Unable to activate mobile data abroad

[Anonymous]

I've just returned from Estonia and I was unable to use mobile data. I always got a message 'Could not activate a mobile data network. You are not subscribed to a mobile data service'

The same happened in Istanbul in February though I'd added the travel bolt-on.

I'm sim-only Pay monthly and I had plenty of data allowance. I had mobile data roaming switched on.

grateful for any advice. 

[Anonymous]

Did you have any joy with this problem? I have the same on my phone and my wifes in greece, spain and now portugal. O2 have useless. The phones used to be ok until we had free use of them!

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Check your data apn and try changing it to mobile.o2.co.uk

[Anonymous]

Thanks i will try later

[Anonymous]

All sorted, something simple that 2 levels of technical service, endless live chats and 2 visits to the shop failed to identify!

Thank you so much your a legend!

[MI5]

Glad you got that sorted but it does mean you are on the wrong data tariff, so when you get home, call customer service and get it changed to data for iPhones.
You will then need to change your apn back to idata.o2.co.uk

[Cleoriff]

We see so many similar posts. I know I am a technophobe but why does this happen with so many iPhones when abroad? I can't understand it... so would be grateful if someone could explain?

[jonsie]

Merely insufficient knowledge on the part of customer service and a system which can't differentiate iPhones from android devices. 

[MI5]

Historically if you had an iPhone on standard data, it wouldn’t work in uk either.
O2 made a change so that data would work in uk with the wrong bolt on so the first customers find out they have an issue now, is when they go abroad.

[Cleoriff]

Ok...so why can't it be developed to work wherever you go?

All seems a bit nonsensical to me. Get an iphone, take it abroad and risk it not working?

Is this just with O2.... or other networks?

[MI5]

I can only speak for EE but they don’t have this nonsense.
I can put my EE sim in either of my phones and everything works without changing bolt ons or apn’s.