topic Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity in Pay as you go

Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

PunchingJudy — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:13:38 GMT

I have a subscription pack which I pay for on a monthly basis. I occasionally make chargeable activities (calls, messages and so forth) to keep my number while I am overseas.

Today I have received the following

Hi, as you haven't made a chargeable call/text or used data for six months, you will now lose any remaining credit (as per our terms and conditions). Your number will also be disconnected in the next three months and we'll text you beforehand to let you know. Please call us on 150 if you would like to discuss this.

I checked my activities for the past 30 days (longer period is not available) and it has a top up, a call and a text all charged separately since I am in roaming.

Is there a way to complain apart from calling EE? Any advice?

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

XRaySpeX — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:23:04 GMT

@PunchingJudy : Sounds like your PAYG SIM may have gone into hibernation.

EE PAYG SIMs are deactivated after 6 months of non-chargeable use. You then have a further 3 months period of grace 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: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

PunchingJudy — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:33:26 GMT

Thanks for answering! I understand the T&C, the reason I posted was that I did make chargeable activities and I see them on my account. So this hibernation thing came as a bit of a surprise to me.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Prometeomail — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:49:30 GMT

I have exactly the same issue. I have made calls, texts and top up and I still got the same message.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Sunnydays2 — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:34:29 GMT

I'm having the same problem today.

I've done a lot of texts and phoned but I've got the 6 month message as well. I know I certainly had topped in less than 6 months as well! I'm really worried about losing my number and haven't got a clue what to do.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

bristolian — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:48:50 GMT

@Prometeomail wrote:

I have exactly the same issue.

In which case exactly the same advice applies, as the replies above.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

HYT001 — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:19:57 GMT

Just got the same text! Have recently topped up PAYG 3 times, texted several times a week in the past 6 months. Is it an error? Will need to call 150 to doublecheck.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Sunnydays2 — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:25:18 GMT

I'm wondering if it's an error as well! Has this all happened to us all on the same day?

My credit has been going down so I have been charged but I still had this.

I called 150 but I couldn't get an answer. I wonder if it's because my phone is extremely old (2011 Orange days!).

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

HYT001 — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:47:05 GMT

I also called 150 but the options didn’t take me to a customer adviser. I’m going down the “Complaints” route again, online via: https://ee.co.uk/contact-ee/complaint/form

My phone is also old but as long as it’s just for text and calls (and not data), then the switching off of 3G shouldn’t affect us, I think… I need this phone for the human contact but also for all kinds of security authentication codes!

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Sunnydays2 — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:57:43 GMT

It took me a few tries to work out the options, I can't remember now but it was option for other technical question - I had to text the problem and I had to wait for a call back it says the number is from "0800 956 5062" if that helps?

I'm very upset about all this. I don't even know if my phone is safe or not, it's very unclear to me. I'm on a classic pay as you go - I'm not very good a technology so it's very stressful for me. I mostly need for those codes and doctor appointments.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Leanne_T — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:45:10 GMT

Hi @HYT001 @Sunnydays2

I am sorry to hear how stressful receiving this text message has been for you both and appreciate you need the number to stay active.

To check why the message has been sent and make sure your account will not go into hibernation, please give us a call and our pay as you go guides will help you get this sorted. You can find our contact details on the Contact EE page.

Leanne.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Prometeomail — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:59:11 GMT

I just called to their abroad number, +44 (0)7953 966 150. I went through the options easily. I think I had to press 1 and 1 and then enter my phone number, and I got a human. He checked my account, and he thinks the number should be ok and won't be deleted. I did a call, an sms and an extra top-up before caling the number just in case.

One thing that bothered me is that I requested a PAC in the website just in case and I got a message saying that due to the status of my account, they were unable to process my request. So it does look like there is something going on with the account, regardless of what they told me on the phone.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

XRaySpeX — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 17:45:31 GMT

@PunchingJudy , @HYT001 , @Sunnydays2 , @Prometeomail : Are you on an EE 3G plan, maybe moved from an old Orange or T-M plan? I get the impression that these hibernation warnings are mistakenly sent by EE at the same time as the notification msgs that the 3G network is being closed.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Prometeomail — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:09:30 GMT

I was with Vodafone. I switched in 2019.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

PunchingJudy — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 21:50:48 GMT

I joined EE as a new client in 2023. Doubt they were still offering 3G at that point. Filed a complaint using the link posted above. Hopefully will get some answers from their support.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

bristolian — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:00:33 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:

I get the impression that these hibernation warnings are mistakenly sent by EE at the same time as the notification msgs that the 3G network is being closed.

This is feasible, but the closure of the Orange & T-Mobile brands should not be confused with the shutdown of EE's 3G-RAN.

The 3G radio shutdown was not a billing or account change.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

XRaySpeX — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:07:57 GMT

@bristolian wrote:
This is feasible, but the closure of the Orange & T-Mobile brands should not be confused with the shutdown of EE's 3G-RAN.

No, but many if not most of Orange & T-M users were auto moved to equivalent EE 3G plans when access to their old ac/s was removed some years ago & about now the 3G network has gone for good. So no confusion there, thank you!

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

bristolian — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 22:13:17 GMT

The 3G radio shutdown was complete around the turn of late-January/early-Feb 2024.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Carolyne2 — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:36:54 GMT

I have received a text message saying that I had not made any chargeable calls or text in over six months although I have done both in the last two weeks, and they showed in the history when I looked at the app yesterday. I called customer support about the message, they checked my account and said everything is fine, they gave me a call reference (which they have now closes saying it's fixed) but today I can not access my account via the app as says its closed and I can not make calls or receive calls.

Re: Phone will be disconnected due to inactivity

Christopher_G — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:56:55 GMT

Hi @Carolyne2

Welcome to the community.

It's strange that it would be disconnected if the agents could see chargeable activity on your account. I recommend getting back in touch with our Mobile Care team so they can double check it and hopefully get you reconnected.

Chris