Unable to use 5G or 4G in a 5G area

[tomjbarnard]

Infuriating!

Phone works fine on 4G when no 5G is available.

As soon as I am in a 5G area it connects but shows an X, it's connected (and stays connected) but I have no internet access.

If I drop to 4G the same, no internet.

I have to force the phone to 3G in any 5G area to use it.

Any ideas on the incompatibility?

Pixel 5, virgin_gb-23000000571.29, 5G SIM

[enlli]

That's a weird one. If it was one 5G area it could easily be a network fault where 4G has failed. (Vodafone 5G is not yet stand alone and requires some 4G infrastructure to work) But more than one area is unlikely.

Is the phone you have dual SIM? I've seen some crazy stuff resolved changing slots.

It may not be possible but trying the SIM in another phone may narrow things down.

[tomjbarnard]

It has two IMEIs but only one real SIM slot and one eSIM.

It's odd, I thought it might be a site fault at first.

I am not travelling much at the moment! But it's over several cells in South Manchester so it's not one site.

If it would stay on 4G it would be less of an issue, but having to leave the phone on HSPA is annoying at best.

[Tom_F]

Hi tomjbarnard, thanks for your post.

Sorry to hear you've encountered this issue with 4G & 5G in 5G areas. 

I encountered another thread earlier where someone was having data signal issues with a Pixel.

Possibly there is some kind of compatibility issue. Have you been able to test the SIM in another device as advised above to help narrow things down?

Tom

[tomjbarnard]

Hi,

I don't have access to another 5G handset to test. The SIM was fine on 4G in and 5G area in my old Samsung.

However Virgin have sent a replacement SIM to try and I have ordered a VOXI SIM to test with. I have taken some grabs with Network Cell Info on cells where the 5G connects but cannot be used and others.

I am sure its the combination, the Pixel will work fine with another networks SIM and the SIM will work fine in another phone.

The phone loads a settings file virgin_gb-23000000571.29 - anyone know where these come from? its in the Android settings, in Mobile Network.

Thanks

Tom

[David_Bn]

Good Afternoon Tom,

Thanks for the update

Seems to be a very odd set of circumstances that's currently effecting your services.

What I'd like to do is have a new SIM card issued to you to see if this can rectify the problem. If this doesn't work, it may be something we need to report to our IT team

Check out the purple envelope in the top right hand corner for a private message from me

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[craigsteev]

Hi

I am having the same issue in South & Central Manchester, it says 5g but I have no internet.... Have you had your issue resolved yet? At this rate I'll be sending my new phone back, and the new SIM I just ordered for my wife. You kind of expect signal issues as you travel away from the big cities, not when you're actually in them.

[Tom_F]

Hi craigsteev, sorry to hear you're also having issues with 5G in south & central Manchester. It may be the areas you're in don't have sufficient 5G coverage. Do you still get no internet when switching 5G off in the handset's settings? As we use Vodafone signal for 5G I'd recommend checking on here: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker 

Tom 

[enlli]

I was in Central Manchester recently. S20+5G No problems at all, but then I'm on Vodafone proper.

And I bet the person getting the Voxi SIM will find it working perfectly in those areas where Virgin fails.

[xjib]

I'm having the same issue. I have a Pixel 5 with a Virgin Mobile physical SIM and my work O2 as an eSIM. In the office and at home I used to have a 5G single that was pretty good, but recently I only ever see 4G now even when in a good 5G area.

The operator settings version is virgin_gb-34000000578.38 2022-03-10 and the phone is upd to date.