Limited Service

[PFerg]

I just activated my SIM/phone and I am paying for the $25/mth plan. I live also the shore in Nova Scotia and when I go to make calls I’m getting a long distance message? Could I be bouncing off a Prince Edward Island tower, and is there any way this can be changed? Otherwise my phone is not much good to me.

[CalgaryBen]

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@srlawren wrote:

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@CalgaryBen do you happen to know of any iOS apps that can tell you the physical location of the tower you're connected to at any given time?

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I haven't come across an app that truly identifies the cell tower being used in an automatic/dynamic way.  I use TowerLocator Canada, which is the mobile app/wrapper for the https://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html site by the same author, which has been referenced from time to time on these forums.  The author seems to update the site/database regularly (as recently as Dec 2018, as of this writing), so it seems fairly reliable.  There's another app called "Cell Towers - find towers" which seems to use the same database, but presents with a different UI.

Anybody searching for the above may stumble upon one called "Cellular Network Signal Finder", which I do not recommend, and would in fact caution about its use -- it behaves as if it's exactly what is being sought after here, but the data appears to be fake (while some of the site info seemed real, there were numerous locations where I know for a fact there is no cell site due to zoning or other logistical reasons, and it does not show locations of known/real sites).  And it frequently entices the user to make in-app purchases for bogus functionalities.

Another that I'm questionable on is "Open Signal".  I trusted the website/app for crowd-sourced signal/coverage data, but their cell tower locator also seems bogus!  I'm not sure how they come up with tower locations (might be some kind of RSSI algorithm).

There is a way to use the iPhone's Field Test mode to identify the cell site ID, but then I haven't found a way to cross-reference this back to a tower's actual location (not sure if these are even published), and it's not very user-friendly info/navigation.  But I mention it because that in case someone else here knows where to find this information...

[srlawren]

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@PFerg wrote:

Well darn, I have an Apple iPhone. I will be patient next time and listen to the full message. Thank you all!

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@CalgaryBen do you happen to know of any iOS apps that can tell you the physical location of the tower you're connected to at any given time?

[PFerg]

Well darn, I have an Apple iPhone. I will be patient next time and listen to the full message. Thank you all!

[srlawren]

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@will13am wrote:

@PFerg, it is possible that a connection to an out of province tower is taking place.  If you are using an android phone, install network cell info lite and you will be able to track the location of the connected tower.  Because this service uses a national network, there's little that can be done to avoid connecting to out of province towers.  Generally, province wide calling is not usable when living in border towns without incurring some long distance calls.  As noted already, maybe it's just a warning and the call will go through.  

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Network Cell Info Lite can be found in the Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wilysis.cellinfolite&rdid=com.wilysis.cellinfolite

[will13am]

@PFerg, it is possible that a connection to an out of province tower is taking place.  If you are using an android phone, install network cell info lite and you will be able to track the location of the connected tower.  Because this service uses a national network, there's little that can be done to avoid connecting to out of province towers.  Generally, province wide calling is not usable when living in border towns without incurring some long distance calls.  As noted already, maybe it's just a warning and the call will go through.  

[srlawren]

@PFerg is it a message saying long distance charges may apply?  If so, have you tried listening to the message and waiting?  The call will connect, and as long as it does, you won't get any suprise bills since PM is entirely pre-paid and has no pay-per-use charges.  If instead you're hearing a message that your plan doesn't include any long distance add-on minutes, then your theory is most likely correct that you are getting service from a tower in a neighboring province.