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[Q] UK Nexus S - Using in Spain with Spanish SIM

Hi guys,
I have 2 x Nexus S SIM free mobiles which I bought from Car Phone Warehouse in the UK, which we are using now in Spain.
Both handsets have SIM's for the Simyo network (Which is basically Orange's network).
Even though both handsets are unlocked to all networks, I constantly have the roaming icon showing, and I have to enable roaming and data roaming to have coverage.
Now I know beyond any doubt the handsets are NOT roaming.
Has anyone encountered this bug in the Nexus S please, it is really annoying.
Regards

not a bug, simyo has its own network code, which is different from orange's. Therefore, when you use orange's network, it's roaming. Simyo and orange have a roaming agreement, just like yoigo and movistar.
For now, you'll have to enable data roaming for data to work. (there was a discussion somewhere about not labeling it roaming when the country code is the same, which is the case for most of MVNOs)

spamlucal said:
not a bug, simyo has its own network code, which is different from orange's. Therefore, when you use orange's network, it's roaming. Simyo and orange have a roaming agreement, just like yoigo and movistar.
For now, you'll have to enable data roaming for data to work. (there was a discussion somewhere about not labeling it roaming when the country code is the same, which is the case for most of MVNOs)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that info. My misses is saying she tried a mates Orange SIM and that it did not show roaming.
However, we also both had Nexus One's, which we purchased here in Spain. Did not get the roaming icon when using the Simyo cards on those...
It is bloody annoying, as we also loose connectivity sometimes and keep having to re-enter the passwords to our google accounts :-\
Regards

kuntstubble said:
It is bloody annoying, as we also loose connectivity sometimes and keep having to re-enter the passwords to our google accounts :-\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, you can fix that!
simyo uses dual sim cards (sims with 2 numbers), to make their roaming agreements easier to manage internationally. When you go abroad, it switches from the spanish number to a netherlands one, i believe (though you don't notice it), just like if you changed the sim card.
The thing is, the switch is made when the sim card detects no service for a while. Problem is, that can happen when you lose signal for a while (underground parking, metro, etc...) And what happens when you change your sim card on an android device? yes, you lose google login.
Solution is to lock the sim card to use the spanish number always. You need a phone with STK app (sim menus), and you need to go to Servicio Simyo -> servicio roaming -> seleccion de red -> Seleccion manual -> Nacional. All nokias can access this menu, for example, but stock nexus doesn't have a stk app.
After changing that, hopefully you won't see the login error again. And about the nexus one: it must use a slightly different method to determine roaming, something I don't really know too well.

Woo, OK thank you for the info. Never knew about the dual number thing. Interesting...
This STK stuff, you know of any app for Android mate?
Regards

Hi, just to confirm, I did manage to fix the SIM issue, I borrowed a mates Nokia 1200 and as you said, I entered the STK menu and switch it to Nacional.
MANY THANKS!!

MVNO Issue (Virgin/TMob UK using Orange)

Hi Guys,
Basically my provider is Virgin Uk who is an MVNO. They use TMobiles network. TMobile has an agreement with Orange so that we can use their network when the TMob/Virgin signal is not good. Once I am on the Orange network, the network name changes to 'Virgin' from the normal 'virgin'.
Note, in the notification pull down tray where you can see the current network, when I am on my home network ('virgin'), it shows as 'no service'.
Whilst I am on the 'virgin' network (actually the TMob network), I can use data without any changes to the roaming settings. If I swap over onto the 'Virgin' network (actually the Orange network), Android tells me that I am roaming and thus I have lost data. At this stage I have to change the roaming settings to enable data.
In my CM9 rom, I have an option to enable 'National Data Roaming'. Should this option allow me to use data on the 'Virgin' network (actually the Orange network)?
This doesn't appear to be the case and I have to switch on the main 'Data Roaming' option which would then mean when travelling abroad where I am actually roaming, I would get charged for any data usage.
Does anyone have ideas on how to sort this out so I don't have to keep changing my Roaming options?
Thanks

Nexus S roaming problem with ICS

Hi,
I have a Nexus S I9023 with baseband I9023XXKI1
Provider is Telenet in Belgium, which is a full MVNO with its own MNC
When running any Gingerbread version, the phone works fine when going out of the country, and returning.
But with any ICS rom (stock or CyanogenMod) the phone will not be able to connect to any international providers, when my providers SIM is installed. But when I stick my providers SIM into another phone the SIM will switch over, after which I can put it back into my Nexus S and I can roam to any other international provider without problems, but the phone will not switch back to my own provider when I get back into the country. At this point I again have to put the Telenet SIM into another phone to force it out of roaming mode after which I can put it back into my Nexus S and it works again on my own provider.
I also tried with another Telenet SIM and had the exact same problem, so it is not a problem with the specific SIM itself. But when I stick in a non-Telenet SIM it does switch to roaming and non-roaming without problems. So it clearly is a combination of the ICS ROM with the Telenet SIM.
The only other thing I found is that the MNC code in apns-conf.xml is wrong for Telenet. It is listed as MNC=10 which used to be correct until sometime last year when everyone was issued a new SIM with MNC=05. But with a custom APN setup mobile data works fine.
If anyone has any idea how I could solve this issue, I would love to hear about it!

Cant Activate/Deactivate International Call Roaming on Nexus S.
Hi,
Same issue here, mine is Nexus S, running ICS 4.0.4, baseband version I9020XXKI1. I am not able to make calls in roaming. I spoke to my provider (O2 Germany) and they say that, I have to deactivate the lock (Lock to activate roaming). I haven't found any way to unlock this service. I have not tried what the OP has mentioned in his post (i.e., to put the sim into another phone and then try back in Nexus S). But I would like to know, how can I Activate or Deactivate the roaming lock ??
Thanks,
Cheers!!

esunny said:
Hi,
Same issue here, mine is Nexus S, running ICS 4.0.4, baseband version I9020XXKI1. I am not able to make calls in roaming. I spoke to my provider (O2 Germany) and they say that, I have to deactivate the lock (Lock to activate roaming). I haven't found any way to unlock this service. I have not tried what the OP has mentioned in his post (i.e., to put the sim into another phone and then try back in Nexus S). But I would like to know, how can I Activate or Deactivate the roaming lock ??
Thanks,
Cheers!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only roaming feature you can enable is for Data. This has no effect on roaming for normal phone usage.
You can change this setting under "System Settings" -> "More..." (under Wireless & Networks) -> "Mobile Networks"
Here you will find a "Data roaming" option, and possibly a "National data roaming" option

I have a Desire Z with Android 4.0.4 and Telenet for the cellphone also. I noticed I have to activate the romaing in Belgium to have the data connection which is strange as I'm in Belgium. Now I hear that they can be issues calling/sending sms abroad... I'll see when I'll be in Croatia.
I activated for the moment all the option (data roaming, national roaming) for the moment, nothing more strange than having the romaing activated and the 'R' in the network signal.

National Roaming seems to be needed on some phones, since the Telenet SIM swap last year to get a data connection in Belgium. On my own Nexus S phone I don't have the problem. But on my wife's SE Xperia Mini Pro (2011 model) with stock Android 2.3.4 it does have this issue.
The old sim used MNC=10, while the new SIM uses MNC=05 and it seems that some phones have some kind of issue with that.
MNC is the Mobile Network Code, which together with the MCC (Mobile Country Code) forms a identifier per provider.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Network_Code

I narrowed down the issue somewhat.
Basically my prior workaround that the SIM needed to be swapped to another phone to force the network to connect was false.
What actually needs to happen to force the phone to enter or exit roaming is to pull the battery.
Rebooting the phone, or shutting it down and rebooting (cold boot) does not make a difference, the battery needs to be pulled and then the phone will switch networks.
I found this by accident, because I was out of the country and it was as normal refusing to switch to roaming mode. Then the battery died and I connected power to the phone and booted it, and it suddenly connected to a foreign provider in roaming mode.
Getting back to Belgium, it again refused to switch back, so I verified it by just pulling out the battery and putting it back and the phone successfully was able to connect to Telenet again.
In other words, some component needs to be reset for it to successfully switch to roaming and back. This component does not get turned off when the phone is turned off, so the battery needs to be pulled.

[Q] Network mode cannot set to 3G

Just got my Nexus 5 today.
However, in Wireless&networks / Mobile networks / Network Mode, I can only set it as 2G or LTE but not 3G.
I am currently on b-mobile in Japan and my Nexus 4 works fine on the network.
Wondering is it some sort of bug of KitKat or is it somewhat related to the SIM card I am using...

seanyseansean said:
Probably the sim card. Mine gives me the option, but another n5 on a different network (o2/UK) doesn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm, in my case, I can see the 3G option, just that whenever I select the 3G option, the system would automatically reset it when I navigate to other page.
Is that also the case on your N5 with O2/UK sim card?
On the other hand, I will test my N5 on different sim card tomorrow.

I have the same issue. If I select 4g, the dot stays when I go back, but I only get a full bar 2g connection. If I select 3g and go back, no dot is there but I only get a 2g connection.
Sometimes this was solved in previous handsets by going into the service menu and selecting 3g/2g from there.

MarkMcLovin said:
I have the same issue. If I select 4g, the dot stays when I go back, but I only get a full bar 2g connection. If I select 3g and go back, no dot is there but I only get a 2g connection.
Sometimes this was solved in previous handsets by going into the service menu and selecting 3g/2g from there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried forcing the N5 to use 3G only (by going into the test menu with "*#*#4636#*#*" code) but it still does not work...

OK, so I tried the SIM cards from my colleges, and my N5 can connect to 3G without problem.
It's weird that my SIM card works perfectly well on N4 but NOT N5...
Did not experience such SIM card computability issue before...

httimchen said:
I also tried forcing the N5 to use 3G only (by going into the test menu with "*#*#4636#*#*" code) but it still does not work...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me now. Went into that test menu and selected GSM/CDMA auto PRL and I now have 3g. Didn't have to reboot.

3G cannot set for Virgin UK Sim
MarkMcLovin said:
Works for me now. Went into that test menu and selected GSM/CDMA auto PRL and I now have 3g. Didn't have to reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am also having the same problem, purchased the Nexus 5 from carphonewarehouse, can set on 4G or 2G, but when i set to 3G and comeback, it resets. Is that a SIM card problem? I tried to go on testing mode and apply GSM/CDMA auto PRL, that also not working. Is that a KitKat bug?

Same problem on Orange/EE in the UK. I can see the 3G option but phone won't let me change to 3G. Option never sticks. Just stays on 2G. Any ideas? Is this a known bug?
Thanks 101

101_North said:
Same problem on Orange/EE in the UK. I can see the 3G option but phone won't let me change to 3G. Option never sticks. Just stays on 2G. Any ideas? Is this a known bug?
Thanks 101
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think it's not a bug.i think it's a hardware problem. i'm having it with vodafone italy.

Same here on T-Mobile Austria :/
Already changed SIM card, without success. Maybe provider related issues?

unexist said:
Same here on T-Mobile Austria :/
Already changed SIM card, without success. Maybe provider related issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on straight talk TT&T with a new SIM card, but sometimes the network mode doesn't stick. No idea why...

replaced a new 3G SIM, no luck
Just replaced a new 3G SIM Card didn't work the 3G option for me - Chunghwa Telecom Taiwan.
But I can select 2G, and dial number to make a phone call, so the SIM slot seem works fine, maybe just configuration issue?!
And, also I find a very annoying defect of my Nexus 5 32G(White), when hard-reset or flash to Factory Image, my Nexus 5 32G white goes crazy!! it just keep stuck and loop at Google Logo (not even show the 4 circle animation), and won't boot at all!
And I finally find a way to make it boot, by keep trying repeat flash factory, erasing userdata, erasing cache etc. is every had this issue?

EE/T-Mobile (uk) and I can't select 3g either, well I can but it doesn't stick.

I have a similar problem, except I can only select 3G / 4G, and not 2G because the 2G option isn't even displayed!! So infuriating. It still works through the *#*#4636#*#* menu, if I select GSM only then it does indeed go to 2G.
Is it possible that the SIM is somehow telling the phone OS it can't do 2G only? This didn't happen with my old carrier (same phone, only just switched). I have a feeling it's caused by the same thing that makes my phone number show up as 'unknown' now, too.

I have the same issue, I tried two different SIM, on is a Straight Talk sim that is set up to use the ATT network and used a T-Mobile sim card, both were unable to keep 3G as a setting.

My Nexus 5 seems that reluctant to drop from 3g to 2g when 4g is selected i have given up and now just manually select 2g to make sure i have a signal (im out in the sticks a bit). Sat at the PC with 4g selected i get no signal whatsoever, with 2g selected i get an indicated full signal strength.
Why on earth the N5 is so reluctant to dip its toe in the 2g territory when no data is on is beyond me.

WiFi Calling Preferences on 3UK

Hi,
My phone is stock and unrooted on OxygenOS 11.1.5.5.AC01BA.
Although I can see the toggle to enable WiFi Calling, the menu item to allow me to select the WiFi Calling preference isn't there.
To expand on that, the option isn't there on SIM1 (3 UK), but it is there for SIM2 (O2 UK).
My main problem is that my house is right on the edge of 3's coverage, so the phone often tries to use the poor cellular signal rather than the good WiFi signal.
Does anyone have any idea how I can get the WiFi Calling Preferences menu item to show for my 3UK SIM?
Thanks in advance.

I have Orange and Vodafone and also have the option for calling pref only for sim2. Maybe it`s by design. Did you try swaping the sims?

Yes, I tried that but no luck. The option was then only available on SIM1.

I'm On 3 and only way to do it was put it into airplane mode WiFi calling works fine. But obviously no what's app sms etc