Phone isn't working abroad

[MellyH]

Hello, I just wondered if anyone had an answer to why my phone isn't working in France? It is advertised now that all uk network providers allow you to roam abroad and should connect to a network for texts and calls, and mine isn't. My partners tesco network (same phone iPhone 6s) is connected and my old phone (brought as back up....thankfully) is working just fine but not this one. I looked it up and have tried turning it off then on, changing the automatic network off and on, and anything else the vodaphone page reccomends but nothing. Thank you, Mel 

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

If I've read and understood your post correctly your SIM card works fine in your back up phone which obviously indicates your account is set up ok with no roaming bars. 

Do you get any error pop ups ?

What does it say in the phones status bar at the top ?

[MellyH]

Hello thanks for your reply. I'm sorry I wasn't actually as clear as I though...the second phone has a different SIM card and it's with GiffGaff. It's connected fine to networks in Paris and now in Arcachon but my main phone (work phone) which is vodaphone says No Service where the network usually appears. 

[Tash]

@MellyH You can find more information on using your phone abroad, including how to change your automatically-chosen network in your settings, here.

You can also ensure that you have no bars added to your account that would affect your usage abroad on My Vodafone.

[donnyguy]

From reading the original post (and I know I'm a little late for the party on this one), there seems to be a mis-understanding as to what is account VS network driven.

The post states that "all UK network providers allow you to roam and should connect to a network". That actually isn't the case, the account needs to be set up to roam abroad (so bars need to be lifted etc).

In this case, the original poster gets 'No Service' meaning the roaming bar hasn't been lifted. It's deliberately not picking up a network in France.

What I'm also picking up is that it's a work phone which means your employer or your companies policy on mobile phones drives whether you can or can't roam. I'd speak to them about this and get them to remove the roaming bar ahead of your next trip overseas to prevent a re-occurance of this in the future. 

Or if it's still your own personal account (which you simply use for work) then check the roaming bars in your My Vodafone profile.