Talk/Text Add in for U.S.Roaming

[pete4]

I am currently in the US with a talk/text add on for US roaming.  For the most part, the US roaming has worked good and I have been able to make phone calls or text in different states.  However, the house I am now living in is in a "dead" zone and I cannot place a phone call or text.  Data Roaming is on and the network mode is "LTE/WCDMA/GSM (auto connect).  The network operators function automatically picks T-Mobile which is a network that is no good in this dead zone.  I then turn off the "network operators select automatically" feature and search manually for networks.  AT&T does appear when it searches for networks, but when I select it, it tries to register it on my Android cellphone, but is not successful and it never does connect.  Is there a way that I can force my cellphone to register and select the AT&T network? 

[darlicious]

@pete4 

Try this as a test when you have voice coverage on T-Mobile's 2G network. First while on wifi download textnow and choose a Canadian phone number. Then when connected to the 2G network call forward your pm phone number to your textnow number. You have a few options unreachable, busy/declined, always.....decide what suites you best for the moment.

Depending on your choice your pm calls should ring thru to your textnow app/number when on wifi. If this works well you can then test by buying the US roaming talk&text+250mb bundle and you will also be able to use textnow on mobile data while connected to T-Mobile's 4G LTE network.

There are a couple of undetermined factors while using this option and preferably you would perform all call forwarding in Canada before you depart to the US which would allow for you to use a local Sim card with the US network with the best coverage for your area.

Previously without a US roaming add on all call forwarding would default back to voicemail if your phone/pm Sim card connected to a US cell tower (specifically the 3G network that pm uses for voice calls). Presumably the same would occur if the the phone connects to a tower with the 2G network. With a US Roaming add on call forwarding would stay as programmed but I'm not sure if having the talk add on is a must for this to occur.

Alternatively if you set your network mode to 4G LTE only would this allow for connecting to the 2G network to be avoided altogether and a more seamless transition for call forwarding to textnow to kick in? Since you will already recieve incoming pm SMS texts on your phone without a US Roaming add on and also send/recieve texts on your textnow phone # the question remains could you get away with just US Roaming data and retain your call forwarding programmed while in the US?

If you have a dual sim phone or another device you could also Hotspot mobile data using a US MVNO such as Cricket, Straight Talk or Red Pocket that use the AT&T network. This all depends on how long you are in the US for and if you are is Arizona your main residence for the majority of your time there and future visits?

Now that we are closing in on the end of the year speculation and a couple of hints by pm about working on enabling VoLTE for pm customers does make us believe it could occur sometime in the near future eliminating the biggest issue most pm customers run into when roaming in the US since the decommissioning of the 3G networks the ability to either connect to the 2G network for voice calls or the call quality once connected. If your T-Mobile 4G LTE connection is decent then the worst of your issue is solved but if your dead zone affects all of T-Mobile's networks then enabling VoLTE will not do you much good anyways?!!

Here's a little more info on US Roaming.....

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/US-Roaming-Add-ons-Decommissioning-of-US-...

[pete4]

Thanks walker1 for your response.  It is unfortunate as T-Mobile coverage is spotty in the area I am in (Arizona).  

[pete4]

Thanks for your response.  The T-Mobile coverage in the area I am in (Arizona) is very spotty and once you get out of the well populated areas, it gets worse.  So far, I am not a huge fan of T-Mobile.  

[dust2dust]

Public does mention AT&T for roaming but they're also terrible at updating their messaging. Another regular and myself have tried these things out in two different areas of the country and AT&T seems to have completely abandoned us. As you have also found. They don't have the 2G network that T-Mobile has and that T-Mobile has let us use. That's for voice. It would seem that AT&T said forget about the whole thing with us, even text and data.

A support person had even suggested to another customer to use Verizon. They were never a roaming partner anyway...and same result...no connection allowed.

[walker1]

@pete4 

No the roaming will only work with T-Mobile.  Sorry.