Why can't my phone find a mobile network since switching out of Airplane mode?

[benawhile]

Phone can't find mobile network since switching out of Airplane mode

Since using abroad, then switching to Airplane mode, for a few hours, and then switching Airplane Mode off again on arrival in UK, my phone has been unable to detect my network (Virgin).
On unlocking SIM, “No Service” is displayed on home screen followed by “Mobile network not available” which is also displayed if I try any function which uses the network
No bars in signal strength icon. Just shows outline of triangle, no white space filled in
Turning Airplane mode on and off had no effect
SIM card remove and replace had no effect
Reboot (turning phone off and on) no effect
Holding power button for two minutes while connected to charger had no effect
Safe mode has no effect
Something has caused the date to reset to 19th August 2014 and time to go a few hours out
Clearing cache achieved nothing
Two weeks ago I looked at network settings but don't think I changed anything,
Android version 4.4.4. (Seem to have missed an update.)
I have checked the APN settings with Virgin website, all seems correct.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Phone can't find mobile network since switching out of Airplane mode

Something has caused the date to reset to 19th August 2014 and time to go a few hours out

If you have the date and time set to automatic (the default), the phone gets the date and time from the tower - which it can't connect to, so it can't get the date and time.

Bring it into Virgin and see if they can get it going for you.

 

[benawhile]

Re: Phone can't find mobile network since switching out of Airplane mode

Actually, it wasn't set to auto, I had set it to manual.

 

[benawhile]

Re: Phone can't find mobile network since switching out of Airplane mode

Problem now solved, Bilbo in Motorola forum advised:
settings>wireless networks>more>mobile networks>network operators>

"Search for all available" finds EE, vodaphone, 3UK and O2

Clicked on EE out of curiosity and it registered. Apparently manual registration is sometimes necessary due to a glitch on many phones. Rukbat as you suggested this problem would probably have been sorted if I had taken the phone to Virgin shop.