topic Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country in Pay as you go

My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:57:33 GMT

I started using an EE SIM card with the 'Pay as you go' plan 6 months ago in the UK. Now, I am in my home country, Taiwan.

Despite showing the bars with R sign, I cannot use phone calls and SMS (which showed Failed to send). There are still a few pounds left in my EE account.

Before I went back to my country, I went to the EE store and asked the staff about the SIM condition, and he told me that I could use it; actually, it is not.

Can someone please help me how to deal with this? I am afraid of losing my phone number if I can't use it once a month.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

XRaySpeX — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:08:00 GMT

@Haukmin : Your PAYG pack is only valid in the EU. Taiwan is not in EU. You will need to top-up to make calls & texts.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:10:16 GMT

I have 5 pounds left in my account. With this, could I be able to make calls and texts? Do I have to top-up again to activate this calls and texts?
Regards

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

XRaySpeX — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:12:43 GMT

Yes, you should be able to. Calls are £1.80/min & texts are 60p each.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:24:13 GMT

But I tried a few seconds ago with my remaining balance. It didn't work. Could you pls enlighten me?

With regards

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

XRaySpeX — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:29:10 GMT

Maybe your PAYG SIM has gone into hibernation.

When did you last use it for a chargeable action? EE PAYG SIMs are deactivated after 6 months of non-chargeable use. You then have a further 3 months to call EE to reactivate it before it is lost completely.

You needed to make a chargeable action like making a chargeable call or text, topping up or buying a Pack or Add-on, not just using your mins, texts or data from your pack.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:34:34 GMT

I started using PAYG since I bought it from a vending machine. I started with a 20 GBP package and changed to a 10 GBP package 3 months later. My current package is still alive and will be expired on Jan 26, 2024.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

James_B — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:58:58 GMT

Have you tried selecting a different network manually, @Haukmin?

James

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 15:22:08 GMT

Yep, I have two SIM cards (Local sim + EE sim), and I selected one manually and tried another. But still, it didn't work.

With regards

Haukmin

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

James_B — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 15:31:52 GMT

Have you tried all available networks, @Haukmin?

James

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 04:20:37 GMT

yes, I tried.

Haukmin

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Christopher_G — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:18:44 GMT

Did you use the SIM card whilst you were in the UK to send a text message or make a phone call, @Haukmin?

Chris

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:25:39 GMT

Yes. I did use it as my only SIM card in the UK, including calling (both charged and free calls), SMSing, buying PAYG packages monthly, and topping up.

After I've arrived in my country, I only got a message from 150 (To use data on your phone, you need an add-on or pack).
That's all. I do not want to use data with my EE SIM here, but I want to keep it alive while I'm still here.

Kind regards

Haukmin

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Christopher_G — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:29:08 GMT

OK thanks @Haukmin. It sounds like your SIM is set up for international roaming, since you received that text message.

Are you in an area that has good mobile coverage?

Chris

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 08:33:38 GMT

Yes, I do have. However, I'm quite why I couldn't use my EE sim even with my remaining 5 GBP inside.

Haukmin

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Christopher_G — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:21:52 GMT

Your pack data doesn't cover you for roaming, @Haukmin. You would need to purchase a roaming data add-on from the link that you received on the 'welcome' message.

Chris

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:35:33 GMT

Thank you for your concern, Chris. As I mentioned above, I do not want to use a roaming data with EE SIM, but I just want to keep it alive by sending a SMS or calling someone with that.

Haukmin

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

XRaySpeX — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:38:17 GMT

& you should be able to do that up to extent of £5 providing it hasn't gone into hibernation.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

Haukmin — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:57:16 GMT

Yeah. Unfortunately, I could do nothing.

Re: My EE sim card doesn't work in my home country

James_B — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:05:10 GMT

What type of phone are you using, @Haukmin?

James