Phone compatibility IMEI checker

[smurfit]

Is there any tool accessible to public for checking compatibility for VOLTE etc on public mobile? I talked to a CS rep regarding frequent dropped calls and was told that my phone is not supported by PM, but would work fine on Telus or Koodo.

I am extremely puzzled about this since PM doesn't sell phones, so how does one go about checking compatibility before buying another phone? Apparently the Telus IMEI check doesn't apply to phones on Public Mobile..

This kinda seems like a basic requirement for a BYOD service provider no?

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/how-to-use-volte 

 

[smurfit]

It's interesting that the fizz.ca whitelist is almost identical to public mobile, although slightly updated. They must be using the same backend equipment or software.

https://fizz.ca/en/faq/compatible-devices#3 

[Phil_Adelphus]

@will13am   In the US when they were preparing to shut down 3G the carriers (I don't know if all of them or just some of them) were supplying existing customers with new phones if their current phone was not on their whitelist.  I remember some people complaining because the freebie phone was not as good as their original phone (that was VoLTE capable but not carrier enabled/approved).     

Many years ago Rogers did something similar for my elderly mother.  We had bought her a seniors phone with extra large numbers but they changed something in their system, I don't remember what, so that certain phones would no longer work including that one.  To their credit they did send her and other customers in the same boat a free phone but it was nowhere near as good as the one we had carefully selected and bought for her.  It was a tiny thing she couldn't read with her eyesight.  It'll be interesting to see what happens when 3G shuts down here, will they be giving out free phones (I suspect not!) - but from what people are saying even though rumour was for end 2025 it's not likely to happen for quite some time after that. 

[will13am]

While the 3G network continues to be available in Canada, carriers can continue to play games.  Once customers are actually affected needlessly, it to have impact as customers move around to find VoLTE friendly brands.

[Phil_Adelphus]

It's not just PM, other carriers don't enable VoLTE for all capable phones either although their whitelists may be more expansive.  I had an Android on a tier 1 (not Telus) and it was capable and even had the VoLTE toggle but did not get VoLTE and they sent me the typical US is shutting down their 3G so your phone will not work for roaming, if you go there you need a new phone, message.  I confirmed with the manufacturer that the phone was capable. They said it was a carrier issue.  The phone had even had the VoLTE on icon in the status at the top of the screen beforehand until it suddenly disappeared one day, which sounds like what happened to @will13am . 

I looked at several US carrier communities at the time and people were complaining they were having to get a new phone for the 3G shutdown even though theirs was already VoLTE capable but not being enabled by their provider.

If you look at Fizz's VoLTE whitelist on their site iPhones start at iPhone 8 same as PM yet previous iPhones are enabled by US carriers and some other Canadian ones.  AT&T publishes a VoLTE approved phone list so it doesn't seem as though it's a simple thing to blanket allow all otherwise capable phones. 

[computergeek541]

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@will13am wrote:

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks it's done to move customers up the food chain.  

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Only allowing certain devices does lead to quetsion of why Telus prefers that Public Mobile customers use certain devices.  That gives the imppression of a possible conflicts of interest between Telus and device manufactuers.  All VoLTE capable devices should be allowed, but unforutnatley, that's not the case currently.

[will13am]

No disrespect intended, what part of reality do you not buy?  I had a phone that had VoLTE functionality when it was rolled out initially.  Once a whitelist was developed, my phone was booted from VoLTE usage.  I could possibly be convinced my phone was not compatible if it wasn't actually working for a couple of months.  The conspiracy theorist in me thinks it's done to move customers up the food chain.  

[computergeek541]

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@DennyCrane wrote:

@computergeek541 I've seen this argument made by others as well, and I don't buy it. Why would a company go out of their way to actively block phones from their network. I think the more likely situation is that each type of phone requires special provisioning to work with VoLTE, and Public Mobile has made the decision to focus on certain high demand phones only.

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Public Mobile really is actively preventing customers from using devices that are compatible with VoLTE from using VoLTE on Public Mobile service. As for the reasons, I can't speak to as what Telus is thinking.  @will13am can tell you about a device that was allowed to use VoLTE at Public Mobile and then was blocked out.  Others have complained about devices working on VoLTE at other Canadian carriers but not a Public Mobile.  I would argue that it's not for Telus/Public Mobile to decide which devices that customers should to use.   Then, there are also cases of 5G network capable devices being prevented from using the Public Mobile 5g network. similiar to the example that @hTideGnow gave.

[hTideGnow]

hi @Phil_Adelphus 

generally no.  But sometimes carrier would purposely ask manufacturers to hide and disable it.  In this case, a OS update to unhide it is needed.  Sort of like the 5G option with S20 with Telus/Koodo/PM

[Phil_Adelphus]

@DennyCrane   I also read that the manufacturer has to update the phone for VoLTE to work on a specific provider.  

[DennyCrane]

@computergeek541 I've seen this argument made by others as well, and I don't buy it. Why would a company go out of their way to actively block phones from their network. I think the more likely situation is that each type of phone requires special provisioning to work with VoLTE, and Public Mobile has made the decision to focus on certain high demand phones only.

[computergeek541]

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@smurfit wrote:

This VOLTE whitelist is grossly outdated. Please provide us with an updated list ASAP or provide a proper IMEI checker.

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

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I don't agree with updating the list in the sense that Public Mobile actively chooses which devices to allow.  I believe the soultion is for Public Mobile to stop actively blocking  many devices that are otherwise comaptible with VoLTE. 

[hTideGnow]

hI @smurfit 

from what CS Agent told me, the newer models on the list are all VoLTE , but they haven't expand the model list

[smurfit]

This VOLTE whitelist is grossly outdated. Please provide us with an updated list ASAP or provide a proper IMEI checker.

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

[computergeek541]

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@smurfit wrote:

Is there any tool accessible to public for checking compatibility for VOLTE etc on public mobile? I talked to a CS rep regarding frequent dropped calls and was told that my phone is not supported by PM, but would work fine on Telus or Koodo.

I am extremely puzzled about this since PM doesn't sell phones, so how does one go about checking compatibility before buying another phone? Apparently the Telus IMEI check doesn't apply to phones on Public Mobile..

This kinda seems like a basic requirement for a BYOD service provider no?

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/how-to-use-volte 

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I would say to only use the Telus VoLTE check as a gudie.  This is some incorrect and outdate information in that database.  Public Mobile is very restrictive of the devcies that they will allow to use VoLTE.  Fully capable devices are currently being prevented from bing used on VoLTE because of some pre-approval process that Public Mobile is using.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @smurfit 

no IMEI checker for that purpose

this is the page with the VoLTE whitelist.  

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

I am not sure if your Moto G8 Power is VoLTE whitelisted, there is a Moto G Power there on the list.

[Phil_Adelphus]

@smurfit  For PM the phone needs to be on the PM whitelist or a newer version of one on the list since the list doesn't get updated, see

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

You can also check in settings (IMS Registration), or do the phone call test (wifi off, cellular data on, make a phone call and see if it stays on LTE or drops to 3G) but those require having possession of the phone and a connection to Public Mobile.