VoLTE and the 3G switch off

Hi @Aaagh 

You aren’t able to receive or make calls correct?

How are texts and data?

Have you tried a replacement SIM card?

Tom

Hey @Tom, just wondering how would a replacement SIM help here?

@Aaagh has a Moto G5 device, which is not shown as being “iD 4G Calling” capable, in the online iD approved handsets list.

Hi @andewhite 

You’d be surprised at the things something as simple as a replacement SIM card can fix, it’s typically worth a try if it hasn’t been tried already.

Tom

Okay, thanks Tom. 

So it would always be worthwhile trying a replacement SIM card, even in an unapproved handset?

I am loathe to do this as I foresee a world of pain. I presume my old SIM is disabled at some point when I order a replacement, and the new SIM takes some time to activate?

Hi @andewhite 

If it worked previously it’s worth a try at the least, however you’d be right to assume ability to use a SIM in an unapproved handset may vary.

Tom

Hi @Aaagh 

A replacement SIM card would, when activated, deactivate the current SIM card, however if you use the site here, you’ll decide when the replacement SIM activates.

Replacement SIM cards are picked up from your local Currys store or we can assist in having one sent out, either way, they’re completely blank until they’re activated.

Tom

Okay, thanks @Tom.

The handset worked before the 3G switch-off in the Midlands area, which seems to be whereabouts @Aaagh has issues.

If the handset is not IMS registered, as the topic screenshots suggest, VoLTE can’t work - is a different SIM likely to fix this issue? 

Hi @andewhite 

As we’ve said, it’s at least worth a try, being that a replacement SIM is free and easy to do.

Tom

Hi, I've had exactly the same symptoms and issue. Can only send texts and get on the internet. No calls whatsoever!! I've had an ongoing dialogue with the id mobile support bot people and had a new SIM card sent out, to no avail. Now, they say use VoLTE, so I've been digging around trying to see how it works! 

I've now stumbled upon the fact that 3 turned off the 2/3g in my area!! And my phone is not compatible for VoLTE!! I didn't even know that 3 were turning off the masts! 

My phone is a Realme 6, so I know it's not on the compatibility list, as no Realme phones are.

I can use a SIM card which connects to O2, and automatically pulls up the VoLTE options. So, it's either a new phone, which it seems even ones which idmobile say are compatible but might not be, or switch networks are my options. The technical team said, the signal in my area is patchy! Actually the signal doesn't exist!!!!

Oh dear this is a mess!😐 Please bear with me while I trry to explain…..
I was previously with SMARTY and thought because my phone make/model wasn’t ‘supported’ by them (with regards to VoLTE) then that was why I couldn’t make/receive calls over their 4G/VoLTE network (as it reverted to 3G). VoLTE wasn’t ‘enabled’ on my phone, even though it had the ability to do so, and I couldn’t for the life of me work out how to enable it as there were no options in the ‘Settings’ to set it up.
After discussing this with their on-line chat I was advised to get a replacement SIM as that would probably sort it BUT it didn’t!😤🙄 So NO, a replacement SIM IS NOT THE ANSWER!!!
I moved over to iD because they DID support my handset for VoLTE and yet I still couldn’t make/receive calls as VoLTE/WiFi Calling options still weren’t available!😡
IF your phone has the ability to use VoLTE/WiFi Calling, and you no longer have the capability to make/receive calls, then there is something you need to know and it is NOT something people realise and has NOTHING to do with the individual networks or your SIM!
We ALL know that, previously, phones were ‘locked’ into a network so that it could only be used with a SIM connected to them BUT what many people DON’T know is that if a phone is also sold by a network they then control the updates to that handsets software/firmware (even when ‘update software’ is performed). This means that not all options are available to use in a phone until connected to the network the phone was sold by.

Example…  I ‘inherited’ a Samsung Galaxy J4+ from my sister when I was with SMARTY.
Once SMARTY turned off their 3G network I was unable to make/receive calls, even though this phone had the ability for VoLTE/WiFi Calling, and I had a replacement SIM as advised by their ‘Help’ but this didn’t fix it. I thought this was because my phone wasn’t on the SMARTY ‘Supported Phones’ list and so moved to iD because my mobile was on their ‘Supported’ list. I was still unable to make/receive calls after the move.
What I didn't know is that all phones are controlled by the 'Network' that it was originally sold by and that it has their firmware/Software embedded in to the device. It was only after many, many hours of research that I found this out!
For example. the Software on my SG J4+ was:- 
SAOMC_SM-J415FN_OVF_VOD_PP_0015 / 40009a7d / VOD/VOD/VOD 
which shows that the firmware on my phone was controlled by Vodafone (VOD) which was the network that my sister was a customer of and had purchased the phone from. (This information can be found in the phone under 'Software Information').
Unless I was 'connected to/used' the Vodafone network, with this phone, I wasn't able to get all firmware updates to enable all the capabilities available with this handset i.e. VoLTE/ WiFi Calling etc.
The ONLY way to 'free' a device to enable ALL updates, so that it can work freely with any network, is to 'FLASH' the phone to an Unbranded firmware.
I flashed my phone to ‘BTU’ Firmware and this is the software that is now on my device:- 
SAOMC_SM-J415FN_OXM_XEU_PP_0013 / 40009a7d / XEU/XEU/VOD (XEU is 'unbranded').
I now have ALL the capabilities that this phone has to offer and now have the ability to use VoLTE, WiFi Calling etc because it is no longer required to be connected to the Vodafone network to get updates.
These are the codes to which your phone Firmware/Software is locked in to and can be found in the Software Information in your phone:-

BTU (unbranded - XEU)
EVR (EE)
BTC, CPW (Carphone Warehouse)
H3G, O2I, O2U (O2)
ORA (Orange)
TMU (T-Mobile)
TSC, VIR, VOD (Vodafone)
XEU (EE & Three)

If you go down the 'Flashing' route... PLEASE do your research! It is so very easy to do once you know how but there are many ‘small’ things that you need to know to do it safely i.e remove SD and SIM before performing and DO NOT insert the SIM/SD card until the phone has completely rebooted.

SO, the conclusion of this is that this isn't just a 'network provider' problem i.e. unsupported phone, but is most likely be a firmware problem/restriction.
IF, you decide to 'FLASH' a device then PLEASE do your research!  There are many details to take in to account but once you have all the info it is straight forward and easy to do!
I’ve done it and I am not exactly ‘tech savvy’ so I’m sure that many of you CAN do it too! 
Good luck!! x x