Portugal and no data

[JulieDa_2412254]

My daughter is on her first trip from home with friends and she has no data at all. Roaming is turned on but she has no data despite this. She has data available on her plan. I looked on the website and it said to go into mobile network and change APN but there’s nowhere to do that on the iPhone 15 pro? 

Can anyone help please? I’m so anxious without not being able to get in touch with my daughter. 

[MSF]

@JulieDa_2412254 I answered your other post.

As far s APN is concerned, she would not have been able to access any data if it was not set correctly at the outset.

For information, you certainly can change the APN if you have to on an iPhone (15 pro or otherwise).

Smarty have a Help Video to cover this - did you check it out before she went? https://community.smarty.co.uk/t5/help-videos/setting-up-your-ios-device-to-work-abroad/ba-p/26239

[MSF]

@JulieDa_2412254 Curiously, you wrote this post on 10/07/2024 but I have only seen it today - 19/07/2024.

Totally confused as to reason for delay.

[AngeloDu_961109]

I have set my roaming as advised and mobile data still doesn’t work properly in Portugal.. it keeps going on and off and the speed is very poor no matter where you are. This happens in Lisbon. I had a Portuguese number with NOS, the same operator Smarty was using. The Portuguese data was fine but the smarty data was really bad. I think Smarty needs to sort the contract with the Portuguese operator. It’s very bad that we can’t rely on data when we are paying for the service. Very frustrating.

[MSF]

@AngeloDu_961109  Firstly, you should set your phone to manual network instead of automatic. You can then check the networks that are available to find the best.

Secondly, I would totally expect the Portuguese resident customers of the network to get preferential speeds on that network over people roaming from the UK.

You are not actually paying for the service - it is an add on that some networks no longer offer. It started when the UK was a member of the EU and it was a requirement and many networks have continued it, but not all.

Smarty are probably a very small customer for that network and so I do not think that they will have strong negotiating power.

If data speed is important, you may be better off with a local sim or perhaps an Esim even if there is some cost.

Finally, if you are in Lisbon, there may be mast congestion if many people are using data in the area. Smarty unfortunately couldn't do anything about that problem in any case.

[AngeloDu_961109]

Firstly I think your first sentence shows you didn't read my first sentence.. second I am paying for the service that tells me I am entitled to 12 GB of data in Europe.. when Smarty advertises that data is available, it should also advise that the service is not working most of the time.. that is what is happening in Portugal for the second time.. basically by telling me I need to purchase a local SIM you are telling me that Smarty mobile data doesn't actually work in Europe or in this case in Portugal.. that is not the service I am paying for as advertised by Smarty.. thanks for your feedback and for making that clear.

[MSF]

I@AngeloDu_961109  Well, now who's not reading things properly!

If we get into details, the Smarty T&C's make it clear that service is not guaranteed. They do that for a good reason - they cannot guarantee it because they do not run the masts in the UK, and they certainly do not run the masts of the EU networks. Please see T&C's 4.6, 4.7 & 5.17

How can you expect smarty to know if every mast in the EU is working and delivering data at any given moment?

Finally (and I do mean finally) I didn't tell you to do anything; I was merely trying to assist you with options that would not be too expensive if you found yourself needing data. Clearly the situation is not an emergency for you right now as you have been able to post a number of times on the forum very recently via some form of data.