08-28-2024 11:55 AM
Hello I have recently changed my device to a Umidigi Bison GT2 pro 5 G phone I had voLTE on my old phone but not on this one. If I put in a Lucky Mobility SIM or a Rogers SIM I have voLTE. After some research I have found that Telus is the only provider that is still whitelisting so only their phones will get voLTE. Is there any way to have a non Telus device added or should I switch carriers?
Thanks in advance
09-25-2024 02:52 AM
This is wonderful (below). My Light Phone II used to work on PM, finally I know why the calls drop unexpectedly. Telus and Kodoo both support the phone, as per Light Phone’s website. Ridiculous and annoying.
“Public Mobile is a pure BYOD provider, the white list, consisting of mid range to high end devices, is discriminating against people on a tight budget. It's right in the face of the features that got a lot of us long term customers here in the first place.“
08-28-2024 03:48 PM
@eddieO wrote:@saturna it's hard to argue with you as those are very valid points. They really should be making an effort to update the whitelist which is very short and appears to be unchanged for some time. My wife's phone is VoLTE capable but not on the white list and we were able to confirm it drops to 3G for calls. Maybe if enough customers open tickets with CS agents with the same concerns they may listen? Maybe hopeful thinking
For us, CSA's reply was to blame our choice of phone (citing it wasn't supporting VoLTE, when it actually is) and they suggested buying an approved phone. They couldn't care less.
08-28-2024 03:43 PM
@saturna it's hard to argue with you as those are very valid points. They really should be making an effort to update the whitelist which is very short and appears to be unchanged for some time. My wife's phone is VoLTE capable but not on the white list and we were able to confirm it drops to 3G for calls. Maybe if enough customers open tickets with CS agents with the same concerns they may listen? Maybe hopeful thinking
08-28-2024 03:35 PM
@eddieO wrote:@Scott241 not having VoLTE should only effect you when you are making or receiving calls, and it should still work except that your service will drop to 3G but if you are not making calls your service should still be connecting to 4G/LTE, your Umidigi device should still work here in Canada. In the U.S. that is where you will experience issues as there is limited 2G coverage through T-Mobile only and even that will be gone apparently in the near future
Emphasis on a very generous "should"... there are areas in Canada where 3G bandwidth has been refarmed, or in some cases 3G was skipped entirely in favour of 4G hardware (predominantly in some areas of Atlantic Canada, I believe). One of my former referrals saw continuously dropping call quality on Telus 3G and then complete discontinuation of 3G service in their area over the past three or so years.
Public Mobile is a pure BYOD provider, the white list, consisting of mid range to high end devices, is discriminating against people on a tight budget. It's right in the face of the features that got a lot of us long term customers here in the first place. Over at Koodo they even make a cash-grab out of it, charging $5 extra if using the service with a, in their eyes, "incompatible" device that's not on the white list.
I know for a fact that the original Bison (Android 11) worked with VoLTE when PM first introduced it, but the feature got pulled a few months in. So all that "technical incompatibilities" is a lie. Just allow VoLTE on any phone that is capable, period. If you must, add a disclaimer at the relevant spots that you can't help with trouble shooting VoLTE on non Telus devices.
08-28-2024 01:10 PM
The call quality is better on LTE and seeing as it works with all other carriers then the obvious solution to me is to dump Telus and it's subsidiaries, the alternative is to be bullied into a new approved device or use the failing 3G system.
Thanks to everyone for there suggestions, but I don't work for Telus so this is the end to how much effort I will put into this.
Scott
08-28-2024 01:08 PM
this is expected, the phone is not currently VoLTE whitelisted with PM. But nothing wrong to use 3G voice for now. One of my accounts is using it and working well
08-28-2024 01:04 PM
Unfortunately it still drops to 3G
Thanks
08-28-2024 12:24 PM
@Scott241 not having VoLTE should only effect you when you are making or receiving calls, and it should still work except that your service will drop to 3G but if you are not making calls your service should still be connecting to 4G/LTE, your Umidigi device should still work here in Canada. In the U.S. that is where you will experience issues as there is limited 2G coverage through T-Mobile only and even that will be gone apparently in the near future
08-28-2024 12:24 PM
@Scott241 , I think your only option to get VoLTE with this service is to try the workaround mentioned in this thread. I was not able to get it to work, maybe you will have better luck. Otherwise, vote with your feet. There really is no justification for doing something that other carrier brands don't do and then blaming the problem on incompatible hardware that is actually compatible.
https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Oneplus-11-VoLTE-update/td-p/1241226
08-28-2024 12:23 PM
wanna try an experiment ? With your new phone, turn OFF wifi. Make a local call now. Does the call drop to 3G or does it stay on LTE/5G ?
08-28-2024 11:57 AM
hi @Scott241
sorry, Umidigi Bison is not on PM's VoLTE whitelist. Only phones on this list can use VoLTE on PM's network:
08-28-2024 11:56 AM
not an issue with non Telus device or not, but a problem that your phone is not currently whitelisted on PM's VoLTE list. It is a short list and nothing can be done. Let's hope PM will open it up