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3G vs LTE when making phone call...

BarryS
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

Hi all....I'm new to PM and everything from SIM purchase, activation, account creation has gone quite smooth.  No issues and everything seems to be working fine.  I just have a quick question.....I noticed when I make phone calls my phone switches from LTE to 3G, and then back to LTE once the call is completed.  No problems with the call quality, although I have noticed my signal strength fluctuates quite a bit more with PM than it did with Rogers.  I was pretty much at 5 bars always with Rogers in my central downtown Toronto condo.  So I was just curious about the switching from LTE to 3G during phone calls.

 

Thanks!

11 REPLIES 11

@stonechucker

Freedom pushes a bit harder trying to make up for crap network

 

I've looked at Freedom, and they're the same.  Well, at least they don't support devices that aren't sold by them.

srlawren
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

@kav2001c wrote:

@BarryS

VoLTE and VoWIFI are quite sketchy at best even on bigger carriers

Many restrictions in use, requirements for activation, and very few phones supported (even worse if you are bringing your own unlocked device in)

 


@kav2001c yeah this one frustrates the heck out of me.  My OnePlus 5T is definitely VoLTE and VoWIFI capable but I can't use it with my Koodo service because they only allow devices on their list and that were sold by them.  Ugh.  So annoying.


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lheintzman
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

@BarryS wrote:   Hoping the lack of VoLTE and Wi Fi calling isn't. an issue.  

While not exactly VoLTE, there are workarounds that allow wifi calling from most cellular devices.  Both Ooma and Fongo offer free mobile apps that work quite well, if you already have a "landbased" phone account. And there's always Skype, which sort of works, most of the time, more or less.

@BarryS

It is on its way to becoming standerd (even here eventually) but in its infancy so far

 

Most iPhones are very easy to configure as are newer name brand Androids (eg Samsung)

But good luck if using a noname brand or unlock phone

 

BarryS
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

@kav2001c  Thanks for the info.  I had it on my phone while on Rogers and it worked perfectly.  I assumed it was now the standard across all carriers, so will see how it goes without it on PM. Not too fussed that I don't have it now.

@BarryS

VoLTE and VoWIFI are quite sketchy at best even on bigger carriers

Many restrictions in use, requirements for activation, and very few phones supported (even worse if you are bringing your own unlocked device in)

 

I do not have hard numbers but would be willing to bet far more than 50% of the users on Telus, Rogers, and Bell have not even setup those calling features and are still using 3G

 

Freedom is probably the one who pushed it most but that was because their 3G network is god awful and using LTE / WIFI gives way better signal (still inferior to Telus / Public 3G)

 

BarryS
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

@stonechucker wrote:

@dna2016, it has nothing to do with the Rogers vs. Telus and towers, anywhere in the country.  Telus and Bell share their networks and have a much larger coverage area than Rogers (natively), and the only reason switching from LTE to 3G is that as has been stated, Public Mobile doesn't have VoLTE service.  Telus and Bell do provide this service to their higher tier customers.

 

Yes, the larger cities in Ontario and other provinces have great coverage from all the players.  The rural areas of the country, however, tend to be better served by Bell and/or Telus.


Thanks very much everyone for the quick replies!  I did quite a bit of research and pondering before switching to PM, but I didn't look into the cellular aspect too much as all I've read about Telus is that it has the best network in Canada.   Hoping the lack of VoLTE and Wi Fi calling isn't. an issue.  Thanks again.

@dna2016, it has nothing to do with the Rogers vs. Telus and towers, anywhere in the country.  Telus and Bell share their networks and have a much larger coverage area than Rogers (natively), and the only reason switching from LTE to 3G is that as has been stated, Public Mobile doesn't have VoLTE service.  Telus and Bell do provide this service to their higher tier customers.

 

Yes, the larger cities in Ontario and other provinces have great coverage from all the players.  The rural areas of the country, however, tend to be better served by Bell and/or Telus.

dna2016
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

@BarryS, welcome to PM.  Calls are always made over the 3G network so you'll always see the LTE disappear when you're receiving or making a call.  Technically this doesn't really effect your service.  I think maybe the reason you had more bars with Rogers is because they're kind of the king in Toronto/Ontario, so they'll have more cell towers, while Telus (the parent company of PM) is kind of the king of the Western region (i.e. BC, Alberta).  Not that this is an excuse but it is somewhat the truth.  Although telus has built up their infrastructure greatly in Ontario, but sometimes you'll still get better vertical reception with Rogers more than the other carriers just because they've pretty much been developing their infrastructure here in Toronto the longest.  

 

There was a story when Ted Rogers was alive, he was trying to make a call in his elevator at his head office (Mount Pleasant & Bloor), and he had no signal.  He was so mad he had technicians stop everything they were doing and told them to make sure no matter where he is in the building he will always have a signal.  So they installed a crazy amount of additional towers all over the building, and even underground.  So if you have rogers and you're anywhere around Mount Pleasant and Bloor, you'll have 5 bars practically all the time.  

mimmo
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

voice calls are done on 3g not lte that is why i am assuming your phone switches between the two.

 

PM dose not do voice over lte

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