topic Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up in Pay as you go

Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

winelight — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 09:03:09 GMT

These are my experiences using anonymous top-up.
1. First I need to input the number (of course), so I copy and paste this from my contacts. This doesn't work, because you only accept the UK format with a leading 0, and the number in my contacts is in international format (+44).
2. I can't edit the number to change the +44 to zero because your field is restricted in length and has truncated the last few digits.
3. So I copy and past the number into a text editor and replace the +44 with a zero, and then copy and paste this into the field.
4. This still doesn't work because your input field validation has again truncated the number because it can't cope with the standard telephone number format of a space between the dialling code and number.
5. Let's move on to payment. EE does not accept any third-party payment such as Google Pay, PayPal, etc., and nor does it allow you to create an account to remember your credit card details. Given that you are likely to be having to top up someone's phone in an urgent situation, you could well be somewhere where you either don't have a physical credit card with you, or it's inconvenient or unsafe to get it out and start typing the number in.
6. OK let's suppose you're not standing on a rush-hour tube train trying to top-up the phone of your granny who's been rushed into hospital, but instead sitting at home in front of a PC with your credit card in front of you and have time to spare. Now it is likely that you have typed your postcode in before, and therefore you don't need to have to type the whole thing in again - autocomplete will do that for you. This doesn't work, and if you are very observant, and knowledgeable about poorly-written input field validation, you will spot that the reason your correct postcode is giving a 'postcode error' is because of a trailing space. Of course, if you do spot this, it's easy to fix.
So all in all a slow, tedious and painful process, which is rather unusual in this day and age when you are trying to give somebody your money. Most companies don't put obstacles in your way!

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Jon_K — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:24:02 GMT

Thanks for your feedback on this, @winelight.

I'll be sure to pass this on to the relevant teams.

Jon

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:19:17 GMT

Problems with all methods of top up, not just anonymous. Have tried them all:

Same problem as above post as of the 26th Sept 2023. Can’t top up. How does one top up when the site refuses to allow that process to happen. I have been days trying and still can’t top up. How would any person with disability with a pay go phone manage if transferred land lines to digital voice by this standard. It’s a serious question? How would a person call Emergancy Service? I have brain injury myself

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:14:04 GMT

Hi @Profile closed,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

What happens when you try to top up?

Which top up method are you using?

With a digital home phone, you can call the emergency services in the same manner you would with a non-digital landline.

Please see Introducing Digital Home Phone | Home Phone Help | EE for more information.

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:32:53 GMT

All methods, not just anonymous.

It tells me i haven’t done capacha, whilst I have done so too many times to count

it tells me my number can’t be topped up. I have done so previously this year

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:32:17 GMT

Hi @Profile closed,

Are you trying to top up at My EE - Make Anonymous Payment?

Please could you try a different web browser and let me know if you see the same issue with the CAPTCHA?

What is the full error message you see when it tells you your number can't be topped up?

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:40:24 GMT

Not only anonymously. I have tried all of your other web top up methods and it’s all the same issue

it states in red: need to complete captcha

It states in red: can’t tap up this number

i don’t have infinite resources to try other browsers. I have no computer

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:38:32 GMT

Hi @Profile closed,

Are you able to try a different web browser on your mobile device, or try clearing the cookies and cache of the one you're using?

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:50:39 GMT

I’m totally struggling. A top up should not be so difficult. Other people would struggle the same, especially with disabilities. This shouldn’t be happening. If digital services are forcing people to have no choice in using top up via web, there surely has to be due consideration to accessibility

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:57:41 GMT

Hi @Profile closed,

I understand your frustration. If you'd rather use a different top up method, please see How to Top-up a Pay As You Go Phone | Mobile Help | EE.

Hope this helps.

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:11:10 GMT

That’s the first thing I did prior to trying web online. I prefer top up on the phone it’s self. It’s easiest for me.

I tried that method it states not enough funds to send text . Have tried that for many hours too

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:17:23 GMT

Texts to 150 are free @Profile closed

Is it definitely an EE plan you are using?

Has your SIM card been out of use for a while?

Could your account be in hibernation? - What is pay as you go and flex hibernation, and how do I stop it? - The EE Community

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

Profile closed — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:20:47 GMT

It’s not been long since I made calls. But can that happen anyway? What can I do about it. Is it easy to resolve?

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

James_B — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:34:39 GMT

Hi @Profile closed,

Yes, if you haven’t used your phone for any chargeable activity for 179 days, your account will go into hibernation and any credit will be removed. But don’t worry; at this point it’s not too late to reinstate it – just get in touch with our Customer Care team.

James

Re: Problems with poorly-designed anonymous top-up

XRaySpeX — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:39:52 GMT

EE's not the only 1. Applied for Covid jab today with NHS. Entered my name as "XRaySpeX{space}" (from the Predictive Text seeing a word) & it said I was not known. When I entered "XRaySpeX" using back delete it recognised me straightaway.

Computers (incl. AI) are idiots & programmers are lazy not to add a few instructions in their code to remove all spaces from peep's names cuz we all know that names, fore & sur, don't have any spaces in them anywhere.😉 .