[We Value Your Feedback] Share Your Experience with Our Login and Authentication Process

[SeemaTu_2039304]

🔒How are you finding our login and authentication process? Share your experience and any difficulties you faced in particular. 🔑

Here are a few key points we would like to know:

1. Overall experience: How would you rate your overall experience with our login and authentication process?
2. Difficulties faced: Have you encountered any difficulties during the login process? If yes, we would appreciate it if you could provide us with a brief description of the issues you faced.
3. Speed and responsiveness: How satisfied are you with the speed and responsiveness of our login process?
4. Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Are you familiar with our app's MFA feature? If you have enabled MFA, we would like to know your experience with it.
5. Additional login options: Are there any additional login options you would like to see implemented in our app?
6. Security level: How do you feel about the level of security provided by our login and authentication process?
7. Account recovery: Have you ever forgotten your login credentials? If yes, please share your experience and any difficulties you faced during the account recovery process.

[MSF]

@SeemaTu_2039304  It all works just fine for me thanks!

[JJP2]

@SeemaTu_2039304 I agree with @MSF everything has worked fine for me since I joined Smarty from EE, via a quick flirtation with Voxi, on June 2nd.

So far, I cant fault anything 👍🙏

[SeemaTu_2039304]

I'm glad to hear that!

[Decembersangel]

It's a bit of a ball ache when you have to enter the text verification code almost weekly (even when the 'remember this browser' box has been ticked every time) and this is even more annoying, if like me, you have a phone where the battery dies somewhere around 60% charge and you forget to charge it and so this isn't great  🙄.  I can't remember if you can request this code by email as a second option but if not then THIS needs to be an added.
The only other thing that is a bit 'MEH' is that when I login to the SMARTY Community website and get the 'verification text' page it then takes me to the SMARTY dashboard and if the 'Ask our Community' (grey box)  in the feed doesn't show (and it hasn't in mine sometimes🤔) then this needs to be added into the menu options so it can be navigated to in another way (otherwise I have to close the page and then re-click on my saved shortcut for the Community page).

This is all done on a laptop using Windows 10

[MSF]

@Decembersangel  Sorry that you find it inconvenient, but really this comes under the heading "First World Problem".

Using Apple laptop, I don't seem to have this issue very often - is it a Windows thing then?

[SeemaTu_2039304]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate your feedback. I'm pleased to inform you that our team is actively working on improving Remember this browser feature to enhance the overall user experience. . Currently there is also option to request this code by email in addition to SMS however we will explore options how can we make it easily accessible . We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our customers, and your feedback is essential in guiding our efforts.

[Chalkychap]

While this might be a 1st world problem, I also can't seem to find a way of getting the "Remember Me" option to work as I'm expecting, when I sign-in at https://smarty.co.uk/login. 

Perhaps it's because I choose to reject all but non-essential cookies for the SMARTY website.

SMARTY don't seem to be able to remember me when browsing from my Windows laptop.

[JohnKei_1431823]

I have no issues with the login process and the codes are automatically entered from the text message as I’m on iOS. 

Was interested to see you mention an MFA option. How is this different from the OTP sent via text. Does this use an independent authentication app? If so how do to turn this feature on?  I prefer to not use OTP via text if possible. 

[SeemaTu_2039304]

Hello 

MFA stands for Multifactor authentication and verification through code via SMS is one of the ways to implement MFA. There isn't a separate authentication App as such but you can chose Email as the option for receiving the code if you don't prefer to use SMS.

[simonbu_2111361]

awful.  why can't you use fingerprint login

[MSF]

@simonbu_2111361  - not everyone has fingerprint login.

[SquPaulStephen]

I've fingerprint reader enabled on Smarty setting but not able to use it for verification, but apart from that, fingerprint logs me in. Just how it is I suppose! Security is a major factor for me so a few extra seconds is OK in my humble opinion. 

[lukefow_2033993]

remember this browser option never works, please allow me to disable 2 factor authentication

[MSF]

@lukefow_2033993  2 factor verification is the way many companies are going to ensure that your personal information is secure and to meet their GDPR responsibilities.

[MollyR]

I'm still in the process (activated my SIM, and waiting for my number to be ported) but one of the first things I wanted to do was to set up my password to my online account.  Although Google found me a page (probably from this forum) telling me to do this via Account Settings under Menu, there was nothing of the sort on my Menu.  I opened a Chat to try and find out how to access Account Settings, but apart from checking my security details, telling me how to request my number transfer (which I had already done) and suggesting that I should clear my cookies, I got nowhere;  it was only when the e-mail arrived to confirm that my SIM had been activated that a myriad of new options appeared under my Menu!  It might be a good idea if, when somebody clicks on "Forgotten Password" (the usual route to set or re-set one's password on most sites) the e-mail which it generates were to mention that until the SIM activation has been processed it will not be possible to set the password.

Also, when I signed up for this forum, I was told I would be sent an e-mail to confirm my joining and (AFAIR) to set up a password for the forum;  no such e-mail has ever arrived, but here I am, able to post regardless!

[MollyR]

I have now been told, off-forum, that my authentication has been manually fixed, and so the posts I initially made but which were in limbo have now been posted, including the above one.  Bhavika was very helpful, and everything seems to be working now (except I haven't yet found how to delete or edit any of my posts).

[SquPaulStephen]

Glad you're sorted now Molly, I will be staying with Smarty long term as the best online service provider in England, in my humble opinion!

[BarryCh_2181514]

Hi Just confused why tha extra security. I can log into my banking app with just my fingerprint, but Smarty also wants to send a text everytime. Bit over the top don't you think. 

I will tell you a little story. I have 3 friends in there 80's who not able to do pay as you go because some operators no longer use swipe top up cards. So i get 3 sims one for each , fit to there phones, manage the account online . I was abe to check balances and top up for them and they would pay me later. Some wise guy decided to start sending these texts with log in codes to the phones. As the people not into texts i was unable to access these accounts so could not top up phones easily anymore. That was a brilliant way to lose customers....... and cause more problems 

[MSF]

@BarryCh_2181514  Don't forget that the verification code can be sent to the email address associated with the account.

When your banking app starts up, firstly it relies on you already logging into your phone via code, fingerprint, face etc. The app then usually secures your phone before you accesss the account.

When you use smarty app something similar applies but when you log in via the webpage, it could be anyone using your email and password on any device - this is far less secure and therefore puts your personal info in the firing line.

[BarryCh_2181514]

Not really complaining just saying it overly security minded in my opinion.

[MSF]

@BarryCh_2181514  Fair enough, but how would you all feel if some oik had managed to hack into your account and get info about who you call and when, what you had used in the past, your email address and a lot of other details?

A thought - can you put the three friends into a group with you and then manage their payments from your account? - plus you can all get a discount on standard plan prices.

[SquPaulStephen]

No worries for me, login, authentication works fine each & every time! SMARTY ROCKS!

[Michael_T]

Over the past week or so the SMARTY app (iOS) has stopped remembering the Trust Device and Face ID tick in security settings area.  So, every few hours I’m having redo the 2FA i.e having to re-input my username and password, plus verification code via SMS.  Before this, I’d get around 90days before it reset this and I’d have to login again.

Prior to this, I’d open the app it would read my face and open my account details. NOT every few hours as it is currently configured?!?

What is the point of the app asking if you “Trust the Device?” AND allow you to select a security setting of ticking to use FaceID (or any other biometric option available on a phone) in the app, if it doesn’t retain this information?

[MSF]

@Michael_T I have just checked my iOS app. It certainly is remembering me and only if I log out does it ask for my details again and then face recognition works.

Wondering if there is some change that you have inadvertently made on your device.

[Michael_T]

Thanks for your response @MSF

This morning, I have opened the app for the first time without having to re-login again.  I’m hopeful that whatever issue was, has now been resolved.  
I am not aware that I’ve changed any setting on my phone that would cause this…The only factor that is different here  is that Apple deployed an iOS software update yesterday.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 that it now retains the information.

[MSF]

@Michael_T  Yes, Apple have been updating during the last week and I think Smarty also did some update work as the website was unavailable for an hour or two.

Apple keep the 'skin' of their app the same, but I don't know about the 'core' as I am an 'out-cider' to programming. Like my work? - I'm booked here all week!!

[Michael_T]

 

@MSF  I’d replied too soon!  There is definitely something still going on with 2FA.  I’ve gone back to another login now

[MSF]

@Michael_T  All a bit odd! I've noticed that the app on my phone always seems to remember me (assuming that I do not actually log out). I have put that down to the phone having its own security arrangement - facial recognition - but I may be wrong.

[Michael_T]

@MSF Very odd indeed!  I’m now testing a parallel login on my phone, to see if this solves the issue?!!.  So, I’ve signed back in within the app, ticking the Trust this device, and I’ve also signed in via Safari, and clicked on remember this device.  The app opens pages virtually in Safari, so hoping that by going in both routes it will remember one of them 😂🤣!

[jassingh]

My overall experience with authentication is not great - I read somewhere that when the device is 'trusted' then the Smarty app should remember -  this certainly isn't happening with me. Not with the Android app for sure, where I often find myself having to re-login EVERY DAY and in many cases on the SAME day. This is despite having biometrics and 'trusted' device enabled. Each time I need to quickly check usage in the app I'm hit with the requirement to 2FA. Every other networks' app that I've used prior to this one has kept me signed in (mostly indefinitely) so I don't know what's gone wrong here or whether something needs to be implemented for it to work.

Even when I had the biometrics enabled, the first few times I used the app it worked by prompting me but more recently I've seen in the last few weeks I've not been asked at any point to use this method! It just presents the login screen instead. Not sure if even having that enabled is doing anything. 

I know that this is done for a reason to keep our information secure but still, it starts to **** people right off having to keep signing in! I think this is the general consensus amongst users if you read the reviews of the app on the app stores.

Unless of course, something has broken in the authentication mechanism of the latest update that maybe has caused this to happen recently - I've not been with Smarty for long enough to know if this is a historical issue or not. I'm going to test the app on another phone also to rule out maybe any potential problems with Android versions or phone software that could also be causing this, and see if anything improves.

I believe that the web dashboard keeps me signed in longer than the mobile apps. Anyways, I hope that this can be fed back to the team working on the apps and hopefully put a fix in for it! 

App Version: 1.11.5, Android 11

[Michael_T]

The parallel login test did not work…still the same behaviour i.e the app forgets the Trust this device and Face ID.  It seems to log me out now after about 5-6 hours, despite whether I go into the app or not.