SWMBO's and my phone both are suffering the same problem.
We are both on the same Orange network but, when at home we are getting no incoming calls ( our nearest mast which is about 300 yards away and am told it is OK).
Both handsets are OK and work when using other cells.
Outgoing calls are OK from home ( but not to each other).
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
It is a real pain as, until someone realises the situation and raises a concern you are not instantly aware of the problem. We did not identify a problem but know it started at least a week ago. Some texts have been arriving but not all.
I have been chasing them for a week to sort it with little success .
Trying to convince the sub continent that what ever their diagnostics say THEY have a problem with THEIR kit.
Today I got to talk to a switched on UK guy and at last I thought we are making progress.
I had to smile, as during the many calls from them a text message arrived from Orange.
It was a customer satisfaction survey re the first call I made.
" Just three questions to answer."
The first one arrived and guess what ? I am still awaiting #2 and #3 plus a SIM update text.
Perhaps I spoke too soon on progress.
p,s,
Just tried a test call again and then the SIM update arrived.
Dont you just trust these systems!!
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I can think of a few reasons for the problem. Depending on answers I would say I could have similar problems:
1. What are the phone make/models?
2. Mobile network?
3. Are the phones configured to use GSM or possibly include 3G (UMTS)
4. Do you use phones for calls/texting only or surfing the web.... ties in with thoughts on item 3.
Depending on phone and where you are, many will stubbornly insist on using a 3G signal when a better/stronger 2G signal is available. The logic is data and surfing the web (which also does not work well).
For my phone I leave it mostly on GSM even though a smart phone It uses Wifi at home automatically. I manually set to 3G when necessary.
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1. old Nokias 6210. 6310i x 2 and SWMBOs older Nokia
2. Orange (+T-Mobile)
3. GSM I assume.
4. Calls & texting only.
Really basic stuff
Full signal strength all the time.
Powering phones on and off so they rehunt for a signal etc.
Our local mast was U/S ( I was informed) so we were on the next one a just few miles away when I raised the problem. Our local mast is supposed to be back working again.
As part of diagnosing the situation, at their suggestion, I drove in the opposite direction to yet another mast intending to test things. The guy from Orange was obviously monitoring which cell I was on because before I could start my test he called me, thus confirming all was OK on another cell.
What will Mon morning bring.
Our contracts cost £0.00 per month so we just pay for calls. Shall I ask for a cheque re compensation ??
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What about other networks - this does indeed seem to be 2G only on your phones.
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>> Our contracts cost £0.00 per month
Pay as you go then? You won't get compensation. You just might live somewhere where the signal is poor. Seems to suggest that from your posting. Ever tried a satellite phone or a landline?
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>> >> Our contracts cost £0.00 per month
>>
>> Pay as you go then? You won't get compensation. You just might live somewhere where
>> the signal is poor. Seems to suggest that from your posting. Ever tried a satellite
>> phone or a landline?
>>
We are not on PAYG but both on a zero cost per month contract.
We are notreally expecting any compensation. Signal strength has always been good ( max bars shown on phones). We still have a land line so we are not cut off completely.
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Have you joined the T Mobile sharing thing ? if you haven't try that - you might piggy back a T Mobile signal that's strong enough to ring your bell !
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>> Have you joined the T Mobile sharing thing ? if you haven't try that -
>> you might piggy back a T Mobile signal that's strong enough to ring your bell !
>>
Yes I was upgraded to that a while back when our local mast was out of action for a few weeks. SWMOs old phone does not detect T mobile on a manual search but finds One to One. Was that T mobiles old name ?
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Yes, the network names are stored on the phonn a new payg phone, in case there is a network issue with old phones.e, so an old phone will show the old name. Id blow a tenner or so o
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>> Yes, the network names are stored on the phonn a new payg phone, in case
>> there is a network issue with old phones.e, so an old phone will show the
>> old name. Id blow a tenner or so o
>>
That what happens when I try typing on a smartphone rather than a laptop:-/
Any of your neighbours on Orange, can they make calls? Does sound like there is still an issue with the local base station, as you have tried a variety of phones.
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...Our contracts cost £0.00 per month...
Perhaps Orange are making sure you are getting what you are paying for. :)
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>> ...Our contracts cost £0.00 per month...
>>
>> Perhaps Orange are making sure you are getting what you are paying for. :)
>>
I was wondering if it was a secret plan to make us throw in the towel .
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Old Nokias are good phones, but I wonder if a newer handset would perform any better.
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Have you tried them outside "your" cell area ?
Another test (phone against network) would be to divert the mobile calls to your landline and phone it.
New Orange SIM card test as well.
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>>Yes, the network names are stored on the phone... so an old phone will show the old name. Id blow a tenner or so.
>>
Interesting that the Orange trouble shooters did not recognise One to One = T Mobile when I was doing a manual search for networks.
BUT SWMBO likes her old phone so I will have to tackle that later.
>>Old Nokias are good phones, but I wonder if a newer handset would perform any better.
I will try a newer ( spare) handset out of interest
>> Have you tried them outside "your" cell area ?
>>
Yes perfect. Not had any problems with the phones
>> Another test (phone against network) would be to divert the mobile calls to your landline
>> and phone it.
>>
I feel sure that would work OK.
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According to Wiki - One to One was re-branded as TMobile. Doubt whether Orange call takers might happen to know this if they were youngsters (IYKWIM)
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How old are the sim cards? They might be on their way out.
Orange offer delivery reports for texts so you can check that they arrive.
If you jut pay for calls/texts have you looked at giffgaff? They are payg but you get free calls and texts to other GG customers. Only need to top up £10 every 3 months to qualify. They're on o2 so coverage is generally better. No call centre at all but compared to orange's efforts at CS I doubt if you'll miss it... I'm assuming you're on the old orange VM plan. I have one of those hanging around somewhere. In a 6310i too :-)
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In my working days I carried 02, Vodafone and Orange phones - Vodafone was better than 02 and 02 was better than Orange.
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Are the phones working with a different SIM card?
Sometimes there are just dead spots in network coverage. If you move around hundred yards, you might again get a good signal. Though it won't be fun if you can receive calls only in neighbour's garden :-)
Last edited by: movilogo on Mon 28 Nov 11 at 11:07
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In the early days of GSM Vodafone had a much more aggressive rollout plan than Cellnet/O2, Orange decided on 'nationwide' coverage from day 1, but that was always going to be more difficult to achieve using GSM1800 than the GSM900 Voda and O2 use. One to One/T-Mobil(e) concentrated on the area inside the M25 with their GSM1800 network first, before gradually expanding nationwide. That was all a long time ago mind you - but it took maybe 10 years from the inception of GSM for all 4 GSM operators to have broadly similar coverage.
Recently the situation has become more complex, as base stations are actually being decommissioned due to network sharing; my local ish site in the centre of Ringwood (complete with pine clad mast) has disappeared in recent months. Hence there is a possible scenario where areas that have had good coverage for years might find they don't any more.
g.co/maps/yj8jv
That's the one in Ringwood that's now gone, when it was installed the pine cladding was a yellow/brown colour matching the radome (the glass fibre bit at the top).
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I am now getting realy irritated at Orange not fixing the problem.
New sims arrived this morning.
I will swop the one in SWMOs phone and test to see if corrects the situation.
(Apparently Orange are rolling out sim updates to fix problems)
I understand it is 3G problems so how that fixes my problem I await results.
In the meanwhile does anyone have the top man in Orange details so I can send him a stropogram for Christmas,
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>>
>> In the meanwhile does anyone have the top man in Orange details so I can
>> send him a stropogram for Christmas,
>>
Olaf Swantee is da man according to this site:-
www.ceoemail.com/
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>>Olaf Swantee is da man according to this site:-
>>www.ceoemail.com/
>>
Thanks for that info. At the moment it is looking like I will be sending a stropogram.
I called Orange and said that I did not believe that when I installed the replacement sim, that the update/activate message would get through.
I could not ignore their instructions .......
So SWMBO now has a totally non working phone that is still waiting for a txt msg.
I have a phone still waiting for a txt message, sent on Monday, by Orange themselves.
I am guessing that perhaps the way to revive SWMBOs phone is to take it outside our area and see if it gets the txt.
If not I guess it needs to be left outside our area for a couple of days.
Ho! hum! Maybe I am being unfair to Orange??????
The printed instructions say within 24 hours the txt msgs will arrive.
I am waiting for a promised call at 1230 ( to see if things have worked)
I now have contact details of an agent. Name, extn no and email.
I am still warming up for an email ...Dear Olaf Swantee
Meanwhile I have an image of useless "engineers" sitting reading the Sun instead of solving the problem that they do not think exists.
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Just for starters, I have sent a mild email to Mr Orange "requesting prompt action " and that "I propose to publicise locally ...."
All my tests point to the the local Orange site being faulty. The alternative local T-Mobile site is all but useless as the signal strength is so poor it only survives for a few minutes if I am lucky.
So I will wait to see what Monday brings.
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I am having the same problem with Vodafone, its been on going for weeks now, the problem is due to the switches being overloaded. I am currently dealing it with a local shop as India have been hopeless.
Problem seems to have been fixed during the last week but I don't know for how long.
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>>I am currently dealing it with a local shop as India have been hopeless.
>>
IMO the staff in India are only basically trained and probably have a check sheet that they are supposed to adhere to.
If you deviate from their list of questions they are lost.
e.g " You do not need my 'phone number. Please look up your records for my post code and tell me if there are any local problems"
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I'd suggest you use the website: www.ceoemail.com/
It brought an instant response to the problems I had with John Lewis.
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Oh ye of little faith.
I have just had a long conversation with a switched on chap from the office of the Orange CEO.
He had never heard of the faults I am experiencing and will call back after further investigations.
First impression are good. Not a load of corporate BS.
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I set a complaint to BT a few years ago (happened to be around Christmas time). I got a call from someone in the office of the CEO and things were sorted, got compensation etc. It can work.
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Latest call back implies to me that the engineers are at a loss to solve the problem and are clutching at straws.
The latests tests I have tried made no difference. ( my phone switched to a new number - tests then revert to my regular number)
With at least three phones with the problem and another person saying they have problems it still seems all to point to their kit not mine.
Perhaps a Happy New Year for my phone but I suspect January may be too soon :-((
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Iu would stop farting around and move to a network that works - O2 or Vodaphone.
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>> I would stop farting around and move to a network that works - O2 or Vodaphone.
>>
Too expensive ! We both have a contract that costs £ZERO per month so we just pay for calls.
Not having the phones fully working at home has been riritating and a little inconvenient but far from disasterous.
At 20:20 last evening my fone gave a bleep.
On immediate investigation there was a missed call ( from Orange) and I then found that both fones are now fully working again.
Most odd. Someone working late on a Friday ?
I have emailed enquiring about the fix.
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>> >> I would stop farting around and move to a network that works - O2
>> or Vodaphone.
>> >>
>> Too expensive ! We both have a contract that costs £ZERO per month so we
>> just pay for calls.
You can get the same thing on a PAYG with any network.
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I quite fancy changing my number and then pretending I don't own a mobile phone. ( or an email address come to that )
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sat 24 Dec 11 at 10:45
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Problem with local phone cell. - rtj70
