Roaming with 3 Best of Both in NYC - Help

Pythia

Hi Folks,

Currently in NYC and can't use my phone here. When I go onto AT&T or T Mobile it says 'No Access'. Any ideas on how to get it to work? Can't even log onto the network for receiving texts which is rather annoying. The guy in the shop when I bought it said it would work and I never bothered checking anymore. Have a locked e63 btw.

Thanks!

Mimikyu

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Pythia

Thanks. I tried the chat but he told me to contact customer care. I bought skype credit and have so far been talking to them for 40 mins. The technical team said it was one problem but the customer care say it is another problem. They keep asking me the same questions and asking me to do things I have already clearly outlined I can't do, like select a network. I am about to go crazy.

Pythia

Talking to my 5th rep now! 64 mins.

Mimikyu

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Pythia

81 mins and another rep...

Davy

Have you tried switching it to gsm only?

jonny ambition

To roam on a Best of Both tariff the accound must be topped up. Do you have credit OP? If not there's a service to top up online now from three.ie.

Pythia

How do I do this?

Pythia

jonny ambition wrote: »

To roam on a Best of Both tariff the accound must be topped up. Do you have credit OP? If not there's a service to top up online now from three.ie.

Yes.

I have now been talking to 3 for 100 mins and talking to 8th person. EDIT, they are unlocking my phone for free, not much use though.

jonny ambition

Saves you 27 euro and expensive roaming charges at least. 100 minutes ain't cool.

Pythia

Well after 2 hours they have 'logged the issue' and unlocked my phone and my bf's who has the same issue and are also refunding the 20e skype credit I bought to call them. I am leaving 3 when my contract is up in March. Most useless customer service I have ever experienced

Davy

Pythia wrote: »

How do I do this?

Menu > Tools > Settings > Phone > Network and then select gsm.

Pythia

Davy wrote: »

Menu > Tools > Settings > Phone > Network and then select gsm.

Only Dual Mode and UMTS are available and I'm on Dual Mode.

Ah-Watch

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Cingular is At&t isn't it?

Davy

Pythia wrote: »

Only Dual Mode and UMTS are available and I'm on Dual Mode.

UMTS is no use, different freq. Thought it had a gsm only option. Cant think of anything else at the mo

blaz

Pythia wrote: »

Only Dual Mode and UMTS are available and I'm on Dual Mode.

What kind of phone do you have? It has to be at least tri-band, if not quad-band to work properly in the US, as the GSM frequencies are different. It might work on 3G, but certainly not on T-Mobile as that has an odd frequency (1700 MHz).

Based on your description I would claim it is an issue at 3, their CAMEL roaming in the US is probably broken. Don't expect it to get fixed any time soon, as they will have to work with their US roaming partners to make this work properly and that takes time...

"Best of both" is a glorified prepaid plan so it needs a special roaming setup called CAMEL. That's why prepaid roaming is often problematic (not only on 3, also on other operators).

BTW, to clear up another poster's reply: Cingular Wireless = AT&T

Mimikyu

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Mimikyu

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Davy

Its an E63 which is quad band

Pacifico

Yeah i couldn't get any coverage with 3 when in NYC. Sorted by changing network!

Our man in Havana

I have heard that 3 only works near JFK in New York.

Pythia

3 think AT&T is a different network and that I shouldn't have access to AT&T (which I don't). They think the issue is me not being able to select Cingular. I am gonna buy a new sim, at least I can call my boyf then if we get separated. He also has the same issue, same phone, same price plan etc. They also unlocked his phone.

The weird thing is, I actually was able to connect once at the airport (Newark) when I first arrived and then never again. They made up a lot of different excuses, each was refuted by another rep. My phone can't see the right network, I'm not set up for roaming correctly, my plan doesn't guarantee the right to roam here, there's an issue with roaming here, etc etc. It's really crazy. I will be sending a very firm letter on my return.

lord lucan

Bond-007 wrote: »

I have heard that 3 only works near JFK in New York.

I'm on 3 billpay and have always gotten a signal wherever i've been in the states,usually it goes automatically to AT&T.