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.

[gpixel]

@vktoronto 

open the shell again and unplug the antenna and reconnect it and try again

[sheytoon]

Telus and Koodo will be the same, as this phone isn't going to work on VoLTE.

Be careful with Rogers, they may shut down 2G any day and you'll end up with the same problem.

[vktoronto]

@gpixel Thank you for your suggestion. I did open up the back and nothing seemed wrong with the antennas. It should not be the antenna issue because network connection is fine, just that voice calls were not possible. Also as mentioned, same issue with stock ROM. Maybe I was just unlucky with a phone that somehow had an incorrect factory setting...

[vktoronto]

Yes same situation with stock Android as with custom ROM. Unfortunately I don't have friends with Koodo or Telus to test it.

At this time I think it will remain a mystery and I probably should not spend more time on this issue. Maybe just keep this phone for use on Rogers network. I do have other phone to work with my PM SIM.

Thank you all very much for your time and support the past few days in our collective attempt to unravel the cause of this issue 🙂

[gpixel]

@vktoronto 

I used to have a nexus 5. they are very easy to work on. open the shell and see if the antennas are properly connected.

there is a good chance installing custom ROMs messed up the 3g modem. 

[softech]

@vktoronto   So with this stock Google Android, Roger/Fido sim still working no issue?

You have any friends with Koodo or Telus SIM?  maybe give it a try and see if you get the same result as a PM SIM

and honest, what is your backup plan if this is not resolved?  you have another phone to work with the PM SIM?

[sheytoon]

Thanks for the update. I'm really stumped now as to why 3G isn't working.

[vktoronto]

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@softech wrote:

@vktoronto   now, this is a mystery....

Nexus 5 works here for sure.  We have customers using this phone here. 

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That is truly a mystery...

Would you be able to help confirm they were on the same build number M4B30Z (under Settings-About phone)? 

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

Retest with cellmapper for the band's being used and see what the results are this time around.

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   now, this is a mystery....

Nexus 5 works here for sure.  We have customers using this phone here. 

[vktoronto]

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@sheytoon wrote:

Bingo! Rogers is using 2G as suspected. Something is wrong with your phone's software that is preventing 3G from working correctly.

HSPA is the data part of 3G. For your purposes, you can consider UMTS/WCDMA/HSPA to be equivalent.

Even if your phone is only capable of LTE, it'll be registered on the 3G core for voice fallback. Your phone will not be able to execute the fallback when required, but the status indicator is correct.

If you really want to use this phone, I'd suggest finding a way to flash the stock Google image, including the radio.

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Well I am happy to report that I was able to restore to stock Google Android image (from Google official website for this phone model) successfully. However, the very same problem with calls on PM still persists. It appears safe to say that this problem is not because of the custom ROM, but likely due to the device manufacturer's settings?

[vktoronto]

@sheytoon I am happy to report that I was able to restore to stock Android successfully. However, the very same problem persists. It appears safe to say that this problem is not because of the custom ROM, but likely due to the device manufacturer's settings.

[sheytoon]

Seems like they still have 2G 850 MHz. I'm not 100% sure if they delayed the shutdown.

[softech]

@sheytoon   quick question.. all the Google result shows Rogers should have  shut down 2G on Dec 2021.  Did they postpone that ?  or they are in the process..  just not a hard shutdown on on Dec 31 , 2021 and the shutting down process will take months?

[sheytoon]

Bingo! Rogers is using 2G as suspected. Something is wrong with your phone's software that is preventing 3G from working correctly.

HSPA is the data part of 3G. For your purposes, you can consider UMTS/WCDMA/HSPA to be equivalent.

Even if your phone is only capable of LTE, it'll be registered on the 3G core for voice fallback. Your phone will not be able to execute the fallback when required, but the status indicator is correct.

If you really want to use this phone, I'd suggest finding a way to flash the stock Google image, including the radio.

[softech]

@vktoronto   Rogers' voice service type is showing GSM, that's 2G.  Probably that's why, your LineageOS is not connecting to 3G at all.

[vktoronto]

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@sheytoon wrote:

Go to the *#*#4636#*#* menu and select WCDMA only. Then test with Rogers to see if you can make phone calls.

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Rogers (Fido) did not work with WCDMA only. However it did work with another setting without LTE (see first 2 pictures).

As to PM, it is strange that none of those 3G only (non-LTE) settings worked (see last 2 pictures); it's clear that PM network voice service status only showed "In Service" for any setting including LTE in it, yet with Voice Service showing "In Service" (in a setting with LTE) the phone still can't make calls no matter if LTE or 3G was selected in phone settings! 

I noticed none of the network options shown with *#*#4636#*#* included HSPA... perhaps that is the cause of the issue, as I remember someone once said something about HSPA as the working option for PM? 

[sheytoon]

Go to the *#*#4636#*#* menu and select WCDMA only. Then test with Rogers to see if you can make phone calls.

[sheytoon]

Agree with @computergeek541. The band number and EARFCN are indicating an LTE band that is not deployed in Canada.

The UMTS (3G) info is also not correct. Cell mapper isn't getting good info from the modem.

[computergeek541]

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@vktoronto wrote:

#sheytoon  OK I tried cellmapper and it's quite confusing to me honestly... so many numbers and codes.

Anyway I noted a few things which I hope may be useful? 

-Fido SIM (LTE): B1-LTE, band name IMT, RX frequency 2111.2Mhz, TX frequency 1921.7MHz

-Speakout SIM (3G): B1-UMTS, (EA/UA/A)RFCN: 4

Hope the above can make some sense to you?

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Your phone/app is providing you with bad information. There is no band 1 in Canada. 

I believe the next step is to reinstall stock device software.

[computergeek541]

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@vktoronto wrote:

Thank you very much. *#*#4636#*#* gave me a bunch of details and the network settings is GSM/WCDMA/LTE (PRL)... should I change it to something else? (there are literally tons of options!)

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That setting should be fine.  The key was making sure that that the phone wasn't set to exclusively use only LTE networks.

[softech]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @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.

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Yes, Samsung has disable this on the dailpad.. it is a mystery why Samsung blocks that. .

[vktoronto]

[vktoronto]

Thank you very much. *#*#4636#*#* gave me a bunch of details and the network settings is GSM/WCDMA/LTE (PRL)... should I change it to something else? (there are literally tons of options!)

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

A screenshot is more helpful.

Edit:

Telus doesn't use B1 so that might explain things...

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]

#sheytoon  OK I tried cellmapper and it's quite confusing to me honestly... so many numbers and codes.

Anyway I noted a few things which I hope may be useful? 

-Fido SIM (LTE): B1-LTE, band name IMT, RX frequency 2111.2Mhz, TX frequency 1921.7MHz

-Speakout SIM (3G): B1-UMTS, (EA/UA/A)RFCN: 4

Hope the above can make some sense to you?

[darlicious]

@sheytoon 

Thanks! I have learned so much from you with all this techie stuff. I really appreciate it. You are an invaluable resource for this community.

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 #.

[sheytoon]

Actually, you're right @darlicious. The call doesn't actually need to be answered. As long as it's ringing, it'll be on 3G (or even 2G in the case of Rogers).

[darlicious]

@vktoronto 

Taking the screenshot while it's ringing should suffice as you would then be using the 3G network or possibly the 2G network with a Rogers network sim card to be able to make the call. Without cellmapper I suppose you could also check your signal strength of the 2G and 3G networks thru your settings by going to About phone>>Sim card status>>signal strength. You would preferably have berween -60dBm to -90dBm for signal strength.

Edit:

Refer to @sheytoon 's post above.

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 #.

[sheytoon]

My guess is that Rogers didn't work on 3G either. It could work with 2G.

Telus doesn't have 2G, which is why we need to find out what bands and technology Rogers is using on your phone.

The call has to be active. You can call your own voicemail, or any 1-800 number and once you hear the automated menu, go to cell mapper and see what EA/UA/ARFCN is showing.