Essential Plus SIM

[blackdogs2009]

Hi--can anyone help with this?

Need to get new contract for student daughter.The situation is she is studying/working in EU as part of her degree course

• She is in France for next 2 months
• Back in UK then for 1 month
• Spain for following 6 months
• Back home to UK in July 2025

She needs to make local calls in France/Spain and ring home, as well as mobile data when away.

• Q1 Will the Essential Plus tariff provide this?

The online info looks like it will but is not completely clear and unsure if there may be limitation due to time she is out of the UK.

• Q2 If this works for us does the phone have to be in UK to activate the account when new SIM provided?

Many thanks

[Northerner]

Hi @blackdogs2009 

She is better off buying a local network sim to the country she is in as it will work out cheaper.

Thanks 

[Peter_W]

Hey there @blackdogs2009, welcome to the EE Community 😊

@Northerner is right on the mark with this one. 

Whilst we do offer roaming in the EU on these plans, this is designed for visiting rather than long term residency. 

For a more long term basis I'd recommend her getting a local SIM once she arrives in her destination, but also switch her EE number to pay as you go prior to travelling. 

This way she can keep her UK number for whenever it's needed with a small amount of credit, then purchase a subscription pack as a stopgap for the time she's back in the UK.

Is she in France already, or heading off soon?

Peter

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

A couple of bits to add to the replies thus far.

1: Absolutely right to say that EE, being a UK operator, offers roaming facilities for UK residents taking short trips abroad. They're not intended for long term residents abroad, this is all enforced via the "Stable Links Policy" which broadly requires usage in the UK for 2 months in every 4.

2: If your daughter is already on EE pay-monthly and decides to move to PAYG, ensure - after serving the required 30days notice - that (what will then be) her new PAYG SIM is used in the UK before travelling. This is how PAYG users enable roaming, which unlocks access to foreign networks. Miss this step, your daughter's PAYG SIM won't work abroad and runs the risk of then falling foul of the hibernation policy.

[blackdogs2009]

Managed to speak to a very helpful EE customer person who said after consulting manager that she would be able to use for the duration. I guess the fact that she could prove she is resident and will be returning to home in UK means she has a stable link with UK and that use in UK for 2 months in every 4 is a guide rather than an absolute requirement.

Joe at EE also confirmed SIM would need to be activated in UK which is not an issue as someone is going to visit soon and can set up here before visiting.

Thanks for all comments and contributions.