Google play store apps refuse to download / update

[mmotti]

This issue is likely related to the other topic on YouTube stuttering / taking forever to load but making this post to increase visibility that there's a rather serious issue at the moment with the routing to Google.

I can only download or update the apps if I switch to mobile data or use a VPN, neither of which are practical with a limited data plan and the costs of VPNs.

Has been an issue for the last few weeks but only raising it now as I've spent an eternity troubleshooting everything on my end before I realised that other people were having similar issues with Google services (through Vodafone)

[mmotti]

Officially Vodafone claim in the other thread that it's been an issue since 22/09. Literally because it's taken us so long to be able to actually get past the social media team and the other useless support, yet you call them and still they've never heard of it.

[muddled]

A follow up to my previous message in this thread.

Today I contacted Vodafone technical support for the third time this week and we went through the usual tests and, as usual, they found no problems.  I told the person on the line that this IS a specific Vodafone issue.  To confirm this, I told him that I went to another house and tried downloading an app from the Google Playstore on WiFi only (PlusNet) and there was no issue at all.  

I asked if I could send Vodafone the link to this thread so that they could see for themselves that other customers are experiencing this problem but they said it wasn't possible (HOPELESS).   He did say that he would escalate this to his manager but I am not holding my breath. 

I would like to send Vodafone a detailed description of this issue but I have not been able to find an email address so far.  If anyone knows of such an email address I would be grateful if they could let us know. 

[muddled]

Since my last message I have found this Vodafone complaint form:  

https://complaints.vodafone.co.uk/resource?id=11306244&db=vodafone

I would suggest that people with this issue complete this form.  The more complaints they get, the more likely it may be that they do something about it.

[mmotti]

Yes I have also raised a complaint previously on this issue - If you're reading this please join us in doing so. It's the only way we're going to get this resolved.

[ploq]

I looked at the form. I don't really want to be called back by an advisor and spend hours starting from scratch. The issue is simple - Vodafone broadband does communicate correctly with Play Store, presently only a VPN or mobile data fixes that.

Vodafone support bears all the markings of a self-help support group.

[Gemma]

Hi everyone, if you're contacting other departments within Vodafone, they might not be aware of the examples we're collecting in the Social Media Team. If you raise this issue to any other team, then that will be looked into separately. 

For anyone new viewing this thread, my team have escalated this issue along with any examples received to us. If you haven't done so already, please get in touch with us through Social Media and include a link to this conversation. The more examples we get, then this will help our Support Team to investigate what's happening. 

Please kindly note that there isn't a reference for this, so other teams won't be able to check for updates, although we'll let everyone know when we have one. 

[muddled]

RESOLVED !!

I hope this is the last message I have to post on this issue.  I got through via direct message to Vodafone on Twitter and made them aware of this thread.  I was then contacted via Twitter and was told this:

• We do have quite a few customers with a similar issue and we have a back office team working on it at the moment, no time scale just yet though sorry. I've seen a few cases where adding a static IP address has fixed it. It doesn't work every time but are you happy for me to give this a try?

I asked him to go ahead and add a static IP address.  I am happy to say that worked and now I can download apps from Google Play store on wifi without any issues.  

I also requested that other technicians on the help desk be made aware of this problem and I was told that that would happen.

If you still have the issue, I suggest that you ask for a static IP address - you may be lucky!

[ploq]

It is not resolved. A static IP address is a workaround and does not always work for very long. Using mobile data and a VPN are also workarounds.

[ploq]

.