Sim wont connect to the services!

[Leanne1991]

Can anyone advise?

My phone for some reason will not connect to the Vodafone services. It's showing emergency calls only! I've contacted vodafone using Tobi and we did run through what could be causing it. 

I've turned phone off and back on and still nothing, I've taken my sim out of my phone and put it in my husbands phone and it works on his phone, yet when I put his sim in my phone it doesn't work.

I've said this to the advisor and they say there is a mast down, this baffled me as my husband who is literally sat next to me and is on the same network can get network coverage and connected with 4G, it's just mine that wont. I've tried to search for networks and select the vodafone UK and it will not connect to it at all.

I searched on vodafone network coverage and it's showing there is no issues at all so I'm not sure what the agent is referring to but I'm at a loss as to why the sim won't connect to the services.

Please help!

[BandOfBrothers]

Isn't Tobi an automated response system?

Contact the Vodafone Social Media Teams via Facebook or X for them to check. 

You can also use sites such as https://www.checkmend.com/uk 

[Leanne1991]

@BandOfBrothers it is but you can ask to speak to an advisor 🙂 and you will be connect to someone.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hey @Leanne1991 

As I mentioned earlier a Vodafone store will be able to assess if the phone is blocked or faulty. 

Please let us know how you get on. 

[AnnS]

As @Janey has advised @Leanne1991 take the phone into a Vodafone Store for them to assess, the phone has more than likely developed a fault where the phone is not reading the SIM. You can also follow the repairs process here Repairs Vodafone are hardly likely to sell you a phone on an Evo contract and place an IMEI block on the device a month later.  

Remember you have a lifetime warranty on the phone where it will be covered for manufacturing faults.  This is explained by Vodafone here.  Warranty 

Edited to add. Most phones are eSIM compatible. @Leanne1991 If there is a problem with a physical SIM this may solve the problem.  Vodafone provide this informationeSIM 

@Leanne1991 You haven't been back to your post.  Have you been able to get the problems solved?

[Leanne1991]

Hey, @AnnS @BandOfBrothers @Janey 

So I have an update. 

I went into store and explained that my phone want connecting to the services. They got another sim and tried that, this didn't work. The lady who was assisting me tried her own sim (EE) this also didn't work. So she advised me to factory reset the phone in hopes it would prompt the phone to work. I went home and tried, this didn't work. So I went in the next day 1/11/2024, told them that factory resetting the phone didn't work. So they booked the phone in for repair and sent my phone off.

I got a email on the 6/11/2024 saying they are sending my phone back as they wasn't able to fix the phone, no more details.

On the 7/11/2024 I received my phone with a letter stating that the reason why they was u able to fix the phone was because there was 'unauthorised work' been done on the phone.

What this means is I have either had:

1. My phone repaired by a non professional.

2. Illegal software has been installed on the phone.

3. Had a LCD screen repair.

There was a number on the letter, which I phoned and I explained I have none of those done and wanted proof of how they come to this conclusion. I got cut off by the advisor, I then called the complaints number as I raised a complaint on this, to be told I had to wait 48 hours for a contact as my complaint handler wasn't in. I wanted to speak to a manager because it was getting ridiculous, to be told I couldn't speak to a manager!

So i went back to the store, showed them the letter and said explain this to me how they come to this? Even the advisors agreed that more info should of been needed. They decided to help by trying a esim, this didn't work and tried everything to a point they said that from a store prospective they done all they can. They checked my IMEI number and its fine, told me to call the numbers again and with a complaint being open they WILL have to do something.

So I left, luckily I had to go to a shop and realised that when she did the esim it made the physical sim in my borrowed phone inactive, so I went back in the store. The lady got me another sim set up for my borrowed phone but said she checked my IMEI number is now showing as blacklisted! So within minutes it got blocked!

Because of this I've now had to call Vodafone to inform them of this, with this being said the lasted update for today is I've got to wait 3-5 working days for vodafone to unblacklist my phone! 

[Leanne1991]

Also since I've sent my phone to the repair place and they come to that conclusion they have voided my warranty which I'm not happy!

[BandOfBrothers]

This js most definitely a conundrum that looks to be a drawn out affair. 

You may also need to seek outside advice to see if this can be resolved. 

[Leanne1991]

Thank you for your reply,

I'm gonna be following the complaints process to see if they can resolve the issue. I have asked if unblacklisting my phone makes the phone work then I will want the warranty to be valid again. I have for this to be in writing too.

If unblacklisting the device still doesn't resolve the issue and vodafone decides not to send a new device I will have to seek advise further.

[AnnS]

You are being too kind to Vodafone @Leanne1991 , you have only had the device for a month, this shouldn't happen to a new phone, something you are paying for from your bank account on a monthly basis.

If I was in your situation I would have been asking for a straight replacement by now, you have a warranty on the phone and by the looks of things Vodafone are making every excuse to exclude this.

Someone in Vodafone needs to take ownership of this and replace the phone immediately, you can't even use the service.

edit to add: @Leanne1991 take a look at the Consumer Rights Act, you can get all the information from Google, it may or may not apply but worth a read.

[Leanne1991]

@AnnS 

To be honest with I'm glad you can see my frustration because this situation has well and truly stressed me out.

I have asked for a replacement straightaway but I keep being pushed back saying i need to follow their process to check if the device is faulty. They keep referring me to call them and it's like talking to a brick wall hence why I went to the store but even they stated they can only do so much and again gotta call them.

My phone is showing as blacklisted currently so they're trying to unblacklist it which takes 3-5 days. The complaint handler who is looking into my case has scheduled a call back with me for Thursday. If come Thursday and they call and say they haven't been able to unblacklist it or they have and my device still doesn't work then I will be pushing for a new device. My issue is I've read the T&C for LTW and it says that if the device is faulty then I would only get a device the same make and model from their refurbished range. To me that's wrong because mine was a brand new phone, why should I have a refurbished phone when it wasn't my fault and still paying a device plan for a brand new phone!

Not only this, my warranty is now voided so they might make out that I can't even get a replacement.