topic Re: PAC code required in SIM cards & Porting

PAC code required

idj20 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:48:45 GMT

Hello and good morning. After deciding that signals (be it 5G and call) with EE is generally rather poor here at Folkestone harbour, and since I was still within the cooling off period after signing on with EE (18th June), I requested a PAC code to be sent to my mobile on ************ a few days ago. As yet, I still have not yet received it as I would like to go back to my old provider (Vodafone) for mobile calls and 5G internet as soon as possible.

That said, I've just recently had brand new full-fibre-optic-to-house installed and set up and I'm very happy where EE is true to their word with delivering 1 Gbps speeds so I'll be staying with that, far better than my old creaky 45 mbps broadband via copper cable with Talk Talk. 😀 It's just the mobile internet/calls part that I'm currently struggling with, hence my request for a PAC code.

Yours sincerely, **************

[mod edit; personal details are removed from the forum]

Re: PAC code required

Schockwave — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:35:36 GMT

Hello @idj20 ,

Welcome to the community,

This is not customer service, you would need to speak to them, but if you have fibre in your home, you can use wifi calling which will mean receiving and making calls and text work just as well if that is the problem.

Re: PAC code required

Chris_B — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:34:25 GMT

@idj20 Requesting and using the PAC will terminate your contract and you’ll be required to pay off that contract. You have to call customer support and inform them you don’t want the contract to make use of the 14 day cooling off period.

Re: PAC code required

idj20 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:16:59 GMT

I'm aware of that. Anyway, someone from EE have called me an hour and was finally sent a PAC code.

It's just that a few days ago I went to visit my elderly mum with dementia at a care home and when I tried to set up video calling to her daughter/sister on my mobile as that is something my mum enjoys, there was absolutely no EE signal whereas I had no issues with my previous mobile provider. Hence my decision to cancel my EE mobile contract while still in cooling off period. 🙂

Re: PAC code required

idj20 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:23:05 GMT

Like I said, I (or rather my sister as I'm deaf) got in touch with EE a few days ago (on the 30th June and I was still only 10 days into my cooling off period at the time and it is only an hour ago that I finally was sent a PAC code. So I'm hoping that just because it's today that I was sent the code mean I'm not into a binding contract yet. My sister has all the proof of Monday's phone call anyway.

Just that on Monday I went to visit my elderly mum with dementia at a care home and when I tried to set up video calling to her daughter/my sister on my mobile as that is something my mum enjoys, there was absolutely no EE signal whereas I had no issues with my previous mobile provider. Hence my ringing up to get a PAC code and cancel my EE mobile contract while still in cooling off period on that same day . 🙂

All the best.

Re: PAC code required

Schockwave — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:36:31 GMT

@idj20 , there could be a reason why there was no network signal in the care home, worth speaking to someone there first to see why and maybe you could use their wifi to connect then make a call using wifi calling, unless using an app to make a video call, also worth checking here to see if there is a problem in the area, which you can then register, report and receive updates:

https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile-coverage-checker

Re: PAC code required

Alex_H — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:53:33 GMT

Hi @idj20,

Welcome to the EE Community

I am sorry to hear you have had issues with the mobile signal in your local area. It can be worth running the checks mentioned, but I can appreciate it sounds like having a reliable connection is very important, so I can understand if you have made the decision to leave after testing the mobile signal.

I just wanted to pop in to confirm that as long as you notified us of wanting to return/cancel within the 14 days, you wont be stuck in a contract even if the actual cancellation does not take place until after the 14 days.

I am glad to hear the broadband is living up to expectations though. Hopefully you don't need to contact us in the future and everything works as intended. But I thought I would just mention for awareness if you do need to contact us in the future we offer both the text relay service and a BSL interpreter service as ways for our deaf customers to contact us if needed.

Alex

Re: PAC code required

idj20 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:30:36 GMT

That's reassuring about the notifying you about my intention to cancel the SIM-only contract as I made the phone call on Monday 30th while still 11 days in the cooling off period (I have a reference number anyway) and it's only this morning (Thurs 3rd July) that I got the PAC code and have already processed it.

Re: PAC code required

chistery — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:43:55 GMT

Just to add, I would never recommend anyone PAC's over to a new network on a contract unless you are pretty confident that you will not want to cancel. If you've never tested the new network, it's far easier to cancel if you've not ported your number over and still have your old contract working. Yes you might pay for a few extra days crossover, but it'll save some hassle.

Get the new SIM with a new number. Test it, then if you're happy, PAC over and cancel your old contract.

Re: PAC code required

bristolian — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:54:27 GMT

@idj20 wrote:

signals (be it 5G and call) with EE is generally rather poor here at Folkestone harbour,

Folkestone Harbour is on the fringe of 5G coverage, but has excellent 4G service.

@chistery wrote:

Get the new SIM with a new number. Test it, then if you're happy, PAC over and cancel your old contract.

I would ordinarily completely agree with this. The only caveat is that, once upon a time, EE were unique in not needing a PAC at time of connection and allowing port-ins at any time. I'm not sure if that's still the case.

Use of a PAYG SIM to test coverage of a new network, should be standard practice.

Re: PAC code required

idj20 — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:54:07 GMT

In hindsight that could have been something I could have done but it was all new to me as I've had the same number with my old provider for over 20 years. Just that when I used EE mobile, I quickly discovered the signal in my local area was not good at all with very poor 4G and 5G coverage and about 1 bar, perhaps 2 on a good day and sometimes only able to make emergency calls which is not at all good for back up internet in case my home broadband fails. I was getting better/strong signals with my previous mobile provider, so I guess the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.

Re: PAC code required

bristolian — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:01:40 GMT

@idj20 wrote:

I quickly discovered the signal in my local area was not good at all with very poor 4G and 5G coverage and about 1 bar, perhaps 2 on a good day

There is a very bizarre preconception that 1 or 2 bars is automatically a bad thing. Very far from it - it's all I have now, and both mobile data & calls are rock solid.

Some users seem to think that the more bars are always better, this is not necessarily the case. Both 4G & 5G services are delivered using a combination of different frequency bands, each with their own characteristics.

The network will often prefer use of high-band radio carriers for better performance especially with mobile data - but this will often mean on-screen bars are a tad worse. Conversely, sticking like glue to a low-band signal whenever possible will mean better perceptions because of more bars - but mobile data performance is likely to be very poor.