Hi. I have a weird problem with my Orange / T-mobile signal sharing. I am registered for the signal sharing and it works almost everywhere except for one area.

If I am at work in Preston, Lancashire and lose Orange signal I cannot connect to Orange - T-Mobile (the name of the shared network) at all. I have tired a manual search to force the phone to connect and despite there being an Orange - T-Mobile signal I simply cannot connect to the network, I just get an error saying my simcard does not allow connection to the network.

I have tried speaking to customer services about this and they confirm I am registered for the network sharing but say they cannot help as their network checker says the signal in that area is poor anyway. Well if that is the case how come my friend who is also on Orange has no problem using Orange - T-Mobile in the same area?

Is there anyone from Orange reading this, or anyone who knows what I need to do to sort this out please?

Thanks.

I had trouble with Orange-T.Mobile cannot get either at home though nothing like you. I have now got myself an asda phone that uses Vodaphone network no problems with connection at home or anywhere else so far and its's a lot cheaper.

I can explain this. You are probably only picking up a 3G T-Mobile signal in that area, and if that's the case you won't connect as the National Roaming agreement is for 2G only. If 2G is available your phone will automatically log on (as you've noticed).

I'll put money on that being the case.

From mid-April, 3G seamless handover will be rolled out.....

PS: If your phone says "Orange T-Mobile", it simply means you are connected to T-Mobile, not a joined network as-such. If you're a T-Mobile customer roaming on Orange, it says "T-Mobile Orange".

Why the engineers thought that would be a good idea baffles me. It's caused nothing but confusion with customers thinking it's both signals together

I thought that at first so i set my phone to 2G only and still have the same problem. Even when set to 2G only i can still see the other network. Any other ideas?

Thanks.
Rik.

I think the roll out is staggered. I and a work colleague both got messages to say this had been allowed on our phones last month. It is working fine
However another friend on Orange is still yet to hear about it, and her phone will not connect to anything but Orange itself.

Here is a funny thing. I had my Iphone 4 enabled to use Orange as I have a weak T Mobile signal at home. All was great at home with the Orange signal with the highest signal.

I also enabled my partners Iphone 3GS and all was well. We have been away in Italy and took my Iphone and then came home. My Iphone will no longer connect to Orange.

I spoke to tmobile who told me everything was set up their end so would reset my signal overnight to see If it would work ok and still no signal. My partners iphone that was left at home has a high Orange signal at home.

Anyone had a smiler problem and cured it? t mobile are calling me later to see if the signal reset overnight worked.

The only change that I can see is that I used my Iphone in Italy and my partner did not take hers,

I know you have a weak T-mobile signal at home but have you tried connecting to T-mobile first? I'm just guessing here, maybe the phone needs to register on its home network in the UK first.

DId you switch off roaming while you were in Italy to stop getting huge data charges?

You need it switched on to access Orange T-Mobile.

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings

This will cure the problem. Had the same problem in the Canaries recently.