Ireland is in the UK (Virgin UK top up problem)

Random

I have a Virgin UK SIM card I bought online. Decided I'd pop it in my phone. Great, it receives texts and picks up signal.

I need to top it up. Decided I'd pop a fiver in it. To topup with credit card I have to register my details. I don't have a UK address so their online system won't let me do it.

I rang customer care.

To cut a long story short she thought the Republic of Ireland was in the UK and could not understand why I didn't have a postcode. She could offer me no alternative other than to give her my postcode or topup at an ATM.

She also refused to transfer me to a supervisor.

So .. that's my story of wow .. shortened so you don't get completely bored by it!

My problem - I'm in Dublin, Ireland (that's not in the UK - it's been a different country for a number of years now .. we have a different currency .. Bertie Ahern lives here .. ) and I'd like to topup this Virgin UK SIM.

Can anyone help me out?

Or does anyone have access to Virgin UK topup vouchers? I can Paypal you the money (inc fees) for a topup?

Thanks

Red Sleeping Beauty

You bought a UK sim card ?
Why ?

Random

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

You bought a UK sim card ?
Why ?

Do not ask questions to which there are no answers. Yah, I bought one .. just because

Red Sleeping Beauty

random wrote: »

Do not ask questions to which there are no answers. Yah, I bought one .. just because

As far as I know, virgin mobile don't have a business here in Ireland therefore you wont be able to purchase credit topup in Ireland (maybe you can if you go up north ?) maybe their site might have an online topup option or something.

Random

You can top up online but they don't support irish addresses and you have to be registered. I can't just make up one because it has to match the credit card.

I'm hoping someone up north or in the uk can buy a voucher for me if there's no other options.

dmn

not sure if it's still possible, but i know O2 retails store defo used to sell UK operator top ups. can anyone confirm if they still do?

BuffyBot

Why would they support Irish addresses when it's not their target market? Why would you expect them to?

Evidently their system is built for UK customers, who would have a postcode.

Red Sleeping Beauty

"UK" people which often means English people, still don't quite get the whole Ireland being seperate from the "UK". I've come in contact with plenty of English people whilst travelling around England and indeed the UK who call the Republic of Ireland "Southern" Ireland or calling it part of the "Brittish Isles" . Wierd. They also don't understand why we don't have a postcode system like theirs. I ran into trouble before when I tried to buy tickets online and have them delivered.
If I were you I'd just get an Irish sim card. Why on earth you got a UK sim is beyond me.

Sam Vimes

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

calling it part of the "Brittish Isles"

the british isles is a geographic term, not a political one. the same way that canada is a part of the continent of north america

Red Sleeping Beauty

Sam Vimes wrote: »

the british isles is a geographic term, not a political one. the same way that canada is a part of the continent of north america

Fair enough. My overall point is that many people over there don't quite see the differences between Republic of Ireland and the UK but all that comes clear when things like phones come into it, you can't use your Laser card over there (some places you can but it's not reliable) or online. And also if you try to order stuff online you might run into problems with the postcode business.

Sam Vimes

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

Fair enough. My overall point is that many people over there don't quite see the differences between Republic of Ireland and the UK but all that comes clear when things like phones come into it, you can't use your Laser card over there (some places you can but it's not reliable) or online. And also if you try to order stuff online you might run into problems with the postcode business.

this is true. and apparently there's a part in an english geography book that lists UK cities and dublin's on it

Random

O2 used to do o2 uk top up and still provide a method. Don't support virgin though.

Most irish mobile networks allow you to register a sim even if your address isn't ireland. My main problem though was her retardedness and mostly i was just ranting before asking my question.

As for getting an irish sim. I have one. I want a uk one too and this question is about topping it up. Thanks for your thoughts though.

So far the only method i can find to top up is to have someone in the uk buy a voucher and give me the code. I'm looking for alternatives if possible.

Thanks.

Red Sleeping Beauty

random wrote: »

O2 used to do o2 uk top up and still provide a method. Don't support virgin though.

Most irish mobile networks allow you to register a sim even if your address isn't ireland. My main problem though was her retardedness and mostly i was just ranting before asking my question.

As for getting an irish sim. I have one. I want a uk one too and this question is about topping it up. Thanks for your thoughts though.

So far the only method i can find to top up is to have someone in the uk buy a voucher and give me the code. I'm looking for alternatives if possible.

Thanks.

Well then I suggest you get yourself over the border to Northern Ireland or to the UK and get you a voucher or go to Virgin's site where you can top up.

http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/search.do?mainsearchbox=top+up
Why they won't let you register without a postcode is beyond me as is why you actually want to use a UK sim card here in the ROI but anyway

brianthebard

Were you asked for the postcode online when trying to top up? Usually just putting in 0000 works. Or else you could just look up a postcode in Wales (to keep it kinda close to Dublin) and try that with the customer service woman?

Red Sleeping Beauty

I've done something similar before. I've friends in Scotland so I've used their postcode & address.

krudler

do you know anyone in the uk? just get them to buy you virgin mobile topup there and ring customer care with the topup number,or text it to you and ring them yourself, easy peasy


dunno why people make life so difficult for themselves but there you go....

Random

I'm looking for an alternative to someone buying me a code or me travelling to the UK to get a code and then putting it on.

I can't just make up a postcode because the system they use involves you putting in the first line of your address and your postcode and they tell you who you are etc .. I can't use someone elses address because then my credit card wouldn't match it and the website says it has to.

And yes, I love making life difficult but why the hell not?

Solair

They sometimes use the postcode as an extra security measure on a credit card in the UK.

The code has to match the credit card's registered address.

They don't have to accept non-UK issued credit / debit cards as the service is not targeting people who are not in the UK.

If you were in the UK you could buy topup credit locally. However, if you're outside the UK and you don't have UK bank cards, you can't use their top up service.

Also, you're making huge assumptions about the intelligence and geographical knowledge of the call centre operator who you were speaking to! He/She doesn't care where you are, you don't have a post code and she can't process your card without one because of how their system's set up.


Many people are very confused by terms like "UK". It's no wonder though, given that there are terms like British, UK, British isles etc.. it's complicated!!

towel401

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

"UK" people which often means English people, still don't quite get the whole Ireland being seperate from the "UK". I've come in contact with plenty of English people whilst travelling around England and indeed the UK who call the Republic of Ireland "Southern" Ireland or calling it part of the "Brittish Isles" . Wierd. They also don't understand why we don't have a postcode system like theirs. I ran into trouble before when I tried to buy tickets online and have them delivered.
If I were you I'd just get an Irish sim card. Why on earth you got a UK sim is beyond me.

A year or so ago there was some thick woman on the Beeb, or maybe channel 4 i can't remember who said that the full title of the country was 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland'

but ya people who go to england a lot and call people in england need english sim cards. unless they feel like paying through the nose.

Random

Solair wrote: »

Also, you're making huge assumptions about the intelligence and geographical knowledge of the call centre operator who you were speaking to! He/She doesn't care where you are, you don't have a post code and she can't process your card without one because of how their system's set up.

Assumptions about the intelligence and geographical knowledge of the call centre operator - yes I am. I would assume that someone working for a UK mobile operator would at least know a country if they heard one. They deal with roaming, international call rates, etc.

I understand that she couldn't do anything to help me, hence I'm on here now looking for help. That doesn't prevent me from ranting though

Blackdragon

I ran into a problem like this in the past - i used "EIRE" as my postal code and it was accepted.
Just an idea, a stupid one, maybe?, but an idea none the less

Random

It's not gonna work. Clearly I'm not explaining things right but this is their system on their website



So it just won't allow me to make up an address or put an Irish one in full stop.

Solair

You could try using a PON code :

http://www.irishpostcodes.ie/

A GPS user group that have created Irish postal codes.

Random

WTF is a PON code? I'll read into that.