My partner can't access WiFi hotspot because of 2FA

[DrainOnTime]

2FA has killed the opportunity for more than one person in a family to access ee wifi hotspots. Despite the fact that ee broadband is sold as a 'family' service, only the account holder can access a hotspot while they're out and about because they are the only person who can receive the SMS code. 

EE claim they have introduced 2FA to improve security. I would be interested to know how much that decision was to prevent login sharing. 

EE are completely opaque about addressing this issue. You can submit a 'complaint' [sic] which is actually a feedback request that they won't respond to.

However, all is not lost. You can use an SMS forwarder to forward your texts based on rules. Do your own research, some of these store your texts in the cloud whilst others (I believe SMS Forwarder) only store them on your actual phone device).

It is it really shoddy how EE have handled this. I'm going to raise with Which? and make a complaint to OFCOM

[bristolian]

A few bits in here. First off, Ofcom don't accept individual customer complaints - they refer you to your provider's formal process, which includes referral to external arbitration if your issue is unresolved after 8weeks. The process is available to view on both Ombudsman Services (current ADR provider) & EE's website - https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/regulatory/ee-complaints-code-of-practice-mar... 

Your research on SMS forwarding is not entirely accurate. Text messages are sent via EE's message servers to your SIM directly, there is no provision for redirecting them or otherwise diverting them to a different number. An individual phone could have a third party app for forwarding received texts, but that's a device-level function not a network one. "The cloud" (which just means internet-based storage/servers) doesn't come into it.

[DrainOnTime]

@bristolian thanks  for ofcom tip. I made the point with Ee that by treating my 'complaint' as 'feedback' that that would weaken any approach that I made to ofcom as it would imply that I hadn't seriously addressed th e issue with ee. 

Yes, I was talking about an app when I suggested 'an' sms forwarder. By the way, I have since tested SMS Forwarder and it works fine (android) and also I understand it stores the text on the device rather than in the cloud - please look this up for fuller details (as I understand it cloud facilitated forwarder pose a potential security threat). 

Either way, none of this addresses EE's 'suck it up' attitude to it's reduction in the scope of its service. 

[AlanRob]

We are having the exact same issue!!! Totally defeats the object of all members of the household having access to EE hotspots across the country. There are several of us in our house so not sure the text forwarding would be an option.

We're also now unable to use Apple devices on the hotspots (iPad and iPhone) as they don't seem to trigger the OTP screen, just stay on the password screen and go no further.

EE need to turn this off again, as you say, not providing hte service that's advertised.