Issues with received calls from virtual number providers

[NormSona]

My main client uses some sort of virtualisation service so that any of it's personnel call out using the same number, whether they are working at any of their offices or working remotely.

I also use what I would call a virtualisation service that provides me with 2 virtual numbers, one local and another 0800, which divert the caller to my mobile (and others in turn if I I do not answer).

I suspect that the technology used by the client and myself are relatively similar, and are essentially spoofing the number.  Both state that the calls are a normal call, but clearly there is something not being liked at the EE end of things purely on my number.

Since the middle of last week calls received from my client, or from my virtual number service are broken on every single call received.  The caller can hear me fine, and I can call the client back on their number without any issues, so it is just incoming calls affected.  I can essentially hear maybe 33-50 percent of every word and I would liken it to packet loss and assume there is some sort of data transmission although the providers deny that the calls are VOIP or data based.

I have tried an EE PAYG SIM, 3 contract and PAYG and O2 PAYG and all are fine with calls from the number on my phone.

EE are trying(ish) to get to the bottom of it.  Latest idea was to get a physical SIM as support thought my E-SIM might be broken (hardware).  Unlikely but have tried anyway.  Now have a physical SIM for the same number, problem still exists and this is carried over to any phone I put the SIM into.

There is clearly something on my phone number causing the issue, and it cannot be hardware at my end having tried it on different phones with the same result.

Anyone else had something like this?

[James_B]

Hi @NormSona,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

I haven't come across this issue with virtual numbers before. I'd recommend staying in touch with our Technical Support Team who'll do everything they can to help. Have you also reported this issue to the provider of your virtual number to see if they can help?

James

[NormSona]

Hi James and thank you for your reply.

I spoke to level 2 support again this afternoon once the physical SIM had been tested in my phone and others, with the problem persisting.

The stance of the chap I spoke to was very much that it must be an issue with the third party services and nothing to do with EE.

So the facts are that all had been well until the middle of last week, and then suddenly both my client's incoming calls to me from a single virtual number usable by all of its staff from various locations, and incoming calls to my own virtual numbers became unbearably broken with what sounded like packet loss.

This happened at the same time, on two completely different platforms.  Coincidence?  It seems unlikely.

EE supports suggestion is to speak to each of these third parties (my client and my own virtual number provider) to tell them that their systems have a problem and that they are blocking my phone number in some way (bear in mind another EE number, plus 3 and O2 numbers I have tested with both parties work flawlessly).

As far as this support person was concerned, that's it.  Nowhere to escalate it because any support above him will just say it's not EE's fault when a 3rd party service is involved.

So I have now called my number using Skype and a second VOIP service, who again I am pretty certain aren't discriminating against a single phone number having never heard of it until today, and surprisingly I have exactly the same symptoms on the call - totally chopped speach/sound suggesting packet loss of some sort.

I have confirmed with my client that they are using VOIP and the virtual number provider just says "virtualisation technology" that uses data.

I assume now that EE will want me to also tell Skype that their system is broken and picking on just one of my phone numbers to the exclusion of all others.

Anyone with any sense of troubleshooting would already have decided that it's an EE issue on a single number (thought of course many others could have it elsewhere) just based on two unrelated services having problems at the same time.  Can EE argue that with 4 unrelated providers it's still their fault and not an issue on my line?

I wonder.

[NormSona]

Managed to find another couple of callers today who are using some form of data related service to call, resulting in the same issues.

Went back to EE with the extra examples this evening and finally the person I spoke to (same person as last night who wanted it to be a third party issue) agrees that it is something on the EE line specific to my number.  However, the "EE doesn't support VOIP" got brought up for the first time and therefore he cannot escalate it above his level as they will refuse to look at it because they would need access to the thrid party systems.

I would have thought based on my experience working in the webhosting and server industry that any average system administrator would be able to monitor a call replicating the issue and find where the packet loss is occurring.  But apparently not.

One of the options suggested is that it might magically fix itself!

Yes ok, let me run my business based on a little bit of luck (although as there is nothing wrong with my line there is nothing to be fixed.  Right EE?).

Maybe it will fix itself with a change of wind direction?  Just as likely as me sitting tight and crossing my fingers that EE wil un-break my once working line.

So EE provide a business mobile service that doesn't support VOIP or data calls, and I was lucky that it worked for so long and I am lucky that it works on a PAYG SIM i grabbed a couple of days ago for testing.

That is just plain embarrassing.

On the plus side I apparently won't be held to my SIM only contract and can leave without penalty for the last 3 months for which I am contracted.

[NormSona]

My virtual phone number provider are now stating that they have seen enough of this issue arising since last week to narrow it down to it affecting only EE telephone numbers that were ported over from other networks (they were unaware that mine was moved in February 2022 to EE from 3 prior to disclosing this).  They also state that their service does not use any data driven technology or VOIP so that cannot be the issue.

I suppose I can waste another 30 minutes of my life for one final call to EE.  I wonder what the excuse will be this time...

[bristolian]

You may have inadvertently overcomplicated this by advising CS of the VOIP aspect. Do you have similar issues with calls from "standard" landlines and/or mobiles?

If you use your phone's connection menu to force it down to 2G/3G, do you have the same issue with incoming calls? VoLTE & VoWiFi both use the IMS-core whilst the 2G/3G access-layer route calls differently.

Something else to eliminate.