How to setup your new listening device or GSM bug and solve why it does not work.
How to setup your new listening device and problem solve
We get many questions from people that have purchased listening device and do not get support from their suppliers. Therefore, we have created a brief guide to help you understand your device and capture that all important situation. Let's be honest you only get one chance.
Tip No 1.
Always test the device before you are going to use it. Test the reception in area of use and ensure that the battery is fully charged. Remember, be prepared in advance.
Purchased the device from ourselves.
If you purchased the device from ourselves, by all means read the guide. But please remember we pride ourselves in our support and have been selling and supporting our customers since 2000. If you are struggling drop us a messgae and we will gladly help. To contact us Click here.
Choosing the right sim card for your Listening Device
Some sim cards (O2, Giff Gaff, Tesco, Lycamobile or Three) will not work with listening devices in the UK. This is because they are 3G / 4G only networks. We therefore recommend networks that use the GSM network and others, examples of these networks are predominantly EE & Vodafone, other networks such as Virgin, Lebara and Asda will also work but not the first choice.
We test every device before dispatch with a UK EE network sim card to make sure it’s operational, so I highly recommend using EE pay as you go sim or contract initially.
Once you have a new EE sim (they normally cost £0.99 in most shops, top up is not initially required) please place it first in a mobile phone, wait for at least 2 minutes for any texts messages to arrive, pending text messages could interfere with the call connectivity
(busy tone or call going to voicemail).
Please also allow at least 30 seconds in between the calls (time needed for device to reboot and reconnect after finished call).
Sometimes in areas with low reception it won't connect on first try, so try calling it one more time.
Vodafone and Lebara should work as well, but only use those networks after testing the gsm bug with EE.
Some customers have reported connectivity issues with new 4G enabled Vodafone and Lebara sim cards, so you might have to look for older type sim from those networks online.
Please make sure that there is a good GSM network reception in the area you're planning to use it.
When you’ll be calling this device, you may sometimes experience an interference noise, this noise should normally disappear within 30 seconds into the call.
If there's any issue with the connectivity in the future (call going to voicemail or busy tone) placing the sim inside of the mobile phone and clearing pending text messages + test call from another mobile should help.
My Listening device goes to answer machine when I call it up
Essentially all devices are tested with a SIM card installed which is used to test operation, before sending. This normally helps us in this situation. Either way we are always more than willing to test and resolve, should there be an issue.
The device is dependent on a good reception being a small device. If it goes to answer machine that implies that the reception in its location on (sim card inserted) is not strong enough. You may find this is the unfortunate problem with this device as they are very simple to use i.e. insert sim, light flashes to indicate its searching for a reception and off you go.
If the light stays on then it definitely isn't getting a strong enough reception on the network, in the area of use. This will give you confidence as you know the device is likely just on the wrong network.
The device will flash to indicate that the device is connecting to the network. If the light goes out it is connected to the network ok.
You can change the SIM card inside the device for a different network It's best to establish there is a good reception 1st. If you do change test in a normal mobile 1st to ensure its active on the network before putting in the device.
Another alternative is put device in another location outside, so you can put your mind to rest that it does in fact work.
As it is a normal SIM card you will need to add credit should you wish it to call you back, just the same as a normal mobile phone.
Until there is credit on the card the call back function won't work, however in this case this is not the issue.
Listening device answers but the auto-call back option will not work
Firstly establish if your device has the additional function of auto-callback, such as the Professional GSM spy listening devices. After establishing that your device has this very useful function just follow the fault finding instructions below.
Please remove the sim from the adapter and place it in a mobile phone, wait for about 3-5 minutes for any text messages to arrive.
After that, place it again in the listening device call it first after 30 seconds from turning on the device, if it connects, disconnect the call after a few seconds, wait for about 1 minute, then send a text 1111 and keep saying something with normal voice tone next to the adapter for about 20 seconds. It should call back.
Spy bug module will only accept text messages with commands, but if there's any other message, for example adverts from network it will refuse to accept it and it will be bouncing back and forth causing a problem with accepting text commands as well, and cause connectivity issues.
Should this happen send a text to turn off auto answer.
Then reset i.e. turn off and on. Repeat and call up.
To activate a call back function, ensure that there is little or no sound in the background. This ensures that the device can detect the increase in background sound.
Send a text message (normally) 1111 from your mobile number to the sim mobile number located inside of the spy bug listening device, that way your mobile number will be marked for receiving the calls from a bug. (Initial call is needed first)
Please make sure that a simcard inside of listening device has some credit on it, in order to call you back.
To deactivate a call back function, send a text message 0000 from your mobile phone to the sim card in the listening device.
For best sound quality we highly recommend listening to the call on loudspeaker of your mobile, it has much higher gain than ear speaker. Please also make sure that there's nothing in between the spy bug and sound source (like furniture or appliances) and the sound source is not further away than 3-5 meters.
I hope this helps as advised we can gladly test devices that we sell.