Google Pixel 5 - VoLTE and 5G

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Google Pixel 5 - VoLTE and 5G

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techwizard

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#2662876 26-Feb-2021 08:25

ashennz:
Hi Linkzor, how'd you get on with your Pixel 5 5G? I'm in the same scenario as you.

All the comments in this thread make sense so I suspect no support or time will need to pass before support is provided.

I have been told by Spark to enable 5G I need a sim which supports 5G. I can't find info on the Spark website which confirms this, so uncertain. But I'll give it a go and let you know how I get on.

Similarly for me I don't have the option for:

- VoLTE

- Advanced CAlling

- 4G Calling

In the expected Settings location, but searching Settings for "VoLTE" displays the three results above and tapping on any of the search results brings me to the page on the Pixel 5 5G I'd expect it to exist, but they don't. So I suspect a device/software side restriction.

Cheers

Ash.

Those guys at Spark love giving mixed messages. They are s*** stirrers. You do not need a 5G SIM, you need to find the smart one at the store and ask them politely to enable 5G.

5G is not yet supported on the Pixel 5 because it doesn’t support VoLTE with Spark. Maybe you would have better luck with Vodafone.

That’s the thing with imports, they won’t always work as expected. Sometimes the guys at Spark even have issues activating 5G on iPhone 12 phones.

MaxineN

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#2662932 26-Feb-2021 09:00

I don't quite think the folks at spark intentionally stir their customers up. Don't think calling them stirrers helps anyone.

Also VoLTE and 5G are completely different things. You don't have 5G or VoLTE because it hasn't been approved for both or is missing software/LTE profiles to enable it on the device.

Here's a point in the right direction but fair warning you will need to root.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/how-to-enable-5g-and-volte-on-any-carrier-not-supported-by-google.4206011/

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

swjang

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2677640 20-Mar-2021 15:37

I don't think VoLTE will ever be possible in NZ for phones that are not sold directly by the carrier.

Phones sold through the carrier will have specific required network settings (that allows VoLTE connection) specially added in the phone (in the form of a carrier-specific device firmware).

There are no carrier mbn files for NZ carriers. Even though the Pixel phone has a "AUNZ" category, it actually doesn't load that carrier mbn. Instead, it loads the "WILDCARD" which is the generic mbn used for all "unofficial" carriers. (I've seen this on EFS Explorer).

NZ carrier mbn file simply does not exist anywhere on the Internet so I doubt our carriers follow the android standard when it comes to network settings and instead, manually input those settings on phones sold through them by installing their carrier-specific device firmware.

As for 5G, I have it working on my Pixel 5 device on Vodafone carrier.

CNZ

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#2678490 22-Mar-2021 15:03

swjang:

I don't think VoLTE will ever be possible in NZ for phones that are not sold directly by the carrier.

Phones sold through the carrier will have specific required network settings (that allows VoLTE connection) specially added in the phone (in the form of a carrier-specific device firmware).

There are no carrier mbn files for NZ carriers. Even though the Pixel phone has a "AUNZ" category, it actually doesn't load that carrier mbn. Instead, it loads the "WILDCARD" which is the generic mbn used for all "unofficial" carriers. (I've seen this on EFS Explorer).

NZ carrier mbn file simply does not exist anywhere on the Internet so I doubt our carriers follow the android standard when it comes to network settings and instead, manually input those settings on phones sold through them by installing their carrier-specific device firmware.

As for 5G, I have it working on my Pixel 5 device on Vodafone carrier.

Wrong i have a HK Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N9600) not even Exynos its snapdragon and VoLTE works on android 10 and 2d WiFi calling too!

it seems to be a bit selective some phones

matisyahu

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#2680049 24-Mar-2021 22:25

techwizard:
ashennz:

Hi Linkzor, how'd you get on with your Pixel 5 5G? I'm in the same scenario as you.

All the comments in this thread make sense so I suspect no support or time will need to pass before support is provided.

I have been told by Spark to enable 5G I need a sim which supports 5G. I can't find info on the Spark website which confirms this, so uncertain. But I'll give it a go and let you know how I get on.

Similarly for me I don't have the option for:

- VoLTE

- Advanced CAlling

- 4G Calling

In the expected Settings location, but searching Settings for "VoLTE" displays the three results above and tapping on any of the search results brings me to the page on the Pixel 5 5G I'd expect it to exist, but they don't. So I suspect a device/software side restriction.

Those guys at Spark love giving mixed messages. They are s*** stirrers. You do not need a 5G SIM, you need to find the smart one at the store and ask them politely to enable 5G.

5G is not yet supported on the Pixel 5 because it doesn’t support VoLTE with Spark. Maybe you would have better luck with Vodafone.

That’s the thing with imports, they won’t always work as expected. Sometimes the guys at Spark even have issues activating 5G on iPhone 12 phones.

It doesn't get much better with Vodafone (text messaging didn't work out of the box etc) - I found that Spark/Skinny worked the most reliably with Pixel 4 XL. It would be nice if Spark sold the Pixel in NZ - having seen some of the junk on sale, offering the Pixel would be offering consumers some real choice beyond the Samsung/Apple duopoly.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

swjang

5 posts

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#2681508 27-Mar-2021 17:08

CNZ:

Wrong i have a HK Galaxy Note 9 (SM-N9600) not even Exynos its snapdragon and VoLTE works on android 10 and 2d WiFi calling too!

it seems to be a bit selective some phones

That's because Note 9 is a model officially sold through our NZ carriers and samsung phones have carrier-specific firmware, unlike Pixel 5 that's international.

If you look at https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/, you will see that even for the same Note 9 model, there are countless different versions for different countries and carriers.

Samsung officially sells in NZ and works with our carriers. This means that Vodafone, Spark, 2D etc will send their carrier-specific settings to samsung, which in turn samsung will add those settings into the firmware aimed at our country. This is why you have VoLTE and Wifi calling working on your Note 9, but not the Pixel 5.

techwizard

47 posts

Geek

#2703894 9-May-2021 11:32

I would like to know what happens in the next 3 - 5 years when 3G eventually gets shut down, what will the situation be with imported phones that haven't yet got VoLTE.

For Spark and Skinny you must have the certified NZ variant of supported devices from Apple, Oppo, Huawei and Samsung. I don't think Vodafone has any activation required.

Irrelevant to Pixels but if 5G Blackberry smartphones were to come to the market, don't expect it to work on the 5G networks at all, expect to be laughed at by the person serving you at Spark/2degress/Vodafone.

We will have to see about 2degress, but what I've been told is they are getting 3.5GHZ N78 in AKL/WLG by the end of the year (slow). Their 5G is Erickson.

I'm still waiting for Vodafone to bring 5G to Dunedin to see if my Pixel 5 works on their network. I suspect that mmWave versions only work on 5G networks in the United States, even if they have the Sub 6 bands too (N78 commonly), mine is a US mmWave + Sub6 Unlocked from Big Apple Buddy.

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#2703901 9-May-2021 11:45

Which carrier in NZ has advised 3G is getting closed down in the next 3 - 5 years?

2degrees 5G is Ericsson

techwizard

47 posts

Geek

#2703906 9-May-2021 11:51

No provider in New Zealand has talked about shutting down 3G, but with the RBI2/MBSF there will probably be more 4G coverage than 3G, some rural areas don’t have 3G but have 4G. We can’t rule it out as 3G is getting old and most people are on 4G devices. The 3 - 5 year is just an estimate.

Spark CDMA 2G was active from mid 200s until 2012, so around 10 years. Spark 3G Nationwide has been around since 2009, so I would estimate that it has around 3-5 more years left. Vodafone in European countries has shut down 3G but left 2G on, sounds silly I know - but Vodafone is planning to shut down their 2G in 2025 so Vodafone 3G will be around for some time (probably another 7-10 years) z

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