Mobile stopped receiving/sending TEXTS 10 days ago, calls ok.

[pebbledash]

Can anyone help?

Old-ish phone Samsung Galaxy J6.  Have done some basics, rebooting, clearing cache etc.  Do not disturb is off and not on power save.  Message Centre is +447785016005 but don’t know if that is correct for me.  PAYG. I don’t bank on my mobile but need texting to verify other online payments etc.  Getting to be a serious practical issue.  Did spend hour on 191 with Vodafone but they seemed baffled.  Any suggestions welcome.  Signal isn’t great, but good enough for calls.

[miland451]

Hi pebbledash,

Please keep us updated with any new information that Vodafone may come up with. And if you talk to them again, mention the workaround..

[Gemma]

Hi @miland451 and @pebbledash - thanks for your posts and the work around. @pebbledash - From what you've described, I don't think a SIM swap will fix the issue although it's something to rule it out. I'd like us to check what's happening with the SIM swap. Please message us on Social Media. 

[pebbledash]

Gemma

Sorry I don’t do SocMed.  I put in new the replacement SIM having got onto my vodafone 1st.  Alas I get the same circular loop arrives:

Sorry, you can't activate your SIM card right now

Chat to us online or call 191 to complete your request.

I’ve been there 191 extensively and was told there was NOTHING 191 could do for me !! Website needing fixed bla bla bla.  I explained I cannot drive 100 miles to Glasgow, visit a V shop, drive back.  Read a poster here earlier who got no redress from Vodafone shop anyhow,  so it would be an expensive risk if I got someone to take day off work and drive me.  Am at a complete loss as to how to move forward.  So far it has taken 2 attempts to get a SIM card (on Vodafones advice) only to find they can’t activate it.  Question you could help with ?  Also should a leave the unactivated SIM in phone (no texts, no phone calls) or give up and go back to original SIM which makes calls (and can be 2G forced to get OTPs as i need them?

[Gemma]

@pebbledash - I don't feel like the new SIM will resolve this. With you mentioning 3G has been turned off in your area, it sounds like it's possibly the network. I'd double check the SIM in another phone and if this is happening in more than one location or not? If it's in one area, please follow the steps from here and post back the results. 

[pebbledash · Accepted solution]

Last Post after a poor experience with Vodafone after my Samsung J6 suddenly (2+ weeks ago) started failing to send/receive TEXTS - most importantly OTPs from Banks, Groceries online.  What is the outcome?

Lengthy phone calls to Vodafone 191 (Adamant it had nothing to do with their network and switch off of 3G).  Diagnosis by Vodafone - I needed a new SIM card.  1st didn’t arrive (they cancelled order as I didn’t respond to a TEXT (good grief - NON RECEIPT of TEXTS was the issue).  2nd SIM could not be activated either by me on my ipad or (after more phone calls to 191) by Vodafone.  Vodafone answer was that their Website was under update but couldn’t explain when etc bla bla bla. AND I had to get myself to one of their SHOPS.  (Not possible 200 mile trip and day off work for a driver…).  Here is a USEFUL TIP for SIM SWAP issue - I put ipad to one side and dug out the old PC I had when I first signed up with Vodafone.  (see 2nd AMAZINGLY HELPFUL TIP which meant I could get a text on phone to log in).  Successful on my old laptop and managed to activate SIM SWAP.  2nd TIP came from @miland451  Went to Galaxy Settings - Connections/Mobile Networks/Network Mode and changed from LTE/3G/2G auto correct to “2G only” and texts from days ago flooded in. 

The new SIM made no difference so, because Vodafone has switched off 3G, with nothing else in place and because  I have a 4-5 year old phone, I am currently stuck with having to switch my phone down to 2G to ensure TEXTS or spending a lot of money trying to buy a new smart(er) phone.  Having checked coverage in my area on the very useful site checker.ofcom.org.uk I will be moving away from Vodafone because signal and staff alike have been poor.  Hope some of this helps someone - especially @miland451 great lifesaving temp fix.  Thanks also to @Gemma who thought it would be down to poor reception (SUDDEN poor reception).  Feel “dumped” by Vodafone.  Ask for and was promised a call back on landline from Vodafone manager but it never materialised either.  HeyHO.