ULSTER BANK ACTIVATION CODE

phater phagan

Hello. Lately I have been unable to pay bills online because Ulster Bank blocks the transaction with a code to my mobile phone that I don't receive.
The number they have for me is correct but the text message with the code does not come through. It is very frustrating as I do all my payments online.
Does anyone else have this problem? I have tried calling Ulster Bank, but it is nearly impossible to get through. I was waiting for 20 minutes with a line ringing but nobody answered there.

frash

phater phagan wrote: »

Hello. Lately I have been unable to pay bills online because Ulster Bank blocks the transaction with a code to my mobile phone that I don't receive.
The number they have for me is correct but the text message with the code does not come through. It is very frustrating as I do all my payments online.
Does anyone else have this problem? I have tried calling Ulster Bank, but it is nearly impossible to get through. I was waiting for 20 minutes with a line ringing but nobody answered there.

Are you with Virgin Mobile?
It's a known issue that people with them miss out on a rake of SMS messages

phater phagan

frash wrote: »

Are you with Virgin Mobile?
It's a known issue that people with them miss out on a rake of SMS messages

No I'm with Eir.

Doodah7

phater phagan wrote: »

Hello. Lately I have been unable to pay bills online because Ulster Bank blocks the transaction with a code to my mobile phone that I don't receive.
The number they have for me is correct but the text message with the code does not come through. It is very frustrating as I do all my payments online.
Does anyone else have this problem? I have tried calling Ulster Bank, but it is nearly impossible to get through. I was waiting for 20 minutes with a line ringing but nobody answered there.

This is clearly not an Ulster Bank issue. Their system sees the number you have provided and it sends the text. It is not complicated. How would they know (or care) what phone network you are with? You need to contact eir or check the settings on your phone.

For what it's worth, I'm with UB and eir and have never had any problems receiving such texts.

vandriver

My son on Three has exactly the same problem.

frash

Could it be it's saved with the +353 bit but they're not expecting it (or vice versa)

BTW - I've been in to Ulster Bank twice today and didn't have to wait long either time so I think you just need to ring them to discuss

vandriver

frash wrote: »

Could it be it's saved with the +353 bit but they're not expecting it (or vice versa)

BTW - I've been in to Ulster Bank twice today and didn't have to wait long either time so I think you just need to ring them to discuss

Ulster Bank will blame your phone company.Your phone company will say it's the bank.

phater phagan

frash wrote: »

Could it be it's saved with the +353 bit but they're not expecting it (or vice versa)

BTW - I've been in to Ulster Bank twice today and didn't have to wait long either time so I think you just need to ring them to discuss

It is saved with the 353. Would that be the reason for not getting the text?

Spocker

Can you switch to using the App instead? https://digital.ulsterbank.ie/personal/security-centre/sca.html

frash

phater phagan wrote: »

It is saved with the 353. Would that be the reason for not getting the text?

Dunno - ring the bank
They'll know more than a bunch of randomers on the internet

Jim2007

phater phagan wrote: »

Hello. Lately I have been unable to pay bills online because Ulster Bank blocks the transaction with a code to my mobile phone that I don't receive.

Does that mean it has worked in the past and this a new issue?

Have you checked that you have not blocked it in some way, or that an update to your phone has not done so.

phater phagan

Jim2007 wrote: »

Does that mean it has worked in the past and this a new issue?

Have you checked that you have not blocked it in some way, or that an update to your phone has not done so.

For years the texted code was not required. It is only recently been asked for. This happened to me once before, but when I tried a day or so after, it did not ask be for a code. The transaction went through.
I was on the phone today with an UB employee for 10 minutes and she verified my phone number. She really couldn't figure out what was causing the problem. Then was put on hold for 3 or 4 minutes while she looked for someone else to solve it. After those few minutes the call was cut off.
I suppose I'll have to go down to the branch - I'm not too confident that they'll be able to figure it out either. If not I'll change banks which is a real pain, as I have been with UB for 20 years.

garrettod

Hello,

The occasional codes being sent by text message, are required as part of better security and fraud prevention measures. It seems to work fine, for me.

I assume you are using their Anytime service, and not their Business Banking (Bankline) service.

Try installing their App and making the payments on your mobile phone, rather than Desktop - see if you can make them okay. If you can, it's not their system records etc.

Problems with not receiving text messages from Banks etc are usually down to either your mobile phone, or your mobile phone network.

Are you getting text messages from other parties okay?

Not being funny with you here, but it's often the simple things, have you tried :

* Deleting old text messages, in case you phone has a limit on the number of text messages that it can hold (some do, while others are governed by rules set by your phone company)

* Completely turning off your phone, then turning it back on, so as to refresh your connection with the mobile phone network etc?

Once you've done the above, call Ulster Bank and see if they can send you a test, text message - they won't be able to do tks at the branch, you'll need their support team (Monday mornings and lunchtimes will be particularly busy, so suggest that you avoid those times btw)

chinwag

Sometimes, there can be a delay of a couple of minutes before you receive the code on your mobile. Have you waited a while for the code to arrive?

Think you are advised of this when the notice appears about the code being sent to your mobile.

Quackster

Failure to receive (usually some but not all of) these type of SMS is generally due to a mobile network issue that arose following porting from one network to another. It can be difficult to get fixed unless you're willing to try again porting to another network.

A possible workaround would be to get a Curve card (if you don't have one already) and link your Ulster Bank card to that. Curve uses its app to authorise transactions (although you can choose SMS or email authorisation too).