Score76

Until a few days ago my UK Smarty/Three Sim roamed in Portugal and would connect to any of the Portuguese networks. This would give me a strong signal with either Meo or Nos, which arguably was better service than I would get back in the UK with a choice of so many masts to use.

Since a few days ago however, Meo and Nos show as "forbidden", with only Vodafone P allowing my sim to roam and connect. Only problem is there's quite a poor Voda signal at home, particularly downstairs where there's almost none at all. I raised a ticket with Smarty and they concluded they'd not changed anything and it could be an issue local to me.

My other half's Smarty phone is doing the same, friend a few km away on 3 also the same.

Anyone else experiencing the same issue with a 3 UK sim (or one of the virtual providers that use 3's infrastructure)?

wellinever

Same problem for me. I use a superdrug sim on contract, superdrug uses the 3 network.
but like you all networks are Forbidden from yesterday, except vodafone.pt....which fr me is non existent no signal at all where I am. Only Meo worked before and that was pretty terrible at best
Cannot chat with superdrug to find out if its their end or may go to MEO shop to find ot if Portuguese mobile operators have pulled the plug

fergus

Does making the changes suggested on the link below make any difference?

https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/article...to-work-abroad

Score76

Yep tried that, was set right previously and has worked well since August when I moved over from Giffgaff. Looks like its not just a local problem then.

Pilotabroad

Could it be that smarty/3 have changed their Portuguese roaming partner?
Over 2 years ago when I moved to Portugal I was a 3 customer and it was the complete opposite to what you have now, meo and nos available to connect but Vodafone was forbidden.

fergus

Three and smarty now support calls via WiFi. Smarty did not support this until very recently. That should mean (check settings on your phone) that when you have a wifi signal, like in your own home, then the phone should use that for calls, if the mobile signal is poor. Of course, that doesn't help when you are out and about but vodafone coverage should be pretty good in towns, etc. Also, if you have a meo contract I think you get access to their hotspots for free, which would be another reason to check the settings for using WiFi enable calling.

Hope that helps

barlaventoexpert

Have you enquired to find out if these providers have stopped or changed their roaming arrangements as a result of #Brexit?

Smarty appears to be a "virtual" provider and I could imagine #EU providers not wanting to deal with such #UK operators post-Brexit.

wellinever

Of course that's possible, in fact likely. It would still allow 3 in the case of Portugal, to claim that they have not stopped allowing EU roaming as pre Brexit. If that's so then for sure some will be ok, with good signal. But for me waste of time.

Score76

I did, and was assured by Smarty that they haven't changed anything and continue to have roaming agreements in place with both Meo and Nos. Smarty are an mvno but are entirely owned and run by Three themselves. Just a different brand, target demographic to the parent network itself.

I've escalated the ticket to a complaint to try and get an answer from further up the food chain but wouldn't expect an answer that quick given the time of year.

wellinever

Went on to chat yesterday with superdrug (3) presume in Uk but who knows....was told was connected to Rosemary, suspect it was a machine, cause no one answered my question.
same this morning, this time chatting to Jaika, well clearly wasnt, started out `How can I help you?` So after writing the complicated tale.........nothing, no reply no nothing, left it on for 10 minutes before cancelling, another machine, where the question was too difficult for a bog standard reply.

wellinever

Coming to conclusion this is a 3 UK issue.
I also have a Tesco sim card still valid that normally I only use to accept calls from UK.
I switched it to receive data as well, correct APN is shown.low and behold same phone will connect to all Portuguese 4G networks. In UK Tesco mobile is run by O2.
Which suggests that its 3 that is the problem.

fergus

Thanks for the update. That would suggest it is a problem for 3. Hopefully it is just a glitch and that once technical staff are back in they be able to get everything back to normal service.

chislenko

Just as an aside, I locked myself out of Millennium bank yesterday so tried to call the helpline on an O2 UK mobile and that wouldn't connect to a 00351 number. So maybe something is going on, perhaps, depending on the mobile network we may have to adjust some preferences / settings.

Luckily buried deep in the Millennium website I found a London based helpline number.

wellinever

no you cant phone a portuguese number while roaming only uk numbers you prefix with 0044.

chislenko

Are you sure on that wellinever, can recall ringing taxis, restaurants from it in the past which were 00351 numbers.