Solution for iPhone users not receiving calls on Public Mobile.

[frankysplace]

 This issue has been plaguing me for months. I think I have found a solution to this issue for iPhone users on ios 16. Go to settings then select cellular, then select cellular data options, tap on voice and data and select 3G. This seems to have fixed the issue with receiving phone calls and all signal issues. Thanks for reading Frank. 

[darlicious]

@frankysplace 

When on autoconnect your phone will choose the 4G LTE network to connect to if it can recieve a signal. It will only drop down to 3G if it cannot connect at all. It automatically drops down to 3G when an incoming call is detected. Something is interfering with this process for just long enough for the network to default to voicemail.

Your 3G signal is strong and is likely B5 as it does a better job of penetrating obstructions such as buildings. Your 4G LTE signal is much weaker (as is mine despite nearly a clear unobstructed view of my local cell tower across the False Creek flats) that hovers between -98dBm and -107dBm. Although I have never had an issue incoming calling with pm.

[frankysplace]

This would also be my guess. I don’t know why setting my default for voice and data from 4G LTE to 3G has greatly improved my incoming call capability and signal strength from one to two bars to full bar status. While in my apartment. I was only playing with my settings when I discovered it. I would love to hear from others who may experience this too.

[darlicious]

@frankysplace 

So it may not be the equipment on the tower but the surrounding buildings causing a slight delay with your signal switching networks causing it to default to voicemail.

[frankysplace]

I think you may be right based on this evidence. Before defaulting my iPhone to 3G I was only having signal issues and incoming call issues at my home here in Toronto, also lots of new condos are going up around me. In my travels around town my phone would work perfectly while set to LTE for voice and data.

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@frankysplace 

All network providers have been upgrading equipment on their cell towers over the past year or so that have caused calling issues for lower tiered providers' customers such as public mobile. Generally the issue of a slight delay during this maintenance of switching from the 4G LTE network down to the 3G network for calls (defaulting incoming calls to voicemail)clear up after a couple of weeks.

Since your issue is ongoing its likely your local tower has had its 3G network signal reduced or eliminated to accommodate 5G network technology. Hopefully this means telus implementing VoLTE for public mobile customers is imminent? Until such time if you are OK using the 3G network for your services then continue to do so until we receive VoLTE calling.

Edit : typos

[computergeek541]

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@frankysplace wrote:

 This issue has been plaguing me for months. I think I have found a solution to this issue for iPhone users on ios 16 go to settings then select cellular, then select cellular data options, tap on voice and data and select 3G. This seems to have fixed the issue with receiving phone calls and all signal issues. Thanks for reading Frank. 

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I believe this possibly being unrelated to iPhone, but more likely being related to the network itself. Issues with calls not coming in aren't specific to any type of phone device.  Also, over the past year, I'm been noticing the 3g/HSPA network getting considerably worse in both reliability and performance.