VoLTE on 3G plan

[LitlLdy]

I have my iPhone data turned on, it is set on LTE, WiFi is turned off. I reset network settings, rebooted my iPhone, turned phone back off, removed sim card for a few minutes, put sim card back in phone & turned phone back on then tried calls again yet VoLTE still does not work! Calls drop to 3G when making calls!

CSA’s said that VoLTE is activated on my account but I was told by more than 1 CSA that it won’t work due to I don’t have a 4G phone plan!

Edited: For clearer explanation!

Edit: Update, March 20, 2023: 

My phone is an iPhone 6s. I just received another message from a CSA saying:

“Public Mobile here we received a ticket # for calls dropping from LTE to 3G unfortunately only IPhone 8 and up are supposed for Volte on our network, so your calls will show 3G. Thank you.”

So, even though my iPhone 6s worked for VoLTE with Rogers it is not compatible to work for VoLTE with Public Mobile yet was confirmed from Telus that this phone will work on the TELUS VoLTE network! 😕

Edit: Update, March 20, 4:10pm:

From a CSA: 

I checked the resolution of the ticket submitted to the technical team. VoLTE on iPhone 6s works on Telus postpaid and Koodo prepaid and postpaid but not on Public Mobile.

Public Mobile supports newer models (iPhone 8 and newer) for VoLTE. So if in the future you'll upgrade the phone, make sure to choose a model that supports VoLTE on our network.

I remain at your disposal.

Respectfully yours,
CS_Agent

Edit: Update: March 21, 12pm: I received a text message to my phone from Diane from Tech Support for information & troubleshooting. My call forwarding is now fixed!
Also, trying a new iPhone 14 Pro. My phone now stays on LTE when making calls even though it doesn’t say VoLTE on it! So, as many of you said…. I did not need a 3G phone plan for VoLTE to work for phone calls! Hmmm 🙄

[LitlLdy]

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@wetcoaster wrote:

@LitlLdy 

Hm. That is curious. I'm useless when it comes to iPhones, so I don't even attempt to give you any advice on that.

This was the first hit on google, not sure if that helps at all:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT203124#:~:text=If%20your%20carrier%20supports%20VoLTE,cellular%2Dd... 

I know that you try to avoid CSA interaction whenever possible, but if you have exhausted the phone options it might be worth trying to get in touch with them again and get a knowledgeable CSA sort things out for you. That statement about 3G plans is wrong - that was a bad, misrepresenting label ever since they came up with it for the throttled "LTE light" plans.

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@wetcoaster , I just reached out again & Luis pretty much said the same thing Daniel did!

Thank you for reaching Public Mobile Support, my name is Luis and I'll do my best to help you out today. I appreciate you taking the time to share the details regarding your account.

I can definitely help you with VoLTE questions. Public Mobile is offering VoLTE service now.

I was checking your account and it seems like you're paying for the  $15 3G plan. Keep in mind that VoLTE is fairly new which means it's required for you to be signed up with a plan for 4G/LTE.

VoLTE is not supported by 3G since the capacity for data speed is lower. 

[wetcoaster]

@LitlLdy 

Hm. That is curious. I'm useless when it comes to iPhones, so I don't even attempt to give you any advice on that.

This was the first hit on google, not sure if that helps at all:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT203124#:~:text=If%20your%20carrier%20supports%20VoLTE,cellular%2Dd... 

I know that you try to avoid CSA interaction whenever possible, but if you have exhausted the phone options it might be worth trying to get in touch with them again and get a knowledgeable CSA sort things out for you. That statement about 3G plans is wrong - that was a bad, misrepresenting label ever since they came up with it for the throttled "LTE light" plans.

[XionBunny]

I ported over in the later half of February, so it would have been after the 22nd, yet there seems to be some issue, so at this point I have messaged the support team to enable it properly, like you've suggested.

[wetcoaster]

@XionBunny 

When did you activate? According to the help article you'd have been activated directly on the VoLTE network if you signed up on/after February 22/2023.

If you signed up before that you might just need to be patient - they are migrating older accounts in batches.

Or, if you have a reason to have it asap (like a trip to the US?) you could follow Nezgar's lead and nicely ask the CSA to migrate you manually?

[LitlLdy]

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@wetcoaster wrote:

@LitlLdy 

What does your phone say?

Depending on UI of your phone you should see the 4G symbol while on a VoLTE call. (Apparently on some phones WiFi needs to be turned off for this to display properly?)

On my phone (Umidigi Bison, Android 11) it shows a fancy symbol:

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@wetcoaster , my iPhone shows LTE. NO VoLTE. While on a call it switches to 3g.

Edit: Plus my wifi is turned off.

Sorry, I didn't mean to take over ops post! I should have posted in a VoLTE post 😃

[wetcoaster]

@LitlLdy 

What does your phone say?

Depending on UI of your phone you should see the 4G symbol while on a VoLTE call. (Apparently on some phones WiFi needs to be turned off for this to display properly?)

On my phone (Umidigi Bison, Android 11) it shows a fancy symbol:

[LitlLdy]

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@dust2dust wrote:

@LitlLdy- It would not be the first time that CSA's provide misinformation. How do you know it's enabled on your account? Do you see the toggle in your settings? Did it only just appear recently or has it always been there? I'm sure by now you've done a restart?

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@dust2dust , I asked CSA to add it to my account. I did a restart & also reset network settings neither made a difference! Then I was told that it doesn’t work due to my plan is only 3g plan!

I used to have VoLTE when I was with Rogers (also had wifi calling but we don’t have that yet).

[XionBunny]

Well I have a pixel 6 and my status for volte as far as ims is concerned says it's unregistered, and no toggle.

[dust2dust]

@LitlLdy- It would not be the first time that CSA's provide misinformation. How do you know it's enabled on your account? Do you see the toggle in your settings? Did it only just appear recently or has it always been there? I'm sure by now you've done a restart?

[dust2dust]

If you started the account after Feb 22 then apparently you would be on volte. If before then you just have to wait like the rest of us.

Do you show the volte toggle? Some phones might show it and have it on but the provider has to turn it on at their end.

Adding -  @XionBunny 

[LitlLdy]

@dust2dust , @wetcoaster CSA told me that it won’t work on my 3g plan which it isn’t even though VoLTE is enabled on my account! Calls drop to 3g when I make calls.

[XionBunny]

How do I even get volte on the 15$ plan, my account is less than a month old at this point and I don't have it working right at all at the moment, I drop back to the 3g network when I make calls.

[wetcoaster · Accepted solution]

@LitlLdy 

You don't need a 4G (speed) plan for VoLTE to work - the line I've got VoLTE on is on the $15 plan.

If your phone has the feature, turn it on (if applicable) and allow the phone to use a 4G connection and it should automatically switch to VoLTE when in 4G range. 

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/volte 

[dust2dust]

@LitlLdy- You not having a 4G plan would make no difference. We all have 4G plans. They're just throttled speed plans when 3G is mentioned.

Adding - edit to change subject line.