National Roaming not working

It is difficult to say what might be happening. list-modems shows that NetworkRegistration mode is automatic, and the modem is registered to symio's Edge network (2G), although the preference is umts.

The issue here is that we do not have that much control over the modem FW: if there are 2 available networks, and one of them is seen by the modem as a roaming network, the modem will probably register to the other network even if it has to use a worse technology.

Please try going to

SystemSettings -> Cellular -> Operator -> Operator

and then manually select the O2 network and check if you can register in this way.

I've tried that before. There doesn't seem to be any showing up except simyo: http://i.imgur.com/teJqr3f.png

Maybe that's the issue?

It could be also a problem that this isn't a problem on our side. I have heard from some E-Plus users that they have very similar problems while being on Android devices. So it looks like the operators aren't very well doing in merging both networks.

@mzanetti, well, if O2 does not appear in the list of operators either you don't have O2 coverage or there is a problem with your subscription and access to that network is forbidden.

You could check this executing

/usr/share/ofono/scripts/scan-for-operators /ril_0

If O2 is forbidden maybe you could try asking your operator.

Interesting. Indeed, a scan on the command line reveals this

Scanning operators on modem /ril_0...
[ /ril_0/operator/26203 ]
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    MobileNetworkCode = 03
    Name = simyo
    Status = current
    Technologies = gsm umts

[ /ril_0/operator/26202 ]
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    MobileNetworkCode = 02
    Name = Vodafone.de
    Status = forbidden
    Technologies = gsm umts

[ /ril_0/operator/26207 ]
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    MobileNetworkCode = 07
    Name = o2 - de
    Status = forbidden
    Technologies = gsm umts

[ /ril_0/operator/26201 ]
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    MobileNetworkCode = 01
    Name = T-Mobile D
    Status = forbidden
    Technologies = gsm umts

This is weird though as I did get an email from them the day national roaming was activated, explicitly stating that it would be enabled for me. I'll try this SIM card in other devices, seeing if I can get it to work at all with it.

Ok. This is interesting:

I've put the card in my old MeeGo based phone and here's what happens:

I don't yet know if automatic roaming works as I would probably need to walk around out side and I haven't done that yet. However, going to system settings -> cellular networks I get all 4 of the above listed. Clicking on "o2 - de" makes it switch to the o2 network successfully. The indicator starts toggling between "simyo" and "o2 - de".
If I click for example on "Vodafone.de" I do get a permission denied popup.

So the "forbidden" status in our scan-for-operators seems to be the issue.

now, look at that:

I've put my sim card back into the Ubuntu and surprise: o2 now shows up in the cellular settings.

a new scan-for-operators gives this now (I've stripped the still forbidden Telekom and vodafone networks):

phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ /usr/share/ofono/scripts/scan-for-operators /ril_0
Scanning operators on modem /ril_0...
[ /ril_0/operator/26203 ]
    MobileNetworkCode = 03
    Name = simyo
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    Technologies = gsm umts
    Status = current

[ /ril_0/operator/26207 ]
    MobileNetworkCode = 07
    Name = o2 - de
    MobileCountryCode = 262
    Technologies = gsm umts
    Status = available

So this seems to indicate a first-time registration issue with the Ubuntu phone, doesn't it?

If needed my wife still has a simyo card which has only been in a Ubuntu Phone ever since the roaming is enabled. I can provide test results or debug logs from that card still, given that mine seems to be activated now.

This smells like a modem FW issue: whatever the trick O2/symio are using to allow this kind of roaming, the modem does not like it unless the SIM has previously registered to that network. Not sure if we can do much there but complaining to MediaTek. However, the logcat might be useful to gather more information:

sudo /system/bin/logcat -b radio

Output of the command while scanning the operators would be interesting.

Another question, do you have roaming status when registered to the O2 network (for BQ and Meego)?

Ok. Here's the output of logcat on my device when scanning for operators: http://paste.ubuntu.com/12552919/

When the simyo card is in the MeeGo phone, I do not get a roaming indication (although IIRC the N9 wouldn't show that even when international roaming). The indicator text toggles between "simyo" and "o2 - de".

When the simyo card is in the Ubuntu Phone and logged into o2, I do get the R icon in the indicator, yes.

Now, here comes some more observations: I've taken my wife's phone (krillin & simyo SIM) and scanned things there: http://paste.ubuntu.com/12552935/

Please note that network id 07 is listed here as "simyo" too, even though it actually is the o2 network. Also system settings shows 2 entries for simyo when I do a manual scan. I do not get a roaming icon in the indicator on this phone, regardless of what I select in the settings.

@mzanetti, thanks for the logs. If the N9 shows "o2 - de" that means that probably it considers that it is roaming, otherwise it would not show the country code.

The fact that your wife's SIM shows both networks as available is probably due to having a more modern SIM, which could contain information to know which operators are considered home network. Is that SIM post-merger? I guess there is no problem in being registered in one or another network with it. You can check list-modems output to know the MCC/MNC of the network you are registered to, in NetworkRegistration properties.

Finally, maybe some kind of first-time registering was needed in order to see O2's network as available. If your phone returns to a state where it cannot register to O2 network, it would be interesting to try forcing the registration with:

/usr/share/ofono/scripts/test-network-registration /ril_0 /ril_0/operator/26207

even if access is forbidden. If you can register to O2's after that we could consider showing all networks, including forbidden ones, in system-settings, as a way to unlock this situation.

@abeato, thanks a lot for investigating. My wife's SIM is indeed newer than mine, but for sure not post-merger. It's some 5 years or so already while the merged happened in the past half year. Anyhow, I agree, the newer model obviously could explain the differences.

So far it is still working. I will report back if I can get into the previous state again. Nevertheless, it seems showing all networks in the settings does sound like a good idea, after all there's probably a reason why Nokia decided to go that route and IIRC all previous phones I had did so.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Adding ubuntu-system-settings : a solution for this kind of problems would be to show all networks when scanning, even forbidden ones. The phone would try to connect to that network if selected, and show an error if it was not able to register.

Another thing to note is that MTK modem could return different network statuses for different technologies for the same operator (GSM and UMTS networks for the same operator are showed as different entities by the modem). ofono assumes that the forbidden/available status is the same for different techs and same operator and just picks the network status for one of them, randomly.

Taking a look at the traces in comment #10 this is not really happening, but would be interesting to gather the traces again and check if this bug is reproducible by somebody.

Error messages produced by trying to register with “illegal” carriers is already in the spec. Suggest bug 1211808 be re-opened and resolved alongside this bug.

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

As I remember, my O2 card and my Simquadrat card in the past didn't do the automatic roaming, because the network was marked as illegal.
After manually choosing the network with my android mobile, the settings in the SIM card were updated and automatic roaming for the partner network (E-Plus for O2 and vice versa) enabled (the network was not illegal anymore).
Also I have noticed that the networks changed their names:
The O2 card now recognizes the e-Plus network as o2.de+
The Simquadrat card (used E-Plus network) now recognises O2 as sipgate+.

For those, who don't know: Simquadrat is a brand of the german provider sipgate and can be purchased via http://smqdr.at/9r2G66sa if you live in Germany. They are a virtual network provider, thus they do not own their own network, but use the network of e-plus and now also O2 via national roaming.
For internet they have also special APN settings, thus with the standard e-plus or O2 settings, you will not be able to use the internet and you have to add the APN manually.

This is my output from the operator scan:

phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ /usr/share/ofono/scripts/scan-for-operators /ril_0
Scanning operators on modem /ril_0...
[ /ril_0/operator/26203 ]
    Status = current
    Name = sipgate
    Technologies = gsm umts
    MobileNetworkCode = 03
    MobileCountryCode = 262

[ /ril_0/operator/26207 ]
    Status = available
    Name = sipgate+
    Technologies = gsm umts
    MobileNetworkCode = 07
    MobileCountryCode = 262

[ /ril_0/operator/26202 ]
    Status = forbidden
    Name = Vodafone.de
    Technologies = gsm umts
    MobileNetworkCode = 02
    MobileCountryCode = 262

[ /ril_0/operator/26201 ]
    Status = forbidden
    Name = T-Mobile D
    Technologies = gsm
    MobileNetworkCode = 01
    MobileCountryCode = 262

phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$

Think I've got the same problem. Since a while my phone (N4) hardly switches back from 3G to 2G, reception is totally gone than.
Changed my provider a few months ago to eplus/O2. Probably the same time troubles started. Usually I restart the phone.

@mikahdh. If rebooting your phone helps, it is not the same issue.