Text but no voice!

[condie1]

I have a new Gophone SIM in a 4G HTC. I activated it on line as I could not call 611 from the handset

I can now send and receive messages.

But I cannot make a phone call.

Any number I try to dial shows up in recent Calls with an "M" in front of it.

When I try calling the new Gophone number I get message saying Voicemail has not been set up.

Am I missing something in Settings somewhere?

H E L P !

[Wild Banchi]

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condie1 wrote:

I have a new Gophone SIM in a 4G HTC. I activated it on line as I could not call 611 from the handset

I can now send and receive messages.

But I cannot make a phone call.

Any number I try to dial shows up in recent Calls with an "M" in front of it.

When I try calling the new Gophone number I get message saying Voicemail has not been set up.

Am I missing something in Settings somewhere?

H E L P !

---

Did the time allowance between your initial post and my reply allow the phone to fully function and accept the new activation? In other words, are you able to use voice services, now? The "M" may stand for "mobile". I'm not sure, though.

Your voicemail has most likely not been set up yet, so that's why you received the voicemailbox error message.

[Ann154]

For HTC phones, "M" equals Mobile Number in the call log.

[adidaskid808]

I try to buy this HTC 4G phone in Washington State 3 weeks ago,the sales person told me Gophone are not set up for 4G,you will have all kinds of error if you try to use this type of phones on any gophone plan.........Good luck.

[OnlytheShadowKnows]

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adidaskid808 wrote:
I try to buy this HTC 4G phone in Washington State 3 weeks ago,the sales person told me Gophone are not set up for 4G,you will have all kinds of error if you try to use this type of phones on any gophone plan.........Good luck.

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Weird, AdidasKid.  4G (UMTS HSPDA+ on T-Mobile) has nothing to do with voice -- 4G is cellular data.

Talk uses the GSM radio.  And that is pretty standard over-the-air provisioning for all cellphones.

Texting also uses the GSM bands as it is short messaging over "talk bands".  And that is working, meaning that the number for the T-Mobile SMS Center has been downloaded properly.

From the thread, I believe (assertion without proof) that the HTC phone is not working properly OR it is not provisioned correctly, and need a hard network reset.

1. I would first try a "battery pull" to force this hard reset, first., and
2. if needed, an easy test on the phone/SIM combo:  move the SIM to another phone, and test. for outgoing/incoming calls.

Yes, 4G may have problems delivering HSPDA+ to GoPhones, and be limited to 3G.  But that has nothing to do with talk/text.  My 2 cents.

[hme83]

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

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adidaskid808 wrote:
I try to buy this HTC 4G phone in Washington State 3 weeks ago,the sales person told me Gophone are not set up for 4G,you will have all kinds of error if you try to use this type of phones on any gophone plan.........Good luck.

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Weird, AdidasKid.  4G (UMTS HSPDA+ on T-Mobile) has nothing to do with voice -- 4G is cellular data.

Talk uses the GSM radio.  And that is pretty standard over-the-air provisioning for all cellphones.

Texting also uses the GSM bands as it is short messaging over "talk bands".  And that is working, meaning that the number for the T-Mobile SMS Center has been downloaded properly.

From the thread, I believe (assertion without proof) that the HTC phone is not working properly OR it is not provisioned correctly, and need a hard network reset.

1. I would first try a "battery pull" to force this hard reset, first., and
2. if needed, an easy test on the phone/SIM combo:  move the SIM to another phone, and test. for outgoing/incoming calls.

Yes, 4G may have problems delivering HSPDA+ to GoPhones, and be limited to 3G.  But that has nothing to do with talk/text.  My 2 cents.

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My understanding has always been that GSM 3G (WCDMA) does combine both voice and data under the same technology.  Which is the technology behind being able to simultaneously use both voice and data with a 3G device, video calling, etc. (?)

I don't know much about CDMA, but it has also been my understanding that their "3G" technology (EVDO), or at least earlier versions of it, continue to separate the voice and data streams - voice is using the prior technology while data is using EVDO (for at least Rev 1, or something along those lines).

Is that not accurate?

[Ann154]

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hme83 wrote:

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

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adidaskid808 wrote:
I try to buy this HTC 4G phone in Washington State 3 weeks ago,the sales person told me Gophone are not set up for 4G,you will have all kinds of error if you try to use this type of phones on any gophone plan.........Good luck.

---

Weird, AdidasKid.  4G (UMTS HSPDA+ on T-Mobile) has nothing to do with voice -- 4G is cellular data.

Talk uses the GSM radio.  And that is pretty standard over-the-air provisioning for all cellphones.

Texting also uses the GSM bands as it is short messaging over "talk bands".  And that is working, meaning that the number for the T-Mobile SMS Center has been downloaded properly.

From the thread, I believe (assertion without proof) that the HTC phone is not working properly OR it is not provisioned correctly, and need a hard network reset.

1. I would first try a "battery pull" to force this hard reset, first., and
2. if needed, an easy test on the phone/SIM combo:  move the SIM to another phone, and test. for outgoing/incoming calls.

Yes, 4G may have problems delivering HSPDA+ to GoPhones, and be limited to 3G.  But that has nothing to do with talk/text.  My 2 cents.

---

My understanding has always been that GSM 3G (WCDMA) does combine both voice and data under the same technology.  Which is the technology behind being able to simultaneously use both voice and data with a 3G device, video calling, etc. (?)

I don't know much about CDMA, but it has also been my understanding that their "3G" technology (EVDO), or at least earlier versions of it, continue to separate the voice and data streams.

Is that not accurate?

---

@hme83

That is my understanding of the differences between GSM phones and CDMA/EDVO phones as well. I also recall that there are areas on ATT's coverage map where a 3G GSM phone is required for a person to get even voice service. If I understand that correctly, then older 2G only phones would not be able to connect to the network there.

[OnlytheShadowKnows]

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hme83 wrote:

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

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Weird, AdidasKid.  4G (UMTS HSPDA+ on T-Mobile) has nothing to do with voice -- 4G is cellular data.

Talk uses the GSM radio.  And that is pretty standard over-the-air provisioning for all cellphones.

Texting also uses the GSM bands as it is short messaging over "talk bands".  And that is working, meaning that the number for the T-Mobile SMS Center has been downloaded properly.

...

Yes, 4G may have problems delivering HSPDA+ to GoPhones, and be limited to 3G.  But that has nothing to do with talk/text.  My 2 cents.

---

My understanding has always been that GSM 3G (WCDMA) does combine both voice and data under the same technology.  Which is the technology behind being able to simultaneously use both voice and data with a 3G device, video calling, etc. (?)

I don't know much about CDMA, but it has also been my understanding that their "3G" technology (EVDO), or at least earlier versions of it, continue to separate the voice and data streams - voice is using the prior technology while data is using EVDO (for at least Rev 1, or something along those lines).

Is that not accurate?

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No, hme83, I believe it is not.

Thus, I stand to what I said.  4G today stands for High-Speed Packet Access and applies today only to celular data, separate from voice.

This may change when true LTE is fully deployed.

GSM is the umbrella technology and it now embraces UMTS.  But UMTS data bands use distinct radios and antennae, with separate frequencies.

Here are the iPhone 4S cellular frequency bands, recently released:

• World phone
• UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz);
  GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (800, 1900 MHz)4

Note and compare the frequencies for GSM/EDGE and the frequencies for UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA.

And compare with CDMA EV-DO Rev. A.  This may explain why GSM instruments can access data "browse the Web" while talking, and CDMA instruments cannot.  (where HSDPA = High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, and HSUPA = High-Speed Uplink Data Access).

I repeat what I said before:  today's 4G service (HSPA) applies to cellular data, not voice.  Voice is supported by the standard quad GSM/EDGE modem.

[adidaskid808]

Ann 154,

 If I understand that correctly, then older 2G only phones would not be able to connect to the network there.

That is true in some parts of Montana (Billings,Great falls,Helena) North Dakota (Fargo) ,In which AT&T brought out  old alltel's network towers, They are 3G ........My Motorola V3 2G (GSM 850;900.1800.1900) phone never works with AT&T in those area.

 Yes, T mobile do works with  Motorola V3 2G (GSM 850;900.1800.1900) phone on the above area....but roaming!!!

[hme83]

@OtSK - that just doesn't make a lot of sense if you are talking about 3G. I can turn off the 2G radio on my non-branded phone and still make phone calls. (Voice quality is not good in my area, but it works perfectly fine.) And I do understand that today's "4G" is not LTE. It's really just souped up 3G is my understanding - 3.9G, basically. Lol.

[OnlytheShadowKnows]

Turning off 2G GSM/EDGE?

And its quad-frequency modem and yet making calls/text exchanges?  Hugh?

Whatever.  Sorry, no offence intended to your personna, but we will have to agree to disagree.

[hme83]

I didn't use SMS - I was only questioning the statement that voice is not transmitted over at&t's 3G network. My E7 allows the choice of 2G only, 3G only or dual network within the network connectivity settings.

[hme83]

@ Ann154 and Adidaskid - thank you. That's helpful too, both for this discussion and in providing reason for why some areas of at&t's coverage maps suddenly seem to indicate you have to use a 3G device. If these are acquired areas of at&t's network that probably helps explain the seeming lack of 2G service availability. I'd thought they were just ambiguously confusing map legends, but I have seen a few people make comments along the lines of what you've stated, adidaskid. Not tons, but enough to provide me with some doubt in my own initial thoughts. I know the mentioned areas of Montana are ones where at&t didn't have any coverage all that far back.

[hnzw_rui]

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

Turning off 2G GSM/EDGE?

And its quad-frequency modem and yet making calls/text exchanges?  Hugh?

Whatever.  Sorry, no offence intended to your personna, but we will have to agree to disagree.

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You can make calls over 3G (just not over the current "4G"). Your explanation that the reason people can use voice and data at the same time on AT&T is because one's using 2G and the other is using 3G isn't correct. Assuming you're connected via 3G, both voice and data will use 3G.

[hme83]

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OnlytheShadowKnows wrote:

Turning off 2G GSM/EDGE?

And its quad-frequency modem and yet making calls/text exchanges?  Hugh?

Whatever.  Sorry, no offence intended to your personna, but we will have to agree to disagree.

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FWIW - this morning I did test SMS with the 2G radio in my E7 turned off.  I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone, but an SMS sent over the 3G only network does not ever arrive.  I didn't get any kind of an error message on the sending phone, but I tried a couple of times, and the SMS never made it to the recipient phone (another at&t phone sitting 6 inches away).

And I tried a couple of phone calls for comparison purposes (lol) - with the 2G radio turned off, the initial "connection" itself actually was cleaner sounding.  And the voice sounded close, clear - but highly electronic without any warmth to the tone. (It was to an automated system/electronic voice - but it immediately struck me how "cold" the woman sounded this time.)  So I turned it back to dual radio mode, and placed the same phone call again.  The initial "connection" isn't as clean in going through, and once you reach the system the woman sounds more distant, slightly muffled.  But it's a much warmer, fuller - "real human" tone to the electronic voice.