Roaming not working in Europe

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markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#2878 2-Dec-2004 18:51

I have been using my Vodafone number as my main business number on letterheads, websites, business cards etc. for the last 6 years or so. My main reason for opting for Vodafone instead of the only other cellular provider in New Zealand (Telecom) is because Vodafone offers international roaming.

I have travelled across Europe several times, but my latest trip in April-May-June was a disaster in terms of roaming.

GPRS worked fine... but its ridiculous cost made it my last choice - when all other methods had failed.

However my problem was more with receiving simple phone calls on my New Zealand Vodafone mobile whilst in Europe.

In most of the countries visited (France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Poland) roaming was either unreliable or did not work at all. When I tried to place a test call to my own Vodafone New Zealand number from a landline, I was getting either a never-ending silence, a busy tone, a recording from Telecom New Zealand (!) saying "This number is not valid" or an endless ringing tone (and my mobile did not ring). Whether I set my Ericsson T39 phone on "automatic" or selected the network manually, the result was the same.

I was able to place outgoing calls from all the countries.

I remained in touch with Vodafone New Zealand, and they could only acknowledge that there were problems; but these problems have not been solved in my 2 1/2 months stay.

Is it just me, or is it a general problem?

What can be done to improve the reliability of incoming calls? - I tried to get local SIM cards, and to divert my calls on them; and they were just as unreliable! The only reliable solution was to turn the phone off... so at least all the callers could leave a message with my voicemail... but that's not really a long-term solution.

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160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10665 3-Dec-2004 22:29

Generally this is international carrier issues, I have being in 4 of the countries you mentioned in the last 4 weeks and had no issues, and if issues are beyond VFNZ control like international carriers or a fault with there roaming partener, its out of there hands

markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#10701 4-Dec-2004 19:26

Yeah, in my case it was out of their hands for over 2 months. I cannot afford to have potential customers calling me and getting no tone at all, a constantly busy signal or a never-answering tone. I am seriously considering a switchover to a land-based voicemail system coupled with SMS or other paging for when I am overseas.

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10704 4-Dec-2004 23:24

This does not sound like a network issue, Did you try your SIM in another handset when you were overseas, I see you use a T39 is the GPRS modem set to GPRS and GSM mode all the time.

markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#10708 5-Dec-2004 08:30

I did try my SIM in another phone (another T39), and I was getting the same faults. Yes, GPRS and GSM are on all the time, as I use them. Vodafone NZ could only acknowledge that there was a network problem (so it was not specific to my phone), but they were also saying that they are unable to fix it. It might have been fixed when you were in Europe.

Quote from an email from Vodafone: "There is a roaming fault to Italy, it's under investigation at this time. The only thing you can do at the moment is divert all calls to voicemail (...). We have no ETR as to when this will be resolved."

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10714 5-Dec-2004 12:03

You should place the handset in GSM only mode, This will not affect GPRS in anyway it will turn off the modem when not required and will work more efficent on the network and make sure you only have 2 data Acc's on the handset set-up. One for GPRS internet access point " www.vodafone.net.nz " and one for WAP " live.vodaofne.com ".

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10721 5-Dec-2004 14:33

Here is another service that might be handy and every customer that is on Acc has it already,

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/services/07.a.12_personaloperator.jsp?hd=4yourbusiness&st=need2know&ss=

markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#10722 5-Dec-2004 14:48

Thanks for your kind suggestions. I will try to use the phone in GSM only mode next time I am in Europe.

Under my DATA ACCOUNTS I have:

- GPRS Internet
- GPRS WAP
- Local CSD WAP
- Roaming CSD WAP
- MyVF WAP GPRS
- Italy tfisp

Do you mean I should eliminate the 4 last ones? Maybe also GPRS WAP, given that I never use it?

I already have the Message Page service, but I am still not convinced about the superiority of live operators over voicemail for my needs.

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freitasm

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#10723 5-Dec-2004 15:22

The data services defined on your phone will not impact on voice roaming at all.

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10726 5-Dec-2004 16:27

The above is correct but even in NZ you should use your handset in GSM Only as this can affect incoming calls in your home country and while roaming (only if VFNZ has a GPRS roaming agreement with that carrier.

Now back to your data Acc's on your T39 Do you only use GPRS to access internet traffic?,

The link I have placed on before is not message page, Its personal operator which you can work while you are roaming, by diverting all calls to voice mail people will have choice to leave a vocie message or go to personal operator, which could be your message page divert number 64130**** or what ever other number you like.

markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#10727 5-Dec-2004 16:31

You wrote: «««««Do you only use GPRS to access internet traffic?»»»»»

Yes.

freitasm

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#10728 5-Dec-2004 16:32

No, it won't affect incoming calls at all. The T39m is a Class B GPRS device, meaning that even if it's connected to the GPRS data stream, data connections will be dropped when an incoming voice call is presented by the network.

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10729 5-Dec-2004 16:32

Hey I have just added some more info to the above, If you only use GPRS for internet traffic you can delete the other Data Acc's

jcr976

160 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#10730 5-Dec-2004 16:34

If you have the GPRS modem on all the time the handset can goto sleep on the network (detach) and calls can then goto voice mail with out the handset getting the call.

This is why all the new handsets like to S/EP910 all come factory set now to GSM only and not automatic (GPRS and GSM) and it also helps battary life.

markwolk

101 posts

Master Geek

#10731 5-Dec-2004 16:40

OK, thanks, I have deleted the useless data accounts; I have also desactivated GPRS and will now activate it only when needed. I will definitely post here after my next trip to Europe so we know if it has made any difference.

freitasm

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#10732 5-Dec-2004 16:40

This is a known problem with T39m, not necessarily a GPRS problem.

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