V2 Sure Signal not working with Galaxy Note 3

[simonb007]

Dear All,

I am writing in this forum due to a lack of assistance from Vodafone Small Business.

I upgraded to 4G back in December and was impressed with the call / signal quality.

My problems started a few months ago, when my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on 4G started to suffer with a poor signal at home.  My signal dropped to 1 bar on 4G with calls often going through to my answerphone. The first I knew about this was when I was getting text messages regarding a voicemail message. Having checked the coverage checker, I found the following message :

"We're trying to fix a network issue which might be affecting call coverage. There are some challenging circumstances - so it's taking us longer than usual to get to the bottom of things. We'll update this page as soon as we know more."

This is a real issue for me, as my main place of work is my home.

A few months later, nothing has changed !

So in an attempt to try and get a better signal and overcome losing calls, I thought I would try using my old Sure Signal Box that i used with my Galaxy S2, which I might add, worked very well.. Having a perfect 3G signal would be acceptable compared with an intermittent 4G one.

So I set up my V2 Sure Signal box, re-registered it, opened all the ports on my firewall.. Phone connects to it with a full 3G signal. Everything seems great. Then I try to make a call... Each time I try to ring out, the call cuts off before the phone attempts to ring out. On the 3rd or 4th Attempt, I am able to make a call and the call quality is fine.

Then the real problem comes to light. I am sitting at home expecting a call and nothing comes through. I check the phone and it has full signal... So I try to ring it and it goes straight through to Answerphone. I switch the phone off and on again and I ring it and the call goes through via the Sure Signal.

Consequently, I phone Business Customer Services and they advise me to reset the Sure Signal. Upshot of this, is the problem remains the same. I phone Vodafone BCS again and they re-regsiter the box but this also makes no difference. 

I then phone again and speak to someone about the Sure Signal and the issues in my local area. I asked about the supposed "Issues in my area," but could not get an answer.  I asked about the new version of the Sure Signal and would it resolve the issues I was having, given that I am using a V2 box and the new "Plug" is available. The gentlemen I spoke suggested it might and agreed for me to exchange my V2 box for the new Plug version at my local store. So i go to my local store and explain the situation to the assistant, who then speaks to his boss. I am then told "We do not do exchanges... We can send it away for repair and IF found faulty will replace it."

I was advised that if I want the Plug version, it would cost me £100 ! So I walked out the shop.

I then speak to Vodafone BCS again and am advised that the person who said they would do an exchange had misinformed me.. I then am passed through to a Vodafone Sure Signal Level 2 person, who updates the firmware on my Sure Signal Box and advises me it should resolve the problem. Unfortunately not. The following day, several people try to call me and they get my answerphone. Meanwhile my phone has a full 3G signal.

So I phone Vodafone BCS once again and explain everything... I ask about a replacement Plug Version of the Sure Signal at their cost, not mine. The reason for this is that it appears there is a problem with the mast in my area which is not being resolved. There is no fix time. I am a Business customer, not that it makes any difference, and I begrudge paying out yet more money for a new box that may or may not work.

The person at Vodafone went and spoke to their "Manager" who basically said that they would not be replacing my Sure Signal and sorry but there is nothing they can do for me.. I then asked about leaving and was told "It will cost you £700"

I was also told that I was best off waiting for the mast issue to be fixed and that it would be done so in the next few days...Well the "few days" passed and nothing has improved. 

So I am currently stuck with a 4G phone that has a poor signal and the phone company says "Nothing we can do.."

Anyway has anyone else experienced similar issues with either the Note 3 and/or the V2 Sure Signal and if so, have you managed to resolve it ?

Thanks,

Simon

[simonb007]

Hello Sukhi.

Firstly, I have done all the troubleshooting, reset my box, had my firmware updated and had my box re-registered.

My problem is different to most of the people on the forum as my box works, but intermittently. I can only make calls after repeated attempts to call out on the box. As regards receiving calls, It works only some of the time... A lot of the time, my box is connected to the network, yet calls go through to my answerphone.

Speedtest 9mb down 0.89mb up

Currently with Sky broadband

Ping Test : Line Quality = B* Ping =22ms Jitter=2ms

Tracert :

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.178]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms SkyRouter.Home [192.168.11.1]
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 20 ms 20 ms 20 ms 0278095a.bb.sky.com [2.120.9.90]
4 24 ms 19 ms 19 ms lndgw2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]
5 21 ms 19 ms 20 ms 85.205.0.86
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.

So Vodafone, what now ? I have switched off my Suresignal for the timebeing, as it was causing me to lose calls...

Will you please resolve my issue. My call quality without the box is not great, yet when I am using it, I lose calls !

[Sukhi]

Hi simonb007,

I've had a look through your posts but can't see where you've provided your Sure Signal serial number?

Apologies if I've missed it :).

Thanks,

Sukhi

[simonb007]

serial is 40121022152

[simonb007]

Can I have a response from Technical Support please.

[Retired-Matt_B]

Hi simonb007,

Everything looks fine with your Sure Signal connection from this end.

I wonder if this could be an issue with 4G/3G handover. 4G doesn't support calls and is just for data, so if you're connected to that and then making a call, the switchover to 3G and the Sure Signal may not be working effectively.

So we can rule this out, please navigate follow the steps below:

• Click on Settings
• Select Connections and then More networks
• Tap on Moble networks, followed by Network Mode
• Select 3G only

Once this has been done, please let us know how your outbound calls work.

Thanks,

Matt B

[simonb007]

Switching to 3G was the first thing I did... It makes no difference.

Now I have a new issue running the Suresignal.

Sometimes I am chatting on  a call and I can no longer hear the person at the other end, but they can hear me.

I am forced to hang up the call and ring back.

This doesn't happen when not connected to the Sure signal.

I am really getting fed up of this.

[Retired-Sarah]

Hi simonb007, 

The Sure Signal's now showing a connected date of 13 August, has this resolved since? 

Thanks, 

Sarah

[simonb007]

Unfortunately, the problem has not been resolved.

When  I try dialling out, I have to attempt it 2 or 3 times before I can make a call using the SS Box.

People still cannot ring me all the time...

I am no further on... 

[simonb007]

Not only is it not working correctly, it is getting worse !

Just tried to call a client, twice. On both occassions, I can hear them, but they cannot hear me.

I unplug the SS Box and call them back, albeit with 1 bar of signal, and they can hear me perfectly.

So no, it is not working ...!!!

How do you propose to fix my problem Vodafone ?

[Jenny]

Hi simonb007,

Everything looks fine at our end.

Can other Vodafone users connect to the Sure Signal without any problems?

If not, I recommend you try testing your Sure Signal in another location (a friend or family members for example) as this will help determine if the fault is with the Sure Signal unit itself.

Thanks,

Jenny