Mobile Data won't switch on, APN settings not received

[PersonaNonData]

Evening all,

Problems are:

• Mobile Data is no longer connected
• Mobile Data won't switch on
• Data usage app crashes immediately upon launch

I'm using an HTC One M8 on contract, software details are:

• Android Version 6.0
• HTC Sense version 7.0
• Software Number 6.12.161.4
• I've checked for updates and none are available

It has been working flawlessly for a year and a half, until a few days ago. The battery ran down completely, not sure if that's got anything to do with it, but the problem started afterwards.

Obvious things:

• Pulling down from the top for the quick settings menu and pressing the MOBILE DATA tile doesn't do anything, it remains greyed out.
• Going to Settings, Mobile data says "Off". Tap the button to switch it on, and the button moves to the on position, the arrows go blue, but the text underneath still says "Off" and mobile data does not connect. By navigating to another menu and then coming back to here the button and arrows are greyed out again.
• Wifi and bluetooth work fine.

I have tried the following:

• Restart
• Power Off, remove SIM, replace SIM, Power On
• Texted WEB to 40127 - I receive the "It looks like you've swapped your SIM...We'll send you these by text shortly" text, but the settings never arrive
• Played around switching Airplane mode on and off
• Tried switching Mobile Data on while Wifi and Bluetooth are switched off
• Gone to Network operators and hit Select automatically (Vodafone UK selected)
• Downloaded the My Vodafone app in the hope that will download settings, but cannot connect to it because without Mobile Data I cannot verify
• Changed Network mode between 2G, 3G, 4G and all combinations thereof
• Checked APN settings and added new internet one. I've tried selecting Contract WAP and internet separately, and neither will kick Mobile Data into action
• Gone to Settings > Apps > Show System, then cleared the cache of the Data Usage app - still crashes immediately when launched

It's starting to get a tad annoying now, without data this thing is just a shiny thigh guard. Had a call a couple of days ago from Vodafone trying to get me to pay for more Data each month - getting what I already pay for would be a good start.

Suggestions on how to fix would be gratefully received.

Thanks.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

No , Vodafone Mobile Data will work on the HTC M8.

Have you managed to try your sim in another phone and another sim in your phone ?

[PersonaNonData]

I don't have access to any others, sorry - either locked or wrong size SIM slot.

Any ideas as to why the Data Usage app crashes immediately, and whether this is related or just a coincidence?

[BandOfBrothers]

Appreciate the problems with trying other phones. 

If convenient you could visit a Vodafone Highstreet Store and I'm sure they'd try your sim in one of their in house phones. 

And or they have plastic SIM card adapters that can make your nano sim into a micro or standard sim size. It just sits in the adapter. 

Not sure in regards to the crashes. It could be any number of anomalies. 

[PersonaNonData]

What would the respective courses of action be if:

(A) The SIM works fine in another phone.

(B) The SIM doesn't work in another phone.

(C) Someone else's SIM makes Data work in my phone.

?

[BandOfBrothers]

---

@PersonaNonData wrote:

What would the respective courses of action be if:

(A) The SIM works fine in another phone.

This then confirms your account is not at issue. 

(B) The SIM doesn't work in another phone.

Something may be at issue and could need resetting account wise. And or a Sim Swap carried out to replace it. 

(C) Someone else's SIM makes Data work in my phone.

Your phone then may not be the issue. 

?

---

Hi,

Sometimes a Sim Swap carried out by the Vodafone Highstreet Store can help if your sim presents the same issue when placed in another phone. 

It could be beneficial to speak to Htc Uk Support online to ask their opinion. 

[hrym]

My guess is that it's not a SIM issue, though I wouldn't totally discount the possibility that it was damaged in the power loss.   Getting a replacement SIM (easiest from a Vodafone shop) would rule that out.  They may also be able to do the necessary SIM/phone testing for you.

A while back, we had a power cut just as I was finishing a game of Freecell on my PC.  The program was writing to the statistics file, which got corrupted and it became unplayable (and the file inaccessible by the OS) afterwards.  I strongly suspect that something similar has happened to one of the system files and I was hoping it might only be in the cache.

I think you're going to need to look at a repair, and I'd probably speak to HTC themselves for advice.

[PersonaNonData]

Howdy all,

Spoke to Vodafone who checked everything was okay with my account, which it was. They then reset data access on the account, "You have now blocked all data usage..." followed by "You can now use data on your mobile..". This didn't fix it, so Vodafone have said quite categorically it's nothing SIM, network or account related.

HTC support started by giving me some new APN details as follows:

Name: Vf ISP

APN: internet

Username: web

Password: web

APN type: default

This didn't fix it either. After running through everything else I've tried, the only solution left is for a factory reset.

The HTC chap emailed through a link to the HTC Sync software to perform a backup of data and media. This installed fine on my Windows 10 machine, but the phone isn't recognised as being connected. Windows acknowledges it immediately, but the HTC software doesn't. I've run through all of their recommended procedures for phone drive rinstalls/device manager/updates/reinstalls/selective startup/original USB cable and none of those work.

So, I've manually transferred across all of my photos and files from the phone to a temp folder on the computer (file transfers work fine!) and stuck contacts on my SIM. Everything else should be in the cloud (Gmail, Spotify, Economist, Fitbit, work stuff). I'll be doing a Factory Reset this afternoon. I'll report back with a quick yay/nay as to whether that's sorted it.

TTFN

[hrym]

I'd always prefer a manual file-by-file backup as it's easily verifiable.  Proprietary file formats are mostly fine, but there's no way of checking them other than by their own verification routine and there have been cases of access being lost in an upgrade to the system, too.

Best of luck and fingers crossed for you.

[AlisonW]

I am having the same problem with my HTC M18 too. I have tried the switching off and on of the device and airplane mode but still won't connect. Do I need to take to a Vodafone shop and get them to look at it or give me another SIM? 

Thanks

[hrym]

These things can be tricky to diagnose, so, yes, that would be a good place to start.   Replacing the SIM will either fix it or eliminate that as the cause.   It could be a hardware issue and the shop may offer to sed the phone off for repair.   However, it's also possible that a factory reset will fix it.  As it would be part of the repair process, you won't have lost anything and you can do it yourself.   Make sure you back up your content first and remove any external sd card as the process sometimes formats those.