T?

I think the reception and reliability in US  is more of less out of PM control

What kind of phone do you have? 

[lefty4666]

Just completed a 2 week trip with my wife into the USA, purchased a 10 day package just before leaving, after about 6 days, got an alert that most of my data was used up, bought a 2nd package. In central Texas within 10 miles of 3 cities with a total population of about 200,000 people, 100 miles south of Dallas-Ft Worth, 50 miles north of Austin. T Mobile sometimes showing on my cell - 75 to 80% of the time - "Emergency Calls Only". Sometimes - "can't call that number from your calling area". Much of the time can not access the internet via my Hot Spot. Sometimes can not even access the internet via a massive institutional (hospital) wifi system. Could not access my voicemail, no way to reset the forgotten password. Dozens of dropped calls in mid-sentence. Meanwhile my wife's cell via Virgin and a roaming package works flawlessly in all regards. Home 3 days - the Public Mobile system is working like a charm, calling, texting, hot spot, voicemail(no password required), etc. Looks like I need a different approach for USA cell use. Thoughts?

[darlicious]

@lefty4666 

As @hTideGnow has alluded to the glitch causing your dropped call issue you will need to contact customer support to remove one of the US Roaming add ons that has a talk component and they will credit your account.

Here is some info on US Roaming add ons that you may find useful.

Spoiler

1. While you have to have an active plan to purchase and use US roaming add ons the type of plan you have does not affect the roaming add ons features.
2. US roaming add ons start the moment you confirm and submit your purchase in your self serve account and expire 240 hours later (10 days×24 hours).
3. You can pre-load the funds needed to purchase the add ons in your self serve account so you only have to log in, select the US roaming add on and then confirm and submit your purchase.
4. Wait til late as possible to purchase since they are immediately valid so on free wifi at the destination airport or stopping shortly before the border at mcd's or timmy's to buy the add on while on free wifi.
5. If you are staying longer than 10 days you must wait a minimum of 24 hours to purchase the same US roaming add on or contact the moderators to add it before the waiting period ends.
6. If you have two US roaming add ons with a talk feature that overlap the talk feature basically gets disabled. Avoid this....but you will have to get one removed by a moderator to get your calling feature back if this happens.
7. After purchase reboot your phone and manually select either at&t or T-mobile to get better reception. Some areas have better coverage by either provider so when travelling around the US you will be better served by choosing the provider with better signal strength by locale.
8. You will recieve incoming texts without any US roaming add ons. Adding the fongo app and textnow app for use on wifi are good to use for a back up plan or you could call forward your pm phone # to your fongo # before you leave Canada and purchase just the US data roaming add on. Fongo also works on mobile data (1 min=0.5mb/100 min=50mb) so you could still recieve incoming pm texts, recieve incoming pm calls to your fongo #/app, outgoing calls from your fongo number and outgoing  texts from textnow for free or small fee from fongo.
9. All US roaming add ons have either unlimted text, talk or both. Only data has limits depending on your purchase 250mb/500mb/1gb. Once the data is consumed it will just stop you could then purchase different roaming add on, wait 24 hr to buy or contact the moderator to buy the same US roaming add on again. (* except talk as previously mentioned.)

Happy travels and Stay--Safe!

Please note currently due to the decommissioning of the 3G network in the US by pm's roaming partners at&t has already begun this process but as of March 3rd 2022 still has some areas that are still served by the 3G network. T-Mobile has an end date of July 1st 2022. This will affect the ability of pm customers to send and receive voice calls and emergency service such as 911 while in the US and using pm's US roaming add ons. The current work around is to download a voip app such as textnow or fongo for use while on wifi or mobile data for voice calls when in areas no longer served by the 3G network which will eventually include all areas served by at&t and T-Mobile.

To contact customer support click below:

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

To pre-verify your account in your private messages only include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #

[JL9]

why is that? confusing each other and cancelling each other out?

[hTideGnow]

Hi @lefty4666   which US network you are using ?  TMobile or AT&T?

Check your My Account to see if you got 2 different Add-ons that have TALK on it.  If 2 roaming Add-on with TALK existing together, it will cause dropping of calls