Hey,
This is a strange post however I assure you that there is method in my madness. My network provider is Virgin Mobile UK who are a virtual network that use the EE network to provide the service, the downside is that EE is the newly created network after Orange & T-Mobile merged their network. This sounds great however the Orange network is terrible at the minute and the data side of the service is pretty much unusable. The way around it has been to manually select the T-mobile network however the service seems to switch back to Orange presumable because Orange is the stronger voice network available.
My question is - is there anyway of blocking out the specific network code that Orange broadband effectively stopping the handset picking up Orange and forcing it to stick with T-mobile.
I have spoken to Virgin about this and they say that there is no official way of turning off the national roaming facility and there are no permanent changes that you can make to the handset as is it........so I am turning to the developer / hacking community.
Anyone want to offer some guidance?
Cheers
Obey the rules this is not a post for development.
jje
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda premium
Maybe cultivating the APNs list may help (or make things worse). Being stuck in a similar situation myself, I know the pains of the horrible Orange UK network. I get 2G where I live and that is patchy at best.
Sorry if I posted in the wrong section....
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Related
Hi all,
I'm on t-mobile in the uk and on my previous phone (htc hero) I was able to flick automatically to Orange's signal when I had poor t-mobile signal. When this would happen the phone would let me know I was roaming.
However, on my new Galaxy S2 it never seems to change to Orange's signal and my phone is never roaming. This has resulted in me having worse reception on my new phone over my old hero.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so is their something I can do to fix it?
I'm using the standard unrooted rom.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Mine would never do this either.
Go to the mobile network settings and MANUALLY connect to Orange.
Then wait for it to connect and then go back in and choose Automatic.
This fixed it for me my phone now roams.
Did you take out a new contract for your phone? Maybe you need to activate the network sharing again from the tmobile website.
IakobosJ said:
Mine would never do this either.
Go to the mobile network settings and MANUALLY connect to Orange.
Then wait for it to connect and then go back in and choose Automatic.
This fixed it for me my phone now roams.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, just tried this but still no joy. Interestingly when I manually connect to "T-Mobile Orange" instead of just "T-Mobile" and then check the roaming status, it still says "Not roaming" - shouldn't it say "Roaming" when I'm on Orange?
Joey2o11 said:
Did you take out a new contract for your phone? Maybe you need to activate the network sharing again from the tmobile website.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I called T-Mobile a couple of weeks ago to check to see if anything needed setup on my account and she said that it was all good to go. I think T-Mobile have removed the ability to opt-in to network sharing as I can't find it anywhere, I think it's automatically enabled for all new accounts.
It's driving me mad as I feel like I'm missing out on something and I can't see any way to fix it :-(
ok i just manually switched to orange and it says i'm not roaming. That's what i'd expect to see as both networks are considered 'home' networks. Maybe you just haven't been in an area with no tmobile coverage??
I had to send a text to T-Mobile (1221 I think) to use the Orange network when I had the HTC HD2. It switched seamlessly when I went out of a T-Mobile signal area.
When I upgraded my phone to the SGSII, there was still no problem switching networks. Admittedly I used the same SIM card, so that might be the switch-over went so smooth.
fred_up said:
I had to send a text to T-Mobile (1221 I think) to use the Orange network when I had the HTC HD2. It switched seamlessly when I went out of a T-Mobile signal area.
When I upgraded my phone to the SGSII, there was still no problem switching networks. Admittedly I used the same SIM card, so that might be the switch-over went so smooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i remember having to send a text to opt in to the network sharing, though as the OP has pointed out i believe it's automatic now for new contracts.
Thanks all. I've realised that it's simply that my old Hero used to show a roaming icon but the gs2 doesn't. It still flicks automatically from tmobile to orange.
I wish I spotted that before using up your valuable time!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Hi everyone
I'm new here and I have Galaxy S2 on Virgin UK network. I would like to ask S2 owners or anyone who can help me about advice. I spent hours in many forums and I still can't truly get what is wrong with my phone.
The problem occurs when my phone is working in automode (gsm/wcdma). When I get to place without proper 3G network coverage my galaxy s2 goes in to 2G and never comes back from it to 3G (in automode). When I want to come back to 3G I have to reboot my phone or toggle it manually to WCDMA only for a second and switch it back to automode. Whenever I do it I'll have 3G (or H) to the next time when I'll go to the place without 3G coverage.
Is there anyone who owning galaxy s2 on Virgin UK with working 2G - 3G switching in automode (gsm/wcdma). Anyone even in other UK networks or it's just normal behavior for galaxy s2? I know at least 2 people who have the same problem with S2 and Virgin.
I've tried many different roms and a lot of modems too (even orange UK, 3UK, T-mobile UK stock modems), Juice Defender beta, other software switchers and wigets.
Help, please
Not on virgin, but a UK user on 02. Never experienced the issues you are describing, so it seems network specific.
Thanks mate. I need all your opinions before I'll complain to the Virgin.
Possible its the masts you are picking up from .
SGS2 and 1 bothy worked fine on Virgin for me >> have you entered the correct settings from the web site .
CSC for Virgin i always used the CPW carphone warehouse one as some UK csc do not have Virgin settings .Virgin of course runs on the TMobile network .
MASTS
http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/search
I've tried many different roms and a lot of modems too (even orange UK, 3UK, T-mobile UK stock modems)
That will of course have invalidated your warranty from Virgin .You need to restore if sending the phone back .
jje
JJEgan said:
That will of course have invalidated your warranty from Virgin .You need to restore if sending the phone back .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course. I came back to stock firmware 2.3.4 last night anyway.
Thanks I'm going to check CPW carphone warehouse. Settings are from Virgin website and I'm picking up signal in BT4 1QF area now.
EDIT:
Well
I flashed GT-I9100_CPW_I9100XWKF3_I9100XXKE7_I9100CPWKD1 - CPW carphone warehouse with factory restet before of course.
Phone started in 3G obediently. I switched from automode to gsm (what occurs when I'm in place without 3G) and I switch it back to automode again to check whether in goes in automode from 2G to 3G or not. It was last time when I saw 3G icon on the screen. No luck. Still doesn't work. Absolutly the same.
I've heard similar stories on other threads, It may be coincidence, but Virgin runs on the T-Mobile network, and they have just recently started sharing their 3G network with Orange.
There may be some hiccups in the switch over, that's affecting Virgin.
I could be totally wrong, but the dates coincide with the similar Data issues that I have seen discusssed on other threads.
I would call Customer service personally.
Regards and good luck.
I just finished my conversation with customer service. They said that It can happen in places where 3G signal is weak and 2G strong. If there is strong 3G signal switching should work. It should but it doesn't. Thats what I known now. But I'm afraid I knew it before already . They said I can try to replace sim card or mobile.
buzzboy said:
I've heard similar stories on other threads, It may be coincidence, but Virgin runs on the T-Mobile network, and they have just recently started sharing their 3G network with Orange.
There may be some hiccups in the switch over, that's affecting Virgin.
I could be totally wrong, but the dates coincide with the similar Data issues that I have seen discusssed on other threads.
I would call Customer service personally.
Regards and good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've noticed this a bit with my galaxy S2 and its quite annoying, i used to get the T-Mobile network all the time which provided me with 3G quite often but for some reason the switch has left my phone connected to the orange mast with no 3G. I might ring up as well.
arj154 said:
I've noticed this a bit with my galaxy S2 and its quite annoying, i used to get the T-Mobile network all the time which provided me with 3G quite often but for some reason the switch has left my phone connected to the orange mast with no 3G. I might ring up as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I upgraded another device with Orange last week, and they provided a new SIM card. I'm wondering if that's due to the switch.
Good luck.
Regards
I'll try to replace sim next week
Not seen this problem (for me) on my SGS2
SGS2-XXKL1-Hyperoid 5.2.21/Siyah-2.6.7 - Virgin UK.
Although my Virgin Blackberry has the very same problem? time for a customer service call...
Well I sorted out my problem pernamently and I now what is going on. This is network problem. Go to your network settings and change your network from Virgin to virgin I spent 1,5 hour speaking to Virgin support and they couldn't help me. The didn't know. They told me that virgin with small v it's orange in fact but we can use this network that's why it is also named virgin.
Regards
Check your connectivity with calls. My wife is with Virgin but can't get signal at work or home. Their signal on data is only the second usage of T-mobile which is not the best.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Looks like this new EE network is now T-Mobile and Orange. What are Virgin using to do their data?
Hi,
I've got a somewhat strange situation, I'd like to find a solution to. I live just by the border of Belgium and Holland and go over regularly to Holland. My Belgian provider of course goes into roaming mode when on a Dutch network, that's all fine like that.
The problem is, that since I live too close to the border, the phone often stays on the Dutch network instead of switching over to the Belgian - unless I do it manually.
Is there some kind of setting/app to switch to a preferred network when it's present?
My old HTC Touch pro had a network operator priority list, and it worked rather well with that - hope there's a solution for Android too...
Cheers.
Somebody asked exactly the same question a few months back but i doubt a search would find it and i don't know if they got an answer .
Same sort of location as well .
jje
I'd be very interested as well... Let us know if you find something, I'll check it out on my side.
I'm in the same situation, on returning to my home country my phone stays with the neighbouring country operator, and I pay unnecessary roaming charges. Any solution would be an absolute god send for millions of people who live near borders. It's weird, it seems like such an obvious app to produce. Any suggestions would be most helpful. This thread is what made me register on XDA. I have a Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000.
An app to display the available cell towers (cid`s) and the option to manually select would be great! Ever since Tmobile/Orange activated a new cell near me I continually connect to that instead of my `normal` Three cell and the bandwidth is crap.
Atb
SST
I've been making a few searches in hopes of finding a solution to this, but came out empty handed. I'm using a Photon 4G (stuck on Electrify 2.3.5) on GSM mode in Argentina. I'm unable to receive data no matter what settings i tinker with. I also tried setting up APNs to no avail.
Anyone has ideas on why this may be happening? Doesn't the Photon support 3G data over GSM worldwide?
Thanks
Anyone ?
Try GSM roms
Sent from my MB855 using XDA
I think you officially have to call Sprint, ask them to remove your phone's SIM lock so you can use other SIM cards overseas, politely sit through their sermon about the dangers of using foreign SIM cards, repeat your request, and call back if necessary to get a more cooperative customer service representative.
From what I've read, all Photons are SIM-locked by default, but Sprint doesn't really fight if you ask them to unlock it for you. However, they MIGHT refuse to remove the SIM lock unless you either purchased the phone without a contract, purchased it used without an ESN-block, or purchased it with a contract 30+ days ago and have already paid your first bill post-purchase. I believe the FCC or FTC made it a law, but left them enough of a loophole so that you couldn't buy a subsidized Sprint phone on contract with a prepaid credit card, then leave the country and cancel the card.
I'm guessing that the inability to use data is because Sprint's SIM has data disabled while roaming by default, so they can make you sit through ANOTHER sermon listening to horror stories about Americans who used their phones in Canada and got hit with $1,000+ bills for a few hours of data use.
You can't totally blame sprint for the default Data block while roaming on their SIM... Android phones use lots of data in the background that most Americans never even notice (because we generally have unlimited data). Using the same phone with charges like 10c/kilobyte can get insanely expensive within just a few minutes.
Or, you could check out the GSM unlock thread somewhere around here. If you're already back in Argentina, it's probably easier. ;-)
Be VERY careful about reflashing a "GSM ROM", and MAKE SURE you've seen confirmation from at least one other user that it has been successfully flashed to a PHOTON -- not an Atrix, Atrix2, or Electrify. Flashing "alien" ROMs is playing with fire, and you can EASILY brick (soft or otherwise) your phone by blindly experimenting.
bitbang3r said:
I think you officially have to call Sprint, ask them to remove your phone's SIM lock so you can use other SIM cards overseas, politely sit through their sermon about the dangers of using foreign SIM cards, repeat your request, and call back if necessary to get a more cooperative customer service representative.
From what I've read, all Photons are SIM-locked by default, but Sprint doesn't really fight if you ask them to unlock it for you. However, they MIGHT refuse to remove the SIM lock unless you either purchased the phone without a contract, purchased it used without an ESN-block, or purchased it with a contract 30+ days ago and have already paid your first bill post-purchase. I believe the FCC or FTC made it a law, but left them enough of a loophole so that you couldn't buy a subsidized Sprint phone on contract with a prepaid credit card, then leave the country and cancel the card.
I'm guessing that the inability to use data is because Sprint's SIM has data disabled while roaming by default, so they can make you sit through ANOTHER sermon listening to horror stories about Americans who used their phones in Canada and got hit with $1,000+ bills for a few hours of data use.
You can't totally blame sprint for the default Data block while roaming on their SIM... Android phones use lots of data in the background that most Americans never even notice (because we generally have unlimited data). Using the same phone with charges like 10c/kilobyte can get insanely expensive within just a few minutes.
Or, you could check out the GSM unlock thread somewhere around here. If you're already back in Argentina, it's probably easier. ;-)
Be VERY careful about reflashing a "GSM ROM", and MAKE SURE you've seen confirmation from at least one other user that it has been successfully flashed to a PHOTON -- not an Atrix, Atrix2, or Electrify. Flashing "alien" ROMs is playing with fire, and you can EASILY brick (soft or otherwise) your phone by blindly experimenting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not the correct statement. I owned Photon and recently travel to Asia 2 times. The Photon work fine when I pop the prepaid SIM card in. The Photon came with Global GSM unlock. It's only lock the GSM on US Carriers. It's best to contact the provider of the GSM carrier he is using and ask to see if there are certain settings that need to be done.
Can you make voice call and SMS ? ( I see that you are on a Electrify 2.3.5.. don't know if that is an issue)
I just checked Argentina network. They do have 3G supporting 850 and 1900 frequency band. I advise to take the phone to the provider and ask them for help to set up the 3G network parameters if you do have voice and sms.
Try this link and look for the network provider that you are using in Argentina: They showed most of the settings for 2G/3G: http://nxwiki.blogspot.com/2011/08/movistar-gprs-mms-wap-settings-apn.html
roadster92 said:
That's not the correct statement. I owned Photon and recently travel to Asia 2 times. The Photon work fine when I pop the prepaid SIM card in. The Photon came with Global GSM unlock. It's only lock the GSM on US Carriers. It's best to contact the provider of the GSM carrier he is using and ask to see if there are certain settings that need to be done.
Can you make voice call and SMS ? ( I see that you are on a Electrify 2.3.5.. don't know if that is an issue)
I just checked Argentina network. They do have 3G supporting 850 and 1900 frequency band. I advise to take the phone to the provider and ask them for help to set up the 3G network parameters if you do have voice and sms.
Try this link and look for the network provider that you are using in Argentina: They showed most of the settings for 2G/3G: http://nxwiki.blogspot.com/2011/08/movistar-gprs-mms-wap-settings-apn.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your response. Yes, other than not receiving data, the phone works pretty much flawlessly: SMS and voice work just fine (wifi is a bit moody since it won't connect unless you go to the wi-fi settings and let it look at all your available networks, but I blame this issue on the ROM I'm sitting on).
I'll try APN settings again and see how it fairs. Thanks a bunch for your input guys.
Oh, and BTW, I bought my Photon through Ebay (my girlfriend brought it from New York where she was doing her MA), so I'm not expecting any kind of support from Sprint. Do they actually provide customer service to not-on contract phones?
Thanks again!
firtermish said:
Thanks for your response. Yes, other than not receiving data, the phone works pretty much flawlessly: SMS and voice work just fine (wifi is a bit moody since it won't connect unless you go to the wi-fi settings and let it look at all your available networks, but I blame this issue on the ROM I'm sitting on).
I'll try APN settings again and see how it fairs. Thanks a bunch for your input guys.
Oh, and BTW, I bought my Photon through Ebay (my girlfriend brought it from New York where she was doing her MA), so I'm not expecting any kind of support from Sprint. Do they actually provide customer service to not-on contract phones?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if you call Sprint. I do not think they will be able to help you. The phone is unlock and work with voice call. It's the network provision that's not allow you to connect with Argentina carriers. The best way is contact the Argentina carrier that you are using and ask them to provide or help to provision that for you. I was having difficulty connect to 3g in Vietnam when I was there (I was doing APN on my own and did not work) I have to contact the Vietnam carrier and they show me how to connect to 3g by using text message send to their server to initiate the automatic provisioning. I recommend that you do the same.
Success!
My stupid fault! I was entering outdated settings on the APN section, which is why it wasn't working before. I have now tried several settings and finally made 3G work! Thanks a million to everyone who contributed, especially roadster92.
For future reference (Claro 3G Argentina users), the configuration I used was the following one:
Connection Name: Claro 3G AR
Authentication: CHAP and PAP
Access Point (APN): gprs.claro.com.ar
UserName: hsdpa
Password: hsdpa
Cheers.
Hey,
This is a bit of a strange question however I hope the Android community can offer some help.
I have a unbranded blue S3 which I love to bits and use the Virgin Mobile network in the UK. Virgin is a virtual network which used the EE network which themselves are now made up of the Orange and TMobile networks. Virgin has traditionally used TMobile however now seems to try and connect to the Orange side of the EE network which is very slow and sluggish on data speeds making Internet use of the phone pretty unusable. I have been manually selecting the TMobile side of the network and using that however the phone keeps flicking back to Orange as it offers slightly stronger signal for voice... Whilst both Orange and TMobile form the EE network that Virgin Mobile run on - are there are tweaks or ways to stop or block out the Orange part so that the handset will only run on the TMobile side.?
I have that I have explained this right... Any help would be grateful.
Cheers
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Wrong forum. This is the development forum not the q&a. Reporting this to the mods
scott7saunders said:
Hey,
This is a bit of a strange question however I hope the Android community can offer some help.
I have a unbranded blue S3 which I love to bits and use the Virgin Mobile network in the UK. Virgin is a virtual network which used the EE network which themselves are now made up of the Orange and TMobile networks. Virgin has traditionally used TMobile however now seems to try and connect to the Orange side of the EE network which is very slow and sluggish on data speeds making Internet use of the phone pretty unusable. I have been manually selecting the TMobile side of the network and using that however the phone keeps flicking back to Orange as it offers slightly stronger signal for voice... Whilst both Orange and TMobile form the EE network that Virgin Mobile run on - are there are tweaks or ways to stop or block out the Orange part so that the handset will only run on the TMobile side.?
I have that I have explained this right... Any help would be grateful.
Cheers
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try setting your network APN as Orange and deleting the Virgin APN .
But i would guess that the switch is at network level .
jje