Problems with roaming (T-Mobile)

Russinating · 30 Aug 2011 at 10:34

I've had problems since the start of my current contract with roaming on T-Mobile. I'm currently in conversation with their complaints department via letters but I was just wondering what can actually be done or what I should expect them to do.

I'll keep the story short-ish with some bullets:

Sep 2010: Get contract
Nov 2010 pre-holiday: Ring T-Mobile and switch my flexible booster (FB) to Euro Talk & Text (ETT)
Nov 2010: Go to Portugal, phone doesn't work
Nov 2010 post-holiday: Ring T-Mobile, they say it's because roaming wasn't enabled
Mar 2011 pre-holiday: Ring T-Mobile, switch my FB to ETT and get them to enable roaming
Mar 2011: Go to France, phone doesn't work. Major annoyance as I travelled partly alone and all I had was my bicycle for the whole holiday
Mar 2011 post-holiday: Ring T-Mobile, they give the same excuse (roaming not enabled). Apologise and give me £5 off for the next 6 months and tell me what to do next time
Aug 2011 pre-holiday: Ring T-Mobile, switch my FB to ETT, get them to enable roaming and double/triple check that it's enabled
Aug 2011: Go to Spain and phone doesn't ******* work again

Their first reply to my letter was basically just a fob off: "Sorry and we'll be sure to enable roaming next time". But I've already heard this twice before, and all I want is for it to work!

The trouble is that I obviously can't check if anything's been fixed until it's too late.

What can I even do? Contract is 24m so doesn't run out until Sep 2012.

Myshra · 30 Aug 2011 at 10:44

Just checking but you havn't done anything odd like restrict the GSM/UMTS bands your phone is allowed to use have you? What happened when you tried to manually connect to a network? Did it just fail?

Russinating · 30 Aug 2011 at 10:46

It says "Your SIM card does not allow connection to this network".

And nope, running stock Desire HD and haven't changed anything. Network Mode is/was GSM/WCDMA Auto.

Myshra · 30 Aug 2011 at 11:39

At a guess you have some other product / option on your account that is flipping the roaming flag off as soon as it's applied (probably during an overnight bill run or HLR status check) although I don't know exactly how T-Ms roaming system works they all sorta work the same so that all networks can "roam together". Assuming you don't have any child or under 18 flags (or have told them to put on account bars, credit limits etc...) then your only option is really complaining I'm sorry to say.

Really simplistically when you roam your SIM card tries to join the 3rd party network and says I wish to roam - my unique secret number is X - my network is X - go ask permission. 3rd party then talks to 1st party - asks the big ol' database if it's allowed - computer says yes or no. This can break down if the link between 3rd and 1st party networks dies or your 1st party network denies access. It's dead simple and 99% of the time the fault is 1st party network related.

I appreciate this isn't really the answer you're after but this is all you have. You might want to check if the roaming bar has been put back in place since you last asked for it to be removed - this would at least give you proof it's their action that is causing the issue. It might be you can't enable roaming and switch booster at the same time (but it would be really odd as lots of people surely do this) without issue.

Russinating · 30 Aug 2011 at 16:45

Yep, no account bars or limitations at all.

Do you think I have cause for cancellation? At the end of the day if it doesn't work as a phone when I need it then it's simply not fit for purpose.

Myshra · 31 Aug 2011 at 10:00

No chance but you have the right to compensation due to services not rendered that you were promised were available.

Russinating · 31 Aug 2011 at 10:23

Trouble is I don't want compensation, I just want it to work. I genuinely like T-Mobile and don't want to depart, but at the end of the day if part of the thing I'm paying for doesn't work then I have no choice.

The main problem at the time is it's ridiculously dangerous. I cycled across France for a week partly on my own at the beginning of the year, and my phone was supposed to be my lifeline. If I'd crashed or got into any trouble I'd have been screwed.

Equally I run a business and so while I'm away my business partner is unable to make contact with me, and any attempts at contact (SMS) made while I'm away just disappear into the aether.

The biggest annoyance is I don't know that it's not working until it's too late.

Russinating · 4 Sep 2011 at 11:20

Had a 2nd reply from T-Mobile. They've credited my account £20 but basically made no attempts/suggestions as to why it didn't work and instead been a little patronising and said it may be my fault for not manually selecting networks :rolleyes:

.

Anyway they've said that "The contract and handset is fit for purpose. Using your phone abroad is an additional service which we are not required to provide. [... plus some more]"

Is this true? Is there even a network that doesn't work abroad?

Myshra · 5 Sep 2011 at 09:43

99% sure this is true due to the way services are written in the contract (we will agree to try to provide you with coverage etc...). While your story may be true it honestly does happen in the majority because people don't select networks manually or have done really stupid crap line put in on GSM only (or even better are the Android rom users who have signal frequencies de-activated thinking it saves battery power) which is why they probably took that tone sorry :/

Networks that don't work abroad? Outside the UK sure. A lot of eastern countries don't allow roaming, the US has their bespoke network design that is SIMless that prevents roaming, happens more than you'd imagine. Roaming agreements are huge revenue earners so in the majority networks have them but as a cost cutting measure some don't.

It's likely this will happen again, you may want to consider a french PAYG SIM or something is the only thing I can suggest sorry.