US Add-On Update

[mitchnet12]

Hey community,

I was browsing the latest plan changes and noticed that the US roaming add-ons were just increased in service, time, and price, with talk-only and 500MB being delisted. Hopefully it's good news for most customers.

Was

10 days

• U.S. Talk, Text and 250 MB Data bundle: $20 U.S.
• Talk and Text Bundle: $15 U.S.
• Talk Only: $8 U.S.
• Text Only: $8
• 250 MB: $10
• 500 MB: $15
• 1 GB: $20

Now

15 days

• U.S. Talk, Text and 3 GB Data bundle: $30
• U.S. Talk and Text Bundle: $15
• 250MB: $10
• 1 GB: $20
• 3 GB: $25

[whyveeare]

Hi all,

I can confirm that last month while in Palm Springs and using PM’s $20 talk/text/data add-on, my phone (iPhone XR on iOS 16.2) would automatically switch down to 2G whenever on incoming call came in.  Same thing when making a call.  Even there was no option in settings to manually change to 2G (only LTE and 3G).

Hope this helps.

[Rick72]

I will let this forum know what I find out!😊

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

Well the majority of his route is saturated with 2G towers. I even found a few towers with 850Mhz among the mix of towers using the 1900Mhz band.

[dust2dust]

@darlicious- It may be. We just need more people with iphones that are a bit on the enthusiast side of things to try things out. Not the ones "it doesn't work I want my money back NOW!" types. 🙂 Maybe Rick72 will be able to sort it out for us with his findings. If he finds himself in a major metropolitan area with 2G galore and his phone simply refuses to dial even 611 then we'll have more evidence.

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

I think it's going to be a similar issue to @DennyCrane 's pixel 5 issue not allowing 2G to be selected or even found?!!

[darlicious]

@Rick72 

T-Mobile has excellent coverage on the eastern seaboard including the 2G network if you are able to connect to it. Only parts of Maine and West Virginia have poor coverage. You should try this workaround for a test....download textnow and choose a Canadian phone #. Call forward your pm phone # to your textnow phone # for busy/unreachable. Your calls should ring thru to your textnow app on your phone if you cannot connect to the 2G network. You can use textnow for your outgoing calling as well. It works on wifi or mobile data.

Additional info on US Roaming can be found here.....

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

Be sure to read the recently updated post it also includes a link to the cell mapper cell tower coverage interactive map that can give you precise cell tower network coverage.

[dust2dust]

@darlicious- I still split the concept. There's whether the option can be selected. Then there's whether the phone will in fact drop down. None of your discussions make a claim that it won't drop down. Maybe it's implied, which is what I think you're hanging on to. But it's not clear.

Adding - @Rick72 - other than the usual out of range areas that happens with all carriers, you should still be fine with data and text. Talk is where the challenge is with the much lesser coverage of their old 2G.

[Rick72]

@dust2dust  I think I will try the US Roaming add-on and hope for the best. I gather the iPhone 12 will be looking for 4G and as we are travelling from here to Georgia my guess is that most of that area will be getting 4G coverage. T Mobile 4G coverage map 

[darlicious]

@dust2dust 

I have gleaned that info from the following discussions...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252630982

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252304247#:~:text=But%20the%20iPhone%2012%20will,3G%2C%204G%20o....

However there is a mention in this discussion that it's disabled by the carrier and an iPhone user puts a T-Mobile Sim card in the phone to be given the ability to chose either 3G or 2G so perhaps T-Mobile still offers this option to select 2G under this scenario but it may be disabled by pm since telus decommissioned their 2G network years ago? If @Rick72 has access to a T-Mobile Sim card maybe it's possible or with a Roam or possibly a freedom Sim card?

https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/xf4rpb/so_apparently_on_ios_16_i_cannot_chose_3g2g/

[Rick72]

I have iOS 16.1.2.

[dust2dust]

@darlicious- I interpret your document as talking about manually choosing 2G (or 3G) as an option. I don't see where it says it won't drop down automatically.

[darlicious]

@Rick72 

What iOS are you running? You could have an issue with connecting with the 2G network automatically if the 4G LTE network is available and your iPhone is connected to it. Depending on your iOS version Apple may have removed the ability to manually choose the 3G or 2G network.

@dust2dust 

According to Apple support forums and the following article the iPhone 12 has an extremely limited parameter that will allow it to connect to the 2G network.

https://shudhtech.blogspot.com/2020/12/no-3g2g-option-in-iphone-12-pro-solved.html

[dust2dust]

@Rick72- The phone will do it itself. When a call comes in it will switch down. When you press the go button in the dialer it will switch down. You generally shouldn't have to switch it manually even if you have the option.

Just be sure you're only connected to T-Mobile.

[Rick72]

I am reading how roaming in US requires 2G for voice services but how can I change my iPhone 12 cellular  settings to 2G? The only options are LTE and 4G.

[darlicious]

I don't know why there is this consensus that public mobile's US Roaming add ons are unreliable. While voice services are dependent on the 2G network which has significantly  better coverage on the eastern side of the US than the west if a customer does a little research on their travel route and destination (s) they can determine their likelihood of 2G connectivity. As far as roaming data and text is concerned they will have the same coverage as 110 million T-Mobile subscribers to say that ....that many Americans have unreliable mobile services is irresponsible. The majority of issues that pm customers have with US Roaming add ons when you remove current issue with voice services stems from the customer not taking the time to learn the basics on how they work.

[mitchnet12]

@esjliv  That's true. It wouldn't be good to be out that kind of money for no roaming service.

[esjliv]

@mitchnet12  - if service becomes more reliable for roaming...then IMO that would be the good news.

Here is hoping this is where things are leading to...🤞

[hTideGnow]

HI@darlicious  nvm...  i was wrong  🙂

[darlicious]

@hTideGnow 

Wait....what?!! It's in the lounge?

Edit:

Lol....no not that one.....?

[hTideGnow]

HI @darlicious   it wasn't searchable because it was in Lounge

would be ok you put it in get help section.  It should not be a lounge topic

do you need me to ask a question "how to use Roaming without 3G" so you can reply in Get Help section?  LoL

(but I hope some member won't reply in 15 seconds telling me to ticket with PM support.  lately, we have member who jumps on reply without thinking  🙂  )

[mitchnet12]

@darlicious  I'm glad you're always looking out for the customer

[darlicious]

@mitchnet12 

True had I started a new thread rather than just updating the current one would have allowed for it to appear in a search with a different title.

[mitchnet12]

@hTideGnow  I agree. It's a bit more to do a short trip.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @mitchnet12   overall, I think 15 days is a good move, but would be nice if they have a small bundle, talk/text/1GB, even for $25

[mitchnet12]

@darlicious  I shouldn't be surprised that is was already noticed. I tried searching the forum but your thread didn't show up.

[darlicious]

@mitchnet12 

The US Roaming add ons were changed late last week as you may have noted when you read my update to my thread on US Roaming add ons earlier today.