Tesco Mobile - 3G shutoff and 4G (LTE) phones are still compatible

AEIOU3

I have a question regarding the 3G shutdown and Tesco Mobile. I have a Samsung Galaxy A10 Phone (purchased through TM).  I went to the Tesco Mobile website page support.tescomobile.com/customer/voltecalling just to double check whether my phone will still be compatible with the TM network when the 3G signal is shutdown.  On my A10, my network connections are set as 2G/3G/LTE (auto connect) so I was expecting to see that it would still be compatible since LTE is a 4G signal.  However, the TM webpage says the phone is not even 4G compatible.

Therefore. I contacted a TM agent on the TM customer helpline.  She indicated it is compatible.  That makes one vote yes and one vote no. Then, I contacted an agent on the TM webchat.  He said the A10 definitely will not be compatible when 3G is shut off.  I commented several times about the phone being LTE(4G) but he just kept ignoring that. That makes one vote yes and two votes no. I called another agent on the TM helpline and she said it was definitely compatible.  I mentioned Sam and the above website information which suggests it isn’t compatible.  She indicated she could not comment on that and did not volunteer to seek clarity.  She just said the information she was looking at said the A10 would be compatible.  That makes two votes yes and two votes no.

I called Samsung to confirm that the A10 is 4G compliant which it is.

Can anyone definitely confirm whether LTE(4G) phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A10 will still be compliant when the 3G signal is shut down?  Tesco mobile doesn’t seem to have a clue.

Thanks.

Brie

Piggybacking on to this....the OH took his phone into the Tesco Mobile shop to look for something 4/5G compatible and was told that they couldn't help him shift any of his photos, phone numbers etc to the new phone as it was against data protection laws.  Seems ridiculous to me given that it's his phone and his "data".

Peter999_2

Brie said:

Piggybacking on to this....the OH took his phone into the Tesco Mobile shop to look for something 4/5G compatible and was told that they couldn't help him shift any of his photos, phone numbers etc to the new phone as it was against data protection laws.  Seems ridiculous to me given that it's his phone and his "data".

They just didn't want to or couldn't be arsed and used that as an excuse.    It's very easy to say data protection when you don't want to do something.

Peter999_2

AEIOU3 said:

I have a question regarding the 3G shutdown and Tesco Mobile. I have a Samsung Galaxy A10 Phone (purchased through TM).  I went to the Tesco Mobile website page support.tescomobile.com/customer/voltecalling just to double check whether my phone will still be compatible with the TM network when the 3G signal is shutdown.  On my A10, my network connections are set as 2G/3G/LTE (auto connect) so I was expecting to see that it would still be compatible since LTE is a 4G signal.  However, the TM webpage says the phone is not even 4G compatible.

Therefore. I contacted a TM agent on the TM customer helpline.  She indicated it is compatible.  That makes one vote yes and one vote no. Then, I contacted an agent on the TM webchat.  He said the A10 definitely will not be compatible when 3G is shut off.  I commented several times about the phone being LTE(4G) but he just kept ignoring that. That makes one vote yes and two votes no. I called another agent on the TM helpline and she said it was definitely compatible.  I mentioned Sam and the above website information which suggests it isn’t compatible.  She indicated she could not comment on that and did not volunteer to seek clarity.  She just said the information she was looking at said the A10 would be compatible.  That makes two votes yes and two votes no.

I called Samsung to confirm that the A10 is 4G compliant which it is.

Can anyone definitely confirm whether LTE(4G) phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A10 will still be compliant when the 3G signal is shut down?  Tesco mobile doesn’t seem to have a clue.

Thanks.

My friend lives in Bury and is with Smarty.    The 3G was turned off in the area and his wife's Samsung A10 worked fine.   Apparantly, as well as being 4G it has to support VoLTE or it won't work.   His Sony £500 phone wouldn't work as though it was 4G the firmware wasn't 4G VoLTE enabled so was snookered (it was about 5 years old).

Neil49

Going back to the original question here is the phone specification from the O2 website (onto which Tesco piggyback) 

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-sims-and-devices/samsung/galaxy-a10-android-9-0/specifications

PHK

Neil49 said:

Going back to the original question here is the phone specification from the O2 website (onto which Tesco piggyback) 

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-sims-and-devices/samsung/galaxy-a10-android-9-0/specifications

This explains what Tesco were saying, it's a 4G but (unsurprisingly given its age) it doesn't support VoLTE. So the OP will be able to use 4G data but calls will drop to 2G at least until they migrate customers away from 2G. 

Bushy3

Resurrecting this thread as we have got fed up with emails and letters from Tesco Mobile saying one of our phones is not 4G Calling compatible, despite the manual saying that it has VoLTE capability. We contacted Tesco CS when the first email came and told them the manual states that it is VoLTE compatible. They sent a new SIM but we don't know whether this was necessary and continue to send emails saying it isn't compatible.

We have now hat texts saying 3G has been switched off and haven't had any problems but still get emails saying we need to change the phone.

How many customers have they convinced to buy new phones despite their phones being 4G calling capable?

ballyblack

If you bought a phone from Tesco and have changed it and bought elsewhere. Tesco presumes you are using their original 3g phone from years ago. IGNORE!

(naughty scare tactics to get you to take out another contract)

chrisw

Yes, my wife was bombarded with these messages. I'm fairly tech savvy and checked and double checked her phone was 4G compatible but it still had me doubting myself.

WhatIsHappening123

Myself and OH are having same issues with Tesco - left hand doesn't seem to know what the right hand is saying.  OH also has Samsung Galaxy A10.  Keeps getting messages that he needs to ensure 4G switched as per AEIOU3 above.  He went into Tesco phone shop today who said his phone does not have what it needs to be compliant.  I have a Huawei P30 pro.  I got a text and a letter from Tesco in Dec stating my phone is not compatible so they offered me a new comparative phone free of charge.  I went into the shop, the assistant double checked my settings and agreed it won't work - offered me a choice of phone, filled in a form and said I would hear in about 28 days.  I then received a call 3 weeks later from someone advising they received my request but my phone is compatible and 'those letters were sent to everyone'.  I told them that the other 3 people in my house on Tesco mobile had not received the letters but she was not interested, just said my phone is fine.

When my husband went to the shop today about his Samsung Galaxy, he asked about the free phones that were being offered and was told that is not happening for anyone (basically accused him of lying) and said he would have to buy a new phone.  When he queried why he should have to pay to continue to get a service that they are no longer providing he was told 'take it up with the government'.

To be honest, we've been a loyal Tesco customers for years but am seriously thinking of dumping them right now.