topic Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life in EE app and website

The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 21:43:07 GMT

I signed up to EE to get service for my Pixel Watch 4 because my previous operator does not support watches. And since I pay already for Google AI Pro 2TB, the deal with the Unlimted SIM with the free Google AI Pro 2TB is well worth it for me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm stuck with EE. But oh my good lord I have never struggle so much to pay money to a company and get a service.

First of all creating an account: I kept getting dumped back at the login screen. Maybe it's because I have an old account with EE that is long forgotten but still on the system.

So I made a new account with a new email address using the GMail trick of adding +ee to my email name. Which worked fine until I got to a screen that simultaneously said "we have created your account" and also "your email address is invalid".

So I made a new account with a new email address using the GMail trick of putting a dot somewhere in your email name. That worked.

I eventually managed to buy and pay for an eSIM.

So where is it? The order confirmation page has a QR code that doesn't work. Other than that, nowhere in the web site does it say that my account has any service. The EE app just says "We're having trouble linking your products". The web site offers to sell me new things but does not show me what I have already bought. I have an email saying I have a successful purchase, but no instructions for how to set up the eSIM.

I don't know what I am supposed to do now. Any ideas?

I tried to upload screenshots demonstrating this but even that would not work 😞

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 21:45:59 GMT

attempt at screenshotstrying to create accountmade account then email address rejectedadd eSIM QR code scan not workingattempt to use EE app

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:43:03 GMT

How am I supposed to know my eSIM's number? This is so frustrating. It's a catch 22 where I can't see my details until I've "linked" my product to my account (never heard anything like that before) and I can't link my product without knowing details about it.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:53:27 GMT

You're not the only one. I had a nightmare even getting to the point of setting up the account. I've set up the direct debit. And then nothing.

It's not just a lack of confirmation, when I log in to my account there is nothing, either.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:55:27 GMT

No you can't. It doesn't work. You need to know your SIM's number to "link" it to your account or some such nonsense. Something is seriously and fundamentally broken.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

Katie_B — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 06:46:57 GMT

Hi @RobTheDataHog.

A confirmation email is sent upon placing the order.

This will provide the customer with their mobile number which can then be used to link.

Katie

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:08:36 GMT

Thanks, Katie. Then something is wrong because there is no confirmation email.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:16:38 GMT

The only email I have is this one. Below this it says, "Once you've downloaded your eSIM, your current number will be transferred within 1 working day."

But I can't download the eSIM because I can't "link" it to my account without knowing its number, which is not in the email.

I just tried putting in my number (the one I am transferring in) and now I am not getting the email security pass code, which is odd because I've had dozens of those pass codes during my attempts to get anywhere...

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

Katie_B — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:20:16 GMT

Thanks so much for providing the screen shot of the email you have received @RobTheDataHog.

If you are unable to locate the number please give us a call so our customer care team can look into this further.

Katie

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:48:32 GMT

Update: customer services were able to give me the phone number of the eSIM.

I'm still stuck because I'm waiting for the email confirmation code sent during the living process that does not seem to arrive.

I was offered a physical SIM but I don't want to try that yet (I don't want to wait for it)

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:54:14 GMT

Ok, a code came and I entered it. Now I have this:

"Some of your details don’t match those on the eSIM billing account."

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

Dts0802 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:58:33 GMT

Sounds like you’ve done the exact same as I have, rang customer services got the number tried to link it on the app but getting the same message about details not matching.

im currently waiting for EE to post stuff out to download the ESIM, im out of the country at the moment so hoping its arrived while I’ve been away, im back tomorrow so fingers crossed its there.

On the whole pretty disappointing service from EE they advertise you can download the eSIM straight away and you can’t

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:19:55 GMT

Ok customer service say they have linked my eSIM to my account for me, but I'm not seeing anything in the EE app yet. Apparently it might take up to 24 hours.

Let's see...

Would be interesting to hear updates from others.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 16:14:20 GMT

It seems like the eSIM was linked to my account earlier this afternoon. By 5pm I had downloaded it to my phone. Now let's see if I can get my watch working...

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 16:29:11 GMT

Ok, credit where it's due, that part was pretty straightforward. It said it might take 4 hours or more but it took about 10 minutes.

I think in summary:

1. There are bugs in account sign up. The worst is the one that accepts an email with a plus sign on account creation but rejects it on purchase.

2. There are bugs with sending out eSIM details. I think if you specify a PAC it's sending you the number you're transferring instead of the temporary number of the new eSIM.

3. There are bugs with linking the eSIM to your account. It just fails and customer service have to do it for you. To be honest it's kind of ridiculous that this is even a thing: I was logged in when I purchased the eSIM, "linking" should be an automatic process invisible to the customer.

Hopefully that is the end of it and it will just work. I think EE's actual telecoms infrastructure is very good. It's their IT systems that are flaky. Also the deal I have is pretty good; if it was not I would not have persevered for so long.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

RobTheDataHog — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:51:53 GMT

EE IT systems are still proving to cause maximum problems at every possible opportunity.

My PAC transfer seems to have just not happened.

I found the form, but the "confirm" button doesn't work. So I made the mistake of pressing back on the browser in hope of retrying and now this.

Re: The Worst Onboarding Experience of my life

chistery — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:02:01 GMT

The PAC process will be started soon after you have successfully connected to EE with your temporary number. So in a few working days, your number should transfer.