Dropping connection every 5 minutes

[#1]

Since joining plusnet in November my data connection has dropped every few minutes.  I have tried everything suggested by your customer support team and tried 3 sims.Today I bought an Asda sim and that it working fine without dropping out. I know there is an EE issue where I live but this is happening in areas where there aren't any problems. The phone has been checked and is ok so I can only think it is your sim that is the problem.Is there anything I can do before I have to leave plusnet

[#2]

Hello @rocky

I am deeply sorry to hear you are having difficulties in using with using your Plusnet mobile services.

I will provide you firstly a list of troubleshooting steps. Please follow the list carefully, I do apologise in advance, it will be a lengthy response. 

If you are stilling experiencing issues, respond back to us so we can continue to assist you with your query.

1.

Turn the handset off

Take the SIM card out

Leave it for a couple of minutes

Replace the SIM card

Turn the handset back on again

It's important to remove the SIM from the handset entirely, to allow it to disconnect and establish a new connection to the network upon re-boot.

2.

Reset network settings:

Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

3.

Delete old network profiles:

Settings > General > Profiles > Select the profile you wish to remove and tap Delete Profile.

4.

Check for any issues by popping over to the following link and inputting your postcode:

https://myaccount.ee.co.uk/networkchecker/checkservice

5.

Manually disconnecting from the network:

Can you please try manually searching for a network and if given an option, attempt to connect to any other network that differs from EE/Plusnet. Once you've done this, leave it for a couple of minutes and then go back and select EE/Plusnet.

6.

Ensure handset isn't set to allow for 3G only.

7.

Try the SIM in another handset that is unlocked to all networks.

8.

Delete any old APN settings and insert the following:

Android

Go to Menu > Settings > Wireless & Networks (or More) > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names > Menu > New APN

Without changing any other settings, type in the following info:

Name: EE Internet

APN: everywhere

Username: eesecure

Password: secure

MMSC: http://mms/

MMS Proxy: 149.254.201.135

MMS Port: 8080

Authentication type: PAP

APN type: If there's a choice, choose internet+mms. If the keyboard appears, type *

Tap Menu, then Save

To start your new APN, make sure the line is ticked or the radio button is lit by tapping on it.

Check the notification bar for 4G, H, 3G, E or G with up and down arrows beside it. That'll show your connection is working.

9.

iPhone

Go to Settings > Mobile or Cellular > Mobile Data Network or Cellular Data Network > Access Point Names > Menu > New APN.

Without changing any other settings, type in the following info:

For Mobile data:

APN: everywhere

Username: eesecure

Password: secure

For MMS:

APN: eezone

Username: eesecure

Password: secure

MMSC: http://mms/

MMS Proxy: 149.254.201.135:8080

MMS Max Message Size: 1048576

Tap the left arrow at the top three times, then press the home button.

Check the notification bar for 4G, 3G, E or GPRS. That'll show your connection is working.

10.

Check for any updates and ensure the handset has been updated to the latest software.

Should you require any further assistance, please do get back in touch with us.

Best wishes.
 

[#3]

Hi. Thanks for the suggestions which I have done. Unfortunately it has not solved the problem. The data connection is still dropping every 3-5 minutes. It is also dropping in the same way on the other phone that I tried it in. I checked the EE site and they say there is a problem where I live. There is no timescale for fixing it and it has been like this since before Christmas. However this is not what is causing the problem because the issue is happening in areas where there is no problem and today I bought a ASDA sim which also runs on EE and that worked fine. I have had 3 Plusnet sims and they are all doing the same. It's seems like the sim is not making contact properly. This problem has been ongoing since I joined Plusnet and if It can't be resolved soon I will be forced to leave Plusnet.

[#4]

Sorry to hear this.

If you've done the above steps then we'd need to raise this with our suppliers for further investigation.

Can you PM me the information from over here along with your mobile account number?

[#5]

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@rocky wrote:

I have had 3 Plusnet sims and they are all doing the same. It's seems like the sim is not making contact properly. This problem has been ongoing since I joined Plusnet

---

Strangely I have seen this too since joining plusnet. Its as if the plusnet sims are slightly 'off' compared to other sims.

Plusnet changed my first sim and the issue went away for months but then returned.

Seemed stupid and i thought 'cant be sim issue - thats been changed; and that it must be the phone sim holder even though an ASDA, prior EE. giffgaff and 3 sim all seemed to work fine before and after for those I could test

I bought a cheap fleabay replacement back for my s4 which has a plastic 'clip' which presses the sim in place (and has a protective + view front cover) - which seems to resolve the issue for months before it starts again and I take the back off and open the tag a bit and replace.

Even though this indicates at least some of the issue is with the phone, I simply dont get those issues in any noticeable way with other sims.

Its also interesting that the plusnet micro sims I have had dont seem to fit quite right (dont simply clip in - need a wiggle) to other cards  - I keep a few to hand as have 4 phones with different size sims card slots.

I'm sure its not one thing though - a mix of:

* Plusnets limited subset of the EE service sometimes loosing signal

* unannounced and unreported Plusnet technical issues far too often, including updating of masts with locations just leaving you wondering what happened

* Plusnets IT/system management systems regularly falling short

* Some issue with the phones sim card holder becoming loose - perhaps because or agravated by a plusnet sim 'physical build/print process physical quality issue

* Clueless/ineffective technical support

 Getting ready to move I have been backing up and setting up phones. The phone with  the plusnet sim has again been reporting 'sim not detected' even after adjusting tab and reseating sim a number of times.

Put plusnet sim in other phone and its working so far - but so is the asda sim in the S4 where the plusnet sim was constantly being lost ....

That darn plusnet sim better not mess up my new galaxy s

[#6]

Hello @RobC,

Thanks for your feedback, if there is anything we can help with specifically please let us know.

Just to let you know we supply triple-snap sim cards to all customers which should fit any modern smart phone. I have checked with our operations team and we have heard no noise in regards to this, however, in the interest of making sure this is not a recurring theme could you provide us with:

- Your full name

- Your full address with postcode

- Your mobile

Via PM.

I understand you are in the process of leaving, however, in the interest of consistency we'd like to double check this is not happening on a larger scale.

Thank you.

[#7]

---

@Mads wrote:

Hello @RobC,

Thanks for your feedback, if there is anything we can help with specifically please let us know.

Just to let you know we supply triple-snap sim cards to all customers which should fit any modern smart phone.

I understand you are in the process of leaving, however, in the interest of consistency we'd like to double check this is not happening on a larger scale.

---

Thanks for the offer mads but its waaay past that, and surely you will need input from others to identify a wider issue if the many reports on these forums are not enough (sic)

(LOL I do realise how difficult it is to pin problems down ... when there are soooo many, often potentially overlapping)

The PN sim I had and the replacement were both triple snaps, as are all the other sims I have - but the PN ones just doesn't quite seem to snap that well into others despite all the others snapping quite nicely into each other.

It will go. but seemingly not as cleanly as the others

Interestingly the PN sim with the smallest bit (micro) now snapped out the s4 (and its PN mid size holder) and in the s7 has not  been 'lost' since I changed it this morning despite the s4 losing the PN sim and needing a restart at least half a dozen times yesterday and this morning until I swapped them, including me waking up with it needing a reboot due to sim

...  Also interesting is that the asda sim in the s4 which had such problems with the PN sim has not had any issues either ... which seems to show it isnt me swapping the sims that causes the issue - and I removed cleaned and reseated the PN sim and lifted  the simcase 'press' tab a number of times before swapping them

(weather deteriorated after the swap)

The newer phone of course has the slide in plastic carrier where all the others are more traditional metal cages.

 actual message is something like 'sim will not work until phone restarted

As I am at the far edge of 3 towers (02/VF/3) and only o2 is strong here I THINK its associated with (some aspect of PN's) registering with the tower(s) (as the ASDA EE sim loses signal but regains it again OK  and doesn't need phone reboots).

The s7 does seem to hang on to weak signals better.

Strongest signals around here

1. O2

2. Three

3. VF

4. EE (orange masts)