will a Galaxy S7 work after 3G switch off?

Hi @SteveU 👋🏻

I was also with SMARTY and had the same email before I came to iD Mobile, due to an incompatible network phone,  and yet my device still didn’t work with an iD Mobile SIM even though my phone was on their ‘Approved’ list
Please see the reply I gave in this post (also for a Samsung Galaxy phone) as it should clear up the 4G/VoLTE question. This is what I did to make sure my phone was VoLTE comaptible.

If you need any futher clarification/answers then let me know and I’ll do my best to help! x

 

Many thanks.

I’ve looked under Software Version and cannot see Service Provider or anything with the initials mentioned in your list.

I’ll have to look back to see where we bought the phone from - can’t remember if from Samsung or somewhere else.

If it was from Samsung does that make it easier to upgrade the software?

I’m not so sure.  Others say that you need  4G (VoLTE) not just 4G to be able to make and receive calls.  Our Samsung Galaxy S7 has 4G but does not have an option to turn on VoLTE.

https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-advice/approved-handsets

Okay @SteveU, according to the iD Mobile online list of approved handsets for their network, the Samsung Galaxy S7 works with the iD Mobile VoLTE and WiFi Calling network services.

This is what is confusing.  The Smarty list says it will not work when they switch off 3G.  If the phone has no option to enable VoLTE, I can’t see how it will work.  VoLTE appears to be necessary for all voice calls not just as a back up when there is a weak signal.

Okay @SteveU, the Three UK website says the Samsung Galaxy S7 works with 4G VoLTE on their network. 

Because iD Mobile provided VoLTE and WiFi Calling network services several years before they were available with SMARTY Mobile, Samsung will’ve already included the necessary information for an S7 handset to use iD VoLTE and WiFi Calling, while they still provided software updates for the Galaxy S7.

Maybe get an iD Mobile PAYG SIM, and test if your S7 works with iD Mobile VoLTE.

That still sounds like the phone needs a software update so VoLTE can be enabled.  But how to do this?  As far as I know its up to date on updates.  Smarty acknowledge that the phone has VoLTE ‘capability’ but that it still won’t work due to some technical reasons (which is presumably why the phone doesn’t give me the option to enable VoLTE).  The first answer on this thread (from Decembersangel72 - and the link they provide) appears to confirm that there is a problem and suggests this can be overcome by some sort of flash update (which doesn’t sound easy to implement).

It does look like the only thing to do is wait to see if voice calling fails when Smarty switches off 3G, then, if so, to try an ID sim card and if that also doesn’t work to buy a new phone.

My gut feeling is that a new phone will be needed as its not possible/easy to update the Galaxy S7 to enable VoLTE (irrespective of which network or provider is used).

Have you looked at the procedure @Decembersangel72 used to fix this issue with a Galaxy J4+ handset?

This could work for your spouse’s Galaxy S7 handset.

Alternatively, get a new handset.

Hi @SteveU 
Unless you SG handset states LTE under the Network mode then you won’t have the capability to use the VoLTE network.

If you don’t see LTE then you not be able make/receive calls after the SMARTY 3G network is switched off.
I was on SMARTY previously with my SG J4+ and it was unsupported by them and I coudn’t make/receive calls when the 3G network was turned off (I thought that this was the problem). So I moved over to iD Mobile, because they did support my handset, and yet I still had the same problem and this was because I didn’t have the LTE option in my network mode. So unless you see LTE it won’t work over VoLTE (With ANY provider excpet the one that controls the software).

Flashing an SG phone is really easy to do (as I am 51 and not technically minded and still managed to do it) and this only takes minutes to complete once you have all the relevant downloads and information, which I think I have provided. It’s basically - download firmware updater, new firmware, SG driver and plug in phone and 

This saves you the £ of buying another phone where you may still have the same problem i.e. the software and is controlled by Vodafone, O2, EE etc

When you have some time to take it in, just have a read through my post with regards to Flashing a SG phone and check out the links especially the YouTube tutorial. If you are unsure then research flashing a Samsung Galaxy S7 (there is a LOT of information out there). 

I am more than happy to help with any questions you have and can guide you if need be.

I think the above discussion just shows how confusing this issues is.  Despite some networks saying the SG7 will work this overlooks the fact that if it does not show LTE capability it needs a software update and, as has been described above, this can only be done by a ‘flash’  update.  Whilst some have said this is easy others have said it is not so straightforward if you want to ensure you do not lose all the settings, data etc on the phone.

In the end we decided to upgrade to a (second hand) S23.  It was notable that even this had problems with phone calls until the VoLTE setting was turned on.

Probably best to end this thread here, thanks for all the comments

Hey there @SteveU, thank you for the update, and we’re glad to hear all is sorted now.

We apologise for the inconveniences caused by Three UK’s 3G turn-off.

Thanks,

Tyler