Long Term Issue with Tesco and EE Blaming each other

Capyboppy

Some years ago I had a issue where when someone on the EE network  tried phoning or texting me, they couldn't get through, and vice versa. They would get 'message failed to send' or 'This number has not been recognised/can't be reached' or similar. At the time it was really important as my deafblind friend uses a Brailler and couldn't contact me. We went  to the Trafford Centre and ended up going backwards and forwards between the Tesco and EE shops like yo-yo's to no avail. Each network blamed the other. We tried all their suggestions such as putting the Tesco sim card in another phone (we did that with Androids and LG and it still didn't  work). If we of course put a EE sim card in, then our friends on EE could phone and message without any problems. We also tried putting our Tesco sim in friend's phones and again, when friend's tried phoning from their EE network the same happened.  After all the hassle we just gave up and decided to just tell people on EE they wouldn't be likely to get through and to ring us on a landline. 

Fast forward to recently when a Medic tried to phone and I was wondering why I had not heard anything; the same thing, she was phoning from her EE Network! She ended up having to phone again from a landline. So it seems mobile to mobile doesn't work, but landline to mobile does. 

I did a live chat with Tesco and again (although they had no record of the first replacement) they sent a new sim card out a few days ago. Very similar thing with a slight improvement; They now can receive my texts but can't reply (message failed to send). Nor can they phone still. The only one that was able to reply via their EE was showing as RCS as opposed to SMS or MMS. I have done live chat another 2 times with Tesco and they are adamant it is EE, but I know if I contact EE they will do like before and blame Tesco. I don't know who is to blame to be honest any more. If it was the same type of phone maybe that would be the issue, but its the same whatever phone we put the sim card in.

I could go to another network I guess, but I am on a good deal with Tesco with 30GB for £11 rolling monthly contract.

Any help where to go from here would be much appreciated as I'm at the end of my tether with it all.

flaneurs_lobster

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

PHK

You don't actually say it, but I guess you are now in Tesco but we're at one point on EE (or a sub brand)

If so, this is a routing issue caused when you ported your number. A form of split port.  

The easiest way to resolve this is to port your number back to the Network that owns the number. So if the number was eg originally on Vodafone then port it to Vodafone. This undoes all the routing and you can start again.

Failing that you'll need to explain to Tesco that you have a split port and ask their MNP team to sort it. 

Capyboppy

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

psul

Capyboppy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

I've switched networks many times but the only time I have ever experienced a split port was when I moved back to my original network  (o2)

Capyboppy

PHK said:

You don't actually say it, but I guess you are now in Tesco but we're at one point on EE (or a sub brand)

If so, this is a routing issue caused when you ported your number. A form of split port.  

The easiest way to resolve this is to port your number back to the Network that owns the number. So if the number was eg originally on Vodafone then port it to Vodafone. This undoes all the routing and you can start again.

Failing that you'll need to explain to Tesco that you have a split port and ask their MNP team to sort it. 

Not quite. We were originally on O2 going back a couple of decades, went to Tesco; had a brief encounter with Plusnet and went back to Tesco where we have been for many years including the EE issue. The numbers we have are probably decades old now. It was when my hubby bought us 2 iPhone 3's which gives you some idea of how long ago. We have always kept those numbers and used a PAC code.  Is it worth me trying again with Tesco and asking them to check if there is a split port? Even if the original Network was O2, I would have thought wouldn't be an issue as they are behind Tesco; unless that brief time with Plusnet had some bearing?  Many thanks for your help.

flaneurs_lobster

Capyboppy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

Not right. I took this offer yesterday, the link leads to O2's website, the new contract I've signed is with O2. As were the ones for the last two years.

Did you talk to USwitch (unlikely since you say they're email only) or O2?  I'm sure O2 sales would rather you took a new contract direct (at ~£25/month) rather than via a comparison site at a third of the price.

Capyboppy

psul said:

Capyboppy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

I've switched networks many times but the only time I have ever experienced a split port was when I moved back to my original network  (o2)

When you did this, was it with your current/original number like in our case?

Capyboppy

flaneurs_lobster said:

Capyboppy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

Not right. I took this offer yesterday, the link leads to O2's website, the new contract I've signed is with O2. As were the ones for the last two years.

Did you talk to USwitch (unlikely since you say they're email only) or O2?  I'm sure O2 sales would rather you took a new contract direct (at ~£25/month) rather than via a comparison site at a third of the price.

It was on the phone with O2 I must admit. But he wasn't pushy at all as I made it quite clear I didn't even use even half of my data allowance so I wasn't going to exchange £11 a month for £18.99. He said although it goes through to them, the actually contract is with Uswitch.   When I told my friend about what's happened, she said her dad had done a contract via Uswitch, and exactly that happened. He had all sorts of problems and couldn't get a reply from Uswitch as EE didn't want to know with him taking the offer up through USwitch. He ended up having to just go to another Network and forgo the EE one (thankfully it was very cheap and near the end of the contract). 

flaneurs_lobster

Capyboppy said:

He said although it goes through to them, the actually contract is with Uswitch.   

The document I received yesterday, title 'Your Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement' is 27 pages long.

It does not contain the word "USwitch". 

It does contain the following definitions:

"We", "us", "our" or "O2" means Telefónica UK Limited of 500 Brook Drive, Reading, Berkshire, RG2

6UU, United Kingdom. Registered in England and Wales under Company number 1743099.

Telefónica UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reference

Number 718822); and

"You" means you, the customer who this Agreement is made with and includes any person that we

reasonably believe is acting with your authority (including using your account).

My contract is with O2.

psul

Capyboppy said:

psul said:

Capyboppy said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Move to O2, no guarantees of course but the same coverage for £3/month less and a main network. Via USwitch.

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/sim-only-deal/736f609134eec0c82ac9dcc08c25218bb3c47a5c/?position=1&list=compare/sim-only-deals - promoted&list_loaded_id=34c74f28-60b6-4c63-bbad-b4ccdf3d0131&page=compare/sim-only-deals&retailer=o2

Hi. This looks very good but after a bit of research and a phone call I was told that when doing a deal through USwitch, the contract is with themselves, and not actually O2; if there are any issues I would have to contact USwitch which is email only and the  waiting time due to the high volume of emails can be 3-4 weeks. This makes me very reluctant to do any deal through USwitch.

I've switched networks many times but the only time I have ever experienced a split port was when I moved back to my original network  (o2)

When you did this, was it with your current/original number like in our case?

Original number that I got on o2 23 years ago. Ported it back to o2 2 years ago and got a split port. Took about a month to get it sorted out.