Vodafone NZ prepay SIM not enabled 4G LTE by default

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Vodafone NZ prepay SIM not enabled 4G LTE by default

twobikes

101 posts

Master Geek

#245411 2-Feb-2019 11:22

Can others confirm this situation?

A friend in November 2018 got a new phone, a long time vodafone client, he had an old full size SIM, told him to go to Vodafone get a nano blank and get his number transferred. OK insert sim only 3G, also no 4G when in 4G coverage.

Long storey short and 3 vodafone SIMS later 2 with numbers no 4G (these sims tried in 6 different phones).

Just return from an hour in the vodafone shop and with tech support on phone to sales lady, it is discovered that the sim is hardware 4G capable, when sim left factory it had not been software wise 4G enable.

My SIM: vodafone support enabled the sim software for 4G and I am getting 4G, sales lady admits others have had same problem.

My SIM can not be the ONLY one not 4G software enabled. This is a MASSIVE issue I have wasted at least 25 hours on this since November.

Vodafone own us all answers. SIMS MUST BE 4G SOFTWARE ENABLE FROM FACTORY. How many SIMs manufactured are not default 4G enabled, How many vodafone SIMs have been sold that are not 4G software enabled?

Can other please confirm this issue? And get an official response from Vodafone NZ

Linux

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#2171743 2-Feb-2019 11:31

@twobikes Yes they are 110% enabled by default for 4G access and access is not related to the SIM card age it's on the network side, Your friend could be using a SIM card from 1995 Bell South days and still allowed to access the 4G / LTE network

Make sure the APN set on the handset is ' vodafone ' and not ' www.vodafone.net.nz '

If the APN is correct then the issue is 110% on the Vodafone side and 4G is not provisioned on the HSS (easy fix from the Vodafone side)

John

twobikes

101 posts

Master Geek

#2171752 2-Feb-2019 12:40

Lets me state that I am very tech savvy.

I can only conclude it is a big balls up by Vodafone that a whole bunch of 4G hardware capable sims when programmed with software did not by default have the 4G switch software enabled.

Trying to confirm if this is the case, and if so how many and to what extent?

How many vodafone clients are walking around with only 3G capable sims not realising that 4G needs to be enable by Vodafone?

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#2171754 2-Feb-2019 12:44

@twobikes I have sent you a DM

John

twobikes

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Master Geek

#2171755 2-Feb-2019 12:46

Are you saying that it is vodafone server side that does the 4G enabling, if so why is it not 4G by default when registering the sim?

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#2171756 2-Feb-2019 12:47

During activation of the Prepay number (when first calling 777) provisioning to the HLR / HSS must of failed and this can be corrected by a manual process by the correct Vodafone staff member

John

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#2171757 2-Feb-2019 12:49

twobikes:

Are you saying that it is vodafone server side that does the 4G enabling, if so why is it not 4G by default when registering the sim?

As already advised above it's 110% not SIM card related for 4G access, SIM card could be 20 years old and still access 4G if in correct hardware

Did you check the APN as advised?

John

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#2171760 2-Feb-2019 12:58

@twobikes check my latest DM the handset is logging onto the 4G / LTE network

Latest LTE location update was only a few minutes ago

John

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twobikes

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Master Geek

#2171812 2-Feb-2019 14:39

Thanks John

I understand thanks for the explanation.

When activating the sim info is collected for a subscriber management database called HLR Home Location Register which is on the HSS Home Subscriber Server.

If activation is interrupted or incomplete provisioning of this database will have failed. Then 4G reception will not be enabled but 3G will, not sure why this is?

Vodafone can then manually correct the provisioning of the HLR database.

twobikes

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Master Geek

#2171813 2-Feb-2019 14:40

Yes always have known to use vodafone only as APN

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#2171859 2-Feb-2019 15:35

Provisioning is fine for the number and the number has been attached to the 4G network

John