Call problems in the US

[step_hen]

I’m currently in the US, where Vodafone use T-Mobile and AT and T. I wanted to make people aware there’s a technical  issue with AT and T that prevents voice calls being made and received. Calls can be made on T- Mobile, but I find that their coverage is inferior to AT and T,’s. After several conversations with Voda tech support, they acknowledged there is a problem with AT and T, but, apparently, they’re not in touch with AT and T to resolve the problem. 

[Evie]

Hi @step_hen - When arriving in the USA we suggest connecting T Mobile for the best coverage. T mobile (like any network) will have some blind spots throughout the USA, where their network does not reach and a customers phone may then attach to AT&T if this provider has service in the area. We expect these blind spots to be minimal throughout the country, but still very possible. 

[step_hen]

With regard to coverage, I can only speak from my own experience, which has involved travelling through Illinois, Wisconsin,  Nevada and Utah.  I’ve found that T- Mobile has reasonable coverage in cities and towns, but poor or non-existent coverage in rural areas.  AT and T has consistently good data coverage. Any comment on the call issue with AT and T I’ve described?

[Evie]

@step_hen If your phone attaches to AT&T, you will not be able to make any voice calls as the legacy networks that the calls are made over are no longer in place.
If this happens, we should suggest to try to move into a different area to try and attach back to T mobile, where you will be able to make voice calls again.

[step_hen]

Not a very helpful response. I’ve just spent a week in Utah, where I had to drive 6 miles to access the nearest T-Mobile signal. I have an elderly mother who’s in a care home, and I need to be able to receive and make calls at any time. I’d prefer to hear what Vodafone are going to do about the problem. T-Mobile alone don’t have sufficient US coverage. How about ditching AT and T, and using Verizon instead, who have good national coverage in the US?

[simax]

It all boils down to whether the supporting network supports “Voice over 4G” (VoLTE). When 4G launched in the UK, it didn’t support voice calls, so whenever a call was made or received, the phone dropped down to 3G in order for calls to connect. Once VoLTE was introduced, calls could then be made over 4G.

Now, VoLTE only ever seems to work in the home country and not abroad - and the USA networks are slowly shutting down their old networks. AT&T for example now run on 4G only I believe and because of that, you can’t make or receive calls on AT&T due to VoLTE not being available.

Until mobile networks work together and get VoLTE working when roaming this is going to start becoming more of a problem as more and more networks around the world start turning off their legacy networks.

Hope this explanation explains why it’s not a fault, merely a technological issue.

[step_hen]

Thanks for the detailed response. I’ve been looking at what other UK providers are doing about this problem in the US. O2 have posted an article on the subject: https://www.o2.co.uk/help/network-coverage-and-international/travelling-to-the-usa#. They use the same US carriers as Vodafone, but indicate that so long as you have a recent phone, including an iPhone 12 which I have, you’ll be able to continue to use their networks. So what are O2 doing that Vodafone aren’t?

I started this thread to alert travellers to the US about the problems I’ve experienced, but it doesn’t appear on the forum, and I wonder why not. Are Vodafone trying to conceal this issue? Why is there no information about this issue on the Vodafone website?  Presumably, T-Mobile will be going down the same route as AT and T,  meaning that UK travellers using Vodafone won’t be able to make voice calls. So what are you going to do about it?

[simax]

It could be that O2 are rolling out VoLTE when roaming… I dunnno.

[step_hen]

Any response from a Vodafone agent, please?

[step_hen]

Originally, I tried to post this thread under Mobile Broadband, but for some reason it’s ended up in Pay Monthly, which is why I thought it had had been omitted. Apologies to Vodafone.