Roaming in Spain

[NickElGriego]

Hi all.

It's July 2022.

My wife's EE mobile, and my 1p mobile (which uses the EE network), both lost signal whilst in our property in Andalusia, Spain, yesterday! When going outside, a small signal returned, but on Movistar, not the usual (always) Orange network.

FYI, we have had this place for years, and always, when at here, roam on the Orange network as it has a strong signal, whereas Movistar and Vodafone are both weak where we are.

We both ported to EE networks a few years ago as Tesco changed its European partner from Orange to Movistar and we had this same issue then.

On my phone, I changed the operator to manual, and saw the problem. Movistar, Orange and Vodafone all appear in the list (2G, 3G and 4G), but Orange and Vodafone now have "(Forbidden)" next to them.

Please don't tell me EE have now partnered up with just Movistar!

[Christopher_G]

Hi @NickElGregio

Welcome to the community.

You've done the right thing in manually searching for a network. That way it will show you all currently available networks in your area.

When you manually connect to Movistar, are you able to get coverage indoors?

Chris

[Chris_B]

@NickElGriego   I’ve also connected to the Movistar network when I’ve been to Spain and that’s going back some 15 years at least 

[NickElGriego]

Hi Chris.

It makes no difference whether I connect to either 3G or 4G Movistar (or either Vodafone bands for the that matter) manually, or on auto. On auto, I don't get to see or choose the band, but it's the same signal.

The trouble is, here in the mountains, we get a lovely Orange signal all around and inside the house, currently -93dBm, whereas Movistar, for example, at the moment, is less than -140dBm, which isn't enough to make or receive calls. If I move to the terrace and hold the phone just right, I get enough signal to use the phone on Movistar, and when in the local village, Movistar and Orange both work fine, just not where our house is.

But until yesterday, or the day before, we could roam on Orange, AND Movistar, so it was all perfect. Now, something's changed with EE, and we can't roam on Orange anymore. That's the problem!

[NickElGriego]

That's probably just what you've noticed, and to be honest, Movistar is the largest network with the greatest coverage.

Just not here 😭

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @NickElGriego

Thanks for coming back to us. 

If you leave your device on automatic network selection it will connect to the strongest available signal at any given time in the area.

Thanks. 

Leanne. 

[NickElGriego]

Hi @Leanne_T 

I'm not sure how to respond to your 'advice', as it is completely wrong, and is therefore not helpful at all. Sorry.

I've explained, very clearly, that the strongest signals here (Orange 3G and 4G) will NEVER get selected if they are on the "Forbidden" list. That's what the "Forbidden" label means, and until just recently, they weren't "forbidden". Nor were the Vodafone signals, 'though they aren't important to me as it happens. 

So, something changed, and as I'm with 1p Mobile (using EE's network), and my wife is with EE directly, coupled with the fact that both phones were affected at the same time and in the same way, I believe it's EE's roaming agreement with Spain which has changed, that being, IMHO, the only common factor.

My post here was really asking for confirmation of this, as if that's the case, and EE are not activity trying to restore their previous multi network roaming agreements, we need to change networks (port) to a provider who roams with Orange, minimum.

A strange thing about all this is, it was my understanding that EE operate on what was the Orange network originally. You'd think their alliance, or allegiance, in Europe, would be with Orange 🤔 

Hopefully, that clarify it 😁

[NickElGriego]

Hi everyone 

Can anyone through any light on this this yet, as it's really annoying whilst we're here, in Spain.

Thanks in anticipation 😁