Roaming slow initial log on

[MarkDav_1795153]

I have noticed that Smarty seems to take an age to log onto a local overseas network service provider, when arriving abroad.  As usual as soon as we land I switch my iPhone 15 pro on by turning off flight mode.  It then seems to take an age before the phone successfully accesses a local network.  On my recent trip to Poland I was still waiting for a signal 25mins after arriving. I needed to call my pick up via WhatsApp, so we had to wait until I got service to get our pick up.  Very frustrating.   Previous networks I would expect to get access before I left the plane.  BTW I have updated my settings.  Once it logs on it works well.    Any clues? 

[MSF]

@MarkDav_1795153  Surely, doesn't it depend upon the network you are joining?

Why not try a manual search of the different networks available? - one may have a stronger signal.

[SmartyTrousers]

I can't say I've noticed this myself. I last used my Smarty SIM abroad in May in Majorca, and I don't recall there being much of a delay in getting online.

I do recall when I was using a Lebara SIM in Budapest the previous year, that took a while before I could get any data through it (it just hung onto 2G with no data throughput for around half an hour), which was a little inconvenient as I was needing to check public transport info online while at the airport.

@MSF  It could be Smarty's or the foreign network's fault.. when your phone attempts to roam on a foreign network, that network speaks to your home network and checks that your home network is happy for it to allow roaming and to pay the foreign network for any fees you incur.

[SmartyTrousers]

Update: just arrived in Ibiza. Had a signal within about 20 seconds, had a data connection (5G, in fact) within a couple of minutes.

[MSF]

@SmartyTrousers Likewise, I was in Croatia until yesterday and had no problem at all.

I found it quite amazing that a relatively small country seemed to have a good 5G signal almost everywhere  - despite mountains !

[SmartyTrousers]

It's the same in Ibiza - lots of 5G.

I am tempted when my current month of Smarty runs out to switch to iD mobile though, as they offer the same deal I currently get on Smarty (50GB for £8) but they are currently trialling letting users use their full data allowance while roaming (it was 30GB). If I had access to my full allowance on holiday I don't think I'd even bother connecting to the comparatively slow hotel WiFi.

[MSF]

@SmartyTrousers That sounds pretty good. The hotel wifi was also pretty snappy in Croatia though. Even the traffic lights at roadworks had a countdown timer to let you know when they would change!