UK mobile phone stopped working

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Wicksey
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UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:17 am

I have been using a UK Virgin mobile here for years for calls/texts (never data) without any problems. I can connect via wifi in the house OK but the phone itself has stopped working, so I cannot make or receive calls.

If I phone it using Skype I just get a message from Virgin saying that it is not available at the moment but it does leave a voice message on my phone which I can access. Every now and then the signal appears to be OK (the little triangle of bars at the top of the screen with a R .... presumable that means roaming?) but it won't receive/make calls.

I have searched their website extensively and many of the FAQs relate to roaming data which I don't use. I know there is a fair usage policy (ie the phone should be used in the UK more than abroad but this seems to only increase the cost of calls rather than completely cut it off).

On my Lenova android I had a look at the 'available networks' area under 'network operators' and I see there is a list of operators which includes Orange but it says (forbidden). I have tried the others listed such as Moviestar but they won't connect. It seems strange that the voice message got through and I was able to access that.

elusive
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby elusive » Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:20 am

I guess virgin use the orange network? Maybe they have blocked it if its always been used in spain. Dont most companies only allow x amount of days usage for roaming

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costakid
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby costakid » Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:55 am

Could be blocked under there fair usage policy.

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Wicksey
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:14 pm

I can see on their website that you should be using it in the UK more than abroad under the FUP, but that only came in I think with the new rules on roaming costs. I don't know why, since the costs of calls and texts from here used to be much cheaper before the rules changed, and now I pay more than before so they are still getting my money.

I can't see anything that says I will be cut off, only that certain things cost more. I am on a very old PAYG tariff and much of the info on the site relates to tariffs with monthly limits on the number of texts, or data used.

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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby ajtg1952 » Thu Mar 29, 2018 2:43 pm

Strange thing is my UK phone has stopped working today. It won't pick up a network. My wife has now just told me her's is the same. Sinister!

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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby elusive » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:40 pm

Maybe the time limit is across all networks?

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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby gerryh » Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:13 pm

I had a UK Virgin mobile SIM card in my dual SIM phone.
The Virgin service was cut off after 2 months, if I remember correctly, as I hadn't used it in the UK.
Didn't use it much here in Spain either.
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Wicksey
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:52 pm

Even stranger, it rang this afternoon. It was a London number. Aterwards I immediately tried to phone it from my computer and to phone out using it, but it still wouldn't work. Most odd :think:

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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby fincalospinos » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:08 am

I may be missing something here, but if you are using a phone in Spain for the majority of the time, why not get a Spanish phone and number ??
Hardworking resident !!

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gerryh
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby gerryh » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:23 am

fincalospinos wrote:I may be missing something here, but if you are using a phone in Spain for the majority of the time, why not get a Spanish phone and number ??
I have a dual SIM phone.
It has a Spanish SIM with a Spanish number and a UK SIM with a UK number.
I need a UK number for setting up a Barclays Banking app on my smartphone.
Both my sons have the app on their phones so I can't use their mobile numbers.
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Wicksey
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:51 am

fincalospinos wrote:I may be missing something here, but if you are using a phone in Spain for the majority of the time, why not get a Spanish phone and number ??
I do have a PAYG Spanish phone but it is very expensive to use. We make and receive very few calls on the phone as I use Whatsapp, email or the computer (such as Skype) when I am at home for phoning.

Before the roaming rules changed, Virgin were really cheap to use (only 1p a minute for calls and 4p for a text anywhere). When the rules for roaming charges changed, the cost of calls and texts went up, but it is still cheaper than the Spanish phone to call the UK. As we have a gravely ill close relative in England we are currently making and receiving more calls at the moment (they are not on the internet), so have become aware that the UK phone has just stopped working.

I am thinking of getting another Spanish SIM (the UK phone is dual SIM) and perhaps trying to find a cheaper PAYG tariff (currently with Orange). We do need a UK phone for various reasons so hopefully it will start to work when we are next there, although it seems to be able to phone us from England as it did yesterday. We don't need to be online on the phone so I just want something that gives us relatively cheap calls and texts for here and Enlgand. It seems a minefield when I try to look at tariffs, and most are monthly contract, which is why I haven't done anything up to now to change from Orange. I don't want to lose my original Spanish number and we need to have 2 phones, so a second Spanish SIM may be the answer.

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quebin
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby quebin » Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:47 pm

For a Spanish sim I've been using https://www.simyo.es/ for a few years. You can transfer your number with them.Lots of choice for usage.

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gerryh
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby gerryh » Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:04 pm

Before changing to a different Spanish SIM check which carrier, Orange, Vodafone or Movistar, that the supplier uses. No point in changing if you can't get a signal with the new carrier where you live/ use the phone. Simyo uses Orange.
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Enrique
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Enrique » Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:06 pm

Hi Wicksey,
Have a look at..............I have people using them with UK number.......... :idea:

https://www.giffgaff.com/
All my best learning experiences start with a problem I need to solve.

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Wicksey
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Fri Mar 30, 2018 3:51 pm

Thanks Enrique - I've had a look at their website but it's got the same T&Cs as everyone else regarding the FUP for roaming. It is meant to be for holidays only and if they see you do not use it in the UK regularly they can disconnect you. It may be better for me just to try to find a cheaper Spanish provider as I only used the UK phone here as it was cheaper.

I am talking about having a second Spanish number to use in my UK phone so we can have one each. Although the original Orange tariff is expensive, I'll keep that as well. I just want a second phone I can call out on in an emergency or that I can be contacted by my OH if necessary when I'm out, so a second Spanish number would be OK for that.

This morning the UK phone showed it was connected to Movistar but still doesn't allow me to use it. Looks like I'll be going back to the UK sooner than expected as I have a funeral to attend now, so it may reactivate my phone!

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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby markwilding » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:34 am

When the UK leaves the EU, roaming charges might be reintroduced so having a Spanish based phone company might be better. At least roaming will still be possible while travelling to other EU member countries.

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Wicksey
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Re: UK mobile phone stopped working

Postby Wicksey » Mon Apr 02, 2018 1:22 pm

Actually, I discovered today that we can phone the UK on it and receive calls from the UK. It's just calling and receiving within Spain that doesn't work.

As I said, I do have a Spanish phone but I will now look into getting a better tariff and getting a second Spanish SIM so we both have a functioning phone here.


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