Any suggestion before I flush this phone down the toilet?

[ThePig]

For many days I haven't been able to receive calls on my PAYG mobile, which has about £18 credit. The caller  waits about 20 seconds, then is informed that I can't take the call and goes straight to answerphone. Later, I receive a missed call SMS.

95% of outgoing calls simply don't connect. They just sit for 20 seconds then disconnect. Not even voicemail  works and this is even when there's a 2+ bar signal (which is very rare despite living almost on top of the mast).

Internet data either doesn't work or is so slow it gives up. Each is as likely as the other, given the 1990s level of technology and signal capacity O2 provides.

I can receive SMSs (good job as you have to do this registering for this forum, so good luck to people wanting to join asking why they can't receive SMSs). That's literally the only thing I can do on my phone.

So my questions, if anyone would be so kind, are:

1) Other than all the 'obvious' things to try - rebooting, leaving and rejoining the network, removing and cleaning the SIM - is there anything anyone can suggest to remedy this clown show?

2) Is there any point in me getting a new SIM? And is that even possible, given that I'd want to retain my existing number.

And I did contact support. After 55 minutes waiting, three department transfers (I was talking to the right one initially), a further 32 minutes on hold whilst my account was 'checked', five minutes of being told that my problems would go away if only I opted for a monthly contract, I was advised, "Er, have you turned it off and then on again. I'm not sure what else there is."

[madasaf1sh]

@ThePig 

Some things to try, get a new sim card from an o2 store, take photo ID, and the shop can do the sim swap for you. 

Check all call forwarding options. 

Other than that as you are on PAYG, get some sim cards from other networks to check signal and data speed and just port out, to another network.. No point hanging around on PAYG... Guide: How to get your PAC [June 2021 Update] 

[ThePig]

Thanks. Good idea about getting another SIM to test the signal. I think I'll do that, especially since the nearest O2 is a 40 mile round trip and there's no guarantee it would work.

[Bambino]

@ThePig Keep in mind that if you decide to change providers the credit you currently have won't go with you.

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/how-to-use-up-payg-credit

[MI5]

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@Bambino wrote:

@ThePig Keep in mind that if you decide to change providers the credit you currently have won't go with you.

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/how-to-use-up-payg-credit

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@ThePig 

No longer the case.

O2 will refund unused credit when you leave.

[ThePig]

I'll bear that in mind, thanks, although I was OK with sacrificing the credit just to get a decent service.

[Unanswered]

I have the same issue, can't receive calls, can't get to speak to help. I'm on £18 month SIM only. They acknowledge there is an issue but won't say what it is. Over 12 months now, O2 are useless, I'm going to leave, simple. If you leave they may contact you.

[madasaf1sh]

@Unanswered 

o2 aren't like Virgin, and never heard of anyone been contacted to beg to stay... this forum makes up a very miniscule number of o2 customers... as if the o2 store I was in today is anything to go buy 99.9% of customers are happy...

[Oxonian]

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@ThePig wrote:

Thanks. Good idea about getting another SIM to test the signal. I think I'll do that, especially since the nearest O2 is a 40 mile round trip and there's no guarantee it would work.

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@ThePig 

Trying your current SIM in a different handset and trying different SIMs - from O2 and other networks - in your handset are a good way of isolating the problem to handset, SIM or network. And what make, model and age of 'phone are you using ?  

[ThePig]

I'm going to try a different SIM today to see how that works out. I did a Network Reset yesterday and it slightly improved things (before I couldn't even view my settings, it just said 'Network or SIM error'), but still can't accept calls. Phone's a 4 -5 year old Sony XZ1.