topic Re: Making Calls from USA to UK in Roaming

Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 15:20:27 GMT

I have seen previous posts on this but the solutions don’t work. I am blocked from connecting to UK numbers from my EE monthly package and the solution offered is to phone ee on a UK number which, obviously, I can’t do.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

bristolian — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 17:33:22 GMT

What makes you think you're blocked from calling UK numbers whilst in the USA? Let's check some of the basics here...

Does your phone have a connection to a US network - does it show coverage? Has it had coverage during this trip? Have you been able to call UK numbers whilst in the US, either on this trip or a prior one? Can you call US numbers? Can you send texts and/or use mobile data?

What are the solutions you've tried thus far?

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

XRaySpeX — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 18:43:35 GMT

Did you receive a Welcome text upon arrival?

Are you on contract or PAYG? Had you used that SIM for making calls or texts in UK before leaving to go abroad?

If you are on contract, did you activate roaming on your EE a/c before leaving UK by texting ROAMING to 150? Having a roaming billing add-on doesn't of itself activate roaming on your a/c. Having roaming activated on your EE a/c, not just on your device, is crucial to using your contract SIM abroad.

Often just rebooting the phone is the simple remedy. Also try selecting a network manually rather than auto.

Otherwise if you are on contract you need to call CS to get your roaming activated. Try calling CS on the Freephone no. in my sig. using a web-calling app over WiFi.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:32:55 GMT

I have tried everything that has been suggested and nothing works. it’s a disgrace that I can’t phone EE to get help

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Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:51:13 GMT

I can’t believe that I received a text from EE at the airport and did the data package thing but can’t make phone calls to the UK, and I think not even in US. I have had mobile phones for nearly 30 years, travelled the world, and this has never happened to me before. And I can get no sensible help at all. Everything that has been suggested has failed

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:53:08 GMT

Just tell me a sensible way of getting EE to fix the fact that I just can’t make telephone calls on my Samsung phone with EE monthly contract while in USA

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:54:20 GMT

Will nobody just listen and realise I can’t make these calls because the phone will not connect me!!!

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:57:41 GMT

And what is more, how is it possible that instead for being able to have online connection with an EE technician I can only communicate with an amateur ‘community’ where Imget hit and miss responses hours after I have posted my problem

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

Schockwave — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 01:14:19 GMT

@HelenGiles58 , You firstly have a short time where you can edit your reply rather than start another one by clicking on the arrow at the top of the reply.

If you did not receive the welcome message and you are on contract, did you enable roaming on your account? If you did not receive the welcome message and did not enable roaming on your account, then you will have to ring customer service to enable roaming by either using another phone or a web based app when EE is open, which is from 0800-2000 hours at the weekend or 0800-2100 hours UK time, not sure what you expect anyone to do in this public forum where there is no account access and we have no way of knowing who you are.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 01:57:21 GMT

Once again I will say I can’t phone because it will not connect me even though I received the message to do data roaming at airport and accepted and I cannot contact EE through web-based app as there is no live chat function available. I paid JustAnswer £39 to try and fix the issue but they couldn’t. it should not be so impossible to get human help from a company. When I get back to the UK I will do,everything I can to publicise the awful experience EE have exposed me to

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

XRaySpeX — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 04:05:52 GMT

I never said to make calls using your phone on the mobile network you can't get. I said use a web-calling app over WiFi. Even when normal calling isn't working you can still use WiFi.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

Schockwave — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:04:42 GMT

@HelenGiles58 , I also suggested using a web based app to ring customer service or use another phone to make a call to EE, if you read it right..

If you received the Welcome message from EE, then by changing from automatic network, you need to change it to manual and try the different networks to see if one does give you a network, also try switching airplane mode on and off, rebooting your phone, we cannot put you through to anyone, most of us here are customers trying to help, but if you have received the Welcome Message from EE, then you have roaming enabled on your account .

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

bristolian — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:35:19 GMT

@HelenGiles58 wrote:
When I get back to the UK I will do,everything I can to publicise the awful experience EE have exposed me to

Whilst some frustration is understandable, there is some context here. It is quite common for major tech & telecoms providers to offer peer-based community support via a web-forum, in addition to their formal support channels. It's unfortunate that you've adopted a very combative tone towards other "amateur" users who post in their spare time to help others. Both O2 & 3 have internet-based web fora just like this community, so if you consider this an "awful experience", then your choice of alternative networks is rather limited. GiffGaff, one of the major O2 virtual networks, heavily relies on the online forum inplace of extensive, formal support processes.

Further, there are a few scenarios where the nature of a user's problem does create a natural catch-22 scenario preventing support calls being made - this is not unique, but there are different ways of approaching this that tend to achieve better results, "shooting the messenger" is not one of them.

Multiple times you've mentioned "trying everything suggested" or similar comments, but not once have you explained what those actually are - this doesn't help anyone wanting to offer suggestions, who may not want to merely advise what you've already attempted. This tends to increase user frustration even more than it may already be.

Reading between the lines of some of your posts, you mention about not having had this problem before despite "travelled the world" - this suggests that you have roaming enabled and thus your international call bar is unrestricted. Have you tried manually selecting alternate local networks? If the problem is consistent across multiple operators, it would point more at an EE-account issue. Or it may just resolve your issues. You've not answered whether you can call in-country numbers currently, or whether you've been able to call the UK on this trip previously.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 01:23:55 GMT

Pardon me for having an opinion but given that every service I use in every other industry has a way of speaking to or connecting with a real live person if a serious issue is encountered, I think I can be forgiven for thinking that it utterly beggars belief that a multi-billion pound enterprise such as EE should operate like this. User groups no doubt have their place but they should never be a substitute for such a provision. It is literally unbelievable.
And when I say tried everything, I am on holiday in the US and need to get me and my partner back quickly as we were told my mother-in-law died. While dealing with the grief of that we spent literally a whole day trying, consulting with, engaging with literally every solution that is out there - and there are many, but they all failed. Too numerous for me to repeat here but if you put yourself through the same experience you will find the same as me - none of them work.Including having to fork out £39.00 to JustAnswer and being online for an hour with a ‘technical expert’ then telling me he was defeated and my only solution was to ring EE on a UK number (which I can’t) or tuning in to a non-existent helpline.
In my hours and hours of research online I found others in other help groups who have experienced EXACTLY the same as I have, and some of them go back to 2023 in their posts so EE have known about this issue since then and DONE NOTHING.
So please spare me your sanctimonious finger-wagging and leave the airspace for someone who might actually be able to help.

Sent from the all-new AOL app for iOS

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

Katie_B — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:05:22 GMT

Hi @HelenGiles58.

I am so sorry to hear about your recent loss and that not being able to contact anyone in the UK has only added to your grief. This is not the experience we want our customers to have and I would really love to see if I can help. As you have received a welcome text from EE this suggests you have roaming enabled on your account.

When you manually connect to a network and try to make a call what happens?

Do you have a Spend Cap on your account which could stop you purchasing your pass and being able to use your phone? you can check your Spend Cap settings in the EE app or by logging in to your EE account online.

@XRaySpeX and @Schockwave have both also provided another option of using a web base calling app to be able to get in touch with one of our guides. Have you been able to try this? the apps can be used over a WiFi connection.

Finally, could I please ask you to check your EE app under 'Help', does the Message Us option appear?

Speak soon,

Katie

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:52:55 GMT

Hi Katie
Thanks for your email. When I landed I got a text to get roaming package and I accepted.
When I make a call it shows the number, says ‘calling’ but there is no dialling tone and after around 30 seconds it says ‘couldn’t connect’.
One piece of advice I followed online was to actually set a spending cap as it said you had to do that to be able to connect. It hasn’t worked with or without the cap.
As for web based apps, what are these and how do I get access to one that is guaranteed to get me through to EE on the phone and does not involve me having to spend money?
Kind regards
Helen

Sent from the all-new AOL app for iOS

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

Schockwave — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:56:00 GMT

@HelenGiles58 , have you tried a manual search fora network, by switching off automatic search? That should give you the opportunity to find a network that works.

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

Katie_B — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:57:07 GMT

Hi @HelenGiles58.

Thanks so much for getting back to me.

Out of curiosity are you able to make and receive text messages OK?

What happens if you try to use data when not connected to WiFi?

Does this happen with all networks you connect to?

Katie

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

HelenGiles58 — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 15:42:55 GMT

Hi Katie
I just texted someone here in US and I can send and receive texts. I have tried 3 networks and all the same. I can use data when not on wi-fi.
EE tried to call me about the complaint but there’s no point as I can’t receive the call. Then they text a message to say they have called to which I can’t reply. They left a voicemail but I can’t connect to voice messages. This is an unreal nightmare. I just don’t understand how it can be impossible to communicate with a communications company. Or for a communications company to find a way of sorting it out. 3 days now I have been trying.
Kind regards
Helen

Sent from the all-new AOL app for iOS

Re: Making Calls from USA to UK

bristolian — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:30:09 GMT

@HelenGiles58 wrote:
I just don’t understand how it can be impossible to communicate with a communications company. Or for a communications company to find a way of sorting it out.

There's 2 issues here.

Firstly, when you're roaming abroad you aren't using EE's network but that a foreign operator - if those local operators have an issue, then EE have no more direct control over a resolution, than a foreign network has over EE's resolution of issues affecting inbound roamers.

Secondly, you are unfortunately caught in a natural catch-22 here, much like the many users who travel abroad each year without enabling roaming - thus having no access to foreign networks.

I'm starting to wonder if your issue is VoLTE/4G-calling related. What happens when you try making a call? I can't see anywhere in this thread, whether you've answered if you've been able to make or receive calls on this trip thus far?