O2 2g 3g switch off SIM card device 4g confusion

Lostintheclouds

Hi. Not sure if this might be better in the phones thread but I'll try here first.

So I have just received this SMS from O2;

"O2: 3G is being switched off by all network providers. Our switch off will be by the end of 2025.

As your mobile only works for calls on our 2G and 3G network, you'll need to upgrade your device.

The Honor 200 Smart has 4G technology (yada yada....)For 3G switch off info visit o2uk.co/4iuyRls"


The thing is I checked my current device specs and it says it's 4g compatible.
I went into the settings and checked the preferred networks list for the O2 SIM card and they are all 2g and 3g and there is no obvious way to change any of that.

I also have a Spanish SIM card and I turned that on and checked the same preferred network settings and there is a 4g network listed there.

Does anyone know what's going on? Is it the actual O2 SIM card that only works on 2g and 3g?
Or is this O2 just trying it on? Or perhaps there is some hidden setting I have missed?

I don't fancy having to buy a new device.

Thanks.

haze23

Take this with a cellar of salt, as the last time I went into detail it wasn't deemed helpful or necessarily accurate (no good deed and all that )

Bottom line, get O2 to confirm whether they will support your device. AIUI a 4G-capable device is not guaranteed to work for calls, it does depend on network support. VoLTE is probably the buzzword you need. You may still need them to replace the SIM.

HTH

Newcad

The SIM card will be 2g/3g technology.

If the phone is indeed 4g compatible then phone O2 and ask them for a replacement 4g SIM with the same phone number.

If it's PAYG then it will usually cost pound or maybe two for the new SIM card.

I did get a new simless (bought outright, no contract) 4g phone last year because my old phone was 3g, so to keep my old number I simply phoned my supplier (EE) and asked for a 4g SIM with the same number. Took a day to come and cost me £1.

born_again

Night depend on just how old your version is.
But note the text after * in Network section. 

Maybe get a free sim from another provider & see what that offers.

https://www.honor.com/uk/phones/honor-200-smart/spec/

savergrant

On a previous thread someone on a discontinued o2 deal was told they needed to upgrade to a new tariff to get a 4g sim. But try contacting o2 to ask for a sim swap.

PHK

What make and model is your existing phone?

There are different 4G bands and it may be that the phone doesn't have the bands that O2 use. 

Also or alternatively, your phone may have 4G for data but not for calls. 

Lostintheclouds

PHK said:

What make and model is your existing phone?

There are different 4G bands and it may be that the phone doesn't have the bands that O2 use. 

Also or alternatively, your phone may have 4G for data but not for calls. 

It's a Blackview N6000

GSM spec: B2/B3/B5/B8
3G spec: B1/B2/B4/B5/B8
LTE spec: TDD: B38/B40/B41,
LTE:FDD:B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B13/B17/B18/B19/ B20/B28A/B28B/B25/B26//B66，
CDMA:BC0/BC1/BC10"

Lostintheclouds

born_again said:

Night depend on just how old your version is.
But note the text after * in Network section. 

Maybe get a free sim from another provider & see what that offers.

https://www.honor.com/uk/phones/honor-200-smart/spec/

Incidentally I was recently looking at the SIM deals on this website - particularly the Lebara 5gb deal (with EU roaming).

I stuck with O2 as they were the only ones that didn't start charging for EU roaming after Brexit came into play.

PHK

Lostintheclouds said:

PHK said:

What make and model is your existing phone?

There are different 4G bands and it may be that the phone doesn't have the bands that O2 use. 

Also or alternatively, your phone may have 4G for data but not for calls. 

It's a Blackview N6000

GSM spec: B2/B3/B5/B8
3G spec: B1/B2/B4/B5/B8
LTE spec: TDD: B38/B40/B41,
LTE:FDD:B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B13/B17/B18/B19/ B20/B28A/B28B/B25/B26//B66，
CDMA:BC0/BC1/BC10"

The good news is that phone does support VoLTE and the major bands that O2 use. 

But as mentioned above, it might not be compatible with VoLTE on O2 and won't have been tested by O2.