topic Re: Cyprus in Roaming

Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:04:14 GMT

Just arrived in Cyprus. EE roaming set up but doesn’t work. New iPhone has two SIMS even though only 1 actually installed and despite trying both and rebooting no data. I’m using WiFi now. Anyone got an idea?

Re: Cyprus

Northerner — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:19:51 GMT

Hi @DavidMPH

North or South Cyprus.

Did you activate your roaming on your account.

Thanks

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:25:38 GMT

Greek Cyprus. I’m in Larnaca. Roaming is permanently activated. I’ve never had this issue before.

Re: Cyprus

bristolian — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:32:01 GMT

Try manually selecting an alternative local network, if automatic mode isn't behaving.

Re: Cyprus

XRaySpeX — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:34:15 GMT

@DavidMPH : How do you know roaming is permanently activated? Where & what?

Can you make calls & texts?

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: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:46:11 GMT

Roaming always on as that was part of my package. If I look at roaming costs it says I can use my UK data package. Welcome text received. All worked fine last month in South Africa.

Re: Cyprus

XRaySpeX — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:51:49 GMT

There's more to roaming than meets your eye. Roaming costs may v. well be covered permanently by your package but that doesn't of itself activate roaming on your a/c.

Did you even attempt to answer my Qs?

Re: Cyprus

bristolian — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:00:51 GMT

@DavidMPH wrote:
Roaming always on as that was part of my package. If I look at roaming costs it says I can use my UK data package. Welcome text received. All worked fine last month in South Africa.

Just to avoid doubt, are you saying that you have used your phone on South African networks in the past? And that you have received a welcome text message in Cyprus?

I'm pressing this point because it matters - as already pointed out, having the costs of roaming covered by your package is one thing, but having the facility to connect to foreign networks is often confused but absolutely not the same thing.

Clarifying these points would help confirm this crucial part of the jigsaw, and in which case - my advice in an earlier post to use manual network selection, could well be your solution. Have you tried this?

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:27:54 GMT

I’m an unlimited contact customer. Never had a problem with roaming before. 4 EU countries last year but just remembers that SA was an eSIM. I’ve rebooted and turned everything off and on again.

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:30:25 GMT

My mistake. eSIM in SA but 4 countries in the EU last year without a problem. I think it’s related to the new iPhone installing an eSIM when a physical SIM is installed.

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:31:42 GMT

PS manual selection of network appears unavailable

Re: Cyprus

XRaySpeX — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:32:41 GMT

Still no answers to the Qs that could pinpoint where your issues lie.

Re: Cyprus

bristolian — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:36:46 GMT

Whether your SIM in SA was an eSIM or a pSIM is irrelevant. (This raises more questions than answers, notably was it even an EE SIM?) What matters is...

The SIM with which you are trying to roam in Cyprus now, have you used this SIM on foreign networks previously?

FYI also - you have a short time after posting to edit, negating the need for multiple short replies. Edited to highlight the crucial question which is still unanswered.

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:42:30 GMT

Yes, I used this SIM in Portugal in November.

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:48:43 GMT

Calls yes, texts I don’t know. Welcome text received. I am am an unlimited data contract customer. There is no means to activate roaming on the EE app as it js included. That used to be the case but not anymore.

Re: Cyprus

XRaySpeX — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:59:23 GMT

Receiving the Welcome text is sufficient to confirm roaming is enabled on that SIM. You should be able to manually select an alternative local network from your phone under something like Network Operators.

Re: Cyprus

DavidMPH — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:01:34 GMT

All sorted. It was related to the dual SIMS that iPhone installs. Also called old man user incompetence. Thanks for your help.