User Profile
dftf
SMARTY Maverick
Joined 2 years ago
User Widgets
Contributions
Re: Issues with calls and low data-speeds since joining SMARTY
MSF: as an update... before I joined, I did easily find this article, "Which devices are compatible with 5G?", and as my phone is 3G and 4G only, clearly wasn't a concern to me, as 3G is being switched-off soon, but 4G won't be for a while yet. However at no-point during any of the sign-up process did it ask me to enter an IMEI or select my model or anything to check it was compatible for calls on 4G. Only vague guidance is offered, such as "Most Android smartphones made in the past decade support 4G VoLTE, but 3G only handsets won't work". Sadly, I've only just come-across the "Checking if your device is 4G-VoLTE compatible" article... and my phone is listed there as not being supported for calls. 😢 Might be helpful if during the sign-up process they actually linked to that article to ask people to check before their phone will work, not hide it away. Ah well, SMARTY is not a lock-in contract, so guess I'll have to request my PAC and move elsewhere, sadly. I've also only just seen on these forums the thing about them not supporting SMS short-codes, either -- another thing they don't mention in-advance!5KViews0likes3CommentsRe: Issues with calls and low data-speeds since joining SMARTY
Hi MSF Yes, I did use the coverage checker page before joining. (Not that-that helped, though! 😐) I never had an issue with calls previously, that's only since joining SMARTY. I wonder if something has gone-wrong during the PAC port-over process? I do recall that while mobile-data and SMS both started working after I received the "we've ported you successfully" e-mail, my calls didn't work until the next-day. But since then, around half-the-time I try to make an outgoing-call, I just get a totally-silent-line and nothing happens. Is there any-way to find-out if the Vodafone merge (if approved) would improve things? I've looked on cellmapper.net, and it says my nearest 3 mast is 0.6 miles (0.97 km) away. However... my nearest Vodafone one is within 0.2 miles (0.32 km) away. But, assuming the merge did go through, is there any-guarantee that nearer mast would be kept, and used? 🤔 Also, on the subject of checking-before-joining, I also note that if I go on OFCOM's site (https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/mobile-coverage) and enter my postcode, it says EE and 3 are "limited" for indoor data and voice in my area, but "likely" good for outdoors (which hasn't been my personal experience!). Vodafone and O2 are apparently both good indoors and out. I've also tried this site, https://mastdata.com/resources/coverage-map.aspx , which again shows 🟠 dots around my home, but mostly 🟡🟢 across my local shopping-centre. But in both places, I struggle to get more-than around 1-3 Mbps download on 4G. So that also seems inaccurate. So... whose data can we actually trust to get a reliable-picture before joining a network? 🤔🤷🏻♂️5KViews0likes5CommentsRe: Not very impressed with SMARTY support so-far
Hi MSF I did indeed check at https://smarty.co.uk/coverage-checker before joining, and for all postcodes in my local-area where I experience slow-data, they say "Yes - Excellent service" for 4G for both indoor and outdoor (the darker-red shade). Yet in my home and nearest shopping-centre, I literally get around 1-3 Mbps download at best. Seems the data there is a bit misleading...2.9KViews1like0CommentsIssues with calls and low data-speeds since joining SMARTY
Hi all Since joining SMARTY a couple of weeks ago, I'm facing constant-issues with being unable to send or receive phone calls, and very low data-speeds (literally 1-2 Mbps up or down) at home, and around my local-area. Just wondering if anything can be done? CALLS ISSUE With the calls issue, I sometimes see "mobile network not available" or "carrier connection failed", even though I appear to have a signal (and if I send myself a test SMS, it is always received back; and I can load websites, albeit very-slowly on 4G). I have also seen "emergency calls only" on a couple of occasions. Most of the time though, there are no errors, but when I make a call, I simply hear nothing: no dial-tone, and the call just cuts-itself-off after about 15 seconds of trying. When people call me as a test, they also say they hear nothing, and their call also "just ends". In my Phone app, I've checked under Settings > Calls > Call forwarding that "always forward" is set to "off". Not sure what else I could check on my-end? 🤔 SLOW LOCAL DATA SPEEDS At home, I can get around 2-3 Mbps max on 4G, if I go right-up to a window; upload is around the same. At my local shopping-centre, it varies by shop, but the highest I've recorded is 2.5 Mbps download, though in some shops as-low-as or under 1 Mbps, and upload-speeds between 0.6 - 3.7 Mbps. Needless to say, trying to load a website is like being back on dial-up: it takes anywhere from 15-20 seconds for a site to load, though in some cases I get "DNS server unreachable" or "no Internet connection". However, my phone is clearly not the issue, as in another retail area near me, I've got up to 87 Mbps down and 28 Mbps up on 4G. So, clearly, there is just no signal in my local area. This is despite SMARTY's signal-checker page (https://smarty.co.uk/coverage-checker) reporting "Yes - Excellent service" for 4G at any of the affected postcodes. Yet I'm clearly not-getting an "excellent service". Is there anything I can do? I know there is a possibility of 3 (SMARTY's parent-network) and Vodafone merging next-year, but obviously depending on which masts they will each retain, that may-or-may-not help. And it may yet not even go-through. So... kinda feels a bit misleading to say "excellent service" if that isn't the case right-now. 🤨5KViews0likes9CommentsNot very impressed with SMARTY support so-far
Have to say I'm not very-impressed with SMARTY support so-far. Since I joined SMARTY a couple of weeks ago, I've been having issues with very-low data-speeds in my local area, and constant issues in sending and receiving phone-calls (to other mobiles or landlines). I reported this by e-mail to team@smarty.co.uk this Monday, and had someone called Rehan message me later that same day (from an address ending "@smarty.intercom-mail.com"). So-far they asked me for additional information, and after every single time I reply to them, I'm then asked to resubmit all of the following: Full name; Date of Birth; Postcode; Last Payment Made to SMARTY. Bit tedious to have to re-submit this after every single e-mail I send to them. Surely once at the start of the support would be enough? (Especially given I'm only asking for support, not to make payment or account changes where you'd need to verify each action.) 🙄 Anyway... I've just followed-up after being out today with some more postcodes where I've tried doing calls, and tested my data-speeds, but got this AutoReply from Rehan's account: Thank you for contacting SMARTY. Please note that this email is no longer in use. Your message has not been forwarded, therefore we need to ask you to email us again at team@smarty.co.uk Which I did. Only to then receive this AutoReply: Thank you for contacting SMARTY. Please note that this email is no longer in use. Your message has not been forwarded, therefore we need to ask you to email us again at team@support.smarty.co.uk So apparently that's now the e-mail to use. Anyway... I did forward my e-mail onto that new address, and yes... you guessed it... I also had to re-submit my full-name, date of birth, postcode and last payment made to SMARTY. 🙃 Let's hope someone there does receive my forwarded e-mail and replies, as so-far I'm not sure whether to remain a customer if I cannot get my calls issue sorted, at the least. And perhaps they could also consider (1) not asking for all that personal information after every single reply you send them during a support chat; and (2), if you change e-mail addresses, maybe be proactive and send anyone you've an active ticket with an e-mail to advise it has changed?2.9KViews1like9CommentsRe: Says £6 a month, yet offer was 5GB for £5 for 15 months?
Thanks for the replies. I e-mailed team@smarty.co.uk and they have since fixed this issue on my account: I've been refunded £1 for this-month, and all screens on the website and mobile-app do now show £5 a month going-forwards, not £6. I'd suggest anyone who signed-up for the "5GB-for-£5-for-15-months" offer check they are actually getting it; if not, contact the team and ask: "so... can I actually get the offer I signed-up for?" 🙃1.9KViews1like0CommentsSays £6 a month, yet offer was 5GB for £5 for 15 months?
Hi all I joined SMARTY recently on the "5GB for £5" promotion. If I log into my Dashboard, it says on the main screen: £5 £6 per month 14 months remaining I would assume therefore the offer should begin this month, but in Account Settings > Manage Plan it says "Monthly: £6" on that screen, and Account Settings > Payment History also says £6 paid. Does the offer only take-effect from the next-month onwards? (And yes: "Auto Renewal" is enabled in Account Settings > Payment Settings. I know you have to leave that enabled as part of the offer terms.) Otherwise, do I need to contact someone to make-sure I've got the offer applied? (I assumed it would just be applied automatically, given I selected that plan when I joined... 🤔) ThanksSolved1.9KViews0likes5Comments