Google Nexus 5 LG can't make or receive calls with PM although texting and data worked

[vktoronto]

Hello,

Hope someone can help me... I got an old Google Nexus 5 LG and it worked fine with other carrier such as Rogers. However when I bring it over to PM (with a Public Mobile SIM card which also worked fine no issues in another phone), I can not make or receive calls as it appeared the network is unavailable (incoming calls went to voicemail, but then I am unable to call my voicemail number too). The data and texting seemed to work fine though, only voice calls are not working!

I did search through this forum for related posts, and it was suggested before that 3G network setting should be selected instead of 4G LTE... However if I select 3G in network settings then everything (call, text, data) does not work at all (while with LTE the texting and data can still work). 

Will appreciate any advice to resolve this issue... it seems like a "partial" software compatibility issue with PM, not a hardware issue (because the phone works well with Rogers SIM card).

Thank you very much in advance.

[vktoronto]

#sheytoon Yes I did try that very latest Dec 2016 version and the flashing did not go well... although I followed every steps to the letters. This phone is not that ancient (lol) and it can still be used for many simple needs (including useful apps) and may still serve well a kid/teen user, instead of throwing it away... It is not my main phone by any means, of course.

I will try cellmapper as that Manitoba thread seemed to make sense in my own case... although I still don't understand why the 3G or LTE options on this phone work for Rogers/Fido/Speakout SIMs, but that same 3G option refused to work with PM, although clearly this model has all the required 3G bands for use with various Canadian carriers including PM?

About cellmapper, do I have to actually answer the call on another phone, or is it sufficient to make the call and then take the screenshot while it is ringing on the other phone? Sorry if this is a silly question  🙂

[sheytoon]

Stock image can be any of these:

https://developers.google.com/android/images#hammerhead

I would just try the latest December 2016 build. Flashing is pretty straight forward with fastboot.

This phone is ancient. Any reason you want to keep using it?

Cell mapper is easy enough to use. Just open it up and take screenshot when you're in an active call with Rogers SIM.

[softech]

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@vktoronto wrote:

I do appreciate your perspective, however I am still trying to understand the real cause of this problem which seems unique to PM/Telus network, in the hope for a definite answer. As mentioned previously, I have no issues using Rogers/Fido on this same phone and very same non-stock OS,

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These OS are certainly far from perfect, it could have some bugs and it's hard to say, it's truly hit or miss.   I still believe your phone should be good but the OS somehow not accessing the 3G channels properly.

check with the different forums on LineageOS and hope someone has similar issue and a fix.

if I am right, they don't have Lineage19 for Nexus 5 at the moment?

[Anonymous]

 @vktoronto : That's an interesting piece of experience from the learned Oracle...that dial code doesn't work on my Samsung A31 running A11. YMMV. Here's hoping.

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

Read this thread about the Manitoba issue and it will help you understand how cellmapper works and how your phone is affected even though your issue is not related to the Manitoba issue.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Huawei-P30-Lite-model-MAR-LX1M/m-p/761112...

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 #.

[computergeek541]

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@vktoronto wrote:

I did search through this forum for related posts, and it was suggested before that 3G network setting should be selected instead of 4G LTE... However if I select 3G in network settings then everything (call, text, data) does not work at all (while with LTE the texting and data can still work). 

.

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For whatever reason, your phone seems only to be able to connect to LTE networks. The HSPA network is requried for phone calls at Public Mobile.  Although I can't answer why someone would have changed these settings, I've once seen an Android phone locked into one specific network type within Android's hidden menus.  That setting there overrode the settings in the regular customer accessible settings menu.  Not even a factory reset would change that setting back.  I suggest quickly going into *#*#4636#*#* and check if the network settings have been mistakenly locked into LTE only.  

[computergeek541]

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@softech wrote:

@vktoronto 

did you try Network Reset ?  It is common that LG phone needs Network Reset when it is used on a new network. 

(Please note Network reset will wipe your pre-set Wifi setting as well)

If Network Reset does not work, you might have to Factory reset as well.  We did see that factory reset was the way to  resovle the issue.

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The issue with some LG phones running Android software relates to data use rather than phone calls.  Also, while LG manufactures the Nexus 5, that LG-specific issue wouldn't apply as the software on it isn't the typical LG-altered Android but rather stock Android.

[Anonymous]

 @vktoronto : Perhaps that version of LineageOS for this phone isn't quite on to little ol' Public Mobile. I would be asking the developers. Are there other ROM OS's that have been made for that phone? Since you're banging around non-stock OS's all over the place. 🙂

[vktoronto]

I do appreciate your perspective, however I am still trying to understand the real cause of this problem which seems unique to PM/Telus network, in the hope for a definite answer. As mentioned previously, I have no issues using Rogers/Fido on this same phone and very same non-stock OS, which would mean this non-stock OS does not affect the phone's ability to make and receive calls. Having said that, I still have to learn about cellmapper to hopefully get more details of the band/frequency difference between Rogers and Telus networks, which might help shed more light on this network-specific issue? 

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

I don't know if @sheytoon  can help in regards to the OS your are running but is sacrificing voice calls worth the apps you might lose?

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 #.

[softech]

@vktoronto not here.. I  meant these

https://forum.xda-developers.com/tags/lineageos/

https://www.reddit.com/r/lineageos/

[Anonymous]

 @vktoronto : Tip o' the hat to your evident comfort level with non-stock OS's. I think the forum mentioned is the XDA forum. Or even from wherever you got the OS from. But you're kinda out there on the edge going non-stock. This is not a Public Mobile problem.

[vktoronto]

There are a dozen of original stock versions (all Android 6) so I didn't know which one was the right one, I tried with one of them but it did not work out. Also I need to have more recent Android for many apps to work... Did you mean Lineage forum on PM Community here? I don't even know that existed...

[vktoronto]

@sheytoon Thank you for your suggestion.. I will have to learn how to use Cellmapper... Tried to flash back to stock firmware but it didn't work out, because I could not remember the exact software version on this phone (Google has like a dozen of various versions of stock Android 6 for Nexus 5!). Also it is not very useful to go back to stock, as many Google Play store apps now would not run on Android 6 any more. 

[softech]

@vktoronto   you have a Google original ROM to try ?

I think you should open a post in Lineage forum, too..

[vktoronto]

@softech It was on LineageOS18... Just now I tried to downgrade to LineageOS17 to see it that might change, but in fact it got worse (texting was affected now) so I'm going back to LineageOS18.

[darlicious]

@sheytoon 

Thanks for weighing in....you help make this all make sense!

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 #.

[softech]

LineageOS is good to give new life to old phone.. my Note 3 is still running strong with it

@vktoronto  which exact lineageOS ROM version is that?

[Purpleoyster77]

Yes you will. Suggest you back up everything you need (WhatsApp, Photos etc) before attempting a factory reset. There also an option to back up your settings. You maybe, however, want to reset to factory defaults on subsequent reset attempts.

[sheytoon]

I am suspecting LineageOS is causing issues with 3G radio capability.

Cell mapper is a good suggestion. It'll narrow down if Rogers works on 2G or 3G.

Alternative is to flash it back to Google stock firmware. Nexus 5 should work fine with 3G in Canada.

[darlicious]

@BKNS27 

Calling works with the Rogers sim card. It's likely a compatible band issue. Calling could be working on the 2G network with Rogers or the the other 3aG band that Rogers uses but telus does not.

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 #.

[BKNS27]

@darlicious 

Thanks I realize that but not sure if the OS will affect calling. Hopefully a member may know if the OS will affect calling.

[darlicious]

@BKNS27 

That could affect browsing but that isn't the issue...voice calls are the issue.

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 #.

[BKNS27]

@vktoronto 

After January 11, 2021, any OS Android 7.1.1 or older. The encryption for the browser on these older phones will stop working. 

This may be the cause to the Nexus 5 but I am not sure if this will affect the calling on the phone.

Here is the article: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/11/07/many-websites-will-stop-working-on-older-android-versions-i... 

This is the reason we got rid of our Nexus 5 and BlackBerry.

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

That's what we're here for....or more specifically @sheytoon  if he pops in to help out.

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 #.

[vktoronto]

@darlicious thanks however I never used cellmapper and don't know how to read it...

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

Can you install cellmapper on your phone? This could help identify the band you are using with Rogers sim card and the band you are missing that is preventing you from calling with the pm sim card.

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 #.

[softech]

Oh, i missed that?  it wasn't google original os?

[Anonymous]

 @vktoronto : One might also think of the after-market OS you put on it. You're wandering into murky waters doing so. Unless you have lots of experience and knowledge in that area. I don't.

Rogers family also still uses GSM which it might be using when you call.

[softech]

@vktoronto   They have the same 850, 1900 frequency on 3G.. it should work

And some people used Nexus 5 on PM, too.  So, Nexus 5 definitely compatible.  It is really down to a device issue

Do you have a Telus/Koodo store around you now?  Head over there and have them to try it with their SIM (just tell them this is the only phone you have and you will only consider to activate if they can prove you it works.., of course you stay with us in PM in the end.  LoL)