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Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

A happy New Year to you all!

 

I'm experiencing an issue that a number of Plusnet customers have encountered in the past, and probably still do to varying degrees now, whilst roaming here on the Isle of Man.

 

Roaming here is okay here, EXCEPT one is unable to make any outward calls of ANY kind. If the roaming Provider is manually selected, it is possible to contact Customer Services by using 500 with Manx Telecom, but not with Sure, otherwise there's the same issue, no outward calls can be made. Inward calls and texts can be received, however.

 

All I get I get, regrettably, with Plusnet it's an issue with the local providers, Manx Telecom and Sure. Well, if this were so, why do other UK mobiles work fine whilst roaming on these networks? Even, a relative on EE has no problems, though there was a software update sent to his mobile when he was here last year and he has only experienced an issue a while back, but nothing since!

 

Given that Plusnet uses the network afforded by EE, a sister Company under the BT umbrella, it really ought to accept responsibility and stop blaming the local Providers when it is evidently a software issue at Plusnet's end. Please, please, I do hope Plusnet grasp the nettle and get this problem sorted pronto. 

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Post released from Spam Filter.

21 REPLIES 21
RobC
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@catxlady

Was your number ported in to Plusnet, or was it a new number from plusnet?

 

Plusnet do seem to be the eye of the storm of ported number issues that roll out affecting a number of other services.

 

PN's eye is going to be quite severely poked if they mess mine up when I leave, and not just through the paper tiger regulator.

Mind you, I think I'll take the number back to my original service (well - O2 - the current gatekeepers) at least for a while hopefully to minimise the risk.

 

At least 19 years I've had this number, ported across many services with the only issues lasting more than about 5 hours @ transfer being from Plusnet. Even 3 didn't have the port issues PN has, and that was in the days when 3's call center seemed to be staffed by Somalian pirates.

Plusnet seem to struggle to even get a new number right in far too many cases.

 

The porting number process is highly manual with spread sheets and web forms and multiple notifications, perhaps front ended by bespoke software, - horrendous even for competent folk, which PN show no signs whatsoever of being.

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TheMightyAJ
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
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Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Hi @catxlady,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues whilst trying to make outgoing calls. Please can you confirm if you've been able to try your SIM card in another mobile device to see if the same issue persists?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Alex H
 Plusnet Help Team
catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Hi there, and a happy New Year!

 

Yes, I have tried my SIM Card in another mobile, and the problem remains the same. I have a T-mobile SIM, under the EE umbrella, and there is no issue at all! It rather points to it being a Plusnet issue. Great in the UK, but not in the Isle of Man.

catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

No, my number was not ported to PN; I was not aware of issues arising from ported numbers with PN.

 

I was considering porting a number over to PN, but I am having second thoughts in the light of what you say. Thank you.

EmilyD
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Hi @catxlady,

 

Thank you for confirming that you have tried the SIM in a different phone and that this hasn't resolved the problem.

 

We'll need to check the account for any issues from this side. Please can you send me a private message with your mobile number, your full name and your full address including the postcode?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
EmilyD
Plusnet Help Team
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Hi @catxlady,

 

Thank you for confirming your account details.


I've had a look into this and have been unable to find anything on your account that would cause outgoing calls to fail when you're on the Isle of Man. As you've been through the troubleshooting checks on your side and these haven't resolved the problem, I've removed and re-added data roaming on your account to try and resolve this. Please allow 24 hours and let us know if you're still unable to make outgoing calls at that stage. If so, we'll need to escalate this for further investigation.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
RobC
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@@@@@catxlady

What are the symptoms of the failure?

straight to voicemail, number unobtainable beep .... ?

You seem to have covered any potential issue with the phone not registering with the towers by doing it manually - with the same result.

 

The actual effect might help identify where the problem lies if PN tech (as apposed to CS) ever respond ..... ever ..... ever .... other than a request for .... 'more fresh examples again' .... every 5 days ... when YOU chase them up ....

 

PN staff here are polite, but seem entirely ineffective with these issues, to be fair many of which simply aren't a fix within their scope or ability to fix, but the tech escalation at PN seems to constantly show itself as atrociously ineffective black hole that just absorbs requests to fix issues  ... forever.

Hopefully they will prove me wrong.

 

When I first signed up and before I (quickly regrettably) ported my old number, it was weeks before anyone from VM could call me, although I could call them. It did sort eventually, but some people never seem to get those sort of issues sorted here.

PN + EE numbers could ring my PN number. VM numbers couldn't ring the PN number (just number unobtainable beeeeep) despite VM being another EE mvno.

 

CALL CONNECTING/Routing is horrendously complex depending on initial number supplier (although that would be PN with a PN supplied number - whoever they use to manage it) and routing tables and sims properly registering (and being recognised) with the various signal towers you pass through, let alone ensuring any internal caches/systems stay aligned with reality.

PN really do seem to struggle with it far more than others, and messing up a bit at service setup is bad enough to sort unless you know what you are doing - messing up at a port is MUCH harder to fix by the clueless.

 

 

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catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@EmilyD

 

Plusnet looking into this issue is much appreciated, but, alas, there has been no improvement. Inward calls and texts are okay, likewise outward texts, but only Customer Services (500) can be called - all other outward calls are greeted with an "Unable to connect".Internet functionality is also in order.

 

I have a relation who uses EE, the network that Plusnet plugs into, so this clearly has all the hallmarks of being a Plusnet issue.

 

In the circumstances, a prompt resolution of this long standing matter would be very much welcome.

catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@RobC

 

Your comments are much appreciated. Regrettably, there has been no improvement. Everything works fine for roaming, apart from making outward calls - only 500 can be called! LOL

 

Clearly, this appears to be a Plusnet issue. Funny thing is a friend uses EE, the network Plusnet plugs into, and has no problem at all with full roaming functionality!!

Gandalf
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Sorry to hear this.

I'd like to raise this with our operations team to pass on to MVNO(Mobile Virtual Network Operator) for further investigation, because I don't think there's anything software related on your account that we can do which will fix the problem.

In order to do this, MVNO require information in a certain format to investigate connection problems.

Can you PM me 3 examples when you've been unable to call a number filling out the following template please?

Date: 

Time: 

Service Attempted: 

Phone Number (if applicable): 

Error that occurred: 

Postcode/area: 

Network attempted on:

Handset make and model:

 

The examples would need to be in the last 48 hours, but I'd bear in mind that I'd need to pass the examples on to our operations team and they'd pass it on to MVNO, so this process isn't immediate. 

I regularly check the Community almost everyday and our Ops guys will send any examples over generally the same working day, or the next working day if they receive it on a weekend. 

If you can't gather the examples today or tomorrow, I'd wait until Sunday night or Monday morning.

Apologies for the inconvenience this causes.

 

[edit]

Can you also PM me the make and model of the alternative handset you've tried?

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
Gandalf
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Thanks for your private message @catxlady

Since then I've got a response back from our operations team/suppliers and I sent you another PM back.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
RobC
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Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

Hopefully not just a request for more (detailed) examples of not being able to call .....

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catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@RobC

 

Not at this point. If only Plusnet's sibling, EE, and its parent, BT, could have meaningful dialogue with one another! 

 

I have a T Mobile account, the SIM of which was in the very same mobile where the 'test' calls with the Plusnet SIM were made. I've been advised that NO outward activity could be traced on such calls, but no explanation was provided. If it works with T Mobile, part of EE network, why is this not so with Plusnet that plugs into very same network. Indeed, if one could not compare and contrast between providers (T Mobile & Plusnet), the response proffered by Plusnet could be interpreted as if there were some fault at the customer's mobile! The problem is clearly with Plusnet, so if other users are on the Isle of Man and encountering the same issue, full functionality, but no outward calls except to Customer Services (500), do please raise this matter and use this case as a point of reference.

catxlady
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎31-12-2018

Re: Isle of Man - Roaming Issues with outward calls. Only able to ring Customer Services!

@Gandalf

 

Thanks for your Private message conveying the advices from the Operations Team/Suppliers.

 

There is full functionality with T Mobile on the Isle of Man using exactly the same mobile, but not with Plusnet. As T Mobile and Plusnet are both on the same EE network, test calls could be made with each. At the moment, only 500 can be called with Plusnet. 

 

Your assistance thus far is much appreciated, but I fear this issue over outward calls won't be resolved before I leave the Isle of Man on Monday morning.