Public Mobile US roaming add-ons

[Calvin2]

Does the US Roaming add-on only function on the obsolete 2G US networks?

[Calvin2]

It's unfortunate the interoperability of the old Bell twisted copper didn't migrate to the cellular networks.

[dust2dust]

Yes, those are the welcome to the US texts when you connect to a US tower. You can avoid that with a setting. But for now with the fact that you're going there soon then leave things as they are.

[Calvin2]

Yes I was very concerned about WA coverage after reading the forums. Much more complicated than I was aware of. We live so close the the US border I often get Public Mobile prompts on my phone inviting me to purchase roaming so I just assumed it would be a "no brainer". You know what they say about assumptions!

[dust2dust]

Excellent. So you have been enabled. Must be nice. Yes, you should have much better luck with volte when roaming. Again, coverage can vary and that is out of the control of Public. But you are set up to make the best of it.

[softech]

@Calvin2 

Yes, it should work .  

and remember to report us your experience, maybe we finally have a positive Washington report from you 

[Calvin2]

Yes, mobile network is LTE and IMS registration state is "registered" so I'm guessing it might work?

[softech]

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@Calvin2 wrote:

Yes, I checked with Motorola and they confirmed it is VoLTE capable. I also checked with T-Mobile and my phone is compatible with their US network. Therefore if I purchase the add-on and it doesn't work in Seattle WA I would assume I Public Mobile will credit my purchase. One last question: which US carrier(s) is Public Mobile utilizing in the US?

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@Calvin2  PM only uses T-Mobile at the moment

if your phone is VoLTE compatible with T-Mobile, likely it will work there , even it might not be VoLTE compatible with PM

and Yes, PM supports are usually fair and will compensate if the roaming does not work well

[dust2dust]

Only T-Mobile. It's not about whether the phone can. It's whether or not it has been enabled for use here. Mine can but it has not been enabled. If your menu system is anything like mine then go settings, about phone, status information, sim card status - if you see something about IMS then does it say registered?

Adding - missed a not

[Calvin2]

Yes, I checked with Motorola and they confirmed it is VoLTE capable. I also checked with T-Mobile and my phone is compatible with their US network. Therefore if I purchase the add-on and it doesn't work in Seattle WA I would assume I Public Mobile will credit my purchase. One last question: which US carrier(s) is Public Mobile utilizing in the US?

[dust2dust]

Do you know if your phone has been enabled for volte here? Not just that it's capable. That it has been enabled. If so then you should have a much easier time with talk. Public bears no responsibility for coverage provided by T-Mobile. Rural areas are particularly weak. Seattle should be fine of course but who knows. The problem is if you're not volte enabled. Then your phone needs to be able to switch down to 2G GSM and/or you do it manually. Then that coverage is even less. But at least it was offered to us for our roaming needs. Text and data should be fine on 4G LTE. Text can also work on 2G GSM.

[Calvin2]

Now I'm even more confused.  My phone is capable of 4G/LTE for data , text and VoLTE (voice) as well as 5G. The T-Mobile coverage map indicates coverage.  Are you saying that despite that, the Public Mobile Roaming Add-On may not be voice call functional in Seattle WA without a VOIP app?

[Calvin2]

Thank you. That will definitely work and saves me the inconvenience of purchasing and installing a T-Mobile Sim

[softech]

@Calvin2 

From what users reported back, Washington state has not been great with roaming.  However, consider buying only Data addon and use VoIP app TextNow to make free calls to Canada/US. You can use it to make/receive calls and send/receive text.  TextNow works as long as you have Wifi or Mobile Data

[Calvin2]

I am primarily concerned with talking on my cell phone in Washington state in the Seattle area and when I checked T-Mobile's coverage for that area it looks like it's primarily 5G with no 2G availability. There's a lot of discussion in the Public Mobile Community suggesting you will need a VOIP app to make voice calls using the Public Mobile roaming as it only functions on 2G which makes it useless in the Seattle area if that is in fact true. Apparently it will not even accommodate 911 emergency calls which begs the question why does Public Mobile even offer it?

[hTideGnow]

HI@Calvin2 

All US roaming add-ons work on T-Mobile's LTE netowrk, you don't need the obsolete 2G other than voice

it might even work on 5G, but need someone to confirm

[softech · Accepted solution]

@Calvin2 

NO.  US roaming addon allows you to use 4G/LTE for data , text and VoLTE (voice)

if your phone is not compatible with VoLTE, then you will need 2G for voice only