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mattcz · ‎10-08-2025

My previous post was apparently flagged as spam, which is extremely frustrating, so here goes attempt 2.

I have a Light Phone III. Koodo appeared to work just fine, but it seems like Public Mobile doesn't work as well with it somehow. I can receive calls and messages just fine, but attempting to make a call just connects me with neither end being able to hear what the other is saying. Neither Light Phone support nor Public Mobile support seem to be able to suggest something substantive regarding the problem.

Anyone have any insight? I know some people got the Light Phone II to work, so maybe someone has experience configuring the newest version.

And apologies in advance; if the details seem sparse, that's because I'm trying to not get this post flagged for some arbitrary, incorrect reason.

slusagm · ‎10-31-2025

@ostensiblespoon

Light phone does not have 3G, so, it cannot fall back 3G for voice

Light phone is not on PM's VoLTE whitelist, so it cannot use VoLTE

You really cannot use Light Phone here. Not sure Koodo, but if you didn't get good voice calls, that mean it might not be on Koodo's VoLTE whitelist as well

ostensiblespoon · ‎10-31-2025

It's interesting, I have the same issue with calling people from my light phone III (where it briefly connects but no one can hear) and no trouble when people call me, but I use Koodo. Maybe it has something to do with me being in Canada? Also can't send photos. Hoping Light support gets back to me soon.

Dunkman · ‎10-09-2025

@mattcz wrote:
So if I understand this, the onus is on the phone manufacturer to ensure their phone software's VoLTE is configured for specific providers, and thus this is an issue with the phone production company (Light Phone) then and I should take it up with their support staff?
I don't exactly understand the nuances of VoLTE beyond the stuff I've scrounged through Google trying to look up the issue, but I'm hoping this is a fixable issue. Public Mobile is miles better than Koodo as far as the US-Canada pricing, particularly the roaming packages.

@mattcz

Yes, according to PM staff, it is the phone manufacturers who need to enable VoLTE on specific phone cell carriers. PM would prefer to have all VoLTE enable phones to work on their network. As mentioned, since Telus and Koodo had VoLTE service many years before Public mobile, phone makers enabled VoLTE much earlier for Telus and Koodo than for Public mobile. It is interesting that all three companies use the same Telus network, but VoLTE capability is different among the brands.

Some customers with some of the Chinese phones Xiaomi can enter certain codes to turn on "VoLTE".

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/No-incoming-outgoing-calls-existing-custo...

mattcz · ‎10-09-2025

So if I understand this, the onus is on the phone manufacturer to ensure their phone software's VoLTE is configured for specific providers, and thus this is an issue with the phone production company (Light Phone) then and I should take it up with their support staff?

I don't exactly understand the nuances of VoLTE beyond the stuff I've scrounged through Google trying to look up the issue, but I'm hoping this is a fixable issue. Public Mobile is miles better than Koodo as far as the US-Canada pricing, particularly the roaming packages.

Dunkman · ‎10-09-2025

@mattcz

According to Public mobile, it is the phone manufacturers responsibility to "turn on " VoLTE for certain mobile carriers. Public mobile only started to offer VoLTE in 2022, so manufacturers needed to turn on VoLTE for their phones to operate on Public mobile. Some of the major phone manufacturers (ie. Apple, Samsung) have done so. However, some more smaller phone companies have not.

So, if this phone is not VoLTE compatible, then you will have voice calling issues with Public mobile.

mattcz · ‎10-08-2025

I did check the IMEI number, and it does say that it's not compatible, albeit, I was entertaining the possibility that it might just be an issue of the phone being obscure enough that they wouldn't account for it specifically. Or does it actually mean that the phone isn't being supported and that the VoLTE compatibility is for specific phones?

On Light Phone's end, the phone is supposed to support VoLTE, with the support staff going as far as to say that I should be asking Public Mobile to provision the SIM for a VoLTE-only phone.

Dunkman · ‎10-08-2025

@mattcz

That phone likely is not VoLTE compatible with Public mobile network (compatible with Koodo though). That is why there is voice calling issues.

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

Check the IME to see if compatible.

If not compatible, the phone will be using 3G network and the 850 Mhz band is being refarmed in certain areas and that will also affect voice.

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/get-help/articles/850-turndown

P.S. Sorry, I need to leave the forum for a meeting.