Roaming New SIM - Unable due to travel restrictions and work commitments

[mwaqas]

Hi,

I received the following email: "We recently tried to update your network services so you can use your mobile while travelling outside of the UK, but unfortunately it didn’t work. This might be because your phone was switched off when we sent the update to your SIM.

We’ve tried sending you a text so you can order a new SIM, but we haven’t had a reply. So you know, if you plan to travel abroad without an updated SIM, your roaming services will no longer work from 1st October 2021."

I am currently abroad and will be for the foreseeable future. I really need roaming to work as I have 2 factor authentication on multiple accounts linked to my number.  I cannot get a new SIM and activate it in UK.  Can you please try sending the settings again as it's possible I was using a local SIM at the time you sent the settings.  If not, please suggest an alternative option/solution.

[mwaqas]

Dear Virgin Media team,

I've been reading the replies and while I appreciate you giving us the technical details, none have so far helped in getting to a solution for expats with very little way of having a SIM sent to someone in UK and activated and a secure method of it then being posted to the country they are currently in.  You do need to factor in that the mailing services in some of these countries are nowhere near as reliable (if I may say) as Royal Mail..

I find it very hard to believe that there is no way for Virgin Media to postpone this.  Especially since I've read other posts where the date is different to the one sent to me.  If your technical team is telling you there is no way, maybe you ought to speak to someone superior... just my two cents.

[Corey_C]

Regrettably there isn't any way of extending this deadline for this.

Thanks,

Corey C

[iancohen]

In my communication with Virgin, an additional option was given to me, which was to post PRE ACTIVATED sim cards to my UK address. The advantage of this is that no one need perform any action ( such as placing them in an operational phone ) on the sims. The envelope can be posted as is ( without the need to even open it ). For my elderly parents, this is very helpful. Please note however, that the old sims become inactive from the moment the new sims are activated. 

With all methods, there is, in my opinion, a security issue that requires a  solution. If the sim is activated in the UK, and then sent abroad, it means that activated sims are sent in the mail. If the sims fall into the wrong hands, they can be used!

Is there no way to activate the sims in the UK before initial postage, so that they work, but then "freeze" their use until "unfrozen" by logging on to one's online account for example? This would be a lot more secure. I would happily pay for this service.

Thanks
Ian

[mwaqas]

Can a moderator please confirm that the above can be done? If so, how do we go about it? Hopefully not by having to call 789 as that's £5/min where I am...

[Ayisha_B]

Hi @mwaqas,

This can be done but it will deactivate your current sim immediately, meaning you won't have no SIM card between the time of you ordering it and receiving it. It'll also basically erase anything stored on your current sim and it can't be recovered or reactivated.

Let me know if you wish to proceed.

[iancohen]

Hi Ayisha,

If I understand correctly, if Virgin activate the new sim before they send it out, the old sim is deactivated immediately. If family in the UK activate the new sim, you only gain a few extra days use of the old sim ( the days that the sim is in transit in the UK before being activated in the UK by friends or family) , but it will still be deactivated the whole time it is in international mail transit. For me personally, the advantages ( my elderly parents won't have to mess around with switching in and out sims ) outweigh the disadvantages ( a few extra days of dis-activation ) .

I don't understand the second point. In my case, all phone numbers are stored by Google. I am not aware of any information on the sim.

I would say that a disadvantage of any system is the security issue of sending activated sims by mail. If they fall into the wrong hands, they can be used.

Is there no way that Virgin can fully activate the sims before posting them, but then “freeze” them in some way ( so that they cannot be used ) and then allowing the user to “unfreeze” them logging onto our online accounts?

Thanks for your time.
Ian

[mwaqas]

Hi @Ayisha_B

I understand and this is something I would be interested in.  Can we arrange this please and how long will it take for the SIM to get to my UK address?

Thanks

[Megan_L]

Hi Mwaqas,

Thanks for coming back to us about this, we can certainly try to send a new SIM to your UK address that we have on file 🙂

It will be sent via 1st class Royal Mail.

I'll send you a PM now so we can get the ball rolling on this 🙂

Thanks,

Megan_L

[iancohen]

Why can't Virgin offer to post the activated sim abroad, even for an extra fee? It would be so much easier!

[BenMcr]

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@iancohen wrote:

Why can't Virgin offer to post the activated sim abroad, even for an extra fee? It would be so much easier!

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The activation for the SIM means that you don't have to text from your existing SIM or activate it through the online account site first.

As far as I understand it a SIM would need to connect to the Virgin Mobile UK network first before it'll work with roaming.