UK Virgin Sim

[BST]

We have had Virgin Sims for several years. Never any problem getting a signal, usually on the back of Cosmote. In the last few weeks both if us have had problems getting a signal.... emergency calls only! Sometimes for a couple of days! No signal from any providers!!
Anyone else with Virgin problems?

[Kilkis]

I have a UK Virgin SIM and I am not having any problem getting a decent signal about 20 km south west of Chania. I did notice that when my credit card company was using it to validate my log on the SMS pass code was very slow coming through so that the log on timed out.

Warwick

[P&B]

Interesting. My partner and I both have Virgin SIMs, I have been experiencing signal problems for several weeks but my partner doesn't seem to have any problems at all. Sometimes I have No signal at all, other times I have Data Connection Only, and very occasionally I have a signal to permit calls and text messages. I have a dual SIM phone so I tried swapping the SIMs over but this made no difference. I also tried cleaning the data contact on the SIM with a spectacles cloth but this also made no difference.

I was starting to think it was a problem with my phone but yesterday I put my SIM into my partners phone and vise versa. My SIM didn't work in her phone but hers did work in mine implying the problem is with the SIM.

After this I contacted Virgin using Live Chat and requested a new SIM. I shall have to wait a couple of weeks for this to come via Nomad to find out if it makes a difference.

[evansmr1]

BST wrote
Anyone else with Virgin problems?

I also have a Virgin problem, would be nice to meet with a 25ish year old one.

[Mathitis]

I had a replacement Sim sent from UK (via my UK address) in January (phone had been stolen) but on arrival it would not work.
When I phoned (EE) to sort this out I was only then told that the Sim MUST be activated in the UK.
Nobody had mentioned this when I reported the theft, etc.
The air was blue!!

Maybe Virgin have a different approach (?) but in case not, I thought I should post a 'warning'!

[P&B]

Thanks for the heads-up on that Mathitis.

I just had a look on the Virgin Mobile website and the activation process is described as follows:

Here’s how to activate you SIM to get you up and running in no time.

1. Pop in the SIM that fits your device.
2. Turn your device on.
3. Wait for the signal connecting you to the Virgin Mobile network to show on your screen – this could take up to 24 hours but it’s usually a lot quicker.

That’s it! You’re set up and good-to-go.

It does indeed sound like the SIM would need to be activated in the UK where it can connect to the Virgin Mobile network so I will arrange for this to happen before it is sent to me.

[Andy]

I had a text messages from VM earlier in the year saying I needed to update my SIM as part of a network upgrade. It may relate to this https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/mobile/sim-help or this https://mobile.virginmedia.com/ecare/loadingPage?execution=e1s1. I wonder if relates to any of the problems you are seeing?

I had the replacement SIM sent to a UK address, since at the time I intended to the visit the UK. When lockdown arrived I had the SIM forwarded to Crete, I had no problem activating it from here.

Andy

[BST]

Thanks for replies. Spent nearly 3 hours on live chat to Virgin. Nothing basically wrong with Sim or being in Greece! Tried several things and nothing worked. So left with no connection for verification sms etc....
Has anyone had Sims for other networks sent out directly to Crete?

[P&B]

I spent an hour or so on the Live Chat to VM a couple of weeks ago and they concluded that my SIM was fine from their standpoint. Because my problems persisted and I did a few checks myself (that I described in my earlier post) which pointed towards an issue with my SIM I went back to them yesterday and ordered a new one. It did take an hour over Live Chat for something which really should take 5 minutes at most but I would suggest you order replacements regardless of what VM say. Nothing to lose.

Good Luck! I'll update when I am in receipt of mine.

[Kilkis]

Is there a possibility that those who are experiencing problems have SIM locked phones? If you are using a phone that was bought from Virgin some time ago it is possible that the phone is locked to the network Virgin were using then. The purpose of the new SIM is to allow Virgin to be more independent. That can mean that anybody with a SIM free phone can change to the new SIM with no problem but anybody with an old SIM locked phone can't. Lots of discussion of this on the internet, e.g. on Virgin Media forum. See this thread for example. There is a company that will unlock any device but they do charge a fee so you need to be sure this is the problem before you proceed.

Warwick

[P&B]

My phone isn't SIM locked so not the cause of my problem.

Despite VM telling me at midday GMT yesterday that a new SIM would take 3-5 working days to be delivered (the reason being that VM use Royal Mail to deliver SIMs), it actually got delivered in the UK at approx 16:00hrs this afternoon just over 24 hours later.

[BST]

No phone not locked. Might end up ordering a new SIM!

[Kilkis]

Make sure somebody posts it out to you quickly. I think there is a fairly short time limit between them sending it and you connecting to a network with it before it is disabled.

Warwick

[peebee]

Has anyone had Sims for other networks sent out directly to Crete?

I obtained a new O2 SIM because I needed nano one, as the old one I had could not be cut down.
It was bought in UK supermarket for 99p, delivered to me and I fitted it in phone here, went to O2 website and transferred my existing number to the new SIM very easily.
It actived after a few hours, but was not (and still cannot) able to make or receive phone calls here. Texts are no problem either way, just the calls.
After a number of calls to them, I finally got someone who knew what the problem is.
You have to connect the new SIM to the UK network just once, otherwise you cannot make calls from abroad.
He suggested I sent it back and have someone fit it in their phone to get it recognised on the network, then send it back to me.
As I only want it to receive security verification texts, I wont bother, the up side to all this is that I don't get cold calls anymore.
I suspect the problem with yours is the same.

[BST]

Thanks peebee. No it's been working fine for 2 years. It's only recently started to lose the signal but now it looks permanent. My husband's SIM also working for around a year. Strange they've both completely packed up at the same time?? Going to try and phone Virgin via Skype later as a last attempt to get it to work.