topic Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA in Mobile Services

Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 12:59:30 GMT

I've landed in the states with a pay monthly EE contract. I seem to have problems connecting to the services here. Most of the time I have no signal. Occasionally it does connect, and I am able to use mobile data but not make phone calls or send or receive text messages, and after a minute or two the connection drops out.

I've checked with CS over Skype that I am activated to roaming and they connected me to the tech team but for some reason the could hear me, and I have limited time to sit on hold in areas with WiFi!

Any thoughts? I have a Moto G73 5G if it makes any difference.

Cheers

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Katie_B — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:01:33 GMT

Hello @Leedsmedic1.

Welcome to the community.

Have you been able to try manually connecting to another available network?

Katie

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

bristolian — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:14:31 GMT

Does your phone have an option to force 4G only or disable 5G? That could be valuable troubleshooting. In the same vein, is "enhanced LTE mode" enabled in your phone's network settings menu?

I believe that's the option to enable VoLTE (4G-calling) which is often a requirement in the USA now.

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:50:35 GMT

Cheers to everyone's suggestions.

I've tried switching to manual network but deleting AT&T but it just continuously alarms unable to connect.

My phone doesn't have option to turn off 4G unfortunately.

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 01:24:14 GMT

Ok I have found how to turn off 5G (hidden menu by entering a string of symbols into the phone app).

Still no dice.

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leanne_T — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 06:12:14 GMT

Hi @Leedsmedic1

Are you able to try the SIM card in any other phone to see if the same happens?

Leanne 🙂

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:04:18 GMT

I will give that a go.

I realise I never got a roaming text from EE and my APN settings are all set to EE ones, would that be an issue?

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

XRaySpeX — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:10:52 GMT

You APN should be EE.

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

bristolian — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:18:18 GMT

@Leedsmedic1 wrote:

I realise I never got a roaming text from EE

What roaming text do you now realise you never received?

You mentioned about activating roaming over a call with CS, so this can't be the ROAMING text. Or do you mean the welcome text message when you first switch your phone in a foreign country?

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:41:15 GMT

The usual text you get when you land somewhere.

The plot thickens though, I rang up CS and on the initial call bit it said roaming wasn't enabled.

I then spent 20 minutes on with CS with them trying to log into my account before the Skype call seemed to go dead.

I still have no roaming. It is slightly ridiculous this isn't just an option in the app. I'm spending significant amounts of my holiday trying to sort this out.

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

bristolian — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:45:52 GMT

@Leedsmedic1 wrote:

The plot thickens though, I rang up CS and on the initial call bit it said roaming wasn't enabled.

Although I'm curious what you mean "the initial call bit", this would explain all your symptoms. I presume you mean the automated system before speaking to an agent.

If roaming isn't enabled, your phone doesn't have permission to connect to foreign networks - lack of ability to make/receive calls, send/receive text messages, or use mobiole data, naturally follows.

I agree it should be easier to resolve, and I sympathise. Texting ROAMING to 150 before leaving the UK is a lot easier!

Re: Unable to send texts or phone in USA

Leedsmedic1 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 20:13:35 GMT

"I agree it should be easier to resolve, and I sympathise. Texting ROAMING to 150 before leaving the UK is a lot easier!"

Yes, I'm feeling this very much now!

I would have thought after two decent length phone calls this should be sortable!

I'll have to try again when the lines open again.