US talk not working

[Kootenaigirl1]

I am in the US (Montana) with a voice, text, data add on. Data and text work fine but no voice. 

I have tried changing from AT&T to T mobile, tried going from LTE to 3g (no 2g option) but nothing seems to work. Also tried switching it off and putting in airplane mode. I have an iphone 7 so no VoLTE. 

When I used my phone last summer in the States it worked fine. 

I see other people have this issue, does it mean that my phone is now too old to use in the States (due to 3G shut down) with a public mobile add on or are there any other possible solutions? Thanks. 

[BKNS27]

@Kootenaigirl1 

You can have it sent to a family member or friends in the USA.😉

[Kootenaigirl1]

That would be good but sounds like you need the SIM sent to a US address and you can’t track it?

[BKNS27]

@Kootenaigirl1 

I personally use the TextNow SIM while in the US for free calling and texting in 5G without the need of WiFi to work.

[Kootenaigirl1]

It was this one

https://coverage.lart2150.com/vector/#b=GSM&m=2023-02-01&m2=2023-02-01&b2=UMTS&lat=38.47939467327645...

[hTideGnow]

hi @Kootenaigirl1 

thanks for the update, is that the map you used?

https://www.gsma.com/coverage/#466

[Kootenaigirl1]

Just an update to this I found an old t mobile map that shows where they have 2G service and there is non at all in Montana. The places I have been to previously all show 2G coverage so that explains why my older phone worked previously.

[DennyCrane]

Get TextNow or Fongo and call your own cell number from one of those apps. When you hear your own voicemail greeting press * and then enter your voicemail pin when prompted.

[dust2dust]

Interesting. I wonder if data-only roaming would let voicemail notifications through. You can check your voicemail with the voip app though.

[Kootenaigirl1]

Problem with that is I get voicemail messages and can’t check them. That was how I found out it wasn’t working this time as it did connect enough to say there was a voicemail but not enough to check it lol. 

[dust2dust]

Or next time just get the data and use the internet apps.

[Kootenaigirl1]

Thanks everyone, it sounds like it is just as I thought and that the iphone 7 is not really a viable option in the US now. I will just use my data for whatsapp and think about upgrading my phone before my next trip. 

[DennyCrane · Accepted solution]

@BKNS27 There's nothing support can tell them that we haven't already. It's a VoLTE issue. VoLTE at PM doesn't work on iPhone 7's. If OP can't find 2G T-Mobile coverage, there's nothing more to do. @CS_Agent could potentially offer a partial refund on the roaming add-on, but beyond that there is nothing more for them to troubleshoot.

[BKNS27]

@Kootenaigirl1 

Best to contact a CS_Agent to investigate for you.

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

Meanwhile, try using WhatsApp or TextNow app on wifi if you have these apps on your phone to make calls and texting.

[DennyCrane]

Folks, there are a lot of questions being asked that were answered in this original post.

-They have no 2G option on their phone. Best they can hope for us an automatic connection to T-Mobile 2G

-They have power cycled their device

-Data roaming in on as data and text are working. There's no setting for cellular roaming.

[Kootenaigirl1]

No option for changing to 2G only LTE or 3G

[dust2dust]

Yes this is a thing with recent OS updates, they removed the manual selection of 2G GSM. Then you have to rely on the auto switch down which may or may not work. I experienced that the last time I used roaming. One area it was able to switch but another I had to do it manually.

Great reading and trying on your part!

[Kootenaigirl1]

Yes cellular roaming enabled and it was fine last year in August for couple of weeks in the States in Oregon. 

[BKNS27]

@Kootenaigirl1 

This might be a dump question but is cellular roaming enabled? It probably is but doesn’t hurt to check.

[hTideGnow]

hi @Kootenaigirl1 

did you try changing to 2G?

[Kootenaigirl1]

Yes, I have tried that several times. 

[BKNS27]

@Kootenaigirl1 

Did you try rebooting your phone by powering off then power back on?

[DennyCrane]

@Kootenaigirl1 Unfortunately because your phone is not compatible with VoLTE on PM, your options are limited. The only thing you can hope for is to find a 2G TMobile connection. Failing that, you will not be able to make phone calls. You'll need an iPhone 8 or newer to use VoLTE with PM.

As an alternative you can use a third party app such as TextNow or Fongo for free voip calling over wifi/data (with a new number).