topic Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City in Tech Support

ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Chris0907 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:07:59 GMT

Hi there,

I am currently on a US trip to New York, and have issues very similar to those described by @Dee25 in this thread: https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Tech-Support/Data-Roaming-in-New-York-US/m-p/1570495#M24371

I am using a Google Pixel 3 with Android.

This is the behaviour I am encountering:

I turn on the phone (or restart it, I've been restarting my phone several times every few hours)
It briefly (for 5-60 seconds) connects to 4G or 4G+ on T-Mobile
It disconnects and goes either to EDGE or EDGE connectivity with a little "!" to indicate there's no connection

After spending about half an hour yesterday with the Customer Support at O2, I have:

Reset my internet and connectivity settings (losing all my WiFi passwords and Bluetooth connections in the process) - Had 4G internet for about 4 hours until it went back to the above behaviour
Tried turning off and on Airplane mode - no results
Tried turning off and on Roaming, as well as data connectivity - no results
Tried manually using the Verizon or AT&T networks - the connections get denied

I have specifically moved to O2 to get Roaming in the US and so far this is severely disappointing, it's useless to pay a lot of money monthly for something you can't use.

In the thread above, MI5 mentions that US Roaming is limited to 500kbps. While I have seen that to be true while the 4G is active and working, this is not my issue. My issue is that the connection is stuck on EDGE with no connectivity. No data is coming through - emails, messaging, maps all indicate there's no connection. I WISH it would be stuck at 500kbps instead of 0.

I have also found another very useful thread describing this EXACT issue for PlusNet users, only in Europe. They seem to have solved it SOMEHOW although no details are given, after 20 pages of talking to support.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Mobile/Unable-to-access-4G-services-whilst-roaming/td-p/1860515

Please help.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Cleoriff — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:20:21 GMT

@Chris0907

*Make sure mobile data and data roaming is turned on in your settings

* Manually search for another network

* If you have an iPhone change your data APN to "mobile.o2.co.uk"

* Try toggling Airplane mode on/off (it often helps kickstart things)

* Drop down to 3G and see if that helps.

* Contact O2 to see if there are any roaming bars on the account

If you message O2 on Facebook ( https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter ( https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram ( https://o2uk.co/O2CIG) , they should be able to help you with this.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Bambino — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:48:04 GMT

@Chris0907 Your connectivity issues are not likely to improve. Best bet is to use free WiFi hotspots, of which there are many in NYC, but I would suggest using a VPN with it to stay secure. Also use WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger over WiFi to call others who also have those apps.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Enlli — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 14:01:41 GMT

The Plusnet issue was resolved when they decided they had to open up 4G roaming when the likes of Germany closed down 3G and others were to follow this year.

O2 do have 4G roaming but are at the mercy of the roaming network as to what they will offer at any given time and place

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Chris0907 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 14:24:47 GMT

Hi Cleoriff,

If you read my original post, you will see I have done all of the above, with no resolution to my issues.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Cleoriff — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 20:51:50 GMT

@Chris0907

I wasn't sure whether you had checked your APN or contacted O2 about a Roaming bar? (as you didn't mention either of those)

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Wicko172 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 12:30:37 GMT

I’ve just returned from six days in New York and experienced exactly the same issues as Chris0907, being unable to hold 4/5G. I exchanged messages and spoke with an Agent trying the same suggestions to resolve the issue without success. I was left being told the issue was with my iPhone 13 and not my O2 account that had no restrictions

I’m planning to discuss this again with O2 now I’m back in the UK, as I also specifically selected a SIM with USA roaming.

I have also now noticed in another post that unless you have a business tariff that O2 limit you to 0.5mbps in the USA? If correct this isn’t something O2 mentioned.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Chris0907 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 14:24:28 GMT

Heya,

Yup, I checked with O2 about the roaming bar - that's not the issue, as I still get 4G connectivity in the 30-60 second spurts, and I have no issues with texting or calling back home.

Then, as I have an Android phone, I don't have APN access - the APN is iPhones only as far as I could see from the previous solutions and not finding anything that mentions APN in my phone Settings.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Chris0907 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 14:25:46 GMT

I agree, we are 3 people so far with the same issue on this forum. We should try to write to O2 in an email/letter and see about a resolution. As I mentioned, I specifically chose this tariff for the US roaming, and switched to O2 from Vodafone for this as well.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Chris0907 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 14:30:05 GMT

After day 3 of having issues, here was my solution (which is a workaround and to no credit to O2):

When in Manhattan/Brooklyn, use the LinkNYC Free WiFi - it's free and works well enough to use for Maps and messaging - so I can figure out where I'm going and keep my family in the loop that I'm safe. Most big stores (Target, Trader Joe, McDonalds) also have free WiFi if you can find them if you just need to check things
I paid $50 and got on Google Fi for one month, and now I have LTE connectivity, can hotspot my partnet for 5GB and have access to 50GB of data myself

As I mentioned, these are not O2 solutions, but if you're stuck in the same situation as myself and the other folks here, and can afford the extra $50, it's the best solution. Long term, O2 needs to sort its stuff out so their customers don't end up needing to spend a ton more money due to their broken promises.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Bambino — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 16:03:25 GMT

@Chris0907 I don't agree with the policy, but O2 have not broken any promises regarding roaming in the US. It's in the Terms& Conditions you agreed to: O2 | Mobile Terms and Conditions - O2 Travel Terms and Condition

O2 Travel is available to Consumer Pay Monthly customers and can be obtained as:

a. a paid subscription, with unlimited minutes and texts and data (with capped data speeds of 500 kbps) in all our O2 Travel destinations (“O2 Travel Subscription”); and / or
a free service in selected destinations only, as an offer on eligible tariffs (“O2 Travel Inclusive Zone”) There’s no fixed data allowance with O2 Travel, so to manage traffic (including audio and video streaming) we limit the service to 500kbps.

Long term they will do nothing.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Wicko172 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 17:17:04 GMT

To follow up my previous message I have just received this from an O2 chat that appears to confirm they have a know issue in the USA and are working to correct it. Shame no one told me this before I changed my SIM or mentioned it when I was in New York!!!

“ I understand your concern. Even we have highlighted this issue that the services in USA are very slow. Please be assured we are working on it and soon the issue will be resolved at the earliest. I'm sure this is what you were looking for and your concerns were addressed and put to rest. “

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

MI5 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 17:19:32 GMT

😂

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

jonsie — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 18:35:46 GMT

This has been an issue for years and you will find dozens of threads about this

As said, O2 make specific mention of the data cap in their terms and conditions and so O2 chat are talking absolute cr4p

Why would they want to change this 'known issue' allured to by a very minor staff member on chat? Do you think O2 will be swayed by chat staff 'highlighting' the problem? Who do they highlight it to?

O2 are charged by the US networks for all data used by O2 customers so it makes perfect business sense to limit data use by customers who are paying a set fee for roaming in the States

It stinks but I can't see this changing without O2 increasing charges

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Bambino — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 21:02:38 GMT

@Wicko172 I totally agree with @jonsie. Whoever in Live Chat told you that told you a bald-faced lie. They're not going to correct or change anything.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Poptasticuk — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 21:53:14 GMT

Just wanted to add to the thread that I'm experiencing the same issue in NY. I visit here regularly (including 3 times in the past year) and have not had this issue before. It's not about O2 throttling people for using too much data - we can't access data at all, or at the very best in spurts of a minute or so. Does anyone know why we would suddenly have this problem when previously (just a few months ago) we could get online here, even if it was slower than what we have at home?

Like the other posters I changed my tariff, paying extra to get the travel inclusive zone, so it's very frustrating that I'm now looking at having to buy a prepaid SIM to use over the next few weeks.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Bambino — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 23:09:17 GMT

@Poptasticuk As already said, read the Terms & Conditions you agreed to.

O2 | Mobile Terms and Conditions - O2 Travel Terms and Conditions

It has nothing to do with too much or too little data. The speeds are capped. As awful as that is, that's that.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

Poptasticuk — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 15:19:37 GMT

That may be what it says in the t&cs but that doesn't align with the actual experience. When it's working (in short bursts of a minute or so) the speed is normal - not as fast as at home, but usable. Any other time the speed is zero because there's no internet access at all. What I'm confused by is why it was working fine when I was last in the US only 3 months ago but suddenly is unusable.

Re: ALSO Having issues with Data Roaming in New York City

brockhill — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:21:21 GMT

As I mentioned in another thread, the easiest and cheapest solution is to get an e-sim from a third party provider. It will come out much cheaper than the $50 a month that Google Fi charges. Of course, and assumes that your phone can handle an E-sim.