Forum Discussion
APN change doesn't let me leave blank APN Type
Unfortunately Eldeano64, it sounds like SMARTY don't provide the relevant network carrier settings for your Vivo X80 handset.
Without the appropriate carrier settings, the ability to edit the APN value in the Android settings menu won't be available.
Is your handset using the latest Android version available from the device manufacturer?
Hi Chalkychap, thank you for your reply. It's a funny carry on with this! Smarty/3 must have different ways of doing things from Vodafone. As far as I'm aware I have the latest updates for my Android operating system. It's confusing when these changes are supposed to be simple and quick. Is there any reason that the settings don't come as standard that would allow data roaming please? Looks like this might turn out into a short lived stay with Smarty and having to go back to Vodafone😢
Hopefully, this has done the trick for you. 🙏🏻
Thank you to all you guys who have helped and offered advice. I've been in touch with the Web Team and believe we've got it sussed. I had help from a Team member called Suraj. As I couldn't delete the existing APN the three.co.uk version, he suggested I add using the + symbol to add a separate APN. He gave me a list of info which I needed to input, leaving some of the fields blank. Once I'd inputted all the info and clicked on save, I then had 2 separate APN's one of them the mob.asm.net. Suraj asked me to select that option and now the phone should work in both the UK and Europe. Fingers crossed I've got it sorted now but until I try and use it outside these shores, I can't be sure. I have asked Suraj if he can suggest an amendment to the instructions on how to ready Android phones for use abroad for those phones where you can't edit the initial settings and need to add an additional APN.
Looks like I'm going to be around the SMARTY fold for a while now so hopefully if I can help in any way around the Community with my experiences as they unfold, I'd be willing to add my little bit too.
Thank you to everyone and hopefully I've got a better outcome than expected 👍🙂
Thank you again for your quick response. I will try and explain the issue to the Web chat Team and if as expected, they can't help I will just have to cancel the contract and go back to Vodafone. Strangely enough I left Vodafone who I had both my broadband and SIM only contract with because the data they were offering me was laughable...yet now I've left they've offered me a 100Gb SIM only deal for £10 a month which then combined with the Together discount would make it the equivalent of £7 per month...if they'd offered me it before I cancelled I'd have never moved it. I can't see beyond cancelling this deal but if I get anywhere with Smarty I'll let you know, thank you🙂👍
Okay Eldeano64, fyi I've got an iPhone with a SMARTY SIM card, and I'm able to edit the APN value in the iOS settings.
Perhaps because Apple have ~50% share of the UK Smartphone market, the UK mobile networks might be likely to provide network carrier settings allowing APN changes, when using an iPhone.
However, with iD Mobile (who also use the Three UK mobile network), you cannot make APN changes on an iPhone - iD don't allow this option in their network carrier settings, for iPhone devices.
I'm not sure SMARTY customer support will be able to solve this issue - switching back to Vodafone / Voxi / Talkmobile might be the answer. Talkmobile at least have inclusive EU roaming with their SIM only plans, for 42 destinations.
Hi Chalkychap,
I purchased the phone through Amazon as it was the only retailer in the UK selling it. It wasn't cheap either, it cost £1150 SIM free but I bought it for it's superb camera array which at the time, 20 months ago was state of the art. Amazon will be as useless as a chocolate fireguard with an issue such as this but I have had a good response from Vivo customer support when I had a previous issue with the camera and it's compatibility with a DJI product. I'm not sure if the issue would be with them or Smarty though. I've checked and I'm running version 14 of Android and Vivo's operating system is called Funtouch 14. I may try contacting Web chat to try and sort it with them if I can get a person rather than a bot to answer. It could be that because Vivo is relatively unknown in the UK that 3/SMARTY don't recognise the phone. My wife has an iPhone with a SIM only contract with 3 and she has not had to put in any different settings to be able to use data roaming, she just has to switch data roaming on in settings and pre-arrange a roaming bolt on.
You can always look at “Voxi”, a sub brand of Vodafone, which offers value for money month to month tariffs, so no long term contract. If you decide to join Voxi, send me a private message, as you can have my referral code if you wish.
Okay Eldeano64, latest Android is v14.
I'd speculate that creating and maintaining network carrier settings for many different mobile handsets isn't something all UK mobile network operators choose to do, with some only supporting handsets they sell with a pay monthly contract.
Where did you purchase your Vivo X80 - perhaps the retailer can help?
