Another spusu trouble spot: SMS codes

TMSG

I've switched a couple accounts from RWG to spusu. This worked mostly well though spusu was unable to deliver the SIMs within a reasonable time frame: one took almost a week, the other never arrived and I had to call them and ask for a replacement. To their credit they sent another SIM 1st class which arrived two days later.
Porting the RWG numbers was a rather long-winded process but ultimately went well, as far as I can see. As we're often in Europe the roaming bit is of special interest... not all providers offer the same thing under the "roaming umbrella". RWG was very good in this regard, Lebara slightly less so. spusu seems similar to RWG, although calls BACK to the UK from the EU seem to be chargeable at 20p/min (I say "seem" because their price list doesn't include this but when I called, I was told it's 20p).
One problem with spusu is that they support Wifi and VoLTE calling only for selected devices and even some devices which are on their list won't work. I'm happy to confirm that the Pixel 7a and the Oppo Find we have both work... but it's something to keep in mind.
So far so good? Yes... but then I tried to login to my Nectar account: they try to send a text but this just produces an error message and when I tried the one bank account I still have which relies on OTP texts... same thing (all this worked for years on the RWG SIMs). Texts from our mobiles or friends go through, though.
Long story short, spusu first insisted that this has nothing to do with them. When I told them that receiving SMS OTP codes seems to be a known problem for them (after I'd googled) they squirmed and huffed and puffed and finally admitted, yes, so there were some problems but these are "mostly" resolved now (not sure what "mostly" means here). Anyway, the only remedies they would offer were either to change phone numbers with those institutions to a provider that works or to port out to another provider altogether. They really don't seem to be bothered in the slightest that this doesn't work.
Not sure what we'll do now... but if you rely on OTP codes then spusu is perhaps not the best provider. OTOH, I've long been unhappy with those two (ie Nectar and the bank) sending SMS codes and I might just use this to get rid of them.

IOWJJBTM2025

I joined spusu. two weeks ago.
Got SIM card on the day before the changover - was getting nervous.
Everything is working ok - I have an iphone.
I had a strange message yesterday.
'Your imessage for this number will expire in 4 days. please reinsert SIM card.'

Is this an issue with spusu?

flaneurs_lobster

TMSG said:

I've switched a couple accounts from RWG to spusu. This worked mostly well though spusu was unable to deliver the SIMs within a reasonable time frame: one took almost a week, the other never arrived and I had to call them and ask for a replacement. To their credit they sent another SIM 1st class which arrived two days later.
Porting the RWG numbers was a rather long-winded process but ultimately went well, as far as I can see. As we're often in Europe the roaming bit is of special interest... not all providers offer the same thing under the "roaming umbrella". RWG was very good in this regard, Lebara slightly less so. spusu seems similar to RWG, although calls BACK to the UK from the EU seem to be chargeable at 20p/min (I say "seem" because their price list doesn't include this but when I called, I was told it's 20p).
One problem with spusu is that they support Wifi and VoLTE calling only for selected devices and even some devices which are on their list won't work. I'm happy to confirm that the Pixel 7a and the Oppo Find we have both work... but it's something to keep in mind.
So far so good? Yes... but then I tried to login to my Nectar account: they try to send a text but this just produces an error message and when I tried the one bank account I still have which relies on OTP texts... same thing (all this worked for years on the RWG SIMs). Texts from our mobiles or friends go through, though.
Long story short, spusu first insisted that this has nothing to do with them. When I told them that receiving SMS OTP codes seems to be a known problem for them (after I'd googled) they squirmed and huffed and puffed and finally admitted, yes, so there were some problems but these are "mostly" resolved now (not sure what "mostly" means here). Anyway, the only remedies they would offer were either to change phone numbers with those institutions to a provider that works or to port out to another provider altogether. They really don't seem to be bothered in the slightest that this doesn't work.
Not sure what we'll do now... but if you rely on OTP codes then spusu is perhaps not the best provider. OTOH, I've long been unhappy with those two (ie Nectar and the bank) sending SMS codes and I might just use this to get rid of them.

Is this the known problem of spusu not supporting SMS short codes?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6641979/spusu-do-not-support-short-code-dialling-for-your-info-if-considering-a-switch

I know that Nectar send their codes from a short number (received one a couple of days ago).

TMSG

flaneurs_lobster said:

Is this the known problem of spusu not supporting SMS short codes?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6641979/spusu-do-not-support-short-code-dialling-for-your-info-if-considering-a-switch

I know that Nectar send their codes from a short number (received one a couple of days ago).

IDK
I've seen this (and a few other posts) as well but my understanding is that this deals with sending, not receiving? But perhaps sending an SMS from a short number makes the spusu IT cough and sneeze... Nobody seems to know and after what I've been told by spusu CS they certainly don't care enough to investigate/resolve and instead assume it's my (or more generally the customer's) problem.

Maegi

With a ported-in number incoming calls/texts generally arrive via the donor network (RWG would probably be EE) so I'm struggling to see how this would actually be Spasu's fault - you would either receive them all or none?

TMSG

Maegi said:

With a ported-in number incoming calls/texts generally arrive via the donor network (RWG would probably be EE) so I'm struggling to see how this would actually be Spasu's fault - you would either receive them all or none?

Thanks for that. The number has been ported twice. It started life as a Three number many years ago, then a little more than 2 years ago was ported to RWG (and texts worked well there) and was just ported to Spusu where texts from "normal" numbers (eg other phones we have or from friends) do arrive. It's just that these two senders don't come through. I suspect there may well be others but I've no way of testing as I have no other such provider... I very much try to avoid institutions who still send texts.
What happens is that after login for these two I get a browser screen that they are sending a text to my number and immediately there's an error message on screen that the text couldn't be sent. As I said, other texts get through w/o problems. Sending works as well and the receiver does see the ported number.