Pay as you Go Sim Card

[01Tamips14]

Please help . I recently asked for a Pay as you Go EE Sim card to replace the Orange Sim that had been terminated as it had not been used for some time .    On receipt of the card I followed the instructions to sent me but have been unable to activate , as a message is displayed " Network Lock " presumably requiring a code or password which I do not have . The last text message sent from EE was that they were taking over the service provided by Orange PAYG and that the transition would seamless . That was some two years ago , however from the paperwork sent to me EE still appear to have a record / information of the service that had supported my Orange E1120 phone .                                                                                                                                                                          A couple of weeks ago I spent over an hour talking to EE and the Tech. Department who were helpful , but past me from " pillar to post " in an effort to restore this service , and could not come up with a solution . As you can see I am not reliant on a mobile phone , but would like to have the service re-instated . I can admit to being somewhat ignorant technically , so words of one syllable and simple step by step guidance would be appreciated .               Thank you .   Anthony Elliott .                              ( I do not have access to an EE Shop for a face to face  )      

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

I should think your phone is still locked to Orange & needs unlocking to accept an EE SIM.

Where did you yourself get this device itself originally? Did you buy it yourself new direct from EE/Orange or from a 3rd-party reseller or is it 2nd-hand? The unlocking process & costs are different. Was it originally on contract or PAYG?

[01Tamips14]

Thank you for your reply but perhaps I have not explained the history of events clearly . The phone was purchased from an Orange 🍊 Store in Milton Keynes about 8years ago as a PAYG phone with the relevant PAYG Sim Card . All was well until about two years ago when EE took over as the service provider from Orange . I subsequently received a text from EE informing me that this was going to happen , but that I did not need to take any action as the service would continue seamlessly .                                                                                       As mentioned , earlier this year I telephoned EE who sent me a EE PAYG SIM card to replace the existing Orange PAYG card that had in fact been accessed and modified as the “ Top Up “ function referred to EE and no longer Orange . However regardless of this I was blocked and unable to add credit to the phone . On inserting the new EE PAYG SIM card a password / number is being requested which I have tried inputting without success and told that after ten attempts the card would be disabled ( I have exhausted eight 8 attempts ) . I had followed the instructions given me by EE in the information sent me , and before the landline was interrupted told by EE Tech. that the problem was sorted and that followed a very lengthy conversation .                                                                              Surly this not Rocket Science !!  Is it not possible for EE to restore my service “ remotely “ which they were presumably able to do when intervening in the first place two years ago . EE have all of my information including the historic usage of this mobile phone / original number etc. Am I being forced to purchase a new device and service ? I am sure that this is not the case but am trying to discover what the issue is . Thank you for any help . 

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[Leanne_T]

Hi there @01Tamips14

Thanks for coming to the community. 

Has any EE SIM card worked in the phone? 

Have you been provided with an unlocking code? 

Thanks 🙂

Leanne.

[XRaySpeX]

You can just apply using the Unlocking your device form as the PAYG option and giving the mobile number that it originally came with.

[01Tamips14]

 Hello Leanne.   Thank you for your response . No an EE PAYG SIM card has yet to work in my phone . The one I have installed was provided by EE recently to replace the Orange Sim Card that they had disabled because of lack of use towards the end of 2019 . No I have not been given an “ unlocking code “ , which presumably is what I require .                                                                  As I have mentioned EE took over the Orange PAYG service I had been using for many years during 2019 . What is really annoying is that in trying to sort this out “ online “ EE keep insisting that they reply to me by “ text “ which they cannot do because my mobile phone has been disabled by them ( why can they not reply by email ?) . This is all getting a bit “ Alice in Wonderland “ but thank you again .

[Jon_K]

Hi @01Tamips14.

Have you completed an Unlocking Form to get your phone unlocked?

Did our Customer Care team say if it could be unlocked?

Jon

[01Tamips14]

Thank you for your reply and I followed your suggestion , but as I have mentioned on here before that EE require a verification of the information I have given them , but by sending me a code by “Text” which is not possible as my mobile phone has been disabled by EE . Surly there must be a solution out there . Why can EE not contact me by “ Email “ as rgey have done with this conversation . Thank you again .

[Jon_K]

Thanks @01Tamips14.

Are you able to give our Customer Care team a call so they can look into this further for you?

They will be able to speak with our unlocking team.

Jon

[01Tamips14]

Thank you for your reply . As mentioned before I have spent some time talking to Customer Care who in turn passed me on to the EE Tech Team who were unable on that occasion able to help me restore the service , so I remain in        “ hibernation “ . I cannot understand why there is so much difficulty and I cannot provide any more information than I have done so already . The phone was purchased by me at an Orange store in Milton Keynes about 8years ago and set up with an Orange 🍊 PAYG SIM card not involving a contract . I received a “ text “ Aug/Sept 2019 to say that EE had taken over the PAYG service but that I need take no action as the transition would be seamless . However I had not put credit on the phone or made a call/text for some time and EE withdrew the service .                                                                       Earlier this year I contacted EE and asked if the PAYG service could be restored and was sent an EE sim to replace the Orange 🍊 sim originally installed . The paperwork sent with the new card showed my name address together with the original Orange mobile number . The point I was trying to make earlier was that if EE can control my mobile phone remotely by disabling it , then surly they can do so remotely to restore it . On installing the EE SIM card a “ Network “ password is being requested , that I do not have and I imagine only EE can provide .