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Can't receive incoming calls

mattmanxxx
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

OK, so it's been 3 days and I still can't recieve incoming calls. (Note: I have a new UK PAYG SIM but am currently in Ireland) - Despite 5 phone calls to support, 4 online chats and over 6 hours wasted! Yes, i've tried rebooting the phone, reinserting the sim etc etc etc. My phone works fine with an Irish Vodafone SIM. This has apparently been escalated to 'a specific tech team' but there is 'no service level' - whatever that means?!?! I'm going out of my mind as this is costing me money as I have given the number out for work and listed in a printed business directory with this number before I realized that the number didn't work!! (I was up against a printing deadline) I am very, very frustrated at this. I have been a vodafone customer in Ireland and never had issues like this! Nobody at Vodafone UK is getting back to me or giving me any kind of timeline as to when this will be fixed. Please help!

 

10 REPLIES 10

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @mattmanxxx

 

From what you have written your SIM has not been activated correctly.  The SIM has to be activated in the UK on the local network, if you have tried to activate the SIM on the Irish network, this could be the reason for being unable to receive calls.

 

 

 

I have explained multiple times that I am in Ireland and they keep saying 'It doesn't make a difference'. I can access data, send/receive texts and make calls.... but not receive incoming calls. I have also tried forcing a carrier setting update but it did not make a difference.

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @mattmanxxx

 

It does make a difference, for the SIM to be activated correctly and for all the services to be working, the SIM has to connect to the local network in the UK.

 

If you are using the SIM in Ireland, by default there will probably be a roaming bar, and this should be removed whilst the SIM is in the UK.

 

If you know anyone in the UK, it may be an idea to send the SIM for them to make a chargeable activity on the UK network, make sure any roaming restriction has been disabled and return the SIM to you in Ireland with all services fully working.

Thanks for the suggestion but VF have already told me that they have removed the roaming restrictions etc - Unfortunately, sending it back to the UK is not really an option at this point. I was also told that there would no problems activating the sim in Ireland when I ordered it and have been told repeatedly by VF since I received the sim that there should not be a problem that I am in Ireland...

After 4 days of waiting and multiple calls to support and online chats, I chatted with an agent online today and he solved the problem immediately. While I am relieved and very happy that this is now resolved, I am dissapointed that it took so much effort when it was obviously fixable by an online agent the whole time!


 

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

The evidence is that activating a SIM from outside the UK is pretty random - sometimes it all works, sometimes none of it works, and sometimes you arrive at a half-way point. No way anyone should have assured you it would work - and frankly I'd suspect that the final agent merely happened to hit it lucky, rather than that the previous agents weren't trying.

OK, all is working now apart from my voicemail. When I call voicemail I get 'an authentication error occured' when I type in my phone number. I just tried an online chat but they were zero help.

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

Whereabouts in Ireland are you? Is it feasible for you to make a day trip to Northern Ireland, to try to get your number fully registered on the Vodafone UK network? Otherwise you're probably stuck with trying Live Chat from time to time until another agent gets lucky.

Also, how long is your visit to Ireland? I presume that the people who informed you that it would all work fine there thought to inform you of the Acceptable Use policy - see foot of p1 and top of p2

TJ
Community Manager (Retired)
Community Manager (Retired)

@mattmanxxx I'm glad to hear you're up and running now and apologise for the delay in getting you connected correctly. As advised by various people so far, the SIM should be registered in the UK to guarantee everything goes smoothly.

In order to access your voicemail from abroad, you'd need to set up a PIN whilst in the UK then call +44 7836 121 121; so you wont have access to this feature for the remainder of your trip. 

Please let us know if there's anything else we can look into for you and we'll be happy to help.