Routing on incoming international SMS messages on ported Vodafone number

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Routing on incoming international SMS messages on ported Vodafone number

Wendo

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#183717 27-Oct-2015 17:02

Hi All

I'm wondering if I'm the only one seeing this or if it's something with 2degrees.

I ported over my old Vodafone number earlier this year to 2degrees and since then I don't seem to receive incoming SMS messages from international numbers.

This is becoming more and more of an issue where multiple companies want to have your cell number for a secondary authentication method. So far I've had both Skype and Steam fail to send me activation codes when adding my phone number and I'm guessing it's some routing issue where they are still being sent to vodafone's system rather than 2degrees.

Does anyone else see this?

Thanks

scottjpalmer

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#1415071 27-Oct-2015 20:36

I don't use those but every other service I have tried (while in NZ) works

freitasm

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#1415072 27-Oct-2015 20:38

Have you contacted the 2degrees support yet?

Otherwise @2degreescare might show up in the thread - but their call centre should be the first call.

Wendo

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#1415605 28-Oct-2015 16:49

I haven't yet. Given the time I've spent on hold there in the recent past I'm not sure I'm that brave yet :)

I was just wondering if it was just me, and it looks like it is so a call is in order

SaltyNZ

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#1415963 29-Oct-2015 09:40

It isn't a general issue anymore but it does still happen to individual numbers now and again. My wife's number is ported from Vodafone but she does not have problems receiving 2FA texts or the like. Unfortunately, the situation from 2009 is still the same (because porting in NZ still works the same) -- we are not in a position to determine how texts are routed to us. Only the sender can fix that, if it's going the wrong way.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

Xminimex

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Wannabe Geek

#1417124 30-Oct-2015 16:12

You may not be the only one.

I'm running an 027 number which was moved to 2degrees years ago and I last received a verification text from google at the end of August. Now I'm locked out of my google account as both primary and secondary numbers are 027 numbers on 2degrees :(. I was un aware of backup codes until now.

Since having the issue I have tested with three 027 numbers on 2degrees across four mobile handset and five google accounts all with the same result no verification text. Any 022 number will receive the text just fine but I haven't tried with anything other than google, I'll do some testing with Skype & Steam tonight and report back.

I have contacted 2degrees and raised a case, one of their team called me today and said they checked the logs and that none of the messages were getting to their system during the times i specified and that the issue would be with googles routing and that I'll need to contact them...

If multiple international services are having issues to multiple 2degrees numbers which have been transferred from other networks shouldn't this be a 2degrees problem to fix?

2degreesCare

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#1417215 30-Oct-2015 17:17

Hi

Sorry for being late to the party but it's like @SaltyNZ says, and like NZ Post with a letter they don't receive from an overseas post service, we cannot deliver something we do not receive.

If you previously received these we'd like to know exactly when you last received one to your ported in number but again we have little say in the the way the sender updates their system to point their texts.

Please PM your number, the dates, times that they should have been sent and any ref # you have been given by our Tech Support team.

Regards
^POB

SaltyNZ

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#1417216 30-Oct-2015 17:20

As I said earlier, we cannot force third parties to send messages the right way. In fact, by way of example: yesterday I setup Steam SMS authentication and was bemused to discover that the message was delivered via an ordinary mobile number from another New Zealand carrier.

Upon investigating further I also found 2FA texts for Google, Microsoft and Origin as well as Steam

These companies are looking to spend $0.00 offering the service. If they choose to use, as in this case, a provider who is using a retail SIM to provide a wholesale service against the Ts & Cs, then there's really nothing I can do. I logged a ticket with them, but since the only channel I have is the same as any other regular Steam user, I expect no response more intelligent than 'Have you tried reinstalling Steam?'

I'd really love to tell you that we can fix this problem, but I have no more control over how people SEND their messages than you do. All I can do is ensure messages sent FROM 2degrees arrive.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

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Wendo

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#1417234 30-Oct-2015 17:38

To update this, since I started this, and some more background,,

I ported my number to a brand new 2degrees SIM when I got my iPhone6, the phone has only ever run that SIM card as my old Vodafone SIM was the wrong size.

What I did is this:
https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/faqs/i-am-having-problems-receiving-and-sending-international-text-messages-what-do-i-do/

to make sure call barring was off. I never asked for it so I can only assume it was, then I found this and tried it,

https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/business/mobile/your-phone-or-device/texting-issues/

however the number code didn't work and there didn't appear to be anywhere to check this number in the iPhone's settings so some random googling got me to Spark's equivilent documentation here

http://www.spark.co.nz/help/mobile-data/device/os/ios/ios-5-and-ios-6-check-change-the-messaging-centre-number/

and I substituted the 2degrees number there and it worked.

After that the problem appears to be fixed, but whats confusing me is why I needed to do this at all. The phone hasn't ever run anything except the 2degrees SIM and I assume all these settings should have come down when I first powered up the phone with the SIM card in it.

Aredwood

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#1417371 30-Oct-2015 21:39

Just adding this in case it helps to narrow down the issue. I received a Google verification code from 8323 on 26/6/2014 at 21:55 and another from 8222 on 12/02/2015 at 22:08. Also received a WOF reminder from my local mechanic also from 8222 on 30/9/2015 at 00:29

Yet on 27/10/2015 at 21:59 I received an Ebay verification txt that came from a Normal 027 number.

My phone number is a ported 021 number. It should be easy for 2degrees to figure out what it is from their customer database. Happy to PM that 027 number to any Telco company rep's that want it.

Xminimex

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1417736 31-Oct-2015 15:35

Thanks for the feedback guys, after testing this morning I wasn't receiving verifications from facebook, steam, skype, battlenet but had received texts from TAB and 2degreese.

I followed through what Wendo posted and updated the SMSC for my sim, at first I wouldn't receive any texts but after running #35*0000# and #333*0000# (used for disabling call barring) after updating the SMSC I'm now receiving normal texts and verifications from facebook, steam, skype and battlenet.

Still not getting them form google and I understand their's not much 2degrees can do about this so ill follow up with google via support forums or account recovery.

To note as well I've found three more people today with 027 on 2degrees not receiving text verifications from a mix of the above eg some getting FB but not steam, skype or battnet and google seems to consistently not work across everyone though.

Wendo

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#1417885 31-Oct-2015 20:40

Hmm, I might have spoken too soon. That fixes it for Steam, but still can't get a SMS from Skype, which I assume is using Microsoft's infrastructure in the back end by now :/

SaltyNZ

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#1418114 1-Nov-2015 11:53

Wendo: Hmm, I might have spoken too soon. That fixes it for Steam, but still can't get a SMS from Skype, which I assume is using Microsoft's infrastructure in the back end by now :/

They are using a service provider who uses a mix of routes into NZ. Some more legitimate than others.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

Xminimex

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#1419539 3-Nov-2015 10:10

I've been sending myself google verification codes every day since I noticed I hadn't been receiving them. Today it worked! The text came through right away :). I've asked a few of my friends to re test with their 2degrees 027 numbers to check if its been fixed across the board.

I had submitted an account recovery with google and mentioned the issue around not receiving the verification texts on ported 027 numbers with 2Degreese but haven't heard back from them yet. Hopefully that was enough for them to look into it and resolve.

SaltyNZ

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#1419774 3-Nov-2015 13:15

Xminimex: I've been sending myself google verification codes every day since I noticed I hadn't been receiving them. Today it worked! The text came through right away :). I've asked a few of my friends to re test with their 2degrees 027 numbers to check if its been fixed across the board.

I had submitted an account recovery with google and mentioned the issue around not receiving the verification texts on ported 027 numbers with 2Degreese but haven't heard back from them yet. Hopefully that was enough for them to look into it and resolve.

Please remember: there is nothing we can do about these as we do not control the incoming route a company chooses to use. We didn't change anything to make them work for you, although I'm happy that it is now!

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.