Problems making and receiving calls

Hi @d.pedley 

Have you tried the suggestions from the following page?

• 3G is being switched off and I can't make calls. What do I need to do? F.A.Q.

What device are you using?

Tom

My phone is compatible, it has VoLTE and network mode for 4G. Beginning to give up all hope.

If your phone (@d.pedley)  was purchased from iD Mobile, then your phone should work after the 3G switch off

Or if your phone IS unlocked to any network then again your phone should work too.

However…

If your phone was purchased or obtained from a previous mobile network provider, then there’s sadly a chance that your phone will not work after the big 3G switch off on the iD network*. The reason for this is because your previous provider left an unpleasant software update within the phone which in some cases (and even though 4G or LTE and VoLTE is available) this prevents VoLTE from working.

*as one example of many - if it was a Vodafone supplied phone then after the 3G switch off (which all of the big 4 will be doing) your phone should work on any MVNO that uses the Vodafone network or indeed direct with Vodafone. It probably wouldn’t work on any other network.

I personally believe having a previous suppliers software ‘locked’ to ‘your’ phone is wrong, very wrong. You could decide to look at methods in removing this ‘parting gift’ but this involves ‘flashing’ a replacement software version onto your phone - this needs care, in some cases patience, finding the right unlocked software and research. Or buy another phone that is completely unlocked - again I feel the big 4 should work together and permit new providers to overwrite the suppliers software as this isn’t OUR fault.

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy A40. It previously belonged to my wife but I have been using it with iD for the last two years. It was previously on the EE network.  I really don’t want to have the extra expense of buying a new phone. 

Presumably if I left iD and changed back to EE on a SIM package it would work OK as the phone was previously bought from that provider. Again I would rather not do that but how can I find someone to overwrite the suppliers software in that case?

Hi @d.pedley 

Have you tried the suggestions in the above linked article?

Tom

 I have tried all the suggestions in the topic but seems to make no difference. I went into Currys earlier this week and the technician said a number of iD users have had the same problem. He got it making and receiving calls in the shop but as soon as I got home the same problems occurred. I tried installing and activating a new SIM card but made no difference.

Thanks for that @d.pedley 

So, before making your mind up could you please look for the following info on your phone and only post up the Service provider software version?

To get there it should be like this:

• Press Settings
• Scroll down to About phone and select this
• look for Software information and select this
• Scroll down to Service provider software version
• And post up the last group of characters of that version (ie XXX/XXX,XXX/XXX)

It working for the last 2 years was fine when iD (and iD are an MVNO to Three) had 3G available. Since Three started switching 3G off this appears to have introduced an almighty headache for the likes of you and I

And no I wouldn’t want the expense of buying another phone either. I was lucky my phone is unlocked.

Yes, AFAIK, migrating back to EE should mean your phone continues to work when EE also start switching off their 3G too.

However, for the cost saving with iD, maybe see if iD themselves can find a working solution before leaving?

Regarding ‘flashing’ the phone, I have done this myself but many years ago, so things would or should be easier now. A phone repair shop may offer this service or maybe there are online providers that re-flash phones or in some cases non technical people have done this themselves (and I was in that bracket all those years ago), but should you wish to try this yourself read up on this until you have a clear understanding as to what this involves - if you get this wrong you could ruin the phone but more importantly any saved content on the phone would need to be copied to somewhere safe as flashing deletes everything.

Thanks for your help on this Daz-S. I’ve found the service providers software version but sorry I don’t know what you mean by ‘post up’ !

Oops sorry. It means for you to type it out on your reply 

(when we click send (in the blue box) it ‘posts’ it up onto these forums)

Ok understand. The last part of the Service provider software version is BTE/EVR,EVR,/EVR.

I’ve absolutely no idea what this means however.

Hi @d.pedley 

It was making calls just fine while in store?

Please could you let us know the postcode(s) where you’re having issues and the postcode of the store you were at when calls were okay?

Tom

Hi Tom. The Currys store postcode is SG1 1XN. My postcode is AL10 9FF. I just tried ringing my home phone and this time after a short wait it work although I noticed selected network iD not available did initally come up.

Hi @d.pedley 

Taking a look the 3G coverage at the Currys store may be working still whereas the 3G coverage in your postcode looks to be weaker or disabled, this may be the cause of the issue.

Tom

Just spotted the reply with the postcodes provided.

And for you, the indoor 3G is poor

And, as I thought, Currys is good indoors

Which explains why it worked at Currys and not that well at your home.

@Tom 

Is there ANYTHING you guys can do to somehow send a Service provider software version update to all of these phones, as although some are unlocked, clearly the previous provider is technically locking the ability to use the 4G/LTE = VoLTE functionality due to their software?

Just asking

Thank you both for your help.

As I can’t get responsive 4G with iD on my phone and I can’t afford a new phone I have no alternative but to leave iD and return to EE. I don’t use the mobile for calls much and have a minimum plan anyway so I’ll look at the pay as you go package with EE instead.

Honestly @d.pedley it’s no problem at all.

Do you have home broadband?

If so have you turned on Wi-Fi calling?

If you have home internet and you haven’t tried this let me know

BEFORE leaving give it a day or so to see if iD can sort anything out for you. If that can’t then at least you’ll know what you’ll have to do. You are certainly not the only one facing this issue and it really annoys me that providers have (either knowingly or unknowingly) introduced this major issue.

Hey there @d.pedley, we’re sorry to hear that, and wish you all the best with EE if that’s the case.

Kind regards,

Tyler

Hello

Just a quick update to let you know that after several weeks having difficulties making and receiving calls I have now left iD and my phone is working perfectly with EE! Thanks Daz -Z for your solution to this problem which appears to be spot on! I have highlighted your response as the most helpful.

However based on my experience I will definitely not recommending iD as a provider to anyone! 

Just a quick update to let you know that after several weeks having difficulties making and receiving calls I have now left iD and my phone is working perfectly with EE! Thanks Daz -Z for your solution to this problem which appears to be spot on! I have highlighted your response as the most helpful.

Hi there ​@d.pedley 

Honestly, it was my pleasure. I’m not here for the ‘awards’, just doing my bit where and when I can. But thanks for picking mine as the solution. On the subject of thanks, THANK YOU for coming back and letting us know.

I really do appreciate it!

However based on my experience I will definitely not recommending iD as a provider to anyone! 

And I’m 100% behind your reasoning for that. A few other family members and friends close by were contemplating a move to iD, but due to my issues here they too went elsewhere.

Anyway, enjoy EE 👍