topic Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels in Roaming

My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Rooot — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:39:27 GMT

Hello,

I’m currently in China and using my EE SIM card mainly to receive bank SMS messages. When I first arrived in September, I was able to receive texts, but today it suddenly stopped working.

My phone shows signal.
I cannot send or receive SMS.
I cannot make or receive calls.
My balance still has £5.
I am not on any package, only using this number for receiving SMS.

Could you please help me check what might be the issue?

Thank you!

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Northerner — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:26:17 GMT

Hi @Rooot

Did you activate the PAYG SIM in the UK
When did you last make a chargeable call or text.

Thanks

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Rooot — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:11:45 GMT

Hi,

I activated SIM card in the UK, it’s not my first time travel in China, it works well in the past. Because I have 2 SIM cards but my phone can only use one, so I take EE card out when I’m not using it. My last time using this SIM for receiving text from bank is 1st Sep. this year.

Thanks.

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Northerner — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:37:52 GMT

Hi @Rooot

Thanks for the info but when did you last make a chargeable call or text.

Thanks

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Rooot — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:41:55 GMT

Last year

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Northerner — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:56:43 GMT

Hi @Rooot

Please read the below link under " Why does my account go to sleep?" As it sounds like your account is in hibernation

https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile/manage-use/pay-as-you-go/pay-as-you-go-credit-run-out-when-i-havent-made-calls

Thanks

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

Rooot — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 02:30:55 GMT

I top up my credit yesterday, will it work now or need a few days ?

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

bristolian — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:03:11 GMT

@Rooot wrote:
I top up my credit yesterday, will it work now or need a few days ?

Taken from the link posted by Northerner, you need to contact EE-CS to reactivate an account that's been hibernated...

Re: My SIM has signal but I can’t send/receive texts or make calls during travels

XRaySpeX — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:58:55 GMT

Neither. It's too late to top-up once it's in hibernation.