Just bought a PM SIM for the $10 plan, not working on RCA RLTP5567

[mogli]

Hello MODS and fellow members  .. I'm new here, and need your help please ..

Just got the $10 plan from Walmart in Etobicoke, yesterday afternoon  .. SIM was activated right there, and I put my credit card for auto payment ..

I have an unlocked RCA RLTP5567 cell phone from Canadian Tire ..

Searching for mobile network, under 'TELUS' SIM  shows 'Public Mobile 3G'  found, amongst other networks ..

So I select 'Public Mobile 3G'  and it says 'Can't connect to this network right now. Try agian later' ...

I've been having this issue ever since I yesterday when I put the SIM in ..

I know this phone should be compatible ..  based on:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rca-unlocked-phone-5-in-2999060p.html

It says:

Supported frequency bands: Rogers Wireless, Fido, Chatr, Telus Mobility, Koodo Mobility, Public Mobile, Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile, Bell MTS, Keewaytinook Mobile, Videotron Mobile, SaskTel Mobility 

Can anyone help me please ..?  

I am on Day 2 now and no phone service ..

Under the TELUS SIM, I can see:

Cellular data, Calls and SMS Messages are all showing 'TELUS' 

[mogli]

I agree with you 100%  computergeek541 ..  i just didn't want to put anyone down by posting any private messages ... otherwise the forum, i'm sure, would be shocked ..

Trust me, I had my fair share of arguments on that and other points .. but it's over .. and we now live and let live in peace ..

[computergeek541]

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@mogli wrote:

Just to update the group, the issue is now resolved ..

It was a combination of issues ... firstly the Moderator told me a 647 area code # does not work well with PM .. so Walmart should have given me a 437 area code .. so i got them to change it ..  then i was told to go to kodoo to 'test' my PM SIM with one of their phones, which I did, and which was not a pleasant experience, as they frowned upon someone who is not a customer coming to them to try their phone and network .. 

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Sorry, but I call B.S. on that excuse and the suggestion to go to Koodo to test (not on your part but by a modeator actually believing that those are solutions).  647 area code phone number have been around a long time now.  If anything, you'll experience more problems with a 437 area code phone number because they are much newer and many people still do not even realize that they are Toronto phone numbers.  And, with a 437 area code phone number, I would not be surprised if you start encounter the problems with the system telling you that you can't call another Toronto phone number because it is supposedly outside of the province.  Never mind about the fact that there are likley thousands of Public Mobile customers who have 647 phone numbers who never had any problems with activation.

And as for the suggestion by them to go to a Koodo store to test your Public Mobile sim card.  I'm laughing at that one.  Why in the world would the Koodo store even attempt to troubleshoot a Public Mobile issues for you? Although both are owned by Telus, the operate a separate brands. Sorry, but that's just passing the buck - and to the wrong people at that!  You were being given the run-around.

However, it's great to hear that everything is now working. 

[mogli · Accepted solution]

Just to update the group, the issue is now resolved ..

It was a combination of issues ... firstly the Moderator told me a 647 area code # does not work well with PM .. so Walmart should have given me a 437 area code .. so i got them to change it ..  then i was told to go to kodoo to 'test' my PM SIM with one of their phones, which I did, and which was not a pleasant experience, as they frowned upon someone who is not a customer coming to them to try their phone and network .. 

In any case, their SIM worked in my phone, but they refused to try my SIM in their phone ..

At least I knew at that point the phone was indeed ok ..

Then i had to go back to walmart to buy another PM SIM ..which was then activated by the Modarator .. and it worked at that point with that new 437 # ..

All in all, it was a lot of back and forth, and time wasted from work to go to kodoo and walmart .. 

At the end of the day, I received credit for my new SIM, and 2-3 days wasted without service .. and i got the $20 promo .. so it was a good ethical decision my the Moderator at thend end of the day .. 

Thank you all for your responses, and suggestions .. and especially Moderator Team..

Now, if I can only figure out what to do with the other original SIM .. was it truely defective or can it be re-used to get another plan and activate a new phone ..hmmm ...

[mogli]

Thank you Computergeek541 ..

I agree with you .. it has to be something with PM account activation itself ..

It just didn't make sense to me, as the message received when trying to connect  is  "Can't connect to this network right now. Try again later"   .. which means it's attempting, but failing .. asking to re-try ..

It isn't a hard error ..

In any case, I have sent a private message to Moderator_Team, hopefully they can isolate and fix that account issue ..

P.S. Now that I think of it, the lady at Walmart who activated my SIM  tried couple times and failed, saying the system was givign a problem .. then the 3rd time it went through after putting all my info in for the 3rd time  .. so it's possible something screwed up with the activation process ..

[computergeek541]

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@mogli wrote:

Hello MODS and fellow members  .. I'm new here, and need your help please ..

Just got the $10 plan from Walmart in Etobicoke, yesterday afternoon  .. SIM was activated right there, and I put my credit card for auto payment ..

I have an unlocked RCA RLTP5567 cell phone from Canadian Tire ..

Searching for mobile network, under 'TELUS' SIM  shows 'Public Mobile 3G'  found, amongst other networks ..

So I select 'Public Mobile 3G'  and it says 'Can't connect to this network right now. Try agian later' ...

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To summarize, your phone is absolutely compatible with Public Mobile, even with all the discussion about whether or not your phone is.

If you were phone were not compatible, it would be impossible that you would be even seeing a Public Mobile network in your list of available networks.

A message similar to "unable to register to network" is almost certain an issue at the account level of Public Mobile.  I highly suspect that your service was never provisioned properly upon activation.  Contact Moderator_Team as they have alreayd requested you to, and I'm ceratain that they'll have you up and running soon.

[computergeek541]

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@mogli wrote:

It used to work with a Chatr SIM .. and Chatr is 3G .. so It should work with Public Mobile ..

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Chatr is not only 3g.  Rogers (Chatr) has a 2g GSM network.  So, unforutnately, a phone working on Chatr is no guarantee of compatibility with Public Mobile.

[computergeek541]

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@MacMe wrote:

Some sites are saying this is a 2G phone.  If it is, it won't work with Public Mobile.

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These sites would appear incorrect as the OP has already stated that Public Mobile is showing up in the network list.  If the phone didn't have 3g, this wouldn't be possible.  I suspect that there could be different variants of this marketed model, but the OP has the right one since the network the Public Mobile network is discoverable.

[computergeek541]

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@mogli wrote:

By the way .. I also tried the SIM in a couple of other unlocked phones, a Samsung and an android (forgot the name) .. both have same issue, infact in those two, they don't even pick up 'Public Mobile 3G' under GSM mode .. just Rogers ..

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Your phone won't pick up "Public Mobile 3G" in GSM mode because Public Mobile doesn't have that type of network.  You must have 3g enabled to use Public Mobile.  So, as you've aleady found out, don't set your phone like that.

[mogli]

Thank you Moderator_Team .. 

I have just sent you a private msg ..

[CS_Agent]

@mogli, 

Hi there thank you for question. 

Can you please send us a private message along with your phone# and PIN# in so we can look into this matter for you? 

Thank you! 

[LEGO]

@mogli The link you have provided does not list supported frequencies, it lists only mobile providers!

Here is your phone supported frequencies: http://www.rca.com/sites/default/files/RLTP5567.pdf

EDIT: This document says your phone is GSM phone. I have also read people on Amazon saying the same thing. Chatr mobile works with GSM phone on 850 / 1900 mHZ band.

[mogli]

Is there any way to see if my SIM is actually activated with PM ..? 

To check online, you have to create an account .. and to do that you need an active phone # .. so I'm screwed there ..

[mogli]

I'm not sure LEGO .. could be .. but I find it hard to believe that 4 phones now, all can't connect to PM ..

Also this shows the supported frequencies:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rca-unlocked-phone-5-in-2999060p.html

[LEGO]

Public Mobile supports: 3G UMTS / W-CDMA / HSPA: B2 (1900) and B5 (850)

Your phone supports: 3G WCDNA 850 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

Could this be the problem?

[mogli]

I also tried using SIM slot 1 .. it was actually worse than slot 2 ..

For Slot 1:

Under the TELUS SIM, I can see:

only Cellular data,  and SMS Messages are all showing 'TELUS'

For Slot 2:

Under the TELUS SIM, I can see:

All 3, Cellular data, Calls and SMS Messages are all showing 'TELUS' 

[MacMe]

Is there an option somewhere in your settings to "only use 2G networks"?

[mogli]

Tried toggling Aeroplane mode .. no luck ..

[mogli]

With this RCA phone, I can't even see an option for GSM yet alone to turn if off .. there is just a 'preferred networks' option .. going in there, there is a list of all providers and whether they are 2G/3G..  there is "TELUS 3G" which I selected, and it shows Network ID: 302220  and Network type: 3G 

It still won't conneect to "Public Mobile 3G" ..

[LEGO]

Toggle Airplane Mode on, wait five seconds, then turn it off.

[wetcoaster]

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@mogli wrote:

It used to work with a Chatr SIM .. and Chatr is 3G .. so It should work with Public Mobile ..

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... with fall back on 2G since it is working on the Rogers network. Public Mobile on the Telus network doesn't have that fall back.

A lot of entry level dual SIM slots are only supporting 3G (or 4G, if they have it) in slot one, the second one is only 2G...

Also... Not sure if it still is a problem that's out there, but a while back I had a friend who also couldn't use a second SIM card in slot 2 without messing up 3G readability in slot 1... Totally defeats the purpose of a dual SIM phone in my book, but hey...

[mogli]

There is a 'preferred network type' option .. you can select 2G or 3G (only 2 options) ... I have it set to 3G ..

When I tried 2G out of curiosity .. it doesn't even find 'Public Mobile 3G' .. and understandbly so ..

But with 3G .. it find it, but doesn't connect ..

[LEGO]

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@mogli wrote:

By the way .. I also tried the SIM in a couple of other unlocked phones, a Samsung and an android (forgot the name) .. both have same issue, infact in those two, they don't even pick up 'Public Mobile 3G' under GSM mode .. just Rogers ..

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Public Mobile does not have GSM band! Switch Network into 3G only and test again.

[MacMe]

Is there an option to disable 2G on the phone?

[mogli]

It used to work with a Chatr SIM .. and Chatr is 3G .. so It should work with Public Mobile ..

[mogli]

The RCA phone has dual SIM slots .. so I tried in both .. also check to make sure IMEI for both SIM slots are compatible on PM's website, and they are  ..

This phone used to work on Chatr before .. so I know the device itself works, i.e. not defective  .. 

[MacMe]

Some sites are saying this is a 2G phone.  If it is, it won't work with Public Mobile.

[mogli]

Hi MacMe..

Yes, I have, several times, removed, re-inserted, tried in other phones .. cleaned it up tihnking there may be dirt on connectors, and retried .. no luck ..

[mogli]

By the way .. I also tried the SIM in a couple of other unlocked phones, a Samsung and an android (forgot the name) .. both have same issue, infact in those two, they don't even pick up 'Public Mobile 3G' under GSM mode .. just Rogers ..

[MacMe]

Its a basic troubleshooting idea, but have you tried removing the SIM and re-inserting it?