I thought public had 5g and volte?

[Pawprints1986]

I just started playing with a sm-g981W or otherwise Samsung Galaxy s20 5g (android 13, one ui 5) - it's not my daily driver yet but regardless, when I put my public mobile Sim card in, the card itself works - but there's no option for volte, at all. On top of that if I go into the band menu *#2263#, there's literally not one 5g band listed

I got this device thinking it could have me set for a long time. It's not brand new but newer than an s7, capable of volte and 5g (the device itself is, as far as I can tell...)

 would I have to buy a new public sim to unlock the newer features? Or was everyone meant to be rolled over as long as their device supported it? 

I could see if I just didn't have 5g reception yet (though I should according to the map), but the Sim card literally just didn't install any, and same with the volte function seemingly. I literally have the same mobile network options as on my s7

I don't have a 5g plan, but I have read elsewhere that you could still access 5g towers but at your throttled 3mbps ? Is this not the case? Do you need a 4g plan in order to use volte? 

 

 

[Pawprints1986]

Final update. Got brave and flashed the telus firmware, since I hadn't done that much customizing yet I was still willing to

Nothing good changed. The US firmware had brought in working volte, as well as 2 5g bands (but that I couldn't access). Upon the telus flash, I lost the volte and those 5g bands are gone *#2263# is blank again for 5g. Back to square one, total let down. 

But yeah, final verdict - the firmware is NOT the culprit for the 5g prune if anyone else is experiencing it. To my knowledge there is no public specific firmware. And even at that all that changed for telus was a few letters in the software info, but nothing functions different/better. 

Tldr: don't bother flashing the proper carriers firmware. Except maybe that I've read that if say you wanted to go to Rogers and you're not using their firmware and you were having some other issues, they won't help you cuz its not their device. But apart from that... Seriously, don't bother. It unlocked nothing 😔

[Pawprints1986]

So apparently my threads were merged which was why no one probably saw my theory, but an update, the telus firmware and unlocked Canada (xac) firmware seem to be exactly the same. Exactly. Same file names, same file sizes down to the kilobyte. *exactly* the same... I haven't done anything else to my device, but with these results I'm not sure I want to bother. I was particularly thinking about the csc part, but even that is exactly the same for the same update rollout on both "variants". I'm lost on why 5g doesn't work if the firmware has no unique identifiers at all... 

[Pawprints1986]

I don't know if this is a thing or not, but I'm curious for those who 5g does work - even for those who aren't on 5g plans but can access throttled 5g, any idea which firmware you're running?

I had read elsewhere that the overall feeling from long term Samsung brand users is that it feels like Samsung/carriers want to reinstate carrier locking, with Samsung seemingly restricting unbranded (by carrier) devices

While it's true that Canadian phones can't be carrier locked anymore (or at least you can get a code for free now to switch if it doesn't just work from my understanding), meaning you can put a bell family sim into a telus device and it'll work - there still exists carrier specific firmware to this day. Why? Is it purely their apps or is there more to it behind the scenes?

So I'm wondering if those of us with non pruned 5g are using a Samsung device with telus firmware (or maybe koodo?), vs carrier unbranded (XAC version for the nerds), which as it turns out could be actually more restrictive these days aka pruned, as a means of "punishing" you for not purchasing from the carrier

Again, I have no idea if this is actually true. I'm just having a hard time figuring out why else this would happen.

Upon my searches it's quite common - even people with older firmware who could access that specific service menu and un prune 5g, Samsung patches the fix out during software updates. They're actively restricting otherwise capable hardware. But why? Does it all come down to the dollar? Why make 5g capable unlocked devices, if you can't actually use the 5g part by default or even via secret settings?

Another thing I don't know is, say if you tried to flash a telus specific firmware, and then you want to switch to Rogers, could you then back up your data and then flash the Rogers equivalent firmware (and then reconfigure all your ui settings and apps back, grr) without restriction?

Sorry this is long, lol. Just been thinking on it since all known methods to actually *use* 5g that i could find have failed for me, even after revealing a couple bands as I shared in another thread (via XAA firmware). There doesn't even seem to be adb code to perform the 5g unlock

I've not yet tried any carrier firmware, rather not start from scratch other settings wise, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should try 🤔

[Pawprints1986]

If you type *#2263# into your dialer, it let's you be more specific, just FYI (on Samsung), it also lets you disable bands, like for me bands 2 and 4 on 4g are pretty bad reception, so I just lock them out

But if you're actually seeing 5g at the top I'm guessing it's working 🤔

[dust2dust]

If I select the whole line starting with 5G then when I turn on cell data I see the 5G symbol up top in the status bar. I don't think I saw a 5G-only choice.

[Pawprints1986]

"Telus and PM does not hide the VoLTE toggle on Samsung phone  (but they purposely hide it on iPhone, I think Pixel as well).  But again, your phone not currently on PM compatible list, so VoLTE won't work on yours at the moment"

@softech 

They do hide it, or at least did up until yesterday, admittedly I didn't try again first as my mission was unlocking 5g bands. Until I switched the firmware the option of volte wasn't even there but grayed out, it was straight up not present, on Canadian firmware. On the US firmware, not only is the volte option now there, it *works*, that's what I'm saying. Same android version 13, but US version

I'm still exploring re 5g and why that doesn't work but throttled (and where the rest of the bands are hiding). I've not cracked that code yet, but the term is 5g "prune". For whatever reason, basically it's 5g capable but 5g is not unlocked for use.... Yet. I hope

@dust2dust when you say you're using 5g, are you going through the band menu and using *only* 5g ? Just wondering cuz it could be like the case for me now, which is that it's available in the mobile networks drop down, but not actually making use of it. "Auto connect" might still be defaulting to 4g lte. Not saying it is, but just a possibility

[dust2dust]

It's a Samsung. Full Canadian market and all. My other Samsung is an international. No volte here even though it works fine with volte from another provider (it's not 5G anyway). The one with volte does not show anything about volte unless I look at the sim status or the INFO screen (which I can't get to with that dial code). No toggle like with my other phone with another provider. But it definitely shows the 5G option and seems to work just fine (throttled of course).

Telus seems to want to go back to the dark ages of strict control of devices like the old days when only their devices would work. Before the days of BYOD.

According to gsmarena
1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6
According to phonemore
SA/NSA/Sub6 (2, 41, 66, 71)

[softech]

---

@Pawprints1986 wrote:

First of all, the new firmware allows for volte already by default (unless public updated it already? My daily driver is still my s7 for now). I tested it by calling 611, since I'm somehow still not roaming despite

---

@Pawprints1986 

Telus and PM does not hide the VoLTE toggle on Samsung phone  (but they purposely hide it on iPhone, I think Pixel as well).  But again, your phone not currently on PM compatible list, so VoLTE won't work on yours at the moment

---

it's not true that public does not restrict 5g even if you don't have a 5g plan - I was told it could connect but still throttled, this isn't true

---

Still not sure why you cannot use 5G.  PM does not restrict access to 5G network and only throttle the speed based on speed of the plan. 

[Pawprints1986]

Is your phone a Samsung? Could be Samsung issue too on my end... But yeah on both versions of the OS, 5g is locked out entirely, or partially visible but still locked out

I'll never for the life of me understand why they'd release 5g devices but then "prune" the 5g out of reach, to the point where even so far the workarounds haven't even worked

All versions I've tinkered with have been android 13... 😕

ETA: how many 5g bands is your device showing @dust2dust ?

[dust2dust]

I have a phone that got updated to 13 and suddenly 5G and volte were present. I can choose the full 5G etc and when I turn on cell data I see the 5G indicator up top. I am on the $15 3G speed plan. When I call it stays on LTE.

[Pawprints1986]

Ok, so, updates:

Upon reading that being on the xaa firmware (unlocked carrier version for the US) could let you unlock the prune via a few codes. I couldn't get that to work yet, but a few things did happen by default

First of all, the new firmware allows for volte already by default (unless public updated it already? My daily driver is still my s7 for now). I tested it by calling 611, since I'm somehow still not roaming despite being on a US firmware (I might just keep it, I'll have to look into if there are any cons)

Interestingly, 5g now appears in the menu above too, but... I can't actually use it

There's still some prune going on. First of all, here's my new bands set:

And here's what should be there under the US firmware(sa/NSA/sub6):

And what should have been there on the Canadian firmware:

Now, first of all, it's not true that public does not restrict 5g even if you don't have a 5g plan - I was told it could connect but still throttled, this isn't true

Info here

And my menu saying "true" showing the sim is blocking it, despite it seeing 5g reception as can be shown by "support", so I am in a 5g area - to my knowledge this block is a whole separate issue to pruning, as that's on the carriers end and pruning is my device

And here's what happened when I tried to manually pick 5g only, just to see if it would work with the 2 bands now showing. But no dice there

So basically tldr, US firmware made volte happen, but still no 5g *usable*, despite some of it showing up in various menu areas now

[Pawprints1986]

@Joe_G that's a new one by me! But I'll look into that, thank you

[Joe_G]

This has nothing to do with your SIM card or Public Mobile. It's your phone.

I repeat, 5g has been pruned on your phone. Since you mentioned flashing the phone I assume you're familiar with flashing etc. Please do a Google search for "REMOVE NR5G PRUNE" to get your 5g back.

[softech]

@Pawprints1986 as said above, your S20 is not on PM's own VoLTE compatible list.  PM has a different competible list from Telus.

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

For your 5G,  as you said, a device wipe without putting PM sim into it yet still not able to unhide the 5G from the network mode menu, so, it could be just your phone.  But  try to put in another non Telus family  sim card as well, like Rogers , to see if it opens up the 5G option on the device itself.  

[computergeek541]

---

@Pawprints1986 wrote:

Is it the case then that my sim card itself is outdated, having gotten it in my case 3 years ago March?

---

This isn't the case.  All Public Mobile SIM cards work with both 5G and VoLTE.

[Pawprints1986]

Interesting updates:

First, factory reset changed nothing. No 5g bands available even before inserting sim card at all it does show all the others which are supported. I'm wondering if I may need to straight up re flash the firmware (even though this device is basically brand new, and just tonight factory reset)

Second, I had a family member over today, with koodo postpaid, on an s20 fe 5g, but her options in "mobile networks" look just like mine, no volte option either, no 5g showing within "mobile networks". And while I bought my device elsewhere, she bought hers *from koodo* and these features are not present... I didn't have time to check into their hidden band menu, but nothing to be seen in mobile networks settings

And third, both of our devices should have both, listed as supported. My imei specifically is supported:

Both listed: 

Is it the case then that my sim card itself is outdated, having gotten it in my case 3 years ago March?

[Pawprints1986]

@softech as long as the device is capable, why would PM lock out any device for volte? As long as it's obviously telus compatible (which mine is - in fact I came with telus apps on it)

So basically I have something no more useful than my s7, because of THEIR end. That isn't right PM... Doesn't matter if it has 5g if I can't make a call after 2025. That's totally 🐂💩 for an otherwise fully compatible device... 

Are there any plans to revise this list? (My tagging still isn't working right, but if any staff see this...)

[softech]

@Pawprints1986 

For VoLTE , PM has a specific whitelist for that and S20 is not on the list:

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

Technically, S7 Edge is not on it either.  Some of us have a phone that is  a non compatible to PM's VoLTE were able to use VoLTE for couple days and the no longer after. So, look like PM really sticking  to the VoLTE list.

For 5G, anyone with any plan can access 5G network, just that the speed would be capped according to your plan. PM does not hide the 5G from the device menu.  If you don't see it, it is a device issue and not network.  Make sure your phone has the latest OS.    You might need to Wipe and resetup your phone once more time and check it

[Joe_G]

It looks like 5g has been pruned on this phone. Do a Google search for "REMOVE NR5G PRUNE".

[computergeek541]

---

@BKNS27 wrote:

Yes, you need to purchase a 5G plan for 5G to work. Otherwise, your phone will operate on 3G or 4G/LTE. 

---

Unfortunately, the above isn't correct. Regardless of the plan, all customers have full access to HSPA, LTE, and 5G networks.  The 3G, 4G, and 5G in mentioned in the plan details is only a reference to maximum possible speeds.

[Pawprints1986]

@BKNS27 I'm just noticing that the Samsung s7 edge does work for volte, so why doesn't the standard s7? Only difference is form factor as far as I could tell

I have also read... Somewhere? God knows where at this point, that volte was being rolled out in phases, but I'm not sure how long that would take. 

The new phone does list bands in the other categories that are not supported but it is capable of (in the pic above)... So it's really odd that there's just straight up nothing as far as a 5g band. It was just factory reset so I can't see where that would be the issue. I'm not so worried about if it doesn't work now, I'm just more wanting to verify if it will work ever, same with volte. The device itself is advertised as fully capable... 

I'm just straight up confused

@softech .... anything? 😕

[BKNS27]

@Pawprints1986 

Yes, you need to purchase a 5G plan for 5G to work. Otherwise, your phone will operate on 3G or 4G/LTE.

For VoLTE to work, your device must be a PM VoLTE supported devices to work.

It looks like the Samsung S20 FE is a supported device but I can’t see why the S20 won’t work.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/VoLTE-Phone-Compatibility-Community-membe...