Public Mobile Text Message about upgrades to 4G Network

[Tbone99]

Today I received the following text message from PM that I'd like some clarification on.

Public Mobile here. We are making upgrades to our 4G network that may impact your 3G voice, messaging, and data connectivity, You may experience a degraded 3G connection from February 27 to March 3, 2025 and then ongoing after March 17, 2025. Public Mobile support is available to help you if you are impacted.

Can someone explain what then mean by 'and then ongoing after March 17, 2025'? Is PM discontinuing 3G service in my area after March 17? My Motorola phone is only 2 years old but still not on PM's whitelist for VOLTE, so no 3G network would be a major problem.

Thanks!

[GPs4evr]

I know my phone is VoLTE capable (OnePlus Nord CE2) as I've seen it switch to VoLTE to with another network. However, I haven't seen it do it yet with PM since paying attention after getting the text messages from them. My point is that even if a phone is capable, Public Mobile has to allow it on the network. My phone is fully compatible with their network frequency bands as well so this is a Public Mobile issue not allowing certain phones access.

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Tbone99  Some phones not on PM's list may get VoLTE, have you actually tested the phone?  If you turn off wifi and turn on cellular data and make a phone call. If the phone doesn't drop to 3G but stays on LTE then it has VoLTE.  It was said in another thread that these texts are because of changes to one of the two 3G bands so may not affect your phone anyway.  Which model Moto is it?

[GPs4evr]

I contacted PM and was told that their compatibility tool (aka phones on the "whitelist") is not up to date. The CSR said if the phone is capable of VoLTE, it should work but that they "do not have a way to know if the phone will be full compatible even though appears on the list,  until it is tested on the network."

I did make it clear to them that even if a phone is compatible with their network bandwidths and capable of VoLTE, the phones have to be enabled on their network for VoLTE to work. So we will see what happens.,

I wouldn't rush off to change anything at this time if you know your phone is capable of VoLTE. If you have issues after their test period, then reach out to PM again and tell them you want your VoLTE capable phone added to their network.

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Tbone99  Telus to force users off their cheap PM plans and over to more expensive Telus/Koodo plans

Telus currently has a plan much cheaper than anything on PM if you don't mind paying $100 for a year (works out about $8.33 a month).   That's with a promo code which gives unlimited calls and texts plus 2GB data a month for the first year.  Not so good after that but then there may be other options.

https://www.telus.com/en/mobility/prepaid/plans 

[Tbone99]

Thanks for the info and sharing the link!

It's extremely frustrating that PM has such a restrictive whitelist for VOLTE phones. My 2 year old phone is whitelisted for Koodo/Telus/Bell/Rogers, etc, no reason PM shouldn't be able to enable it.  It really seems like a **bleep**ty scheme by Telus to force users off their cheap PM plans and over to more expensive Telus/Koodo plans.

[BKNS27]

@hTideGnow 

Good to know. I am going by old news.

I know Rogers is decommissioning 3G on July 31, 2025.

[hTideGnow]

hi @BKNS27 

no confirmed date with 3G decommission.  But many believe it will be end of 2027, not this year

[BKNS27]

@Tbone99 

If your Motorola Moto phone have 4G/LTE and 5G…I wouldn’t worry about it but 3G will be decommissioned in the future.

Your phone need to be on the VoLTE whitelist if you are in the USA.

What model Moto do you have?

[hTideGnow]

hi @Tbone99 

you got this because you are using a phone that does not have VoLTE or it is a VoLTE capable phone but not whitelisted by PM

PM starts to remove one of the two bands used on 3G network which might , or might not , affect your voice calls.  Some said it will start with Telus controlled provinces/cities, mainly BC, AB, Windsor, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City.  Look like Bell control area like Ontario or GTA or the Eastern provinces won't be really affected for now

there is a long thread about this yesterday

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/text-my-service-will-degrade-in-2-days-pl...