Can't call

[Dash8fixer]

We just got a new cell service in our town, provided by Bell. I have 4 bars, I can text and send data but can't call out or receive calls. Any ideas why not?

[Nezgar]

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@Dash8fixer wrote:

We just got a new cell service in our town, provided by Bell. I have 4 bars, I can text and send data but can't call out or receive calls. Any ideas why not?

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Public Mobile works with LTE for data and texting, but has to drop town to 3G HSPA/WCDMA for phone calls. If your brand new bell tower *only* offers LTE service, then you will not be able to make phone calls. Hopefully PM eventually supports VoLTE, but probably not anytime soon.

I have heard there are a few places like this now - ie White River, ON - Curious where else.

[_Daniel_]

it may just be a timing thing.  I know when I activated my new SIM, I checked out texting right away (basically testing that the APN settings of the SIM were used).  But it took a bit for my phone number porting to happen... my first successful test eventually was receiving a call... and then a bit later I could make a call as well.

hopefully it's not a frequency incompatibility between your cell phone/SIM and the tower... like computergeek541 & benfatto suggested... HSPA versus LTE

[benfatto]

@Dash8fixer  There was a report a few days ago of a new Bell tower with only LTE services. Hopefully, that's not your situation.

Try the TextNow app; you can make call/texts for no charge on wifi, or cellular data.

[computergeek541]

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@Dash8fixer wrote:

We just got a new cell service in our town, provided by Bell. I have 4 bars, I can text and send data but can't call out or receive calls. Any ideas why not?

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While this isn't usually an option in the setttings menu of many phones, make sure that the phone isn't set to LTE-only mode. Public Mobile requires customers to use the HSPA network for phone calls.