Roaming Troubleshooting

Don’t let a dodgy connection get in the way of your holiday. Take a look at some of our quick wins to common issues when using your phone overseas.

I have no network coverage

I can't call, text or use data

My phone is stolen

I have no network coverage

Firstly, you can check that you’re all set up to use your phone abroad by simply logging into Your Account or calling +44 7458 333 789.

It’s also a good idea to check that there’s network coverage where you are. See Roaming Costs to check the coverage in the country you’re visiting. You can also try turning the phone off and then back on again. Sounds simple, but it'll refresh the network signal on your phone and, more often than not, it does the trick. If that doesn't work, you can try a manual network search. Here's how:

Go into Settings on your phone
Now go to Phone Settings
Then choose Network Selection
Select Manual network selection instead of Automatic and let the phone search for available networks. This might take up to a minute
Now you should have a list of networks you can use

If your phone has a removable battery and you are still stuck, try what we call a hard reboot. Just remove the battery from your phone without turning it off first, then wait about 20 minutes before putting it back in and switching the phone on.

This reboots your phone and it normally does the trick.

I can’t call, text or use data

If you’re having problems making a call, sending a text or using your mobile data, you should check that your account is set up correctly for roaming.

Firstly, check that Roaming is switched on and that your International Call Bar is turned off in Your Account. To do this:

Log in to Your Account and go to Plan and Device
Select the Manage Services tab
From there, scroll down to the Roaming section
Click the slider to the On position
Whilst you're there, check that your International Call Bar is also switched off. Then you're all set to go

If you can't check this online, call us on +44 7458 333 789 and we'll be happy to help.

Still can't use data?

Have a peep at your phone manual and ensure Data & Data Roaming options are turned ‘ON’ in your device settings. Or check out Virgin Mobile phone support for help.

Access Point Name (APN) settings

You’ll need to also check the APN selected in your device is shown as Virgin Mobile, and not another network provider.

You can update the APN settings by selecting your mobile from our Virgin Mobile phone settings list, or just text 'All' to 789922 and your settings will arrive to your handset, ready to be saved.

Remember, for some handsets you may to do this again when you're abroad for the first time, or if you've reset your phone since then.

Reset your account settings

If you still can't get data, log into Your Account and switch Roaming ‘OFF’ (wait 24 hours to complete) then back ‘ON’ (again, wait 24 hours to complete) following the steps above.

Alternatively, call 789 for free from your Virgin Mobile phone so we can update this for you.

My phone is lost or stolen

If you’ve lost your mobile device or had it stolen, we can help. Just check below and we’ll get you sorted as soon as we can.

Online tools to find your device and protect your data

If you’ve an Android phone or tablet, or an iPhone or iPad, then Google and Apple offer online tools to allow you to locate your device, lock it from use and wipe the device if it can’t be recovered. So alongside reporting the lost or theft to us, we recommend using these tools to protect your device and personal data.

In order for these tools to work you may need to have a Google or iCloud account configured on your device.

Apple - support.apple.com/en-gb/explore/find-my-iphone-ipad-mac-watch
Google - support.google.com/accounts/answer/6160491

Other makers of Android devices may have their own version of these tools.

Reporting a lost or stolen device

If you’ve had your device lost or stolen, then we can:

Block your existing SIM so it can’t be used to make any calls
Blacklist your phone or mobile device so it can’t be used on any UK network, provided we've got your IMEI number. Don’t worry if your phone is recovered we can unblock it again

If you've had your phone stolen, we recommend reporting the theft to the local police to get a crime reference number. Most insurance companies will ask for this when making a claim.

Before you contact us, if possible please have your IMEI number for your device. This is a unique number for your device that allows us to blacklist it. The quickest way to report a loss or theft of a device is by using our online reporting form here. We’ll let you know by email when we’ve barred your SIM and device.

If can’t get online, then just contact us within 24 hours* of losing your phone or having it stolen.

Simply text us for free on 07533 016 422 ^ between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm Saturday, 8am-6pm Sunday, and one of our team will be happy to help. Alternatively, you can call us on 0345 6000 789 ° from any phone. Lines open 8am-9pm Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm Saturday, 8am-6pm Sunday.

If you’re travelling outside of the UK, you can call our team on +44 7458 333 789 °°.

Making an insurance claim

If you have insurance with Virgin Media Protect, you can find details about how to make a claim online here.

If you don’t have Virgin Media Protect, but bought your phone or device from us, then we can send you Proof of Usage to support any claim with a third party insurance company. See Requesting Proof of Purchase for a Virgin Mobile handset for more details.

*If your SIM is lost or stolen and you notify the Team within 24 hours, you will be liable for Charges that are not part of your allowance relating to the unauthorised use of the SIM (including call Charges) up to £100 only. If you notify the Team after 24 hours you will be liable for all Charges relating to use of the SIM (including call Charges) up to the time that you notify us that your SIM is lost or stolen, regardless of whether the Charges have been incurred by you or someone else. You will also continue to be liable for the monthly payment (or other periodic charge) relating to your Contract Allowance until the end of the Minimum Term. If you lose the SIM you might be liable to pay a reasonable replacement charge, details of which are set out in our Tariff Table.

^Note the text is only free for Virgin Mobile customers.

°Please note standard charges apply, please check with your network operator for rates.°°Just a reminder that this number may not be accessible on some voice over IP services. If you have any difficulties, try calling again from a mobile or landline phone.

Roaming Troubleshooting

I have no network coverage

I can’t call, text or use data

Still can't use data?

Access Point Name (APN) settings

Reset your account settings

My phone is lost or stolen

Online tools to find your device and protect your data

Reporting a lost or stolen device

Making an insurance claim

Helpful tips for travelling

Before you go

While you’re away

Once you’re back

Where are you travelling to?