Phone contacts changing format

[Cjames7588]

Hi,

I joined virgin mobile recently (iPhone 12 mini) and the day my switch happened, all my contacts changed to Belgium formatting. I do not have access to the sim applications setting as previously mentioned on the forum and the only fix that works is changing Language & Region to Belgium and back to UK. 
This has happened again today for no apparent reason and I have had to switch it back again. Could you let me know if and when I will switch to O2 so I can stop this continually happening? 

I have not been abroad with my phone and as I said, it happened immediately when my number was changed over with my PAC and again today so twice within 10 days. 

Thanks 

[Graham_A]

@Cjames7588 Try the solution posted in this archived thread:

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Texting-Belgium/m-p/4792652

[Cjames7588]

As mentioned, I do not have access to sim applications. 

[Graham_A]

Apologies, on further research it does look as this will be resolved with the migration to O2.  However, as you have only recently switched to Virgin Mobile I'm surprised that your didn't go directly onto an O2 SIM plan.  The VM Forum Team should be able to advise you further when they reach this thread in a day or so.

[Lee_R]

Hi @Cjames7588 thanks for posting and welcome to our community.

Sorry to hear of the issues you're having with your phone contacts format and for any inconvenience this may be causing you. The information we have is that this is an issue with the make of handset and not ourselves, as per here.  The link also provides a suggested fix.  Please also ensure your software is up to date.  Let us know how things go, please.

Regards

Lee_R

[Cjames7588]

Hi @Lee_R

The link you provided doesn’t actually provide any concrete evidence that the iPhone is the problem just a passing comment from the thread creator suggesting others have said the iPhone is the problem. 

The evidence I have is that this has been fine with every other sim card I have ever had in my iPhone apart from the virgin one where I’ve had this problem twice in 10 days. Perhaps the iPhone is contributing but the virgin sim is definitely also a major player in this. 
Please can you confirm if I have been switched over to O2 and if not, when will this likely happen? Otherwise I’m not sure I will continue to tolerate having to change my settings every week to convert my contacts back…

[Lee_R]

Thanks for getting back to me @Cjames7588 

To give you the information you've requested, I need to access your account.  I am going to send you a private message. Please keep an eye on your inbox in the top right of your screen.

Regards

Lee_R

[mapsal]

It's a iPhone issue, I think. My numbers all changed to US settings recently. Quick fix is to go to General, Language and Region, switch to a different region and then switch back to UK.

[Cjames7588]

Thanks - as mentioned in my OP, that is the fix I have at the moment. My point being it shouldn’t need to be done and no one seems to know how to fix…!

[Smoggy239]

Hi Mapsal,

 It’s not an iPhone issue, it’s an issue with the Mickey Mouse roaming arrangement that Virgin Mobile has with a Belgian company. See also the endless complaints of no speech on incoming calls when roaming, no service when roaming, which was previously enabled by having to use the Sim applications option, this option  was removed by VM without any replacement solution. My wife and I have the same phones ( iPhone 8 and 7) as this time last year when we were with Plusnet and had no problems whatsoever. The only cure is to dump the incompetent clowns that are Virgin Mobile or wait until you are transferred to an O2 sim.

Regards,

Dave