No Service Abroad

[AshleySt_923617]

I’ve recently travelled to, and am still in Perth Australia, and consistently have ‘No Service’ or ‘SOS Only’.

I’ve verified the following:

• Updated the mobile data network settings for mobile data and MMS to mob.asm.net
• Travelled to various locations to before not a local mast or signal issue
• Turned off automatic network selection and tried to manually select a network in the list that appears
• Turned the phone off/on
• Reset the mobile data network settings for both data and MMS, and then re-entered the mob.asm.net settings 

Not that the below two points should affect the connection to a mobile network here, however I have also verified that:

• Have data roaming turned on
• Have out of plan credit

Does anyone have any advice or similar experience?

[MSF]

@AshleySt_923617 It may depend upon what phone you have. There was some info about the Australian networks not accepting any phone that would not work on VoLTE I believe.

[AshleySt_923617]

Thanks @MSF 

I’ve had a look into this and have a 2024 iPhone which is VoLTE compatible. Have also verified the correct settings in relation to this as advised on a couple of Australian network sites.

Grrrrrrr so looks like it might be something else

[MSF]

@AshleySt_923617  All very frustrating, I'm sure.

Is it worth taking the sim out and giving it a gentle clean before replacing? Wondering whether any possibility that it has become fractionally dislodged during travel?

Also, can you try a sim from someone else to verify that the phone is 100%?

[AshleySt_923617]

Thanks @MSF - yep had tried that previously. Interestingly on a quick trip back to the UK last week all worked fine so thinking it must be a localised Australia thing. I’ll reach out to Smarty support in the meantime. Thanks again for your advice!

[MSF]

@AshleySt_923617  Network choice set to at least 4G? Airplane mode definitely off? (Sorry, but I had to mention it!)

[Rebekah_150]

Hey AshleySt_923617,

If you have purchased an out of plan add-on and are still experience issues I recommend contacting our customer care team https://smarty.co.uk/contact available daily from 8am – 8pm.

[IainMui_1917697]

I also have exact same issue, we have 3 SIMs in Sydney and none are working. All SOS only with 3 different iPhones. Did anyone manage to resolve this? 

[MSF]

@IainMui_1917697  There is a whole complex issue going on in Australia since 3G was turned off on most networks. It is a legal issue and means that many phones will not work there (including Australian phones!)

The other important issue is to try all networks via a manual network selection rather than automatic network selection. (You may be on a network that has no signal locally)

Finally, did you set APN to mob.asm.net ?

[IainMui_1917697]

Yes done all the steps. All the networks are v strong locally, I’m in Sydney CBD. I think this is something Smarty needs to address asap, as it unfair to customer who have no knowledge that their services won’t work in Australia. I am locked out of many services that require 2FA as I fully expected to be able to receive calls or a SMS in Sydney or I would have changed providers before I left. Smarty support seem to be unaware and had me resetting phone and all sorts, then I realised my whole family had same issues with Smarty SIMs.

[MSF]

@IainMui_1917697 This is nothing to do with Smarty directly and their hands are tied - they have enough issues providing a service in the UK without worrying about the myriad other countries that people might travel to.

The Australian Government implemented  new regulations and it seems to have caught out vast numbers of people including plenty who are resident there..

This article may be of use: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications-arts/phone/mobile-services-and-coverage/3g-ne... 

I am looking at this issue currently and considering whether an Esim from one of the specialist companies may over-ride the issue. Interestingly, Three offer roaming in specifically Australia as well as many other countries on their rolling monthly sim (or even Esim) and they have not mentioned this problem.

[SmartyTrousers]

@MSF  As far as I understand it, a phone which isn't working in Oz with a Smarty SIM won't work with any other SIM either, because the phone is being blocked by its IMEI, not anything to do with its SIM.

[MSF]

@SmartyTrousers Forgive my ignorance, but would a change of sim make a difference?

For instance, a Three sim allows roaming in Australia (theoretically at any rate) or an Esim from specialists such as Airalo or Roamless?

[IainMui_1917697]

I’m using dual sim so it works fine with other sim. I have an iPhone 15 max. If there was a way to trasnsfer network I would do this. 
This won’t exactly be an uncommon issue, thousands travel to Australia each week and will have same issue, so I think Smarty needs some information on FAQs with a solution. 

[MSF]

@IainMui_1917697 I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to find info ANYWHERE, so this is not just down to Smarty. Three are no better - I have an Esim of theirs as it allows Australian roaming in theory at any rate. Just looking at an Esim from Roamless as it appears to operate on Australian networks.

I agree this is all very confusing, but I feel that the accountability/blame lies squarely with the Australian Telecoms ministry rather than our UK networks, who probably have not much more info than we can find.