Hello Marina7482kam,
Welcome to the community!
Sorry to hear you're having issues with cellular reception with your phone. What phone are you using? Is it from Fido? Generally, devices which refer to 4G rather than LTE tend to be from outside of North America. Have you had a chance to verify whether the device has compatible bands/frequencies? Are you able to make calls and send/receive SMS?
I understand you didn't have any issues prior to a few months ago. I also understand that you added data at that time. Normally, a device will standby with the best data connection. In most cases that would be on the LTE network. However, with the exception of voice-over-LTE (voLTE), calls would need to fall-back on to the 2G and/or '3G' networks for voice calls and text messaging. If your phone was not purchased from Fido, it's possible that it is not supported for voLTE. If that's the case, your phone would need to switch networks in order to make or receive calls. It's possible that the time required for your phone to switch networks exceeds the amount of time before calls get sent to voicemail. If that is the reason, it might be possible to extend the ring-time before calls get forwarded to voicemail. To do so, you would need to contact customer service. In addition, they can also be contacted via Live Chat, Facebook, or Twitter. Those methods can be accessed via the contact page posted above. You may be required to go to a Fido store with ID as well.
I also understand that the cellular tower is line of sight. Are you sure that tower is a Fido/Rogers tower? You should also note that Rogers has recently started to decommission the 2G networks (see here). While there have been some delays in that timeline, I would expect the final sunset to be in the near future. In addition, as a part of the band/frequency re-farming, some '3G' frequencies have also been relocated to the LTE network. It's possible the reduction in '3G' bands/frequencies could also have affected your call reception at that location.
With regards to sending/receiving MMS or picture text messages, have you verified whether your phone is using the correct APN settings? You can verify those settings here. If those settings are correct, it's also possible that the '3G' connection is not strong enough to maintain a data connection. I understand that you might be able to use data on your phone. However, that would most likely be with a LTE connection. If your phone is not supported for voLTE, text messages and MMS would be sent over the '3G' networks as well.
Whether it's preferable to stay on LTE or 3G would depend on the circumstances and the capabilities of your device. Normally, your phone would automatically connect to the best network as required. If you're using data, the LTE network would be preferable. On the other hand, if your device is not supported for voLTE and you are waiting for calls, the '3G' network might be more suitable.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello BYK,
Welcome to the community!
Sorry to hear you're having issues with your cellular reception. What phone are you using? Is it from Fido? If it isn't, have you verified that the device has compatible bands/frequencies? You can verify those bands/frequencies here.
Even if your phone does have compatible bands/frequencies, the nature of cellular service is that it is dependent on being able to receive adequate signal from the cellular towers. Adequate signal would depend, in part, on your location relative to the cellular towers. You can get an idea of your area cellular towers here. Do there appear to be cellular towers in your area? In addition, you should note that the different bands/frequencies vary in their characteristics. For example, the lower frequencies (ie 700MHz) are better able to travel farther and penetrate deeper into buildings than higher frequencies (ie 2600MHz)(see graphic here).
In addition to your proximity to the cellular towers, there are also many factors can affect cellular reception (see here and here). That's why no mobile provider can guarantee service. There are just too many factors beyond their control. Are your difficulties with reception indoors? Is it better outdoors? Is the landscape relatively flat or mountainous?
If your location is outside of Fido/Rogers coverage, but within another provider's coverage, there are roaming agreements which allow Fido/Rogers customers to use those networks (extended coverage or Fido-EXT). To use the extended coverage, you would need to enable roaming on your device. You should note that extended coverage usage is meant on a temporary basis and the majority of your usage needs to be on the Fido/Rogers networks.
Is your device capable of Wifi-calling? If you have Wifi access and your phone is a supported device, you might consider trying to see if Wifi-calling can be a possible solution for your situation.
Unfortunately, if your circumstances don't allow for adequate cellular signal at work (and Wifi-calling isn't an option), there isn't much that can be done. It's a common misunderstanding that any mobile provider will suit everyone everywhere. That simply isn't the case. If you spend a good portion of time outside of a mobile provider's coverage, perhaps that mobile provider isn't the right one for you.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hi @BYK !
I'm sorry to learn that you've been having trouble with your reception. 
Have you had the chance to speak with our Tech Support department as well?
Did you also test out your SIM card in another device?
Let us know. 
