FAQ's
Here are a list of questions and answers relating to
mobile & telecommunications
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What about charges for international data roaming services such as 3G?
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I keep losing mobile phone signal in my home, what can I do?
International Calling
The networks provide standard international charges when it comes to calling from the UK to abroad. Vodafone for example charge
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European countries - £1 a minute
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The Channel Islands and Isle of man - 36p a minute
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Rest of the world - £1.50 a minute
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International texts - 30p each
If you make regular calls to a country though you can get "International Bolt-ons". Every network does this which means you pay a monthly fee to receive discounted calls to that location.
What about charges for international data roaming services such as 3G?
What about charges for international data roaming services such as 3G?
Using your mobile internet, or ‘data’, connection to go online overseas can cost considerably more than it does at home – particularly outside Europe
.In the European Union (EU), phone companies are not allowed to charge any more than €0.45 (around 38p) per MB of data, plus VAT.
However, the cost of data roaming can be significantly higher outside Europe – often around £6 – £8 per MB of data.
You can even run up a big bill without actively using your phone as smartphones and 3G/4G enabled tablets automatically seek out mobile connections and use them to update apps.
So unless you turn off data roaming before you go, these devices could be downloading data at standard rates throughout your stay without you realising it.
There is a safety net – all mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50 (excluding VAT) – around £40 – of data per month, wherever you travel in the world, unless you choose to opt out.
How do I do a hard reset?
When you have a problem with your mobile phone, for example, your app won't load properly, your phone freezes, signal or connectivity issues etc your first port of call should be to do a hard reset. This usually fixes the majority of issues.
iPhone - Press and hold the power (sleep/wake) key + home buttons for about 10 seconds, until you see the phone restart. An apple logo will immediately show up on screen following the reboot.
Android - Press and hold the power button until the power options menu displays on the screen. Select "power off". Once it's off, waits a minute, then press and hold the power button again until the phone begins to light up.
Blackberry - Remove the battery cover from the back of the BlackBerry smartphone. Remove the battery, and then reinsert it after a few seconds. Replace the battery cover.
If you have a QWERTY keypad you can perform a reset by Pressing and holding the Alt key. While holding down the Alt key, press and hold the Right Shift key. With both of those buttons still pressed, press the Backspace/Delete key. When the screen turns off to indicate that the BlackBerry smartphone is restarting, you can then release the keys you have been holding.
Windows - Press and hold down the "Volume Down" button + the power button. The phone will reboot
Why does it cost more to use my mobile abroad?
Why does it cost more to use my mobile abroad?
International roaming is a service offered by mobile providers that allows you to use your mobile phone abroad.
Your UK mobile provider will not have a mobile network in the country you’re travelling to - though they may belong to the same group as a foreign provider – so whenever you use your mobile abroad you are ‘roaming’ on the foreign provider’s network.
The foreign mobile provider charges your provider in the UK a wholesale charge for your use of its network. Your provider will then pass this on to you as part of its retail charge for the international roaming service.
Can I check the location of a telephone number?
Can I check the location of a telephone number?
Do you ever get a missed call on your phone but don’t recognise the number?
Are you ever flummoxed by the odd call on your phone bill and can’t work out who you rang?
Ofcom has a telephone area code checker which can help shed some light on those mysterious numbers.
It includes a list of UK area codes making it much easier to narrow down which area of the country the call came from.
How do I check mobile phone coverage in my area?
The strength of a mobile signal varies depending on where you live and which provider you choose.
So, just because you enjoy a strong signal with your current provider doesn’t mean that a competitor will necessarily provide the same coverage.
Each of the mobile networks has coverage checkers on their sites.
These online tools that can give an indication of 2G (voice and text) and 3G (mobile broadband) coverage according to postcode.
You simply enter the postcodes of your home, office and anywhere else where you know you’ll depend on good coverage. The site should then give you a guide as to what you can expect.
Can I keep my mobile number if I switch provider?
Yes, and you can now transfer your existing number to a new mobile company in just one working day.
To transfer your number you have to contact your original provider and ask for a Porting Authorisation Code or PAC.
The PAC enables you to transfer your number to another network. The PAC must be issued to you immediately over the phone or within two hours by text message.
Your PAC is likely to be a nine-digit code and is valid for 30 days.
Contact your new chosen mobile provider and give them your PAC.
Mobile contact numbers
Mobile contact numbers
3 Mobile 0843 373 3333
O2 08705 678 678
EE 0800 9566000
Tesco Mobile 0845 301 4455
Virgin Mobile 0845 6000 789
Vodafone 08080 044 423