topic Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!! in Roaming

Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 14:56:19 GMT

I am in Madeira. Both my husband and I are EE customers and both have roaming. The phone has no problem with data and I can use Google maps and browse the internet, use WhatsApp etc but the phone will not receive calls or allow me to make them. This is a problem because EE don't have any way for me to contact them other than through phoning. Oh the irony!

I have checked settings, restarted the phone, as has my beloved but neither of us have had any joy. Even tried WiFi calling in our hotel. Nothing!

Any top tips, secret ways to contact EE gratefully received as I'm a bit desperate and quite cross, veering towards incandescence.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

XRaySpeX — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:00:59 GMT

Try calling EE CS on the Freephone no.(Opt 2) in my sig. using a web-calling app over WiFi.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:03:27 GMT

Can't use WiFi calling. It doesn't work either and, yes before you ask, we went into settings to enable this

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

XRaySpeX — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:08:54 GMT

I never said WiFi Calling. I said over WiFi as presumably you are using to get here.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:50:54 GMT

I have tried that. Nothing works...

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

bristolian — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 16:35:34 GMT

You mentioned in your first post that both phones are roaming, and I take that to mean they have connections to local networks. You subsequently say that "the phone has no problem with data", it's that same data connection that Xray was referring to, when you then commented that "nothing works" - so do you have a working mobile data connection or not?

WiFi-calling isn't intended to work abroad, but I think there's some confusion with terminology here.

Have you been able to make or receive calls on this trip previously? Have you been able to make or receive calls abroad, in the past? if the answer to either question is "yes", then try manually selecting a different local network.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:16:10 GMT

We have not used our phones in Madeira before but we have used them with no problem all over Europe, making calls/ receiving them and using all data services.

We have data so can use Google maps, email, WhatsApp etc but cannot call out or receive calls.

We have tried connecting to other mobile networks and can do this but still cannot make it receive calls, except through WhatsApp and cannot contact EE through WhatsApp.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

bristolian — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:41:51 GMT

Thankyou for the clarity, this proves that roaming itself is not the issue. WA is just an internet-app so all that proves is a working internet connection - "calls" are just in-app audio handled as data usage.

What happens when you try making a call? And is there a difference in symptoms, whether you're calling an in-country number versus an international one back to the UK?

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:48:51 GMT

When we call someone back in the UK, it looks like it's dialling but nothing happens, no connection. It says "Calling", the calling screen comes up and then it doesn't connect and eventually disconnects. No ring tone... Nothing.

I missed a call from the hospital back home because they couldn't get through to me either

Haven't tried to call a local number as we haven't got anyone local to call.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

XRaySpeX — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:28:47 GMT

You can make calls from What'sApp, can't you? You might need to top-up credit 1st.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:32:26 GMT

I don't need to top up credit. I can use WhatsApp but I need to be able to make normal network calls as the numbers I need to call are not on WhatsApp. I also need to be able to receive calls through the network.

I've paid EE for roaming including calls so I should be able to make and receive them using a Roaming network.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

bristolian — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:33:55 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
You can make calls from What'sApp, can't you? You might need to top-up credit 1st.

WhatsApp is an internet-app that - in blunt terms - allows audio sessions between users of the app. These are not "calls" in the same sense, and it's only usage within the app ecosystem.

The symptoms describe sound horribly like a VoLTE issue. In short, VoLTE is the technology behind 4G-calling which means your phone stays on 4G during calls rather than falling back to 2G/3G.

I can't immediately think of any EU-based networks that have disabled 2G/3G yet, but in the same way that EE requires VoLTE to use the "extended range" 800Mhz spectrum, there may be something similar with your situation.

I suggest testing calling some in-country numbers if at all possible - if that works, it will disprove VoLTE and could point at an international call-barring issue.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

Gigi76 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:40:59 GMT

Thank you for your help and suggestions.

It sounds complicated and the most ridiculous thing of it all is that you can't actually speak to someone from EE and are reliant on the kindness and advice of strangers.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

XRaySpeX — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 18:50:28 GMT

@bristolian wrote:
WhatsApp is an internet-app that - in blunt terms - allows audio sessions between users of the app. These are not "calls" in the same sense, and it's only usage within the app ecosystem.

Is that for sure in the case of WhatsApp? After all, Skype before it was withdrawn, allowed these audio session "calls" between anybody within or without that app's ecosystem.

Re: Roaming enabled and working excepts for calls. Can't even phone EE!!!

bristolian — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 20:01:04 GMT

@XRaySpeX wrote:
@bristolian wrote:
WhatsApp is an internet-app that - in blunt terms - allows audio sessions between users of the app. These are not "calls" in the same sense, and it's only usage within the app ecosystem.
Is that for sure in the case of WhatsApp?

Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't have stated it otherwise.

Regarding the OP's comment that this is ridiculous because you can't contact EE by phone and rely on a community forum, I'd look at it a different way - it's just the nature of the beast. When the problem is with a particular service, then you can't rely on using that same service to report an issue - it's just a catch-22.

There is live-chat available via the myEE app for pay-monthly customers, that's an alternative to having to use another phone. Testing a domestic call within your host country shouldn't be complicated - maybe just locate a business that's closed, and try calling them. Does the line ring or do you get the same problem?

This is just a means of seeing whether in-country calls work, and will point the problem in one of two directions. Fault finding is often just a case of thinking methodically through an issue.