topic Re: Help me! in Mobile Network discussions

Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:16:58 GMT

I’m at the end of my patience threshold. I can’t make or receive calls whatsoever, I can’t get into my nearest branch, I can’t use my phone for the tickets I have stored on it, I can’t pay for anything using my phone, there is no SIM card showing on my phone.

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:20:58 GMT

I have been on the phone every day for the past 5 days and have spent hours trying to sort this out. All I did was recontract and first I lost my WiFi connection and, when that was fixed I lost my phone connection. It’s beyond frustrating that I’m spending so much time trying to get this fixed when it was just a simple recontract

Re: Help me!

bristolian — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:39:08 GMT

Can you access the menu system on your phone? Can you use whatever apps you might have installed?

Does the phone show network coverage?

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:53:45 GMT

The phone works fine on WiFi and I can use all the apps. I can receive calls through WhatsApp but not sure if I can make any. When I looked in the settings menu it says there is no SIM but I have a SIM in the phone. This means I can’t use my phone away from my flat so I can’t use my bus ticket app or my season ticket for the football

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:03:54 GMT

There’s no network coverage for anything other than WiFi

Re: Help me!

Chris_B — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:27:30 GMT

@AndyCardiff If you have a physical Simon the device and the device says there is no sim in it you might need to reset a replacement SIM card as it could be faulty. Without a working phone you need to go to a EE store with in date photo ID to register a replacement sim. But can you try that sim in a different device ?

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:35:50 GMT

Thanks for getting back to me, Chris. It looks like I’m going to have to go into a shop but my bus ticket is on my phone and I can’t use it outside my flat. I’m very annoyed that I have to go into a shop for a new SIM because, up until yesterday, the SIM was working fine. It’s only since the new WiFi contract was put in place that my phone SIM isn’t showing as being in the phone. I’m in between jobs right now so spending £10 on bus fares to sort out issues that shouldn’t have happened is something I feel very, very unhappy about because every penny matters to me now. It’s one shambles after another at the moment

Re: Help me!

Peter_W — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:53:55 GMT

Welcome to the Community, @AndyCardiff.

I totally appreciate this puts you in a really tough position, and I definitely want to be sure we've looked at every option we can here.

If you're able to test your SIM in another phone like @Chris_B mentioned I'd definitely recommend this, as it'll help us identify if the issue is SIM or device based.

I'd also recommend calling from another phone if possible too, as that way our team will be able to cross check all the SIMs and numbers on your phone, and ensure you're using the right one. They are also able to send pre-activated SIM replacements via post, too.

If the above isn't possible, then the store is likely going to be your best bet here, but I wanted to be sure all your options were clear.

Peter

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:02:44 GMT

Thank you, Peter. I have no other phone to try unfortunately. I cannot afford to wait for the up to 3/4 working days for a new SIM by post. This really has been shocking service by a company that I have never had any bad experiences with before. I also have underlying health issues of epilepsy and diabetes so a phone is vital to me. The fact that two advisors who previously said that I shouldn’t hesitate to get back to them haven’t responded to my emails this morning make this even worse. I want tomorrow to be the last day I have to spend any time on this as it will be the sixth day I have spent trying to sort this out. I’m sure you’ll agree, that’s terrible service by anyone’s standards

Re: Help me!

Peter_W — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:20:53 GMT

I really see where you're coming from here, @AndyCardiff.

Whilst I can't say for sure myself what has happened with your SIM, anything related to these can be quite complicated.

SIM replacements pose quite a bit of fraud risk, and we want to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect customers.

That's the reason why we insist on either deliveries to the registered address on the account, or in-store replacements with the relevant ID proofs.

There's not any exemption that can be made to this process, but I do apologise for the tough position this has put you in.

Please keep us posted on how you get on,

Peter

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:29:03 GMT

Thanks Peter. I’ve resigned myself that going into the shop is the best and quickest way to resolve this. It’s been quite a stressful way to carry out something which should have been relatively simple and straightforward. Like I said, it’s been the first time I’ve had any issues with the company so I don’t want to be too hard but to take nearly a week to resolve this and it seems to be me who’s been doing most of the legwork and at expense I hadn’t budgeted for is nowhere near good enough, especially as the reasoning seems to be a bit vague and tenuous. I just hope it’s an end to it all

Re: Help me!

bristolian — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:35:13 GMT

@AndyCardiff wrote:
the reasoning seems to be a bit vague and tenuous.

Your SIM is the means by which your mobile number connects to a mobile network, and many fraudsters these days will attempt to gain access to your mobile in order to access one-time-passwords and other security methods that use text messages.

If EE, or any mobile network, were to allow third parties to take delivery of replacement SIMs, they are effectively allowing those same third parties access to your phone number. That enables access to OTP and other text messages, which has obvious implications anything security or financial related. The measures EE have in-place are certainly not unique.

Thus the tight restrictions on how replacement SIMs are issued, is not "for the fun of it" as you seem to feel it may be, but for the safety & security of all end users, yourself included. I certainly wouldn't want anyone with knowledge of my phone number & address being able to obtain a replacement SIM without some basic checks being in-place!!

Re: Help me!

AndyCardiff — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:43:22 GMT

I appreciate the reason for the security and perhaps I wasn’t clear. My phone SIM was working flawlessly until the new WiFi contract started and, when I asked what the issue was, I didn’t get a straight answer. When I asked why the WiFi wasn’t working and I lost 3 days of Sky subscription, there was no apology or offer of compensation. I’ve spent long enough on this whole saga and just want to get back to as it was before. I’m fed up with everything right now. I worked for the company until recently so I know all about the security of SIM cards

Re: Help me!

Chris_B — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 19:45:44 GMT

That’ should say “SIM”. I’ve no idea if removing “Simon” will work or not. 😉