Sky Mobile Not Working Abroad? – Here’s How to Fix

Is your Sky Mobile not working abroad? We have solutions for that!

Many Sky Mobile users reported roaming service problems, such as difficulty making calls, sending texts, or using the internet. This means that your SIM card is not activated for roaming.

To get your Sky Mobile working abroad, you want to ensure that your SIM is activated for roaming before you leave. If you’re outside the country, manually choose a network with a roaming agreement with Sky Mobile.

Very well, let’s delve into other potential fixes for this issue. 

Sky Mobile Not Working Abroad – 8 Steps to Fix This Error

This article will show you how to troubleshoot Sky Mobile abroad not working. We arrange the solutions from the easiest to the most complex. 

#1: Make Sure That Your SIM is Activated for Roaming

If you are using Sky Mobile abroad, first check if your SIM card is activated for roaming. Doing this lets you connect to Sky’s partner networks in other countries. 

To activate your SIM card for roaming, follow these steps:

1. Open the Sky app on your smartphone.
2. Sign in to your account.
3. Tap on the Menu icon in the upper left corner.
4. Select Roaming.
5. Tap on Activate Roaming.
6. Follow the instructions to complete the activation. 

To quickly activate your SIM for roaming before you leave the UK, do this by ringing Sky customer service at 0044 131 278 3778. 

Note: If you are travelling to a country not part of the EU, you need to purchase a roaming pass before you activate your SIM card for roaming.

#2: Verify That Your Device is Compatible with Sky’s Partner Network

Next, verify that your device is compatible with Sky’s partner network in the country you’re visiting.

Sky Mobile uses the O2 network, which operates on GSM technology. However, some countries use CDMA or LTE, which your device doesn’t support. 

To check if your device is compatible with Sky’s partner network, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Sky Mobile website.
2. Click on the Roaming tab.
3. Scroll down to Find out if your phone is compatible.
4. Enter your phone’s make and model in the search bar. 
5. Click on Search. 

Note: If your phone is compatible, you will see a list of the Sky partner networks it will connect to. Otherwise, you will see a message saying it’s not supported. 

#3: Check That You Have Enough Credit or Data Allowance

If you run out of credit or data allowance, you won’t be able to use Sky Mobile’s services. This happens if you use your phone more than usual when travelling.

To check if you have enough credit or data, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Sky Mobile website and sign in to your account.
2. Click My Account.
3. Scroll down to the Roaming section.
4. Go to Data Allowance and check your current data allowance for roaming.
5. Go to Credit Allowance and check your current credit allowance for roaming.

If travelling to a country outside of the EU, you must also check your roaming pass balance.

Here’s how to do this:

1. Visit the Sky Mobile website and sign in to your account.
2. Go to My Account.
3. Scroll down to the Roaming section.
4. Go to Roaming Pass Balance and check your current roaming pass balance.    

Alternative: Check your credit or data allowance by texting BALANCE to 20202 from your Sky Mobile phone. 

#4: Enable Data Roaming on Your Device

Data roaming is a feature that allows you to access the internet using a foreign network when you’re abroad. If disabled, you won’t be able to use any internet-based services on your phone. 

To enable data roaming on your device, follow these steps:

For iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Cellular.
3. Tap on Cellular Data Options.
4. Switch on the toggle for Data Roaming.

For Android

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Network & Internet.
3. Tap on Mobile Network.
4.  Tap on the SIM card you want to enable data roaming for.
5. Toggle the switch next to Data Roaming to the on position. 

Note: Data roaming is turned off by default; you must enable it manually to use your phone’s data in other countries. Expect extra charges for using data abroad. 

#5: Increase or Disable your Spend Cap

A spend cap is a feature that allows you to set a maximum amount of money to spend on your Sky Mobile service each month.

Increasing or turning off your spend cap helps you manage your budget and avoid unexpected charges. 

Info: If you hit your spend cap, you won’t be able to use any of the services on your phone that incur extra charges, including roaming, premium number, and international calling. 

To increase or turn off your spend cap, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Sky Mobile website.
2. Sign in to your account and click on My Account.
3. Scroll down to the Spend Caps section. 
4. Click on the Change Spend Cap button. 
5. Enter the amount you want to increase your spend cap to.
6. Click on the Save button. 

To disable your spend cap, click the Disable Spend Cap button instead. 

#6: Manually Select a Network

If your device automatically selects a network, it will connect to a network with poor coverage, low signal, or no roaming agreement with Sky Mobile network when you’re abroad. In this case, you need to select a network manually.

Here’s how to do this:

For iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Mobile Data.
3. Select Network Selection.
4. Toggle the Automatic option Off.
5. Wait for the list of available networks to load. 
6. Choose a network listed on Sky Mobile’s roaming page for the country you’re visiting.

#7: Reset Your Device’s Network Settings

If you recently updated, restored, or modified your device, you need to reset your device’s network settings.

You will experience issues if your network settings are faulty and your device has viruses, malware, and bugs.

Here’s what you need to do to reset your network settings:

For iPhone

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on General, then Reset.
3. Tap on Reset Network Settings. 
4. Enter your passcode if prompted.
5. Tap on Reset Network Settings again to confirm. 

For Android

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on System, then Advanced.
3. Tap on Reset Options.
4. Tap on Reset WiFi, Mobile & Bluetooth.
5. Tap on Reset Settings.
6. Enter your PIN, pattern, and password if prompted.
7. Tap on Reset Settings again to confirm.

Note: After resetting your device’s network settings, allow it some time to restart. This will take a moment as your device reconfigures its network preferences.  

#8: Make Sure You Are Using Sky Mobile’s APN Settings

APN or Access Point Name lets your device connect to Sky Mobile’s internet service. If you use the incorrect or outdated APN settings for Sky Mobile, you won’t be able to use their services abroad. 

To make sure you are using Sky Mobile’s APN settings, follow these steps:

For iPhone

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on Mobile Data.
3. Select Mobile Data Network.
4. Check if the following information is entered correctly:

• APN: f
• Username: (leave blank)
• Password: (leave blank)

5. If anything is wrong or missing, enter the correct information.
6. Tap on the back arrow to save the changes.

For Android

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on Network & Internet.
3. Select Mobile Network.
4. Tap Advanced.
5. Tap on Access Point Names.
6. Check if there’s an APN labelled as mobile.sky.
7. If yes, tap on it and check if the following information is entered correctly:

• APN: mobile.sky
• Username: (leave blank)
• Password: (leave blank)

8. If anything is wrong, enter the correct information. 
9. Tap on the Menu icon.
10. Select Save.

Note: If you don’t find an APN labelled as mobile.sky, tap on the plus icon and enter the above information.

Sky Mobile Full APN settings:

• Name: mobile.sky
• APN: mobile.sky
• Proxy: (not set)
• Port: (not set)
• Username: (not set)
• Password: (not set)
• Server: (not set)
• MMSC: (not set)
• MMS Proxy: (not set)
• MMS Port: (not set)
• MCC: 234
• MNC: 10
• Authentication Type: (not set)
• APN type: default,supl
• APN roaming protocol: IPv4/IPv6
• Bearer: Unspecified
• MVNO type: None
• APN protocol: IPv4/IPv6

Note: Knowing Sky Mobile APN settings is important to ensure your mobile device functions properly, especially regarding network connectivity, data usage, and communication services.  

Quick Recap

Here are the most effective solutions for your Sky Mobile not working abroad problem. The primary remedies include activating your SIM card and enabling data roaming on your device. Remember to do this before you leave the UK for it to work.

If the problem persists, consider contacting Sky Mobile Support to get assistance on how to use your phone while you’re abroad.

Check out our blog for more Sky Mobile details!  

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