Phone completely UNUSABLE after O2 migration almost 4 days ago

[ML861]

Hi, so my current phone was bought from Virgin mobile years ago and I've been a loyal customer with them. We even have the full virgin media tv, broadband, land-line package which we pay an extortionate amount for every month.

My contract on my phone is paid off and I only pay the tariff bill which is less than £15 a month. I have no need for a new phone, definitely can't afford one and was happy with my current tariff and 6gb data which was more than enough for me with Virgin Mobile. Against my wishes I was moved, like everyone else, from Virgin Mobile to O2. This was almost 4 days ago and since then my phone is UNUSABLE. 

The only way I can use it is by being connected to WiFi at home. Outside or when Wi-Fi is switched off I literally cannot do anything but make a call. I first noticed this when I was out with my 6 year old on Monday trying to access my banking app in the supermarket. I couldn't do anything. Not even text my husband or go online to see what's the issue. When I'm driving I can't use my maps, I can't access my emails, WhatsApp, Google, even any text messages I send fail.

I've called O2 three times in the past few days and they've tried everything on their end to figure out what's wrong. Basically my phone still thinks it's virgin mobile. Under network name in settings it says virgin. Cause I've been moved to O2 virgin is disconnected now. I've tried resetting network settings, everything. O2 sent me a new sim card that's activated but still my phone doesn't work. Still says virgin under network. I still can't access my data at all. They even asked me to put my new O2 sim card in another phone which I did (into my husband's phone) and it works fine! He's able to access data and there's so issues sending text messages. So the customer service people at O2 think something is up with my phone why there's a configuration problem.

Now bear in mind I have had NO issues with my phone up until a few days ago when I got moved to O2. It's not been damaged, it's not broken. O2 advised me to take my phone to a Virgin Media shop and have them look at it. Which I can't as they've all been shut down. So earlier today after being in hold for 40 mins, I finally got through to a customer service representative at Virgin Mobile. She hung up on me after keeping me on hold and finally coming back on the line to tell me because my contract has expired (which it has as I've paid my handset off completely) that if I want to send my phone to them to repair it (there's nothing wrong with it, worked fine 3 days ago) that I would have to pay for it. Or my other option is to cancel my contract and find another phone company to go with / get a different sim. I never got an upgrade when my current contract ended as I was happy with my phone. She didn't even let me finish talking and hung up. After VIRGIN MOBILE caused all this stress. 

The amount of stress this entire migration to O2 has caused me is unbelievable. The long hours waiting on hold on the phone to O2 representatives, then talking to them for ages trying to sort this out. Being out with my daughter not being able to access anything on my phone. Especially this all happened on Mon and I was trying to connect to my email to check for the code for Taylor Swift tickets to buy them for my daughter whose been so excited. I couldn't do anything. While Only days ago my phone, data, everything was fine and now Virgin Mobile are going to do NOTHING when it was them against my wishes moving me to O2 that has left me with a phone that doesn't work. 

Does anyone have any suggestions what to do except the obvious cancel with Virgin Mobile /O2 or get a new phone. Which I shouldn't have to do. I didn't ask for this and don't really understand why my phone isn't working after this O2 migration. I want to take this further because it feels like if I cancel my contract then Virgin Mobile just get away with how they've treated me, how they've treated a loyal customer and don't even have the decency to offer me a solution. How do I take them to a small claims court over this? I'll definitely be cancelling our Virgin Media TV, broadband package with them too. They obviously couldn't care less how their customers are treated. 

Thank you 

Mev

[BillBudd · Accepted solution]

Is your phone unlocked?  It used to be common practice when buying a phone on a certain network that the settings were locked to that provider.  When migrating to a different network you have to get the phone unlocked.

Just an idea.

[ML861]

Hi, I don't know. You're the first person to ask me that. How can I check if it's unlocked? Surely the rude customer service representative at Virgin Mobile should've asked me that and would know when buying a phone on their specific network meant it had to be unlocked before it could be migrated to a different network? Thanks for your suggestion 👌 

[enlli]

Well as the SIM works fine in another phone it would be useful to know the male and model of yours.

Sounds like the APN settings are wrong or not saving

Text ACTIVE to 2020, save the message and then restart the phone.

Let us know the result

It sounds like the APN settings are wrong or not being saved.

Text ACTIVE to 2020 save the message and then restart your phone.

Let us know what happens

[ML861]

Hi, sorry I should have said my phone is the Sony Xperia XZ3. I asked the O2 customer service representative to send me an email of everything they tried on their end and she sent this =

This is with regards to the service issue that you have been facing, we
confirm that we have tried all the trouble shooting from our end, which
included reset network settings, apn settings, sim swap also raised an
investigation however, nothing worked.

But as you confirmed that the simcard works fine in different device,
and no other sim works in you device, we can confirm that there is no
network or service issue.

We did try to reset APN settings but it didn't make a difference or they weren't saving like you suggested. Thanks I'll try that 👌 

[ML861]

I tried the active thing and got a reply saying sorry we're busy try again later. Also forgot to mention when I put my husbands sim in my phone I still had no data and couldn't connect to anything. He was also with Virgin Mobile and migrated to O2 without any issues. But his actual mobile phone handset isn't the one he bought from Virgin Mobile the same time I got mine, his is a new simless phone from Argos so it wouldn't have the issue of being locked if that's what's wrong with mine. 

[BillBudd]

Alas I only know how to check if it's an iPhone.  Go to "settings", "About", "network Provider Lock".  Other makes of phones will probably have something similar.

[ML861]

Also forgot to mention when I put my husbands sim in my phone I still had no data and couldn't connect to anything. He was also with Virgin Mobile and migrated to O2 without any issues. But his actual mobile phone handset isn't the one he bought from Virgin Mobile the same time I got mine, his is a new simless phone from Argos so it wouldn't have the issue of being locked if that's what's wrong with mine. 

[ML861]

No worries, I can't seem to find how to check if my phone is unlocked in settings. But I can try take it to a phone repair shop and ask them. Hopefully it's just that and they can unlock it! 

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm having almost exactly the same problem...oldish phone, but worked perfectly for 5 years until this week after the switch to O2. Won't work at all now. Reset it several times. Spent hours trying to sort it. Pulling my hair out now. They sent me a new SIM but it hasn't worked and now they're sending another. I've lost work, social connections and hours on the phone to O2.  I feel for you, sending solidarity. Maybe join you later for a class action against these scumbags,