URGENT ! I cannot receive phone calls while abroad in Brazil - Pay Monthly customer

[Anonymous]

Hello,

       I have a serious and urgent problem on not being able to receive phone calls while abroad in Brazil.

       This is the first time this happens and I've been on an O2 contract for several years, the reason I pay for a pay monthly contract is exactly to be contacted by anyone wherever in the world I step into. I've paid significant data roaming charges in the past and I feel extremely upset to be let down by O2 this time around and re-thinking about the benefits of this contract.

       I have several important business phone calls to receive and everyone that calls me from Brazil or UK listens to a message in Brazilian Portuguese that says "My telephone number does not exist".

       However, I can send texts, receive texts and make phone calls which is extremely puzzling. I've spoken to several "O2 Gurus" and yes, I have updated the carrier settings uncontable times to all 4 different options of carrier and automatically, I've removed my sim several times, turn my phone off and on several times, I've tried to reset my network settings and try to update the carrier via iTunes (I have an iPhone 5S). I've even tried to dial #330*1919# and nothing seemed to work as this also apparently failed.

      On my first couple of days in Brazil around a week ago I could still receive phone calls but this seized completely. I will be staying in Brazil until 2015 and receiving phone calls from an UK number to my UK number is an absolutely MUST and doing so does not seem an unreasonable demand from a long term customer.

      I urge you to resolve this issue on an urgent basis as the requirement to receive phone calls is most urgent and I cannot afford not to.

     Regards,

     Sarah.

[Bambino]

This is a customer to customer forum. You need to speak to Customer Services. As you are a contract customer you can call them for free from your mobile on +44 3448090202.

[jonsie]

As @Bambino says, you need to call customer  service  on the free overseas number.

General advice would be try a different Brazilian  network if  you  have  not already done so.

The fact that you can make calls and sms is OK points to a local issue.

As a stopgap you can download  TuGo  which will allow you to make and receive calls over Wifi. 

[Anonymous]

hi @Anonymous , Can you please tell me what phone ur using and what networks? Brazil has a very complex telecommunications System, You have Dual, Quadband and iden networks. I'm assuming u don't have an iden phone, as usually does need to be rented,so nextel although the biggest network will not be available to you. As for the other ones, some have restrictions. So if you can tell us what ur using I can have a look?!

[Cleoriff]

As Bambino says....this is a customer to customer forum ....We point that out as you seem to be under the impression from your post that we are Customer Services.:smileywink:

I suspect from reading all you have written that you have tried everything you have been advised to do?

I would try and look for a different network to the one you are currently using...Usually works for me if I have problems when abroad...

As a last resort I would purchase a new cheap mobile where you are ....transfer your contacts and use that one pro-tem

Hope this gets sorted soon...

[Anonymous]

       @rosadosc, thanks for trying to help. As mentioned, the phone I'm using is an iPhone 5S. I'm fully aware Brazil is a vast country with a complex telecommunications system and I never had to rent a Nextel before. I was born and raised in Brazil but living in UK for the last decade and visiting Brazil as often as possible.

       In the last 10 years I've stayed in Sao Paulo city and state, Rio de Janeiro city and Minas Gerais state, mostly South east Brazil and heavily populated areas, I'm now on a city around 200 km from Sao Paulo city and with a full coverage from Vivo and signal. I've also tried Oi, Tim Brasil and Claro but they do not seem to work either, I've changed the carrier settings several times and restarted the network settings and so on. This did not work.

      I don't think I'm trying to reinvent the wheel here, just get some help from whoever reads this, the regular customer that tries to help or customer services. I think my current frustration with O2 customer services is clear in my first message, hence I'm writting on this Forum.

      Moreover, I'm not sure why people are wasting their valuable time on trying to "remind" me this is a forum and not a customer service platform instead of actually helping.

      I'll travel to Sao Paulo coast this Sunday so next week I'll have sometime to resume my customer service consultation and hopefully it will not be that painful as always. 

[Cleoriff]

I hope this gets resolved for you as soon as possible @Anonymous 

I apologise for the reminders about this being a customer to customer forum. There are so many new posters who actually dont realise this and its a common response from us all...

having said that...I really wish you  all the best in getting this sorted

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Well then all I can do, not to waste more time, is give you the list of the networks that currently have a roaming agreement with O2

Claro (no data or 3g available)

Tim( no 3g but data available)

Oi (no data,no 3g, cant send but can receive sms)

Vivo(no restrictions)

So general inf out of the way. Second step would be to try this, if u haven't  already

If the device has iOS8 installed and the setting “EU Internet” is active, then first switch this to off prior to performing the Network reset.

To do this on the handset you need to:

• Select settings
• Tap Mobile
• Tap slider next to “EU Internet” to OFF position
• If it does not allow you to turn it off then “Data Roaming” will have been turned off, so Turn “Data Roaming” back on, then it will allow you to turn “EU Internet” to OFF.

Then perform the network reset:

• Select settings
• Tap Mobile/Cellular
• Tap Mobile Data Network
• Tap Reset Settings
• Tap Reset
• This then restores all network settings back to factory default and usually restores any network issues.

If this fails then a guru will need to look at your HLR (Home Location Register) provisioning and if there's a problem with it and it hasnt been resolved by the reset then they will raise a case incident for it so that it gets investigated, just call the O2 International Helpdesk number +44 3448090202, it's a free call from ur handset.

Hope this helps

ps Aproveite o sol (enjoy the sun):smileywink:

[Cleoriff]

Well done @Anonymous  I hope the OP finds that useful. I will certainly bookmark this for future reference

[Anonymous]

Just trying to help