USA trip

[KarenG24]

Hi I am from Canada and planning a 3 day trip to USA.  Just wondering if I choose a USA roaming package will it work right away once I cross the USA border or is there something I have to do to my iPhone before it will work???Also when returning to Canada will my phone return back to normal or do I have to change something on my iPhone to work in Canada again???

Thanks Karen

[hTideGnow]

HI @KarenG24 

VoLTE = Voice over LTE network, it uses 4G (LTE) for voice calls.

Both your iPhone 12 and 15 can use VoLTE on PM network and when you roam in US, so you are all good

[KarenG24]

Hi

VoLTe???

There are 2 phones but not sure which one I will take iPhone 12 and iPhone 15

most likely will use iPhone 15 because it is newer

Thank you for all your help.   Karen

[slusagm]

your phone's Connection screen would show

and honest, if you are in US and you Enabled Roaming and service works, that's mean it is connected to one of the 3 networks and you don't really care which one 🙂

Enjoy the trip

[Chalupa_Batman]

---

@KarenG24 wrote:

This might be a silly questions but how do I know which company to connect to where do I look for that and if not how do I do that manually also when returning back to Canada do I turn off roaming for my phone will work properly when back to Canada?? Not the smartest when it comes to this phone stuff so I hope my questions are not to stupid! Just want this to go smoothly while in USA.  Thanks Karen 

---

Hey @KarenG24 

I have an iPhone as well. This is what you do when your cross the border.

Go to Settings, Cellular, turn on data roaming and then turn off automatic. There will be three options. I'd pick T-Mobile as it's the most reliable in the US. After you do that, reboot your phone. Your phone should automatically pick T-Mobile every time you visit the US. Then when you cross the border, it will automatically find Public Mobile.

[BKNS27]

@KarenG24 

Make sure Roaming is enabled when you are in the USA so it will connect to a USA PM partner like T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon.

Your iPhone will be on the whitelist for your phone to work in the USA but you need to enable VoLTE (voice over LTE) since 3G is decommissioned in the USA. More information on VoLTE:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/volte?_gl=1*1qks5fo*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MzA4MTg5ODgu... 

[hairbag1]

@KarenG24 

good questions. The add-on options include 15 days of talk/text/data whilst traveling in us. You MUST have a cellphone that Public Mobile has on the whitelist of VoLTE recognized phones...otherwise talk will be less than great. When you get to us, you'll get a message "Welcome to us" with a nag to get some talk minutes...you can ignore that message if you get the 15 Day us Roaming add-on. Text and data will work regardless but make sure to enable Roaming in cellphone settings. When you get home, eveything will get back to normal soon as you get connected to Public Mobile network again. If you want...just leave Roaming enabled. PM is a prepaid service so you'll never get a bill for overages or long distance charges. If you happen to reach your data limit...it just stops until next renewal...you won't be billed overages. I've had mine enabled since 2018 without any traditional overages or anything else. 

added...

what make / model is your cellphone...we can help with VoLTE confirmation.

[KarenG24]

This might be a silly questions but how do I know which company to connect to where do I look for that and if not how do I do that manually also when returning back to Canada do I turn off roaming for my phone will work properly when back to Canada?? Not the smartest when it comes to this phone stuff so I hope my questions are not to stupid! Just want this to go smoothly while in USA.  Thanks Karen 

[slusagm]

if just a trip for 3 days, do not change to the Canada-US plan as you won't be able to change plan to your current plan.

Instead, get the roaming addon , Bundle - US Roaming - Talk, Text and 3GB Data (15 days)- $30 

Buy the add-on around the night before your trip.

When you are in US, make sure your phone has roaming turned on.  You will still get a text asking you to buy roaming, but you can ignore it if you already bought it

and when you are in US, your phone should connect to T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon.  If it does not connect automatically, try manual connect