Want to move from Virgin to EE with a 4G SIM

[Jean48]

I was forced to leave Virgin as they no longer use Pay as You Go and was advised to change to the new Virgin Media. I agreed to a £6pm tariff for unlimited texts & calls which is all I require with my Nokia 105 4G mobile. I received a new Sim but was unable to obtain any service when activated. After nearly 3 hours online trying to make my problem understood, I was told that I have a 5G SIM but there is NO 5G coverage in my area ! The contract has been cancelled & I'm now without a mobile phone that I can use. EE indicates they have 3 & 4G coverage where I live but I can't find out how to set up an account , obtain a new SIM etc !! Surely this isn't too difficult a question to ask but the online/website info is taking me around in circles. PLEASE can anyone help ! 

[mikeliuk]

Hi @Jean48 ,

I'm a customer of both Virgin Mobile and EE, have been with Virgin Mobile for over a decade, and currently am on the £6/mth tariff you have mentioned.

Both my SIMs are 5G SIMs but they function perfectly fine in 4G devices which is only reasonable in terms of designing things to be compatible as new technology is introduced and transitions are taking place.

[XRaySpeX]

@Jean48 : If you want a PAYG SIM order 1 from PAYG Phone SIM . They are all 4G Plans. Then when you receive it add it to your existing MyEE a/c that you are using to get here.

[nick_ro]

No, a 5G sim means it is capable of getting 5G in a 5G phone. 

A 5G compatible sim still works in a 2G handset, I know this because I have a Nokia 106 2G phone and is very basic and I have it for emergencies alongside my smartphone as the battery lasts forever.

Some time ago Virgin Media made some big changes to its systems and sent out new purple sim cards to all its customers and I think these new sims may not work in some phones.

Virgin Media is indeed withdrawing pay as you go and they started this process in 2019, it was no longer possible to join Pay as you go from October 2019 and during 2020 they started telling people to switch, the switch off date was postponed to January 2022.

Virgin Mobile now uses the Vodafone network, so you should get the same coverage as Vodafone. 

I recently ordered a EE pay as you go sim card and it works perfectly in my Nokia 106 phone which is only capable of receiving 2G signal.

If you want to remain on Pay as you go just order a sim from the EE website, the Pay as you go packs are quite good, alternatively try and order a sim only contract.

When cancelling your Virgin Mobile service, you should have asked for a PAC code, I gather your service has already ended? If so you will not be able to keep the Virgin Mobile number.

I have a 5G sim but there is no 5G coverage in my area, so the idiots at Virgin Mobile customer service have completely told you the wrong information  or completely misunderstood your enquiry.

You've done the best thing moving away from Virgin Mobile, the customer service is the worst!

[mikeliuk]

Hi @nick_ro ,

Thank you for giving your input here which I think will be helpful to the OP.

In Virgin Mobile's defence, I've been with them roughly since their inception as I was a Virgin Media customer at the time so entitled to a discount.

I've found Virgin Mobile's customer service to be very good across over a decade and multiple minimum term contracts. I fully respect that others may have experienced absolutely the opposite, but that has not been my experience.

[nick_ro]

Virgin Media customer service rapidly declined after Liberty Global took over the company, its rare to speak to someone in a UK call centre. 

The Philippino and South African call centres follow a script and is useless. The sound quality of the call is also poor.

They also hang up on you if they can't help you which is annoying considering you have to wait ages to be answered in the first place.

Virgin Mobile had its own call centre in Trowbridge which was very good and Virgin Media shut it down. Until then the customer service was very good.

If you want top quality service go to EE and BT! They made the right decision getting rid of foreign call centres.