topic Re: I am in the States in Roaming

I am in the States

Jessica148 — Wed, 28 May 2025 18:52:37 GMT

I have bought a weeks pass for £25 pounds to use in the States. It worked for a couple of days, including a trip to New York. I went again today and found that nothing works. I can't navigate around, I can't use e tickets and I can't make phone calls. I am on my own and I only have one phone. Fortunately I have physical bank cards. If I didn't, I would have literally no money. I can't call ee : my phone will not connect. The only Internet I have at the moment is the hotel WiFi. I tried using Facebook messenger and I simply get an automated reply saying I need to download the app (how will that help) use the forum or call 150 (I can't). Can anyone help?

Re: I am in the States

Chris_B — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:05:37 GMT

@Jessica148 via the EE app you can use live chat it’s under help.

Have you tried manually searching for a different network to connect too ?

Re: I am in the States

Northerner — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:19:59 GMT

Hi @Jessica148

Try restarting your device.
Disable automatic network selection and manually connect to the network.

Thanks

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:24:49 GMT

Yes, I was advised to do that when I first arrived, and told to select AT&T. That didn't work. Neither did one of the others. When I got to my hotel, I switched back to "automatically conbect" and my phone tethered to Verizon. I've just been for a walk, and I have limited access to Verizon around town. I can do without the Internet for navigating for the most part, the frightening thing is not being able to make phone calls. If I travel into New York and there is a problem with the overground, I can't call a taxi. I don't know if texts will work. And there is no way of contacting ee without a phone call for immediate assistance

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:27:03 GMT

When I do that, literally every service comes back with "unable to connect"

Re: I am in the States

Leanne_T — Thu, 29 May 2025 07:20:42 GMT

Hi there @Jessica148

Thanks for coming to the community and I'm sorry you have been unable to make calls and texts in New York.

If this has worked during your visit this does indicate roaming is fully active at our end.

Do you have 5G turned on in your device settings? If so, it may be worth trying to turn this off and manually connecting to an available network, to see if you can make calls, send texts and access data.

Let me know how you get on.

Leanne.

Re: I am in the States

chistery — Thu, 29 May 2025 07:33:48 GMT

So you bought a weeks pass and it worked. You say you "Went again today", is that within the same 7 days or later? Do you just need to buy a new pass?

Not sure what the issue with your money is though. Google Pay and Apple Pay do not require a mobile signal.

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Thu, 29 May 2025 10:50:42 GMT

Surely this is going to lead to the same problem? Why, when I try to connect manually, does it say that the network is not available?

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Thu, 29 May 2025 10:52:27 GMT

I bought the pass on Saturday and when I am able to check billing, it says I have a day and some hours left. I appreciate I will have to buy another days package to cover Saturday fully and probably some of Sunday but it should be working now.

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Thu, 29 May 2025 11:01:39 GMT

Sorry, forgot to add, I thought that if my bank cards are fully online (so HSBC wanted me to use their mobile app which, whilst it comes with a physical card, shouldn't need one to work. To go to New York, I tend to leave cards etc. In the hotel safe, relying on modern day technology to get me through) I would not be able to access them. My Starling card works all the time but if I need to activate the strip, I can't because the account won't work offline. I can't see how much I have spent or if someone has gained access to my card. I am quite paranoid about hacking, having seen my partner and a friend go through it. But the worst issue is an inability to make phone calls. If I can't use the overground for any reason, I can't call a taxi company. I can't walk back to my hotel.

I know thus all sounds dramatic but this trip was supposed to be therapeutic to help with self confidence and I am almost more stressed now than when I began!

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Thu, 29 May 2025 11:05:36 GMT

I should also add that due to unknown issues, I couldn't receive texts from ee. To even login to my account, to access my account number, to verify that it's me talking to ee help - all of this requires being able to receive text messages. They finally all came through last night, after customer care had closed.

Re: I am in the States

Schockwave — Thu, 29 May 2025 13:20:26 GMT

@Jessica148 , have you switched 5G off and made sure that you are using 4G? I have heard that should get you connected. If trying to make and receive calls, make sure that dial assist is switched off too, hope that helps.

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Fri, 30 May 2025 11:46:53 GMT

So my Internet appears to be working although not in the way that I was told it would. As long as there is Verizon coverage, I can make phone calls within the States and get the Internet. If Verizon doesn't work, I'm in trouble. I am leaving tomorrow anyway so I should be OK with what I have left.

When I am back, I will take this up with ee and go from there.

Thank you for trying to help, everyone

Re: I am in the States

chistery — Fri, 30 May 2025 11:51:31 GMT

In recent years I've had so many issues with roaming in the US. I'm not sure it's EEs or the any UK networks fault. I have inclusive roaming and the US is the one country I always have issues with. I suspect the complexities of roaming, the US frequencies, VoLTE roaming, no 3G, etc. all lead to issues and there's probably no simple solution.

I now always go for a local eSIM option to ensure I have data once I land, and can buy train tickets straight away.

Re: I am in the States

Schockwave — Fri, 30 May 2025 11:53:20 GMT

@Jessica148 , when I was in Las Vegas, I did not use Verizon, I believe it was T-Mobile, a few years ago now, so cannot remember exactly which one, but definitely not Verizon.

Re: I am in the States

Jessica148 — Sat, 31 May 2025 13:52:31 GMT

And so I am trying to buy an add on because mine expires in a few hours. When i try and buy it, I get told that I need to switch off WiFi. When I do that, I then get told I am off the Internet. How the heck then do I buy an add on? I have no idea why it worked last time. I can't call anyone and I am now stuck in my hotel room because if I lose connection I can't navigate and can't phone anyone.

Re: I am in the States

chistery — Sat, 31 May 2025 14:04:35 GMT

@Jessica148 My understanding is you need to wait till the pass expires before you can buy another one.