SIM card doesn't connect to 5G signal

[crowbar6]

Hello Community team,

I'm a personal Pay Monthly customer on Vodafone's Unlimited Max plan. Last week, I upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro Max 256Gb phone and have retained the same Unlimited Max plan. This plan has 5G, the phone supports 5G but the SIM card doesn't connect to 5G at all. It simply defaults to 4G all the time even if I manually change the data settings in the phone to always go for the 5G signal if available.

Vodafone's network checker shows that I live in a 5G coverage area with good service indoor & outdoors. To ensure that coverage isn't an issue, I purchased a Voxi 5G SIM card that supports 5G to test out. The Voxi SIM connects to 5G the moment you insert it in the phone and the speeds are good (500Mb download & 50Mb upload). 

So this means that for some reason the Vodafone network is blocking my Vodafone Pay Monthly SIM card and doesn't let it connect to a 5G signal. Possibly a setting on the network side. 

When I discuss this with customer services, they try to get me to swap SIMs but I know this will not fix the problem if the same settings from my account are being transferred from old SIM to a new one. 

This issue can only be resolved by making a change on the network side at Vodafone. Has anyone faced this problem and have any suggestions on how I can get Vodafone to fix this problem?

Many thanks in advance for all the assistance.

[hrym]

If yor SIM is an old one, it's possible a replacement will fix the issue and I'd suggest giving it a try.  If it still doesn't work, drop a note to the Social Media team on Facebook or Twitter and ask them to investigate for you.   When 4G was being rolled out, it was only activated on accounts once it was available in their area, but I haven't heard the same is happening with 5G (the same level of rationing may not be required if there are relatively few 5G devices about).

[Somuz]

I have the same issues for long time Vodafone sent me new sim, I as expected no 5g signal. Technical they know what's going but some reason making customer look like dumb. Very annoying.  Thanks 

[crowbar6]

So upon doing more investigation, it is clear that there is nothing wrong with my SIM and a SIM-swap as previously suggested is of no use. The CS agents have tried to also suggest some other setting related changes in the phone but none of them result in connecting to a 5G connection.

It is clear that this is a network side issue and Vodafone is not letting my SIM connect to a 5G connection. I've done searches on this forum and looks like many other people have faced this problem. See three examples below - 

1. https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Network-queries/5g/m-p/2672495

2. https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/quot-5G-DCNR-Status-Restricted-quot-on-5G-Unlimited-Max-...

3. https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Android/Xiaomi-Poco-F2-Pro-no-5G-signal/td-p/2663433

Each of these cases is same as mine - all on a 5G enabled plan, phone supports 5G & they are in 5G network coverage but no signal on the SIM. In each of these, they've had to get Vodafone to do a complete deprovision of all services (leads to total loss of services) and then reprovision which leads to the SIM being allowed by the network to connect to a 5G signal. 

Seems like a widespread problem and this should be acknowledged and fixed by Vodafone. The CS agents are not aware / do not acknowledge and I'm left paying for a service which I'm not receiving. 

I'm going to approach the Vodafone team on Twitter as suggested above to see if they can help fix.

[chistery]

Ask vodafone to do a full deprovision / reprovision on your SIM.

[crowbar6 · Accepted solution]

Update - I tweeted to @VodafoneUK a couple of times but they didn't even bother to acknowledge.  So I was left with no choice but to continue calling CS.

Notes from approx. 10-15 calls to CS totalling over 4 hours in last few days -

1. Each time, you have to explain the issue from scratch even though call notes were left on the account. You'll typically be connected either to the Consumer Technical Care team in India or the Converged Care team in Egypt.
2. Even though I had demonstrated that my plan has 5G, phone is 5G enabled and that I'm in 5G coverage area and even tested this with another Vodafone & Voxi 5G SIM to rule out anything other than the network blocking my SIM to connect to a 5G signal so only recourse is a full SIM disconnected/reconnection, this is a challenge for CS guys to understand and they'll try to blame you, phone, etc.
3. After I politely insisted, the CS agents tried to create an internal escalation to a "Super User" who would only interact with the CS agent by email with them (perhaps they need to be advised a good telecom company who can provide them with phones to speed up interaction).
4. Was told a Super User will pick up the case, call me before doing the SIM deactivation / activation.
5. Nothing happened so next day chased and was told that there is a backlog of 190 cases but this particular CS agent has a friend who is a Super User so will email (again not phone or transfer the line).
6. Nothing happened again so chased next day, this time I was told a Team Manager can do this deactivation/activation and will be done in 30-45 mins.
7. Nothing happened so called again later that afternoon (yesterday), I was told notes on account updated and I'm now being transferred to tech team and was on hold for 30 mins before I gave up and disconnected.
8. A few minutes later they must have triggered the deactivation and so SIM lost all connectivity as expected.... Waited around 45 mins to restart the phone and lo behold, the SIM connected to a 5G signal. 

So, if you have the same problem as mine, please insist on a full SIM disconnection/reconnection (fancy name is de-provision/re-provision) and not get distracted by SIM swaps and other device related settings. 

@Mark, @Tash, @Jack, @Stubbo, @TJ - if possible, it'll be great to update the guidance for CS team about how to manage these cases so there can be a quick resolution for the customers.

P.S. - After my services were reactivated, I saw in the app that the next month's charges (line rental, usage charges, etc.) will be wrong. As I had done an upgrade on 22 Nov, my previous plan's line rental credit (as they charge in advance) etc was removed when they deactivated/reactivated yesterday. So I'll have to put in more calls when the bill is generated on 5 Dec to explain the history and get them to apply a credit.... Vodafone is the gift that keeps on giving!

[Tash]

Hi @crowbar6, thanks for updating the thread - it's great to hear you're now benefitting from our super fast 5G service! I'm sorry for the delay in reaching your tweets to us and for the amount of time this had taken to resolve.

I've not been able to locate your tweet/DM to us through your username or the link to the thread - please be aware there can sometimes be a delay in us reaching this as we're not an instant messaging service.
With any upgrade, a credit should be automatically applied to cover the amount you paid the previous month. Should you find this isn't the case when it's produced on 5 December, please drop us a DM on Twitter with your Community username and a link to your post here. We'll be happy to check this for you and you also won't need to write your query out again 👍

[cupra00]

Exactly the same issue for me.

Tried online chat about 4 times over a period of weeks, each time fobbed off or told backend team were investigating.

Contacted via twitter messaging and eventually got the point across. Took a good few hrs and overnight break.

Was handed off to about 5 different agents and forwarded them this message.

Took about an hour for the reconnection in the end. 

[Baconslicer]

I have the same problem, my phone is galaxy 10+ 5G and even my handset is connected to the same cell tower which is only 1533m from my house, as my Vodafone Gigacube 5G Home Router and that gives me speeds of 500mb with a full 5G signal  I'd swap sums if they were the same size to test..

Ive asked Vodafone to escalate it to their field engineering team to investigate. 

I recommend an app called Network Cell Info that tells you a lot about your connection and detailed signal info as well as a live map. 

[Baconslicer]

Update: I too had a replacement SIM card, even reset my handset to factory before inserting the new SIM, still wont connect to the 5G Network...Have raised again with Vodafone.