topic Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE in Mobile Services

OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 12:46:41 GMT

I recently switched to EE, transferred my number from another network (Three). Since then, Natwest and crypto.com apps (both banking in this case) - are not able to deliver OTPs to my phone.

I contacted 150 and got put through to "level 2 advanced technical support" who gave me advice to do lots of things, none of which have resolved my issue. On the final note I was told that it's an issue on 3rd party side for not being deemed "secure enough" to pass on messages sent from their end.

I am sorry but this is not acceptable service. It is working perfectly fine on both of those apps on my other phone that has EE, and somehow just the action of moving numbers causes an issue like this to arise. I am then given wrong advise ("secure enough" - clearly it works on another phone with EE for bot apps).

EE has so far provided inconsistent and bad advice and also not resolved the issue as explained above.

It is clearly the migration of the number from Three to EE that has caused the issue from the day the number got migrated and EE has not done anything to rectify the issue that is clearly down to that move, nothing to do with the third party app security.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

bristolian — Sun, 08 May 2022 13:02:35 GMT

Hi @gleonov

Can you receive text messages from other mobile users OK?

Can you receive text messages from any "OTP" or automated-type senders?

What advice/suggestions did CS make?

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 13:03:57 GMT

I can receive messages from Poland, I can receive messages from the UK. I can also send messages to both of those locations. Both to people on and not on my contact list.

I also tried using a different phone with the SIM, and same issue persists - no OTP from Natwest or crypto.com.

I have spoken to the third party apps and there's nothing on their end that is failing - they confirmed messages were sent.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

James_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 14:27:01 GMT

Hi @gleonov,

If our Tech team were unable to see any issues preventing you from receiving texts, the next step would be to report the issue to the app providers. They may need to flag the issue with their SMS gateway provider to resolve the issue.

James

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 14:32:34 GMT

@James_B I am in touch with them and I have advised them on what you proposed.

I also know as you see from the OP that the message is not present on another EE number for the same apps, nor was it present previously on my Three network. I am not sure how they can resolve this issue but will let you know.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

James_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 14:59:56 GMT

Hi @gleonov,

It could be that their gateway is still trying to send the text into your old network or that their security protocols have flagged the change in network.

When you first spoke to them, did they try re-registering your mobile number in their system?

James

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:03:05 GMT

@James_B I have now spent 3+ hours with EE on the phone in the last 3 days, time on this forum and 2h+ with my third party app providers.

The 3rd party apps have helped me reset the phone number being associated with my accounts and I am going to presume (having been with some of them for over 7 years now, switched providers 3-4 times with the same number) that the issue on the side of EE having not experienced this before for OTPs when switching from other networks (Vodafone to 3, 3 to Tesco, Tesco to 3).

If the issue cannot be resolved by Tuesday morning, I will be going to Vodafone and trying my luck there. Shame, since my wife has had no issues on EE, but she also never had to do switching of numbers in the last 5 years.

I still expect more from providers (network or 3rd party) to have these issues squashed and solutions streamlined, as it's in the best interest for both the major third party and the network provider. This has wasted a lot of my time and I feel like this deserves national attention. Seems responsibility is somehow left with the customer, which is preposterous when trying to access even a simple app as Natwest Banking - a well established British business.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

MozzaSec — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:05:35 GMT

The problem is the Porting number process has a number of technology steps that the donor network has to preform, including routing of SMS from their Network and Gateways to EE and this breaks.

I have an issue with a ported number, not receiving any non- EE originated SMS, and this was a port from Gamma to EE, and it looks like Gamma have messed something up, my assumption is removed an entry from there Network Databases.

Vodafone will have the same problem as o2 or any Virtual Network, as it is Three who host the dialing plan for your 07 dialing code, and they need to do some work i would imagine to fix your issues.

The 3rd Party SMS gateway providers don't care to be honest, as they only work to acceptance on their gateway and it leaving, and SMS is not a guaranteed delivery service, just like email

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

Chris_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:09:06 GMT

@gleonov It might be worth asking EE to reset your line if they haven’t tried this already.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:11:23 GMT

@MozzaSec That makes sense, which only reinforces my concern - the issue and responsibility of accepting to allow and accept the transfer of numbers, from one provider to another - should be a well oiled process by now. Might need to get in touch with OFCOM as well as national reporting since it seems the issue is beyond just a simple matter of me not having a service or two work as expected.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:13:13 GMT

@Chris_B I informed EE that when I call 150 and try to run the "technical support" and end on the "We are running advanced diagnostics" - I end up with a text from 150 saying something went wrong and contact 150. Seems that's not been dealt with either and I have no idea if that's a potential flag to indicate an issue - despite being told that there's no issue.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

Chris_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:19:15 GMT

@gleonov Ofcom will do nothing for you your a lone case and no rules have been broken.

Issues can and do happen when moving numbers around to different networks it’s not a simple case of just grabbing the number and taking it across to the other network. There is a lot of code involved to migrate a number to a different network, why do you think they don’t do this over a weekend and don’t start this on a Friday. It can take up to 24 hour to complete.

What device are you using ? and does your number show correctly within the device settings? Also have you restarted the device since your number port.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:20:19 GMT

Sorry, but telling that transferring a number is not as simple as... just reminds me why "moving digital numbers from one bank account to another" is not as simple as. Let's not dive into why it's a complex problem, and why it's causing network providers take no responsibility on their part for not ensuring it works.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:22:14 GMT

@Chris_B Yes, I have performed all of the recommendations, and common sense actions. I am a fairly technical person, I just can't bear to have to rely on someone not having done the transfer right when it was crucial to have done so - and as you also stated, it is clearly on the network provider(s) - both the former and new network hosting the number.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

Chris_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:26:10 GMT

@gleonov issues can and do happen it’s not a flawless process that will work every single time. Just because you’ve never had an issue in the past it doesn’t mean there has never been issues before it’s just that you’ve not had one before now.

how many number migrations do you think are processed by EE every week ? and you’ll probably find it is less than one percent of them actually have an issue.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

MozzaSec — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:26:39 GMT

@gleonov

Why do you think a person hasn't done it right, it could be down to an issue on the account from your old provider, it could be an code issue...

The whole process is automated by batch processing, there is no to very little manual intervention...

Technology is fallible to errors, I have yet to see a piece of code that doesn't have bugs in it and like all technology sometimes it takes time to find the issue and fix it, added to the fact it is the weekend doesn't help, as the teams wont be in to investigate fully..

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:29:20 GMT

@Chris_B I am not concerned with the frequency of the issues. I am concerned with the competence of the providers taking on responsibility to rectify this matter. It's like statistics suggest it shouldn't matter to them at this point and "it's someone else's fault".

OTP stops working for a banking app you use - the issue is yours, as is the responsibility to make it work. Unfortunately, having to rely on OTPs in the first place, and then network providers as the supporting infrastructure, is something we have to live with - but someone has to solve the issues that arise. So far I have not seen the solution. Hence the OP.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

gleonov — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:31:40 GMT

@MozzaSec Yes, let us see what happens next week. However, the issues we see have been around for 3-4 years now based on the forum posts on this matter just on EE alone.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

Chris_B — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:36:22 GMT

@MozzaSec @gleonov all it takes is one little bit of corrupt code on the migration and that’s it there is big issues. It could just be one letter/number/abbreviation/icon anything that makes up the code among all the lines of code.

And your not the first to have had this happened to when porting to a different network and majority of the time the number port was actually done correctly and successfully and it’s actually the sender who is trying to force it through their gateway to your old network.

Re: OTP not coming through after switching to EE

MozzaSec — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:34:51 GMT

@gleonov

It isnt just EE, its all Network and Virtual Mobile Networks, that have a less than 1% issue with SMS after porting...
Through my job where we allow employees to take there number with them, if they leave we do about 500 ports a year and we see about 10 porting issues.

You do realise Banks and Financial Companies, have been told to stop using OTP via SMS as they are not secure at all, and are susceptible to man in the middle attacks, and other security issues, and as I have said before they are not guaranteed to be delivered..