Possible solution to a persistent known fault affecting MyEE

[fthynne]

FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE 4GEE TECHNICAL TEAM

Since setting up Pay As You Go Data using a new  login email address, separate from my business account, buying data usage has always required telephone help, with long delays and wasted time for which I have sought and received some compensation.

On the first occasion I was given help and told that the fault was due to be corrected almost three weeks ago but it is now due in more than another week.  This is not an acceptable delay

However, I think I may have discovered a cause of a fault and offer it to the appropriate team as possibly being helpful.

The sequence of events should help.

1 After receiving my welcome pack I put the SIM card into the network data router for which it was intended.  The instructions said that I should visit add-ons.ee.co.uk  but it responed with a 403 Forbidden response. Not a good start!

2 Since I use a MyEE business account without trouble, and MyEE was suggested as an alternative way to manage the account I tried to create a new MyEE account for the purpose. 

3 This always failed because of

- a failure to send promised messages to my email address, or 

- validation failure that was reported as fixed but hadn't been, or

- reported credential failures to which I attempted a password reset, which didn't help, or

- "a problem with retrieving my account" or

- a 15 minute lock out.

4 Because I could find any path to seek help without a valid login which I could not satisfy I sought help using 150 on my business account.  This was eventually given and the purchase of data on the PAYG account took place.  I should add that there were occasions when I received the words "the office is closed" although this was within the advertised open hours.

5 After seeking help from the local EE shop I was told after a 20-minute wait to be served that they who could not help 

6 I then repeated my efforts described in 2 and 3 above, and help was finally obtained as in 4 above.  I should report that there more "office closed" statements during the stated open hours.

7 Out of curiosity I attempted add-on.ee.co.uk again and received 403 Forbidden.  This made no sense as the first response to the instructions in the welcome pack.  I then wondered if there was an unstated requirement for the request to arise from the 4GEE network.  This was not possible in the first instance because the device has no manual interface and the request came from our existing Internet route.

8 I then connected my web browser using the 4GEE router and gained access to the add-on.ee.co.uk website for the first time.

9  I have concluded that the welcome instructions omitted a vital phrase "using the new 4GEE  connection". The instructions for continuing using MyEE did mention  "connected device" but still did not specify a 4GEE connection.

10 I believe that all the difficulty arose because the assumption that requests for login and service came from the 4GEE network was false.  That assumption must be corrected by your technical team or by correcting the joining instructions to meet the assumption.

11 I have not tested MyEE using a 4GEE connection and am reluctant to do so until you can confirm that my opinion explains all the problems.  I hope that this woeful sequence of failures (and improper office closure) will not be repeated.

or the instructions amended 

[XRaySpeX]

It all has to be done while connected to your mobile BB router, not just any-old online..

_____________________________________________________________________________________

See How do I get started with 4GEE WiFi?

Activate pay as you go 4GEE WiFi

There's no need to activate your pay as you go 4GEE WiFi SIM.

All you need to do is:

1. insert the SIM into your 4GEE WiFi device
2. connect to the browser – you can do this by connecting a laptop or tablet to your 4GEE WiFi or by turning on 4G on your device
3. once connected, select Register 
4. register your details, then select Activate

_____________________________________________________________________________________

See Data usage and add-ons for 4GEE WiFi :

How do I buy add-ons for 4GEE WiFi?

Whether you’re a pay monthly or pay as you go 4GEE WiFi customer, you can buy an add on using the below information. Just make sure you’re connected to the 4G network.

1. open your browser and go toadd-on.ee.co.uk
2. go to Purchase and select the data add-on you want to buy
3. activate the data add-on you've purchased

_____________________________________________________________________________________

I've always advised users wanting data for their 4GEE WiFi to:

Go to http://add-on.ee.co.uk/purchase from a device connected to your mobile router by WiFi & see what it offers you.

from time immemorial.

[fthynne]

Yes.

The "Let's Get Started" sheet does not make that clear Even your own advice says "You can ... " when it should say "must".

The problem would probably not arise when adding the service to a phone.  Because the SIM went into a router (with no browsing functions) the advice to use EE websites was done from another device.  There was no indication that there was a startup allowance so I did not expect to be able to use the 4GEE network without buying data and therefore used an existing connection.

None of the interactions that followed suggested that I was using a wrong network and if only that had been indicated many hours could have been saved.  The initial 403 response was really unhelpful without an explanation which must have been known and could have been shown.

[XRaySpeX]

1. I don't recollect saying "can" instead of "must"in this matter. In what context?
2. You don't need data, or any "additional allowance" to browse EE's add-on page when on EE's mobile network. You don't leave the EE's mobile network & go onto the wider Net to get there.
3. As an aside, I've never encountered a 403 error trying to browse EE's add-on page from anywhere. It's usually of the ilk "Grrr! Get off WiFi  & connect to the mobile network!".

[fthynne]

Thank you for your courteous replies.

You asked where I said that you had said "can" instead of "must"

Here is the context:   See item 2 below.

Activate pay as you go 4GEE WiFi

There's no need to activate your pay as you go 4GEE WiFi SIM.

All you need to do is:

1. insert the SIM into your 4GEE WiFi device
2. connect to the browser – you can do this by connecting a laptop or tablet to your 4GEE WiFi or by turning on 4G on your device
3. once connected, select Register 
4. register your details, then select Activate

The issue is this:

When I received the welcome pack I did not think the 4GEE service could work before I had bought some data.

Therefore, there seemed to be no point in trying to use it to access the add-on web page. and because the device with the sim card (a router) had no web browser I used a different device with another connection route (existing Wifi, but it could have been wired Ethernet).

The attempt failed with a 403 error and no cause stated.

This led to my attempting the creation of a new MyEE account with numerous time wasting unexplained failures.

If I had known that the 4GEE PAYG service was provided with a small initial Data allowance I would probably have used it as the "Let's Get Started" suggests, and  the problems would have not arisen.

Your support agents had said that there was a known fault outstanding, and it was only when retrying the add-on service by way of the 4GEE connection successfully that I realised the fault might be caused by inadequate instructions exacerbated by inadequate explanation of the failures.

You seem to be surprised that I should have used connections other than the 4GEE service and I hope that I have clearly explained why I did so.

Furthermore, I do not understand why requiring the 4GEE system for account establishment and management is necessary.  There are already alternative means of authentication.

[XRaySpeX]

1. Oh, those are not my words but a quote from the EE Help page linked above them. I agree with you that they could be worded better.
2. I don't have any support agents. I'm just a user like you.
3. I can see how such confusion might arise but my starting point, initial premise & experience of a SIM in a mobile router is that it's got to work on its own free-standing. Users of them may not have any other connection, are not forced to have an alternative connection & there is no necessary requirement of such in order to use them.