Need help connecting to network with a Samsung Galaxy Core

[patti24]

This phone is a lemon and hasn't worked right since the day I got it, but my iphone got wet the other day so I have to use this one for now. I am having a horrendous time trying to get it to connect to the network. I bought a new Sim card & it hasn't made a difference. I CANNOT spend any more time online with Samsung or my carrier, Virgin Mobile- they have both been absolutely useless, so if anyone has ANY suggestions, I would appreciate hearing them. Here are just SOME of the problems:
1) The phone doesn't ring when someone is calling me, nor does it beep to notify me that there is a voicemail. However, 5, 9, 12 hours later- all of a sudden, it will beep and I will get the message someone left hours before.
2) Same goes for text messages.
3) When I try to make a phone call, half the time it says "Not registered on network" (but I have checked it in the settings and it says it IS registered on the network.
4) I can't download any pictures people send me via text. It says 'downloading' and the bar indicates it is, but nothing happens. A message sometimes appears that says: Currently unable to download. Try again later. I've tried for days and it won't work.
5) Half the time text messages that I write won't send. The circle icon just keeps spinning for days.
6) Under "More Networks", I click "Mobile Networks". On that menu, two of the choices are: Mobile data, and Data Roaming. I always have the "Data Roaming" turned off because I only have 100MB in my plan.
However, do I need to have MOBILE DATA on, even when I am using wi-fi? Is that the reason why messages aren't being sent/received?
If the phone is not connecting to the network and the MOBILE DATA is on, will I be charged for data?
7) The wi-fi symbol is always on, but half the time there is either one or two bars on the carrier icon, or the circle with the line through it indicating no service. (I always had service with my iphone 4s, so if that doesn't indicate a huge problem with this POS phone, I don't know what does! But try to tell Samsung that!!!)
If anyone can provide me with some help, I'd be extremely grateful!

 

[B. Diddy]

Was this phone originally from Virgin Mobile, or is it unlocked from somewhere else and you inserted a Virgin Mobile SIM? My understanding is that Virgin Mobile is very picky about bringing your own phone -- only a very limited selection of phones are compatible. This is Virgin Mobile USA, and not Canada, right?

Mobile data has to be on if you want to send or receive MMS (picture texts). It doesn't work over wi-fi alone.

 

[patti24]

Hi B.Diddy. Thanks for your response.
Yes, the phone was originally from Virgin. I had no problem using the SIM card in the iphone4s I was given after I gave up on this Samsung.
This is Virgin Mobile CANADA.
Thank you for clarifying about 'Mobile Data'. Your answer was clear, concise, and in terms 'regular' folks understand! In all my searching about the difference between 'Mobile Data' and 'Data Roaming' the information I read was either techie jargon or they didn't explain what Mobile Data actually was. This explains why the pictures aren't coming through! Just a couple more questions if you can clarify further for me...
1) Am I correct in assuming that this should be on all the time then? Or is it something you turn on and off the same way you do with Data Roaming?
2) If it is turned on all the time, does it affect the amount of data usage if you are using wi-fi? How about when you are on Data Roaming? (So essentially, what I want to know is if using it, does it use date and result in additional charges to your account if you go over your data limit? (keeping in mind that I only have a pathetic 100MB on my plan!)

3) Does having the Mobile Data turned on or off affect my email? (The phone is continually saying "Yahoo Mail has stopped"). Messages I try to send sometimes sit in the outbox for unlimited time ???- (until I delete them because they won't send).

4) When sending texts (without pictures or attachments) is there a certain point at which it automatically becomes a MMS message? I am wondering if maybe that is why some of my messages aren't sending. I don't think they are that long, but maybe there is a threshold I'm not aware of.

5) Will turning Mobile Data on improve this entire "No network found", "Not able to connect to the Network" problem I am having?

Thank you again for your help!!! I really appreciate it.
Patti

 

[B. Diddy]

1) Am I correct in assuming that this should be on all the time then? Or is it something you turn on and off the same way you do with Data Roaming?
If you want to get MMS messages as soon as they arrive, or access the web constantly while out of wi-fi range, then it's easiest to keep Mobile Data on. But if you want to conserve your wireless plan's data allotment, then it's reasonable to toggle Mobile Data off until you need it. Just realize that if Mobile Data is off and you're not connected to wi-fi, the phone's apps won't sync to the web. You should still get alerted to MMS messages arriving, but it will give you a "Tap to download message" prompt (instead of immediately showing you the message), which means you have to toggle Mobile Data back on first, then tap to download.

Data Roaming is only if you're outside of your carrier's network. If using mobile data outside of your carrier's network costs a lot of money, you should keep that off.

2) If it is turned on all the time, does it affect the amount of data usage if you are using wi-fi?
It might. If wi-fi is on, the phone is supposed to favor that for web connection, but there are plenty of occasions where the phone ends up using mobile data instead. It might be due to a glitch in the programming, or perhaps a poor wi-fi network.

3) Does having the Mobile Data turned on or off affect my email? (The phone is continually saying "Yahoo Mail has stopped"). Messages I try to send sometimes sit in the outbox for unlimited time ???- (until I delete them because they won't send).
If Mobile Data is off and you're not connected to a wi-fi network, then your email app won't be able to sync.

The "Yahoo Mail has stopped" error is probably unrelated to your data connection -- it might be related more to some bad data somewhere. Try going to the App Manager, select Yahoo Mail, then Storage, then Clear Cache/Clear Data. Then open Yahoo Mail, log back in, and wait for it to sync again with your Yahoo server in the cloud.

4) When sending texts (without pictures or attachments) is there a certain point at which it automatically becomes a MMS message? I am wondering if maybe that is why some of my messages aren't sending. I don't think they are that long, but maybe there is a threshold I'm not aware of.
You're correct -- there is a 160 character limit for SMS messages. If you go over that limit, the messaging app will automatically convert it to an MMS message, so if your Mobile Data is off, it might have difficulty sending it.

5) Will turning Mobile Data on improve this entire "No network found", "Not able to connect to the Network" problem I am having?
Not sure about this. I don't know if you're getting that message because the phone wants a web connection, or if it's because it's having trouble locking onto Virgin Mobile's cell signal in general (for phone calls as well). When you get that message, can you still make a phone call?