18+ Content - enabled but cannot access

[Jon2023]

SIM 1 - this is in my Android cellphone

SIM 2 - this is in my home 5G router, unlimited data

BOTH SIM 1 and 2 had their 18+ Content ENABLED on 14/6/23 after submitted my photo ID as requested by Smarty. Everything have been working fine with no issues since that date, whether browsing on my cellphone at home accessing online via the 5G router (e.g SIM 2) or when I'm away from home (e.g SIM 1)

Sun 13/8/23 - Access online to 18+ Content on my cellphone at home (e.g. SIM 2) came up with the blank page:

The connection for this site is not secure

www. <webpage name> .com sent an invalid response

ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

[REFRESH]

Tried on the laptop (connected to home 5G router), it was the same message.

Browser then took me to the three.co.uk's url after I'd closed the browser and relaunched and cleared cache and cookies.

Three's url says as follows:

We’re currently rolling out updates to give you a more satisfying customer experience. As a result, some customers may temporarily have restricted access to some functions online.

If you’re having difficulty finding the information you need,  get in touch  and we’ll help you get to where you need to go. 

1. Turn off Wi-Fi.
2. Head to the Adult Filter toggle on your phone.

   
   Remember, this won't work on a desktop browser. It'll only work on your phone.

3. You'll need a credit card to verify your age. If you don't have one to hand, just contact us and we'll help. You can also visit a Three store, if that's easier.
4. Once you've done this, just switch your adult filter settings to suit your preferences. Don't worry – you can change this whenever you want.

I contacted Smarty Customer Services (SCS), they just regurgitated what I have already done and asked me, for the 2nd time, to submit photo, after going through the security checks of name, postcode, last payment amount etc........

They then replied that the 18+ Content is now enabled, even though it already was on BOTH SIMs.

Re started both my devices as mentioned above, still the same issue with no access.

Its NOT my 5G home router, that has no parental restriction applied on it and no changes were made to its setting.

Explaining the situation to the SCS was painful, they don't seem to understand something so simple so I gave up and trying here.

Smarty ADMIN - can one of you please respond, I have wasted a lot of my time, providing screen grabs to help your SCS to understand so they can fix the problem that occurred due to no part from my end.

[Jon2023]

To add:

Cellphone - CAN access 18+ content via SIM  1  when wifi is disenabled (e.g. not accessing via home 5G router)

[MSF]

@Jon2023 On your home broadband, have you got adult content blocked with the provider (not on router)?

[Jon2023]

Update, Fri 18/8/23:

Tues 15/8/23, 1313hrs BST - Contacted the COMPLAINTS dept using the email inbox found on Smarty's url, an email Inbox address that looks strange but got an auto reply saying "We aim to get back to you withing 24 hours. If your query is urgent, please contact us via web-chat....."

- The web chat is utterly useless having used that in the past. When one of their agents picks up your issue, it goes into a "pool", no case number assigned with NO chat history attached in their replies to show the main chain. Their Indian operatives just copy & paste generic solutions in their replies in the hope it would solve the problem. 

- Thurs 17/8/23 - No follow up from their complaints dept. Was I surprised, no.

I was going to resort to the old method of WRITING A LETTER send by RECORDED delivery but didn't have time until today, Fri 18/8. Decided to try again and now the 18+ Contents are enabled.  Simple  urls containing words to the effect of "kitchen knives" that was blocked before are now fully visible.

To anyone who have issues on this subject, persist and ESCALATE, its absurd the lengths that I had to go through and the time scale to get things put right that was caused by the provider. NO replies had been received, even an apology.

Like all providers, how good they are comes when you need to contact them and how EFFICIENT they are in resolving the problem. Smart and indeed Three show they are far from EFFICIENT. This was one of the main reason I'd left my old ISP/Cell provider Virgin Media, their customer services was just as dire with their Indian operative who have no clue what they are doing.

NB: 80% of the world wide online scams originates and operates out of India - source, articles I read recently with data from the FBI. Submit your Credit Card to have  the 18+ Content enabled, try not to use any form of photo ID, at least the former you can cancel with ease and quickly.

[Jon2023]

Update, Wed 23/8/23:

- One calendar week on from contacting their Complaints Dept that gave me a system auto reply that said "We aim to get back to you withing 24 hours. If your query is urgent, please contact us via web-chat....." - NO reply have been received.

The Complaints Inbox is just a token gesture to project an image that they want to help and resolve issues, other users take note.

[Jon2023]

Update, Sat 30/3/24:

Did I get a response from their so called Complaints Dept - no.

Am I surprised - no.

Tell me (and you) everything you need to know about this company, as I said before, its just a TOKEN GESTURE and probably a component to satisfy regulatory requirement in operating as a cell phone service provider. 

[Strandloper]

@Jon2023,

Welcome to the Smarty users/customers forum. The forum is populated by Smarty Customers, just like you, and the occasional Smarty Moderator.

If you are unhappy with the way you've experienced Smarty Customer Service I suggest contacting a Smarty Agent through Webchat and raise your issue as a complaint.

You are very unlikely to get a reply from a "Smarty ADMIN" via this public forum.

[MSF]

@Jon2023  I would recommend the complaint route as per advice from @Strandloper . This should bring it to the attention of a more senior team member.

[NE344]

Same problem. Done the £1 thing and got the filter disabled and it worked for a few hours and now it's back to blocking sites even though the settings are all right!

[Jon2023]

Persist with it and escalate up, see my posted reply today Fri 18/8/23 1212hrs.

The 18+ Contents can now load and display fine, took them 5 days to resolve something so BASIC and SIMPLE which they REVERTED and was working fine before!

[Steve987]

Don't worry, it will be turned off again soon.

I've had exactly the same isse on at least 4 occasions now

Everytime it is the same thing, we have reset it and it won't happen again.

I'm leaving, I've already ordered alternative SIM cards.

The issue is the time it takes to sort this out, because they deny there is a problem.

And good luck with the complaint, they will say as it fixed now they cannot investigate. I had to wait 8 weeks for it to time out before I got in touch with the ombudsman.

[Jon2023]

Totally awful service from so called Complaints Dept, just as bad and if not worst than my previous provider Virgin Media.

Emailed them AGAIN for the THIRD time (1st contacted them on 15/8/23, above), NO ONE bothers to respond. Its just a generic Inbox that gives the impression that want to resolve customer complaints, another box ticking exercise for the company to probably comply with regulator's directives.

For those who thinks its a good idea to send them your photo ID to prove your age, watch the Scam Interceptor program on BBC and see for yourself where the vast majority of the scams operate from if you haven't had scam phone calls already where the scammers with a distinctive regional accent can be identified.

[Matthew_SMARTY]

Hello Jon,

First off, Im sorry to hear about the problems you are having. 

Second, in our complaints team, we like to make sure and reply to any complaints, usually within a 24 hour window (the weekend perhaps delaying this). If you have raised a complaint, but yet to get a reply, please head to our webchat and ask the agent to tag Matthew from the complaints team, and I will be happy to look into this personally. 

Thanks,

Matt

[Jon2023]

UPDATE, Sat 3/3/24:

An update to this "feature" and to add to my comments, the 18+ Adult Content blocker was disenabled and had been working fine since Aug 2023 until Thurs 28/3/24, it decided to ENABLE the blocker AGAIN.

I have once again wasting my time contacting their so called Customer Service today 30/3/24.

The people who work at Three really don't know their axx from their elbow. I thought Virgin Media, my previous ISP was bad but Three gets the Gold medal x 3.

[leedorney]

When I complained once, I got an email I think it was basically pointing out that I can't leave if Im not feeling comfortable with the network, I replied saying to do their job instead of being a jobsworth!

[MSF]

@leedorney  ....but did that reply get your problem sorted any quicker?

My late father always used to say "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" - experience tells me that he was correct.

[leedorney]

@MSF The ball was in smarties court

[MSF]

@leedorney  If you have quoted your reply verbatim, then that sounds far more like vinegar than honey.

...but did it get your problem sorted any quicker?

[leedorney]

They'd replied with a statement/pass the buck, so my reply, with a complaint, didn't matter.. They basically weren't bothered if 'you' go... instead of dealing with the matter at hand

[MSF]

@leedorney  Well, I guess if you cannot get the matter sorted to your satisfaction then you have no option but to leave.

Seems unusual that nobody can help, but the most senior levels of management (i.e. the bean counter accountants) will take a view and only change things if profits start heading south.

[leedorney]

The matter was the updating process every month. It displayed; you didn't have any plan...no iteration to explain that. That wasn't a major matter but it was infuriating when I was not close to WiFi..and in the middle of nowhere effectively..

[MSF]

@leedorney  Not sure if I understand correctly.

Each month plan updated. Either app or web account page stated "you do not have a plan". Phone carried on working regardless and money was paid from your card/Paypal etc.

This sounds like a system glitch and you say it was not a major matter. Have they sorted it now? I seem to remember seeing something similar a while ago but ignored it as I still had the appropriate service.

[leedorney]

It hasn't been rectified, as recently I had the same matter, IF you change your card at the same time it's screws things up massively...

[MSF]

@leedorney I guess the main thing is that you do have service.

It seems to me that IT systems are becoming ever more complicated and this seems to lead to glitches. It's hard to see if this can be avoided - I'm not an IT expert.

Computer operating systems are forever being updated for security and this has set off problems in my personal experience (I used a home accounts programme for many years and suddenly an operating system upgrade caused all entry reconciliation dates to show as 01 Jan 4001!)

Even the bank advertised by Ant & Dec had a major glitch a few days ago with some transactions not showing...and yes, I also wasted a load of time in contact with them - very frustrating.

All in the name of progress........

[leedorney]

I forever wonder about computer updates, did have a Windows laptop then got rid for a Chromebook, tho the android fone I have Poco x5 pro 5g, is forever updating the apps via Play.. sometimes I wonder if IT geeks just love to tweek the algorithms/parameters for the hèll of it.. 🤔