Can't access internet while on a call

[#1]

Hi

I'm a new plusnet customer with a new iPhone11. Just tried to browse the web while on a call but I had no data access. Had to hang up before I could access the internet. Is this a thing?

Did a little checking and this appears to be fairly normal. Is that right? I has my old iPhone SE on giffgaff for years and never noticed not being able to surf while calling.

Thanks

[#2]

It can be a thing.. I noticed with my iPhones it was hit and miss. Sometimes it worked fine and sometimes not. (This is with Voda).
Though I haven'd had complaints from the family who are all on PN and iPhones.
If you're on wifi then it's not a problem - only when on cellular.
Myabe it's band / tower specific ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[#3]

"Virtual" operators like PN, Giffgaff and others tend not to have "VoLTE" or 4G-calling facilities, this means your voice calls are carried over the older & slower 2G or 3G networks.

This heavily restricts your ability to use internet and other data-based services while on a voice call. I'm not sure which networks still allow simultaneous voice & data, at one stage Vodafone did & Orange didn't.

A lot has changed since then, and 4G has moved on leaps & bounds - but the ability to have voice calls over 4G (and thus enable simultaneous voice & data, amongst other things) needs 4G-calling (VoLTE) facilities to work, this is generally something only available on the main networks.

[#4]

UPDATE:

So it a lot of internet searching it seems that it SHOULD be possible to use data while making a call but it depends on the strength of your signal. Roughly speaking - your call will take up most of your "bandwidth" and if the remaining signal is strong enough to carry 3G then you'll be able to use data, if the remaining signal is only 2G then you won't.

When I tried this yesterday I only had one bar hence I couldn't use data while on a call. I guess my house is nearer an O2 mast than an EE one (hence why I never saw this problem when with giffgaff).

I've just been out and about and notice I had three bars and so tested making a call then accessing the web and it worked fine.

Thanks for the replies

[#5]

The perceived strength of your signal should be irrelevant as far as whether you can load data whilst using voice. But you're right - trying to run SVDO (simultaneous voice & data) over a 2G call would be painful at best and impossible at worst. Over 3G it should be usable, depending on network loading in your area.

[#6]

So what is the contributing factor that’s going to determine whether I can call//surf simultaneously?

[#7]

Over 2G it's going to be borderline impossible. Over 3G it should be usable, depending on network loading in your area - I've tested an EE phone in with 4G disabled, and it works ok.

To make voice calls over 4G and not drop to 2G/3G on calls, you need "VoLTE" (voice over 4G) facilities.

[#8]

I've got a Samsung Galaxy S6 phone and I can be on a call and surf at the same time. No issues at all.