The Lemon Fool

I have the same issues sometimes when I log in to do my quarterly VAT return. Can't get anything done until my smartphone gets a signal so that I can collect the damn code. Fortunately for me, though, a walk around the garden is usually enough. I certainly can't send text messages if they've got photos attached.

There should be a network app available that links wifi/BB log in to your mobile only services like SMS and voice calls.
I use the 3 one called in touch for just that when I'm up in the hills with in building wifi but zero mobile signal (of any flavour).

bungeejumper wrote:Good news. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46399707. Hope that cheers you up.

AFAIK there is no reason why these PINs can't be sent to a normal landline. When I eventually get some kind of signal I will see if I can get my landline number set up as the alternative. Mind you, I'm having on/off problems with that too.

XFool wrote:

bungeejumper wrote:Good news. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46399707. Hope that cheers you up.

AFAIK there is no reason why these PINs can't be sent to a normal landline. When I eventually get some kind of signal I will see if I can get my landline number set up as the alternative. Mind you, I'm having on/off problems with that too.

Correct, the HMRC codes can be sent to a landline, where they are read to you by a voice robot - we were doing my wife's self-assessment form this afternoon, and the system worked well enough.

BJ

FWIW, I presume your problem is local. Have you dismissed the possibility it's your own equipment that's misbehaving?

O2 for me has been just fine with the exception of that one day just over a month ago when it famously all went titsup.

I also have an effective backup solution you might consider if your usage is so critical that an outage causes serious trouble. My internet comes via 4G on EE's network. So while my use of O2 and EE is, in normal circumstances, entirely different and serves different purposes, each is available to serve in an emergency if the other fails.

UncleEbenezer wrote:FWIW, I presume your problem is local. Have you dismissed the possibility it's your own equipment that's misbehaving?

Yes I have. Because I know my mobile phone is working 100%.

UncleEbenezer wrote:O2 for me has been just fine with the exception of that one day just over a month ago when it famously all went titsup.

That shouldn't have effected me, I don't have 'data' on my mobile. I cannot be really sure now but it seemed at the time of the previous 10 day drop out that that started the same day as the famous O2 data problem. But that may just be my imagination (though it was certainly around the same time) or merely a coincidence.

UncleEbenezer wrote:I also have an effective backup solution you might consider if your usage is so critical that an outage causes serious trouble. My internet comes via 4G on EE's network. So while my use of O2 and EE is, in normal circumstances, entirely different and serves different purposes, each is available to serve in an emergency if the other fails.

The only critical thing I currently need the mobile for is the HMRC PIN. When next I log on I will be setting up my landline as backup, also using a 7 day PIN from now on.

You're not alone, XFool. My local 02 mast is also offline at the moment. For the last two days my phone has been telling me 'emergency calls only', and I can't receive any calls at all - they all get routed directly to voicemail (where I can' t reach them, of course).

Zero bars showing on the phone, and O2's own online checker for my postcode (near Bath) says ""Sorry a phone mast in this area isn't working. This means your service might come and go until we fix it." Presumably I'm supposed to accept that?

BJ

XFool wrote:The only critical thing I currently need the mobile for is the HMRC PIN. When next I log on I will be setting up my landline as backup, also using a 7 day PIN from now on.

You may well find that the 7 day pin business does not work.

XFool wrote:That shouldn't have effected me, I don't have 'data' on my mobile.

But that, despite reports, wasn't just data, it was the whole of the O2 network. No calls, no texts, no nothing.

Slarti

bungeejumper wrote:You're not alone, XFool. My local 02 mast is also offline at the moment. For the last two days my phone has been telling me 'emergency calls only', and I can't receive any calls at all - they all get routed directly to voicemail (where I can' t reach them, of course).

Zero bars showing on the phone, and O2's own online checker for my postcode (near Bath) says ""Sorry a phone mast in this area isn't working. This means your service might come and go until we fix it."

Good news! But curiouser and curiouser, even so. I discovered today that my spare mobile in the car (an 02 PAYG) was working fine, even though BT were (and are) still reporting that their mast was down.

So it followed that the problem with my main phone (an LG K8) had to be phone-centred, then? Sure enough, a quick cold reboot, and immediately it was back to normal with all services restored. I suppose it must have got its operating system scrambled when the local mast went down, and never regained its balance? All's well that ends well, though.

BJ

I discovered today that my spare mobile in the car (an 02 PAYG) was working fine, even though BT were (and are) still reporting that their mast was down.
What's it got to do with BT (he grumbled...)

AleisterCrowley wrote:I discovered today that my spare mobile in the car (an 02 PAYG) was working fine, even though BT were (and are) still reporting that their mast was down.
What's it got to do with BT (he grumbled...)

Oops, he conceded. I must have been time-travelling back to the good old days when 02 and BT were still the same thing. Being stuck out in the sticks with patchy 2G (at best) can do that sort of throwback thing to a man.

BJ

bungeejumper wrote:Oops, he conceded. I must have been time-travelling back to the good old days when 02 and BT were still the same thing. Being stuck out in the sticks with patchy 2G (at best) can do that sort of throwback thing to a man.

BJ

YM when it was called Cellnet?

My first mobile phone was a PAYG when I was in Italy. On return to Blighty I had great difficulty obtaining any mobile 'phone: I couldn't get a contract 'cos I had no credit history at all here (having been out of the country), and PAYG was still not available 'cos they thought only criminals would use it. Ended up with Cellnet after someone at the shop went out on a limb to override "computer sez no", but that only with a £200 deposit *and* my dad acting as guarantor! Bizarre!

Anyway, that bit of flexibility earned them - to date - 20 years business. Neither Cellnet nor successor O2 has done anything bad enough to motivate a change, and I still have that contract.

Managed to just log on to HMRC at home and set up my landline as backup for PIN. Normal O2 service has not yet been restored but over last couple of days have increasingly had a weak varying signal, long enough to use if quick.

I don't know if this is coming from my local mast or is the usual leakage from 'outside'. If the latter then possibly enhanced by recent (poor) weather conditions?

Hi,

You can check the status of your local mast by going here https://status.o2.co.uk/

Sadly masts in both my work locations are not working correctly. Its unbelieveable, I've had to do actual work to keep myself entertained for the last few weeks. Normally I just mess about on my phone.

I phoned my provider, tesco (which uses O2's network) last night. Sadly i'm in a contract until April, of course there is no way they will let me out of it. I'll be switching provider in protest in April. Virgin do some good deals at the minute.

Andy

Andy46 wrote:Hi,

You can check the status of your local mast by going here https://status.o2.co.uk/

Sadly masts in both my work locations are not working correctly. Its unbelievable, I've had to do actual work to keep myself entertained for the last few weeks. Normally I just mess about on my phone.

I phoned my provider, tesco (which uses O2's network) last night. Sadly i'm in a contract until April, of course there is no way they will let me out of it. I'll be switching provider in protest in April. Virgin do some good deals at the minute.

Andy

What are the postcodes ? (just the first bit if you're worried about privacy)

stockton wrote:

XFool wrote:The only critical thing I currently need the mobile for is the HMRC PIN. When next I log on I will be setting up my landline as backup, also using a 7 day PIN from now on.

You may well find that the 7 day pin business does not work.

Check.

O2 network mast still out.

Today is day ten and counting...

XFool wrote:O2 network mast still out.

Today is day ten and counting...

Jolly annoying for you. However, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Back in November the nearest O2 tower was down for either maintenance or possibly because it up the swanny. Hidden among the odd text from O2 there was mention of maintenance which was anticipated to take three days but actually took five. The outage was only about a week after somewhat grudgingly renewing my contract, so I was fairly dischuffed as you can imagine.

Prior to that I mostly saw a 3G signal of two or three bars, with occasional (several times a day) bursts of 4G or slower, when even a LF page might take two minutes to load. After the work was done the signal was and is a pretty solid 4G usually three bars. Did briefly notice a 3G a few days ago but well pleased with the improvement.

Fingers crossed that your wait may be similarly rewarding!

madhatter wrote:

XFool wrote:O2 network mast still out.

Today is day ten and counting...

Jolly annoying for you. However, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Back in November the nearest O2 tower was down for either maintenance or possibly because it up the swanny. Hidden among the odd text from O2 there was mention of maintenance which was anticipated to take three days but actually took five. The outage was only about a week after somewhat grudgingly renewing my contract, so I was fairly dischuffed as you can imagine.

Prior to that I mostly saw a 3G signal of two or three bars, with occasional (several times a day) bursts of 4G or slower, when even a LF page might take two minutes to load. After the work was done the signal was and is a pretty solid 4G usually three bars. Did briefly notice a 3G a few days ago but well pleased with the improvement.

Fingers crossed that your wait may be similarly rewarding!

Unfortunately it wasn't last time!

XFool wrote:

madhatter wrote:
Fingers crossed that your wait may be similarly rewarding!

Unfortunately it wasn't last time!

Still out of service?