Second Location in US where roaming data doesn't work... This time with 2 phones!

[Magex]

So this time I took my Iphone 7 plus with me, to check that it wasn't something wrong with the phone as people had suggested.

Low and behold, zero data access in Philadelphia too.  Only SMS and calling worked.  The iPhone has data roaming set on.  So this phone has up to 4g, my other phone, Xiaomi has 5g and LTE, and both these phones can't get data in Philadelphia.  Again, SMS and calling was fine, there was 4-5 bars coverage, but just no way to use my data plan and I paid for the US-Canada plan.

Is there any phone that is going to work with this plan in the US?  I thought it would work with any phone. 

[Magex]

in reality it was the opposite: no problems calling or texting but zero data.  

Roaming was on, filed a CS ticket and no agent has messaged back

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Magex   VoLTE should only be an issue for voice calls in the USA, you should still be able to get data as long as your phones are set to 4G/LTE not 5G, data roaming is turned on and your phone is not trying to connect to Verizon or some other carrier that isn't AT&T or T-Mobile.   As others have suggested earlier, did you contact Public Mobile customer service?  

[Magex]

Thanks for linking Freedom's compatibility checker, its pretty indepth.  The funny thing is, both my phones have volte so im able to make calls in the US. So PM has literally just blocked the data part by not whitelisting phones which would work with volte.

Likewise freedom mobile seems to block the volte part too. Feels like a conspiracy to force people to buy both new phones and only apple + samsung basically

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Magex  Is this situation the same on Freedom Mobile or not?

You can supposedly check here:

https://www.freedommobile.ca/en-CA/byop_compatibility_check 

For Xiaomi you would need to enter the IMEI.  Xiaomi is not listed at all for VoLTE with one of PM's roaming partners in the US (AT&T).   You can check T-Mobile here:

https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/bring-your-own-phone 

I imagine all the carriers  have whitelists, some phones are on practically all, some phones are on some.  I know my older Android (2017) which is VoLTE capable is not supported for VoLTE on pretty much any carrier now, Canada or US.

[Magex]

Its terrible they put an arbitrary restriction on it so that less phones work with the plan, is that even legal?  What purpose does it serve other than forcing people to buy new phones and customers not being able to access data even after paying for the plan?

Is this situation the same on Freedom Mobile or not?

[golfball]

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@Magex wrote:

I just need data. i was testing if 4g works via a conventional brand but it does not either. doesn't have to do with the ios version its 4g

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The software version does matter, PM arbitrarily restricts features such as 5G, MMS and VoLTE depending on software version. Doesn't matter if the phone technically supports it or not. Also applies to non-Canadian phone models that are not whitelisted as well. In order to be sure that isn't the problem you are experiencing you would need to use an up-to-date iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or other supported device.

[Magex]

I just need data. i was testing if 4g works via a conventional brand but it does not either. doesn't have to do with the ios version its 4g

[Phil_Adelphus]

@Magex  Is there any phone that is going to work with this plan in the US?  I thought it would work with any phone. 

From Googling carrier forums in the US it seems quite a few people have issues with Xiaomi phones not working well with US providers. Sometimes it depends which model of Xiaomi.  I seems odd that voice calls work on both phones since neither of your phones is VoLTE enabled, yet it is data that doesn't work.   As already suggested, best to contact customer service.  There are PM customers whose phones work just fine in the US.  Perhaps voice is working because you are connecting to T-Mobile's 2G?

[golfball]

The iPhone 7 (2016) is too old to ensure full functionality. PM only fully supports iOS 16 and above.

[fixin1]

@Magex - Hmmm. Please try contacting CS_Agent

[Magex]

The phone automatically connected to T-Mobile in Philadelphia and I can tell you the data did not ANYWHERE INSIDE THE CITY WHERE I WAS, on my iphone (4g/LTE) or my Xiaomi (5g)

[fixin1]

@Magex - Are you connected to Verizon? If so - please manually connect to:

Does the generation work?	AT&T	T-Mobile	Not Verizon (Not a roaming Partner with PM)
5G	Hardly Works	Works most times	Calls & Texts only
LTE / 4G	Yes - always should work	Works all the time	Calls & Texts only
3G	Decommissioned	Decommissioned	Decommissioned
2G EDGE	Decommissioned	Decommissioning soon	Decommissioned

If not - please contact CS_Agent for help:

⬇️ Click the link for an Agent * ⬇️

https://urlshortner.tiia.ai/xYpc_I

If the link above doesn’t work correctly, please go here to create a ticket to CS_Agent: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

* - CS_Agent will typically get back to you within 48 hours. * CS_Agents are at load due to iMessage activation issues so it may take longer than 48 hours. * They work 7 days a week from 9 AM to 10 PM EST.  You will be required to login to your Public Mobile Community Account to contact CS_Agent. Once you are finished making the ticket with CS_Agent, please ensure that you monitor for one of the agents responding back to you because they may notify you asking for some information via Private Message, in your mailbox by clicking this link here: Messages