Beware of roaming ads ons

[Shadow14]

Have been to India and turned off mobile data and only used my wifi. Return back after 3 weeks and have 8 add ons for data totalling 65 odd pounds. Contacted EE, apparently is a opt out which I didn’t know of at all and my phone mysteriously connected to data 8 times while abroad. I have left EE today. Cannot deal with opt-out-money-making situations that EE have so cleverly made for themselves! 

[nothingaboutme0]

Hi @Shadow14,

I'm sorry to hear about your recent experience with EE. As a long-time EE customer, I've always found their services reliable and their customer support helpful. It's unfortunate that you faced unexpected charges. I understand how frustrating this must be. I suggest contacting EE customer service for a thorough explanation and possible resolution. They are usually very accommodating in understanding and resolving such issues.

Hope this helps!

[Leanne_T]

Hi @Shadow14 

I am very sorry to hear this has happened. 

Did you have the Travel Data Pass active on your account? 

Was mobile data turned off in your mobile settings and not turned back on until you returned back in the UK? 

Leanne. 

[Chris_B]

@Shadow14  to use cellular data in that location you have to purchase an add on.  Your allowances do not cover you while there.  No add on on data.   And you do not op out in order to not have it, you have to purchase it to have it.  Your calls/texts on the other hand will be charged at international rates as again your allowances do not cover you while there.   Turning off cellular data doesn’t stop your device from making calls/texts 

[bristolian]

Modern smartphones rarely "mysteriously" connect to data if the correct options have been set in the menus. If "mobile data" & "data roaming" was disabled, then your phone should not use the facility, and resultant charges will be in error.

I suspect the opt-out being referred to, is the ability of the phone user to purchase data add-ons - this is within your myEE account settings, either on the web or app. Equally - if that is disabled, then any resultant charges are in error.

[Shadow14]

I contacted them today, apparently I had to opt out of it. I have been their customer for a long time - around 10 years and this has never happened before. They couldn’t help or see it through my side 

[Shadow14]

No travel pass. Yes I turned it on only when we landed in the UK

[Shadow14]

I never asked for this. Been with EE for years, no issues previously. Turned off mobile data and didn’t turn on till landed in the UK. Used WhatsApp for calls and messages with Wifi. 
contacted customer services who said I had to opt out if I didn’t want it. 

[Shadow14]

I never signed up to add ons. I don’t use my phone a lot. Disabled mobile data and only used WhatsApp for calls or messages when wifi was available. The customer service guy is suggesting that it must have defaulted to mobile data when wifi was not available! This has never happened before.

[bristolian]

If you disabled mobile data on your phone, or switched data roaming off - then your phone would have given an onscreen popup if you or any app tried to use the facility.

If a CS agent is suggesting a phone can connect without a prompt when the facility is disabled, I would invite them to put that advice in writing as you have cause for complaint about incorrect advice.