2G and old SIM cards and 2G switch off?

Wigger1918 · ‎02-09-2025

Hello a bit dated but I just lost 2G service for my PAYG SIM - no it's not timed out due to lack of usage. This was sometime in July 2025. I had lost service in the May due to lack of use, but had since setup a reminder to make a chargeable call each month ending. A call to an from was actually made mid July but when the test call attempted there was no service, either way. After going around in circles with EE level 1 support (the lowest) level 2 was requested and level 3 instructed to try elsewhere (my postcode is DE72 3JS) sure enough call were good away from that cell. The SIM was being used in a 2G only big button phone (a TT750 Lunar flip model) I'd tried it in my 4G Moto g9 and had similar lack of service locally but ok elsewhere. Then the "gods" said try in a VoLTE enabled phone. Bingo service available locally again. The*"#! had obviously switched off the 2G service and yet the Coverage Checker says service exists at my location 🙄 So the two non VoLTE phones are useless locally - no they're not, now using Lebara Vodafone just fine and cheaper too 😄

Wigger1918 · ‎02-09-2025

Well it was indeed a rant.

If you'd been repeatedly run around the same checks and then "signed off" as though doing that would sort the problem.

Yes I've done that with them and it still didn't work.

I'd gone through the check network setting several times. Both set to Auto select then manually, EE was picked always on Auto - manual setting then revealed Vodafone, O2 and 3, but refused any attempts to connect to them.

Your point about putting the SIM back into the 2G phone after getting service in a VoLTE enabled phone was ok for both incoming and outgoing but then resulted in no service when put back in the 2G phone as before.

The interesting point throughout was that SMS messages could always be received and sent from the 2G phone(s)

The final solution has actually been arrived at - EE has sent me a gratis VoLTE enabled bigish button replacement phone.

What do you think that means about my location and the serving cell mast site?

Remember the 2G SIM phones both totally work elsewhere from DE72 3JS 🤔

View solution in original post

bristolian · ‎02-09-2025

Post moved to a new thread, the one you added to was well over a year old.

@Wigger1918 wrote:
The*"#! had obviously switched off the 2G service and yet the Coverage Checker says service exists at my location 🙄

Not sure what you're trying to imply with "The*"#! had obviously switched off the 2G service and yet the Coverage Checker says service exists at my location" - you could be directing your rant at EE's network or CS staff, I've no idea.

The only usual reason for lack of 2G1800 service would be in extremely remote locations where 4G800 is the only available service. Something is awry if it happens anywhere else.

Wigger1918 · ‎02-09-2025

Do I then have to diagnose my own problem as the "customer" I kept doing often repeatedly what they kept asking for (yes the ee help desk) until I said I would not check my SIM or phone settings again!!

Then I requested for a higher level of support to seek an answer - damnit I was a system technician at BT until retirement on many exchange and data systems to know when I was being given the runaround by this questioning.

I can only use the PAYG SIM in a VoLTE enabled phone, so what does that indicate at my location please?

The punctuation marks were directed at the lack of information available to the level 1 staff, I'd spoken to at least four or five folk until after nearly a month only then asking for it to be escalated to level 2 after reading on the blog about someone in Lincolnshire having the same issue - immediately they seemed to know the problem (yes they'd used the coverage checker to see that 2G was supposedly good at my location (in the middle of a well populated area too!)

So assuming the 2G is non existent here yet works a mile away and plenty other plenty places, why is the checker still showing 2G good for my location - it ain't!

bristolian · ‎02-09-2025

Your posts do read as more of a rant than those seeking genuine help - I say this to illustrate the point that a clear description of your problem does take a bit of "reading between the lines", I think I've managed the gist of things but feel free to provide clarification if necessary.

You're using a PAYG SIM in a 2G-phone and have lost coverage in one specific location, but using that same SIM in a VoLTE-device in the same location provides coverage?

My next test would be to put the SIM back in the 2G phone and do a manual network search, does EE show as available?

EE's radio design is such that 2G coverage is required in all (4G) coverage areas to allow for CSFB for non-VoLTE devices, or in the event of a VoLTE failure. 4G800 is the exception to this, where VoLTE is a requirement. In the event of a localised network fault, it's not impossible that 2G-1800 service could be off-service for a period, but it would be highly unusual for this to be anything other than a temporary measure.

Wigger1918 · ‎02-09-2025