topic Re: Complicated family upgrade situation in Contracts & Billing

Complicated family upgrade situation

Eurosceptic — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:11:04 GMT

Reaching out to get some insight before going into EE Store. Our situation a bit complicated.

1. Wife has contract phone in her name, with my number as a second sim. (She pays and I reimburse her) She’s overdue for a replacement (five years), so upgrading imminently.

When she does that, will my sim automatically be added, or will I need to find another sim only deal?

2. My son (now 23) also in same boat. Difference is contract still in my name. (Goes back to when he was under 18, and we’ve never untangled that)

Am I right in thinking we need to transfer account to his name, so that he can then upgrade? Also needs to have the old phone in his name for three months?)

If so, can that initial transfer be completed online? If so, how?

Thank you

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

XRaySpeX — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:37:44 GMT

@Eurosceptic :

With 2 contracts under the same a/c (your wife's) what she does with her phone & plan will not affect your SIM & plan.
The current owner of the contract, you, wishing to be moved needs to call CS with both of you available on the line to effect a change of ownership. The other person will need to pass a credit check. They will then be responsible for paying for that contract. If you can't do it together CS will give the current owner a password for the other to quote when they call.

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

Eurosceptic — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:51:02 GMT

Thanks for swift response.

1. When you say “Will not affect my sim and plan”, How can that happen when only her bank details are held? Also, I can only log into the app to see my data usage with her credentials.

2. V clear. Thanks. Are you able to confirm the point about the three month wait before my son can upgrade?

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

Schockwave — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:56:18 GMT

@Eurosceptic , your sim and plan will remain, if your wife wants to upgrade, she can do that without any change for your sim and plan, it does not affect it. Your son will not be able to upgrade for the first three months, as he has to prove that he can make the payments.

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

XRaySpeX — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:57:18 GMT

That's right! You said she pays & you reimburse her. That won't change. It's still her bank a/c registered to the EE a/c your no. is under..
Yes, I believe after a change of ownership the new owner has to wait 3 months before upgrading.

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

garybs29 — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:04:47 GMT

Change of ownership is 6 months (same as new accounts) before upgrade is possible, so if needed option is to upgrade first before doing it

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

Matt_124 — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:32:46 GMT

Just to add to this: if upgrading to a device on Flex Pay this would be unable to have an ownership change performed on it.

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

Eurosceptic — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:14:01 GMT

Many thanks for these helpful replies. Understood re sim arrangement continuing with any new contract my wife signs up to.

Re the advice to “upgrade before ownership change” on my son’s phone. I see the virtue of that, but how can this be done in this case? Ie My son’s phone is in my name. Does that mean he can just enter into a new contract for a new phone now?

Does that, in turn, mean the contract on his existing phone (in my name) will then just cease to exist? So there is no upgrade in this situation. Finally would that allow me to come off my wife’s contract and get a sim only deal in my name? (The only reason we did the second sim in the first place was that I was showing on system as an EE customer)

Thanks again

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

XRaySpeX — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:20:13 GMT

You don't order a new contract phone for your son but upgrade his existing phone to a new phone under contract. That way he gets to keep his no. That transaction will have no bearing on the situation of your wife's contract & your SIM contract under it. For that you could consider your wife doing a change of ownership in your favour.

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

Eurosceptic — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:44:01 GMT

Thanks again. I think I’ve solved this, (Following discussion with my son!)

He is unable to upgrade (tried), as he isn’t the contract holder. Ergo, I have to upgrade for him, and then we can do change of ownership in six-months. (So consistent with the upgrade then change mantra)

At that later stage, I’ll seek out a sim only deal in my own right.

Thanks

Re: Complicated family upgrade situation

XRaySpeX — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:26:17 GMT

That's right! It's you that has to do the upgrade for him as you are the a/c owner.