Roaming in the EU from UK issue. Only knowledgeable techs should read this - complex issue.

barnie1528

Hello folks.
I can expand on this post with thanks if asked, but it is completely baffling to me, and as things stand to Nokia. I post my last (unreplied email) to Nokia, after many replies trying many fixes to resolve issue with no success.

"Hello again and thank you for your email.

I tried the “carrier uninstall “ as suggested but unfortunately that didn’t work either.
However I tried something that I hadn’t done before and would be interested in any kind of technical explanation that you could provide, as I am completely baffled.

So I already told you that I was getting data roaming fine previously when abroad, until I went to Crete in May.
I told you that I put my Sim in my wife’s MotoG5 phone and I was able to data roam on 4G.

As I previously said I am in Spain at the moment.
So, once more I put my Sim (EE network- UK), into my wife’s MotoG5 and tonight, with her phone set to “automatic network selection “ I was able to receive 4G data with the phone connected to the Spanish network “Movistar “.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS???

I had never tried this before, but I then put my wife’s Sim (O2 network- UK) into my Nokia, and with my phone also on “automatic network selection “ I WAS able to receive a 4G data connection, with the same Spanish company, “Movistar “

So I no longer know whether the problem is the phone or my carrier, but why can I receive 4G on her phone when abroad and on my phone, with my Sim, when in UK, and why can her Sim, work with 4G, in my phone when we are abroad?"

I came home 48hrs ago, and phone back in UK with 4G.

Help somebody!

JayCee

Please explain in simple terms exactly what the problem is because your text as laid out above is as clear as mud.

dts197

Unless I'm mistaken, you've not actually asked a question. Are you saying your EE sim does not work abroad in your phone?

Alvy

Last paragraph of OP text should've been "my SIM in my phone doesn't allow data connection abroad, using SIM in different phone-works, and same phone, with same settings data works with different SIM, but not his" my $0.02ct...

vuittion

I think hes's trying to say that it works abroad but at home it doesn't. I could be wrong though.

Alvy

I think, I've worked it out (???)
Whilst abroad (in Spain) EE uses partnered network Movistar, their 4G bandwidth might be different to the EE UK. (Not a clue which Nokia phone model is in question), but it would be fairly easy to narrow down the frequency that doesn't work for OP being in Spain through Movistar, but O2 partnership supports that frequency.

Alvy

[/i]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                [url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.nperf.com/en/map/ES/-/168910.Movistar-Movil/download/?ll=13.66733825965496&lg=-4.130859375000001&zoom=4&hash=a0598255cafe3ee4dd46bf978a4e0c36]                                                Movistar Movil 3G / 4G / 5G bitrates - nPerf.com                                        [/url]                                                                Compare download bitrates of mobile operators at home and anywhere !                                                                                                                                                                                [img]/proxy.php?image=https://cdn.nperf.com/favicon/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png&hash=c8d362501de74d29a29b53784bfd2139&return_error=1[/img]                                                                                                                                www.nperf.com                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                [img]/proxy.php?image=http://www.frequencycheck.com/frequencycheck-og.png&hash=4c69ff0ff289313fa010c17c96a18b87&return_error=1[/img]                                                                                                                                                                                                [url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/carriers/movistar-spain&hash=1d7b6dbb32460d73e1f2bd1983424f69]                                                Movistar - Spain - Wireless Frequency Bands and Device Compatibility                                        [/url]                                                                Movistar (Spain) uses 2 GSM bands, 2 UMTS bands, and 2 LTE bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Movistar (Spain)                                                                                                                                                                                [img]/proxy.php?image=https://www.frequencycheck.com/assets/favicon-d5a59bae481d19991774c13c3d511f0c5f159bd731d90719264be20a54d63140.ico&hash=5289a54b6926e63e09bcfa9594535e92&return_error=1[/img]                                                                                                                                www.frequencycheck.com                                                                                So if your Nokia is in perfect functioning state in UK 4g-LTE on different bands serviced by EE, you get no data roaming

[b]Frequency Bands[/b]
[b]GSM[/b]
NameInterface[url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/gsm-gprs-edge-band-10-e-gsm-900&hash=23d32d7842d3fca1b0c38903149b7d8b]900 (E-GSM)[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/gsm-gprs-edge&hash=cf8ffe83f683f5225a8bc65c35acb793]GSM[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/gsm-gprs-edge-band-13-dcs-1800&hash=9e5272bfe62da414316b45beaf61fae7]1800 (DCS)[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/gsm-gprs-edge&hash=cf8ffe83f683f5225a8bc65c35acb793]GSM[/url][b]UMTS[/b]
NameInterface[url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/umts-hspa-band-1-2100&hash=6f9afc945f8cb15b9aded0086c1bdb19]B1 (2100)[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/umts-hspa&hash=cc170dc277434a3309452a19ed7e946f]UMTS[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/umts-hspa-band-8-900-gsm&hash=cc53a9de75ef274e41f2dfdcd65a8763]B8 (900 GSM)[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/umts-hspa&hash=cc170dc277434a3309452a19ed7e946f]UMTS[/url][b]LTE[/b]
NameInterface[url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/lte-band-3-1800&hash=321291896abd281a795f1f4bb7e23b4f]B3 (1800  )[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/lte&hash=18607fed4596cae4366a72fa1f1677a8]LTE[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/bands/lte-band-7-2600&hash=45da66afa4918ed094bff685d4eab754]B7 (2600)[/url][url=/proxy.php?link=https://www.frequencycheck.com/interfaces/lte&hash=18607fed4596cae4366a72fa1f1677a8]LTE[/url]

barnie1528

I am sorry to have caused such confusion. I live in the UK.
I have a Nokia 5 mobile which has a Plusnet Sim which uses the UK “EE” network. I have 4G coverage in the UK and have previously used the phone in Europe and received 4G coverage with no problems.
However I went to Greece in May and I couldn’t get any data roaming whatsoever in spite of trying to change networks etc. etc. However I took the SIM out of my phone and put it in my wife’s MotoG5 phone and I was able to receive 4G (still in Greece at this point. So I concluded that the issue must be my phone and not my carrier Plusnet.
When I returned to the UK, my Nokia was okay and I was able to receive 4G as normal.
A month or so later I went to Spain and again I was unable to data roam whatever I tried.
So I emailed Nokia and told them my problem. I went to Spain two weeks ago and whilst there tried all the suggestions from Nokia like resetting data, Bluetooth and soft resets. None of them worked.
So whilst still in Spain I, yet again put my SIM into the MotoG5, and I was able to receive 4G. My conclusion as before was that it must be my Nokia.
However, by way of experiment, I did something that I had never tried before, I put my wife’s SIM into the Nokia, obviously expecting there to be no data roaming available. My wife has a UK Tesco mobile SIM which , whilst in the UK, uses the “O2” network. To my complete surprise her SIM was able to receive 4G in the Nokia. Both phones were on the same Spanish network at this time (Movistar). There doesn’t seem to be any logic to it. I have since returned to the UK and my Nokia is back to receiving 4G again with my Plusnet SIM.
My original post was a paste of my last email to Nokia, which I sent five days ago. I have yet to receive a reply, which is unusual because their response to all the other emails has been within a couple of days.
I know its all a bit complicated but I am stumped. I know if we swapped phones the problem would be solved in a fashion, but we are both attached to our phones and I know there must be an explanation out there somewhere.
Any help much appreciated and anyone reading this - thank you for your time.

dts197

Not to be that guy, but not many people will want to read such a mass of text without paragraphs.

barnie1528

That is correct but I, with same phone and SIM, have, prior to May, have had no problem data roaming abroad. At Xmas in Spain, I was even tethering my iPad off it