topic Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU in Roaming

Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 06:16:40 GMT

has an issue earlier this year where I was unable to access services in Norway - tech support thought it was all solved

im now in Egypt and unable to even send texts to 150.

causing me big issues as 2FA texts not coming through.

only option I can think of is an eSIM reinstall but , of course , I can’t do that from here.

I can’t contact tech support as I have no ability to text or call.

any suggestions?

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Chris_B — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 07:50:37 GMT

@Ukstripeu Did you after the last away trip and before this trip text ROAMING to 150 ?

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

bristolian — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 08:44:57 GMT

Fundamental to using your phone abroad is having access to foreign networks. That unlocks the ability to use calls, texts & mobile data.

Were you able to roam on your last trip abroad? By that, and and to avoid doubt - were you able to make or receive calls, send or receive texts, or use mobile data?

Once enabled, roaming is only disabled if you explicitly request it so. The first check of any "I can't use my phone abroad" should be to manually cycle through each local network and connect to each one in turn.

Deleting an eSIM abroad is a bad idea - if you do so, you should expect to be offline until your return to the UK.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:09:08 GMT

Yup - all settings were correct. No spend cap etc. even EE tech couldnt work out the issue

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:13:16 GMT

Aware of all that. I can access networks ( currently connected to Orange Egypt) but unable to do anything.
nearly got me arrested today when I couldn’t authorise a payment as no access to 2FA.
can’t afford this crap every time I go abroad so will probably terminate contract on return and go back to previous provider.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

bristolian — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:35:24 GMT

Unclear why lack of being able to pay for goods/services should cause an issue with being arrested, but having alternate means of payment for in-person payments seems a simple solution. Do tell the tale!

Users on this forum can only advise based on the detail provided. You mention "Even EE couldn't work out the issue" - so what did they advise by means of solution? Or did they just figuratively shrug their shoulders? The latter is a poor show if so : The correct outcome is to follow their technical escalation process which ultimately means raising a single user fault for investigation by support engineers.

Swapping between local networks is a good test of whether any issues are being caused locally or at EE's end.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Northerner — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 10:38:06 GMT

Hi @Ukstripeu

It may be that the network you're on doesn't allow it. People seem to assume they can text and use services they use in the UK in other countries but this is not the case and some services and apps are banned, blocked by the local network in accordance with the laws of that country.

2FA text are not supported in many countries and it is recommended you use authentication apps but even these maybe banned in some countries.

Thanks

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 10:44:02 GMT

5 networks available here ( and 2 when I was away earlier in the year).

i think the final response I had from ee was something to the effect of “ hopefully it won’t happen again).

i can’t even start the technical process as i can’t even contact them - at least last time i was able to use my wife’s phone- although their systems kept dropping that connection and i ended up talking to half a dozen different people in the space of a couple of hours. ( and my wife’s phone was also ee )

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 10:46:05 GMT

2FA was just an example of the problems being caused. I can’t even send any texts, make any calls, nada.

and have tried on multiple local networks

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 10:48:20 GMT

PS. being unable to pay a hotel bill in Egypt because I can’t receive the text asking me to approve the suspicious transaction.

that tends to get frowned on over here

👈

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

bristolian — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 11:07:57 GMT

@Northerner wrote:
2FA text are not supported in many countries

An SMS is an SMS. It's also universal and supported on all phones, regardless of smart or otherwise. Not true of app-based authentication.

There can be differences in core-network routing between automated and person-to-person texts, but the radio delivery is exactly the same.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Northerner — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:09:02 GMT

@bristolian wrote:
@Northerner wrote:
2FA text are not supported in many countries
An SMS is an SMS. It's also universal and supported on all phones, regardless of smart or otherwise. Not true of app-based authentication.
There can be differences in core-network routing between automated and person-to-person texts, but the radio delivery is exactly the same.

It's not the service is not available becase they are screen by law enforcement. For example Apple prove a list of countries which their 2FA service is available becase it is likely they have agreed with the government. This is not an EE issue rather the app/service you are using. For banking this is why you need to tell them you are going abroad in advance as in some countries the service is stopped or the bank may not be one which has relationships with that county/sanctions or blocks becase of fraud or the regime in charge.

Not all SMS and SMS services are the same and encrypted services are viewed differently around the world.

Do your research before traveling.

Thanks

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

bristolian — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:13:43 GMT

I stand by my previous post in its entirety

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Schockwave — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:31:23 GMT

Wel, I went too Egypt a couple of years ago and was able to make calls, no problem, so not sure why the OP has this problem. I did not use 2FA, so cannot speak for that, but managed to make payments using bank card with no problem, cannot remember which network I connected to though.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:36:29 GMT

The payment issue was because my bank sent text as 2FA authentication. I
would have had to reply yes or no to that text.

I travel to Egypt every year and this is first time with issues - it’s only
been since I made the mistake of moving to EE. as said originally, I’m in
Egypt now but also had the issue in Norway in May.

The only common links are my phone and EE

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Leanne_T — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 08:03:42 GMT

Hi @Ukstripeu

Thanks for coming to the community.

Do you have signal showing on the device? What happens if you try and make a call or send a text message?

Do you have a data connection or just when connected to WiFi?

Leanne.

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Ukstripeu — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 17:51:29 GMT

Absolutely nothing.

No network connection- even manually selecting each one in turn. Therefore
no text etc.

Data esim connects fine and now that I have w just landed back in UK all
working normally so it is definitely a foreign connection issue

Re: Unable to access services abroad. EU and non EU

Lesley_W — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:25:53 GMT

Thanks for confirming those things @Ukstripeu

I understand your disappointment if this has happened before and our team checked that you were set up for roaming. I know it can be tricky to diagnose issues when you are home, but our technical team will be able to look into this and try and find out where things went wrong if you give them a call.

Lesley