Roaming Issue

[Gerry_P]

Currently in Florida and connected to T-Mobile with a strong 4G signal. I have the Talk/Text/Data ad on. The issue is that at times my phone (Android 10) will disconnect then reconnect to the cellular network every 10 seconds. I'm also getting a random message that the sim card memory is full but as far as I can see there are no text messages or contacts stored on the sim card. Has anyone else experienced an issue like this? If I clear storage on Message and Carrier Services apps and restart phone it will work properly for a few hours but inevitably starts acting up again.

[darlicious]

@Almisami 

What OS is your F2 running? I'm wondering if your APN is causing the problem. Can you screenshot it so we can check it. Also double check that your roaming is enabled. Toggle airplane mode on/off. Reboot phone.

[Almisami]

I am currently having the exact same issue, on an Umidogi F2, but following those steps does not seem to stop the issue.

[Gerry_P]

Are you also having the issue where your signal is cutting in and out every 10 seconds or so?

To conserve my mobile data, I kept it turned off while roaming, only turning it on while needed. So it turned out that the issue of cutting in and out on T-Mobile went away as long as I kept mobile data turned on. So you might want to try that. When I was connected to AT&T there was no problem. 

[Almisami]

I am currently also experiencing the T-Mobile "Syncing SIM Contacts" loop issue and I can't seem to resolve it.

[Anonymous]

 @softech : It sorta takes a sense of how comfortable the customer might be to ask them. Gerry_P seemed game. Although I think he was obviously more interested in why his calls were cutting out. Then he figured it out for himself. But he seems game to continue the observations.

[softech]

@Anonymous   We tried to ask 2 or 3 customers to try VoLTE and so far we don't have any good news

Again, thanks @Gerry_P  for being our field tester  🙂

[whyveeare]

@Gerry_P thanks for being the guinea pig for us geeks.  We recognize you don't have to do this, especially since your original issue is solved.  Just wanted let you know we all appreciate your efforts.  It will benefit everyone in the community to have field proven information.

[Anonymous]

 @softech : I had very little faith in what that Oracle asserted. What basis in fact did they have to make such an assertion. But we'll see with this terrific customer when they go to Orlando and Minnesota.

[softech]

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@whyveeare wrote:

 PM has not enabled VoLTE calling for USA roaming (yet).  And unless they do, calling will eventually stop working once 3G is fully de-activated in the USA.

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@whyveeare  That was a question we all want to know.  I have a felling that PM won't enable VoLTE in the roaming agreement with AT&T and T-Mobile (at least not yet), but Oracle seems to think it is working already

[Gerry_P]

Yeah so obviously AT&T is systematically shutting down the 3G and this has not happened here in Daytona yet. I'm in Florida for another week yet and then in Minnesota for a few days before returning to Canada so I'll keep testing and report my findings here 

[whyveeare]

@softech good point.  I hadn't considered that.

According to this Reddit thread, https://www.reddit.com/r/ATT/comments/sw1o4h/new_3g_megathread/

3G is still active in some parts of the country.

Anyways, the main point is that @Gerry_P has confirmed that calls are still going through 3G.  The status quo is unchanged for both AT&T and T-Mobile.  PM has not enabled VoLTE calling for USA roaming (yet).  And unless they do, calling will eventually stop working once 3G is fully de-activated in the USA.

[Anonymous]

 @Gerry_P : Well...so much for AT&T shutting off 3G on the 22nd. Maybe you'll have a different experience in Orlando. This is great of you to fiddle through this testing. Glad you got the calls cutting out problem tentatively fixed.

The regulars here like to explore the boundaries of what works and what doesn't (until such time as we can test it ourselves).

I'm still a little puzzled that it seems to be a 3G connection when you have 4G as your preferred network type (unless you changed it).

So if you can't call in Orlando with wifi and data off then try browsing with data on, or text out. Then try the call with data on. But of course if you have to talk to someone then change to T-Mobile. It _should_ still work.

Edit: @softech : Can we stay over here in Gerry_P's thread.

Edit again: I beg the pardon of @esjliv and @softech . My use of the old All Posts shows the subject line. I thought we were running all over the other thread of the other person who started a similar thread. Apologies.

[Gerry_P]

When the T-Mobile signal kept cutting in and out every 10 seconds I noticed in the notifications bars that the phone was constantly "syncing sim contacts" even though I don't have contacts on the sim, only Google contacts. So I cleared cache on "Carrier Services" as well as shutting  off Google sync and that seemed to solve the problem. 

[softech]

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@Gerry_P wrote:

I didn't swap the sim cards because I found that if I turned off Google sync the T-Mobile signal stopped cutting in and out. So the issue seemed to be a Google/Gmail/contacts problem. 

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@Gerry_P   This is an interesting find.. how could you think about stopping Google sync.. 

And your AT&T, so, still has 3G there?  Yes, I think AT&T just start taking take the 3G and not a hard cutoff, maybe that is why??

[Gerry_P]

Calling works fine with WiFi and data turned off. Network status is constant 4 bars and showing 3G. I'm in Daytona Beach, heading to Orlando tomorrow so I'll see how it is over there. 

[Anonymous]

 @esjliv : @Gerry_P has this thread over here. Posts had already been moved. Gerry_P: good to hear you think the problem might be fixed. Odd with Google.

[Anonymous]

 @Gerry_P : The plot thickens. Turn off wifi and try a call. So just idling with data off and wifi off what is the network status and bars? And your phone is set to 4G right? Then when you try a call does it switch to 3G? The evidence of that might the bars. If it's idling on 4G then there might be fewer bars. Then when you call it switches to 3G and the bars might go up.

[Gerry_P]

I didn't swap the sim cards because I found that if I turned off Google sync the T-Mobile signal stopped cutting in and out. So the issue seemed to be a Google/Gmail/contacts problem. 

[Gerry_P]

I tried again and was able to connect to AT &T. Calls and data are working although network status shows 3G.

 

[esjliv]

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@Gerry_P wrote:

I can't connect to AT&T but on T-mobile the network status shows 4G. When making or receiving a phone call the network status shows 3G.

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@Gerry_P  but your wife can using android 9?

Were you able to test swapping your SIM's in each other's phones?

[Anonymous]

 @Gerry_P : Thanks for the update! Interesting that you can't even connect to AT&T. I would have thought it would let you do text and data on its 4G. So when you scan for networks does it show up? Then when you try to select it, what happens? What does it say?

[Gerry_P]

I can't connect to AT&T but on T-mobile the network status shows 4G. When making or receiving a phone call the network status shows 3G.

[esjliv]

@Gerry_P  -

What are the models of your phones?

Can you check to see how much storage space is listed Used vs. Unused on each of your devices?

It is odd that the message only started when you entered the US. 

I wonder if the android 10 is taking up more space on your device than your wife's android 9 version? Was this a recent update you did?

[Gerry_P]

Yes exactly, I was planning on trying that in my troubleshooting plan. I need to find a paper clip to pop the sim drawer. I'll check with the hotel desk clerk 🙂

Thanks for all the great suggestions 🙏

The PM community is amazing!

[Anonymous]

That was great from @whyveeare . So you have 4G Calling set on. You have 4G recommended set. I see T-Mobile under automatic. Can you tap automatic and let it search for carriers and hopefully find AT&T and if so select it. Then try to make a call and look for evidence. I don't think it will. But we'll see. You should be able to do text and data with AT&T. But we're wanting to see what happens with talk.

[whyveeare]

@Gerry_P 

Your phone seems to be enabled for VoLTE.  It's just called "4G Calling" on your phone.  But it's the same thing.

What we are all interested to know is if you make a phone call (while connected to the AT&T network), does the indicator at the top of you screen change from 4G to 3G?

I know when I was in Palm Springs last Dec., whenever I made a call, it would always drop down to 3G during the call, and then back to 4G after I hung up.  It would be interesting to confirm that Oracle's comment that VoLTE was available in the USA now while roaming.  If true, then your phone should stay on 4G during the call.

Enquiring minds want to know 🙂

[darlicious]

@gpixel 

Switching to at&t will result in no voice services. Pm has not enabled voLTE calling for any pm customers including those using US roaming add ons.

To contact customer support click below:

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

To pre-verify your account include your full name, address, email, phone # and 4 digit acct pin #.

[Gerry_P]

I have an Umidigi Bison with Android 10, Volte doesn't appear to be an option at all.

 

[gpixel]

@Gerry_P 

I'm curious, are you guys able to connect to "volte" for phone calls? try connecting to at&t. I think they have started shutting down 3g towers. I'm wondering if pm customers are able to connect to "volte" for voice calls