Back to all articles
Fizz Mobile Calls VoLTE Troubleshooting Network STOJ4

Fizz Calls Not Coming Through? What to Check (2026)

J
Jeff Bilodeau
November 11, 2026
Fizz Calls Not Coming Through? What to Check (2026)

The short version

Most Fizz call problems in 2026 come back to three things: VoLTE, the network your phone is really connected to, and a phone setting that quietly sends calls somewhere else. Start with a #TEST call (dial #8378) from the spot where calls fail. If the message confirms the call went over LTE-4G, your phone and SIM can do VoLTE there and you can move on to the other checks below. If the call fails or you hear a different message, fix VoLTE first. Nothing else will hold until that part works.

Apply Discount

What people are running into

The last couple of weeks on r/FizzMobile have brought a run of threads about calls. In one, calls between Fizz numbers worked fine, but calls from other carriers never came in. Someone in Ottawa described calls taking 1 to 5 minutes to connect, the phone switching to roaming in the middle of the city, dropped calls, and a pile of voicemails from calls that never rang. A third thread simply asked if anyone else loses calls while driving.

Those are different symptoms, so they get different checks. The sections below follow Fizz's own help pages, in the order we would go through them ourselves.

Why it happens more now: the 3G shutdown

Fizz started retiring its 3G network in Quebec and the Ottawa-Gatineau region on July 31, 2025. According to Fizz, the shutdown was completed in Quebec on November 3, 2026 and in Manitoba on December 31, 2025, and it started in Peterborough on October 15, 2026. Most providers in Canada are expected to finish by March 2027.

Once 3G is gone, every Fizz call goes over LTE-4G using VoLTE. Fizz is blunt about what happens when your SIM or phone is not VoLTE compatible: service gets worse bit by bit until calls stop working, 911 included. Because the shutdown is gradual, calls can still work in one place and fail in another. That fits a lot of the "it was fine last month" posts.

Three things have to be true:

  1. 1. A VoLTE compatible SIM card. Fizz says a compatible SIM shows a red lightning bolt icon. If yours does not, Fizz will mail you one for free, and your plan and number stay the same. If your phone supports eSIM, moving to an eSIM also solves it, since Fizz says eSIMs are VoLTE compatible.
  2. 2. A phone that is VoLTE compatible with Fizz. Fizz only guarantees the phones it sells. For a phone bought somewhere else, the #TEST call is what settles it.
  3. 3. VoLTE turned on. Update the phone's software first. On Android, Fizz points to Settings > Calls > Settings. On iPhone, it sits under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data. Some makers removed the option because their phones use VoLTE by default, so you may not see it at all.

For the test, dial #TEST (#8378) in the places where you normally make calls, like home, work and your usual route, and listen to the message. A confirmation that the call used LTE-4G means you are good at that spot. Any other message means the call could not use VoLTE. Fizz gives one more clue: during a call, the LTE icon should stay on screen. Seeing only 4G is not enough.

On Fizz, 5G carries data only and calls go over 4G LTE with VoLTE, so it is normal for the icon to switch to LTE during a call. Our post on Fizz 5G vs 5G+ explains why.

If Fizz support told you your phone is not compatible, as one Ottawa poster was told, the #TEST call lets you check that yourself. Our Fizz VoLTE and Emergency Calls Only fix covers the same problem from the Emergency calls only side.

Calls from other carriers never ring

Start with the basic checks Fizz lists for "I am not receiving calls". One of them is often the cause:

  • Your plan includes calling minutes. With no minutes and no funds in your Fizz wallet, calls cannot come in at all.
  • Call forwarding is off. Dial #21# to cancel it.
  • No call blocking is turned on. Fizz says this one matters most when only certain numbers fail.
  • Do Not Disturb is off.
  • Network selection is set to Automatic, not a network you picked by hand.
  • No number transfer is still in progress. During a transfer, calls can keep landing on your old SIM until it finishes. Fizz says a transfer can take 2 to 24 hours.

Next, look at the phone's own call filters. They can make calls from unsaved numbers vanish without a ring. On iPhone, Settings > Apps > Phone has a Screen Unknown Callers option, and if it is set to Silence, calls from numbers that are not in your contacts go straight to voicemail. On Pixel phones, Google's Call Screen can screen or decline unknown and spam calls on its own. If most of your missed calls come from people who are not in your contacts, check here first.

If all of that is clean and only other carriers fail, the same phone is clearly able to receive calls, so your settings are a less likely cause. Write down a few examples (date, time, the caller's carrier) and send them to Fizz. If you can, try your SIM in another phone, or another Fizz SIM in yours. Fizz uses those results to tell a device problem from a line problem. Also check the Fizz service status page and the Fizz Community to see if people near you report the same thing.

Your phone shows roaming or Fizz EXT at home

When the Fizz network is not available, your phone moves to a partner network and shows Fizz EXT. Fizz says its Quebec coverage area also includes the Ottawa region, so seeing roaming or Fizz EXT in Ottawa means the phone left the Fizz network. It does not mean you left your zone.

Two cases from Fizz's help pages:

  • New to Fizz. Fizz explains that the network name may show Fizz EXT at first. You are not roaming and nothing is billed. Restart the phone 72 hours (3 days) after activating the SIM.
  • Weak signal. If the Fizz network is not great where you are, Fizz suggests connecting to its wider partner network for a while, because partner antennas sit in different spots.

If data cuts out while the phone shows Fizz EXT, check that data roaming is allowed. Fizz's help page on mobile internet says you may need to turn it on outside your coverage area. Its VoLTE FAQ also explains that a VoLTE call actually goes through data, so outside Quebec you have to allow data roaming for VoLTE calls to go through. Fizz says that use is not billed.

One limit to know about: partner networks are meant for occasional use. If most of your usage happens outside your subscription area for 3 billing periods in a row, Fizz may restrict or suspend partner network access.

Calls drop while you drive

Fizz does not publish anything specific about driving, but its network help covers the usual causes. Like most carriers in Canada, Fizz broadcasts from fixed antennas on the ground, and the signal weakens around concrete, steel and aluminum, and in mountains, valleys and forests. Fizz also says a phone can stay attached to an antenna that is not the best one for where you are.

What to try:

  1. 1. Run #TEST at a few stops on your usual route. During the 3G shutdown, a phone that is not fully VoLTE ready can hold a call in one area and lose it in the next. Fizz lists fewer interruptions between networks as one of the benefits of VoLTE.
  2. 2. Check the Fizz coverage map for the roads where calls drop.
  3. 3. Restart the phone and confirm network selection is on Automatic.
  4. 4. If it only happens over the car's Bluetooth, make one call on the phone's speaker on the same stretch of road. That tells you if it is the car link or the network.

Wi-Fi Calling will not help on the road. It needs a Wi-Fi connection, and Fizz says it cannot guarantee it on trains, buses and other transport.

Reset network settings, but know what you lose

If none of that fixes it, Fizz suggests resetting your network settings. Your personal data stays, but saved Wi-Fi networks, paired Bluetooth devices (your car too) and VPN settings are erased.

  • iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings
  • Android: Settings > System > Reset options > Reset cellular network settings. On Samsung, Fizz points to Settings > General management > Reset > Reset network settings.

Run #TEST again once the reset is done.

Wi-Fi Calling as a backup at home

If calls fail mostly indoors, Wi-Fi Calling can fill the gap. Fizz is rolling it out one device at a time. As of November 10, 2026, Fizz lists the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, Z Flip8, Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra, the TCL 60 XE, K70 XE and K70 NP, the Motorola Edge 2025, and the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and iPhone 11 or newer on iOS 27. To turn it on the first time, the phone has to be connected to the Fizz network, VoLTE certified in Canada, and using a VoLTE SIM or an eSIM.

The setup steps are in our guides to Wi-Fi Calling on iPhone with iOS 27 and Wi-Fi Calling on Android and Samsung.

Before you contact Fizz

Have these ready and the chat goes a lot faster:

  • your #TEST result, and where you ran it
  • if your SIM has the red lightning bolt, or if you are on eSIM
  • what the top of the screen shows when it fails (LTE, 4G, Fizz or Fizz EXT)
  • two or three missed calls with the time and the caller's carrier
  • what happened when you tried your SIM in another phone

Thinking about switching to Fizz

If you are comparing carriers and want to try Fizz, check your phone on Fizz's compatible devices page first. Fizz says every phone sold on fizz.ca is VoLTE compatible.

When you sign up, use referral code STOJ4 through FizzPromoCodes.ca. You get up to $40 in credit where offered, plus an exclusive bonus you can only claim through FizzPromoCodes.ca: 10 GB of extra mobile data and 1 free month of internet if you add Fizz Internet. The credit shows up once your plan is active and your second bill is paid. Our STOJ4 referral code page and the exclusive STOJ4 bonus page have the details, and you can compare plans on the Fizz mobile page.

Keep reading

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't calls from other carriers reach my Fizz phone when Fizz to Fizz calls work?+

Start with call forwarding (dial #21# to cancel it), call blocking, Do Not Disturb and your phone's unknown caller filters. If all of those are off and only other carriers fail, send Fizz a few examples with the date, time and the caller's carrier, and check the Fizz service status page.

How do I check if my phone uses VoLTE on Fizz?+

Dial #TEST (#8378) in the places where you usually make calls. If the message confirms the call went over LTE-4G, VoLTE works there. Fizz also says the LTE icon should stay on screen during a call. Seeing only 4G is not enough.

Why does my phone show Fizz EXT or roaming in my own city?+

Fizz EXT means your phone is on a Fizz partner network because the Fizz network is not available where you are. Fizz says new members can see Fizz EXT at first, with no roaming charges, and should restart the phone 72 hours after activating the SIM.

Why do my Fizz calls drop while I drive?+

Fizz says the signal weakens around obstacles like concrete, steel, mountains, valleys and forests. During the 3G shutdown, a phone that is not fully VoLTE ready can also keep a call in one area and lose it in the next. Run #TEST along your route and check the Fizz coverage map.

Does resetting network settings delete my data?+

No. Fizz says a network reset does not delete your personal data, but it erases saved Wi-Fi networks, paired Bluetooth devices and VPN settings.

What do I get with code STOJ4?+

Up to $40 in credit where offered, plus an exclusive bonus you only get through FizzPromoCodes.ca: 10 GB of extra mobile data and 1 free month of internet if you add Fizz Internet. The credit is applied once your plan is active and your second bill is paid.

Ready to save with Fizz?

Use the promo code below to get a referral credit after your second bill.

STOJ4
Copy Code Apply Discount