Question

Can't connect to networks in USA

  • 27 July 2022
  • 5 replies
  • 619 views
aleksm42
Rank

I have recently arrived in the US, and my phone can't connect to any networks here. I have had the same iD sim for years and travel frequently to the US, and this has never been an issue before--previously I have always been connected automatically, usually to T-Mobile, I think. Now I have no signal and even when I try to manually connect to networks, it says none are found. Roaming is enabled on my iD account, I have a £20 cap limit, and no settings have been changed recently. The only thing that might be different is that I have a new phone (Pixel 4a, whereas previous phone on which I experienced no problems was a Pixel 2.) Any ideas what might be going wrong?

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5 replies

andewhite
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Userlevel 8
Badge +9

The iD roaming partners in the USA are: AT&T and T-Mobile.

You could try checking the US web sites of these service providers - see if Pixel 4a is an approved handset on their networks.

Otherwise, sometimes the APN is incorrect - seems overseas roaming partners can often think iD Mobile are Three - see the online “What is roaming and how does it work?” community FAQ online for more about manually setting the APN.

Good luck.

 

aleksm42
Rank

Thanks for getting back to me. An IMEI checker for T-Mobile (see screenshot) sand AT&It's approved device list both say that my phone is fully compatible with those networks. My APN settings are also the same as those advised in the forum post.

 

 

andewhite
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Userlevel 8
Badge +9

Okay @aleksm42, it sounds like it could be an issue with your iD SIM card - how long have you had it?

Community member @adambard had a similar problem, which they posted about online at 

 

aleksm42
Rank

Not exactly sure how long I've had it--it's several years, though. It used to work fine over here (last time I was in the US was last summer), but only now isn't picking anything up. My husband is on EE, and his phone connected as soon as we landed, so it does seem to be an iD-specific issue. So is the only solution a new SIM? What might have changed to cause the malfunction?

Aleks

andewhite
Rank
Userlevel 8
Badge +9

Okay @aleksm42, if your husband’s EE SIM card works in your Pixel 4a in the USA, then I’d say it’s probably an issue with the iD Mobile SIM card.

As mentioned before, @adambard had problems roaming in the USA (see below):

In their case, a new SIM card resolved the issue - I’m not an expert in SIM card and mobile network technology, so can’t really speculate on this apparent malfunction, but you’ve mentioned changing from Pixel 2 to Pixel 4a.

Perhaps coincidently, @adambard had issues roaming in USA with Pixel 3 handsets, or maybe there’s something about Google Pixel handsets. 

 

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