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JaydenGr · 4 weeks ago

Hi folks,

I was wondering if it's possible to casually move my SIM card back and forth between my i-phone and a "dumb phone" depending on which I want to use that day (I haven't figured out which dumb phone to get yet, still considering). Would that work?

hTideGnow · 3 weeks ago

HI @JaydenGr

this is the whitelist
https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/volte

iPhone 8 and above are VoLTE eligible, but no dumb phone on the list at all

however, don't worry, dumb phone can still use 3G for voice and those who knows PM mentioned that it will still be like this for couple more years

JaydenGr · 3 weeks ago

Thanks for this. Where can I find the whitelist?

Chalupa_Batman · 4 weeks ago

@hTideGnow wrote:
HI @Burdwood
I don't like the whitelist too. But it is true not all carriers accept all phones for VoLTE. And even not the VoLTE issue, bringing a "supported" device is needed for any network.
To me, I think it is ok as long as the voice calls work, 3G or VoLTE does not matter. So, if your phone is not on VoLTE list, you can still use 3G to get voice calls. But it is true, US roaming would be tricker without VoLTE whitelisted phone

It wouldn't be trickier, it just wouldn't work at all. Period. That's the issue. I am heading to the US 4 times before New Years and would like to bring my Cat S22 with me but because Public Mobile won't enable VoLTE, I can't use it while in the US... even though the phone itself is unlocked and actually came from one of their partner companies in the US, T-Mobile. But I think we're starting to go off on this thread so this will be my last comment. Sorry @JaydenGr for all are posts. This is a sensitive subject for a lot of folks.

hTideGnow · 4 weeks ago

HI @Burdwood

I don't like the whitelist too. But it is true not all carriers accept all phones for VoLTE. And even not the VoLTE issue, bringing a "supported" device is needed for any network.

To me, I think it is ok as long as the voice calls work, 3G or VoLTE does not matter. So, if your phone is not on VoLTE list, you can still use 3G to get voice calls. But it is true, US roaming would be tricker without VoLTE whitelisted phone

Burdwood · 4 weeks ago

@softech wrote:
@Chalupa_Batman
i think you missed the focus of my earlier post. I was actually talking about the end of 3G still has no firm date and no need to scare others saying their phone will not be usable as of then
since you bought up the whitelist, I would say PM is not too bad, the whitelist is longer than Chatr's , Chatr has no phone on its VoLTE list still 🙂
Also, if you look back, all tier 1 carriers did not open up VoLTE for all phones when they rolled out VoLTE. The whitelist is not even just a Candian telco practice, US carriers did the same thing. Don't take it wrong, I don't like it either, but it is what it is.
Again, you will see PM open up to most VoLTE phones one day, probably closer to the end of 3G network (which again likely not end of 2025).

You are drinking the KoolAid again.

As a pure BYOD provider Public Mobile has no economic reason to restrict device choice. Actually in contrary.

When VoLTE was first introduced here most devices with VoLTE capability, whether on the list or not, worked with the feature. A few months later, phones not on the list were kicked off VoLTE.

So I'm with @Chalupa_Batman , if not now what's the incentive for them to open up in a year or two? As far as I know there is no legislation to force them accepting devices not on the very restrictive list. And on 3G sunset they'll just claim that it's our own fault for bringing a "not supported" phone.

softech · 4 weeks ago

@Chalupa_Batman

i think you missed the focus of my earlier post. I was actually talking about the end of 3G still has no firm date and no need to scare others saying their phone will not be usable as of then

since you bought up the whitelist, I would say PM is not too bad, the whitelist is longer than Chatr's , Chatr has no phone on its VoLTE list still 🙂

Also, if you look back, all tier 1 carriers did not open up VoLTE for all phones when they rolled out VoLTE. The whitelist is not even just a Candian telco practice, US carriers did the same thing. Don't take it wrong, I don't like it either, but it is what it is.

Again, you will see PM open up to most VoLTE phones one day, probably closer to the end of 3G network (which again likely not end of 2025).

Chalupa_Batman · 4 weeks ago

@softech wrote:
@Chalupa_Batman wrote:
Meaning your phone will work till the end of 2025 when 3G is no longer available in Canada. This means your dumb phone will no longer work on Public Mobile and you'll either have to find a new provider or a new phone. I, myself, would LOVE to use the Cat S22 phone on PM as it's a wicked phone.
this is not true. 2025 is not a firm date for the end of 3G, at least not with Telus.
https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/3g-usage-price-increase
We (Telus) don’t have a set date for this shutdown yet
Since Telus has no official date yet, end of 2025 is simply speculation.
I understand Rogers has announced it's end of 3G (March 2025), it is not as easy for Bell and Telus as they have more 3G dependent systems. So, 2028 is a more reasonable guess to see the end of 3G here
And when the time comes, PM will likely allow most phones with VoLTE, if not all, to access VoLTE.

I refer to your last sentence. When it comes time, Most likely.... the question continues to be a huge issue with Public Mobile right now is... why wait till then? Why aren't they allowing phones that have VoLTE on the system now. If they won't do it now, what makes you think they will do it in... 2028?

softech · 4 weeks ago

@Chalupa_Batman wrote:
Meaning your phone will work till the end of 2025 when 3G is no longer available in Canada. This means your dumb phone will no longer work on Public Mobile and you'll either have to find a new provider or a new phone. I, myself, would LOVE to use the Cat S22 phone on PM as it's a wicked phone.

this is not true. 2025 is not a firm date for the end of 3G, at least not with Telus.

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/3g-usage-price-increase
We (Telus) don’t have a set date for this shutdown yet

Since Telus has no official date yet, end of 2025 is simply speculation.

I understand Rogers has announced it's end of 3G (March 2025), it is not as easy for Bell and Telus as they have more 3G dependent systems. So, 2028 is a more reasonable guess to see the end of 3G here

And when the time comes, PM will likely allow most phones with VoLTE, if not all, to access VoLTE.

HALIMACS · 4 weeks ago

One other important thing to keep in mind, @JaydenGr .

Depending on the make/model of the 'dumb' phone, you may need a micro or standard SIM adapter to make the nano SIM card from your iPhone fit the SIM-card slot of the dumb phone.

If you don't have one, the mobile phone kiosks in most malls will have tons of these as most current devices (namely iPhones) use Nano and the outer adapters are throw-away items.

Chalupa_Batman · 4 weeks ago

@JaydenGr wrote:
Hi folks,
I was wondering if it's possible to casually move my SIM card back and forth between my i-phone and a "dumb phone" depending on which I want to use that day (I haven't figured out which dumb phone to get yet, still considering). Would that work?

Hey @JaydenGr

Yes, you can very much do so. Just swap out the SIM card to the dumb phone. HOWEVER... be aware, Public Mobile has a very limited whitelist that phones will work on their network. Meaning your phone will work till the end of 2025 when 3G is no longer available in Canada. This means your dumb phone will no longer work on Public Mobile and you'll either have to find a new provider or a new phone. I, myself, would LOVE to use the Cat S22 phone on PM as it's a wicked phone.

Meow · 4 weeks ago

Absolutely - Yes.

Your 'phone' is actually your SIM. Plugging it into any phone that 'any phone; becomes 'your phone'.

This is MAJOR benefit of physical SIM as it (almost) never fails and it is easily transferrable from phone to phone.

Community

Switch back and forth between Iphone and "dumb phone"