Calls to this number are barred from this phone

[twill1973]

We returned to France last weekend and now get the 'Calls to this number are barred from this phone' message when I try to call back to the UK.

We (my wife and myself) both have European Roaming package activated. There are no call restrictions/caps on the account. We can send texts and receive texts. When in a wifi zone, calls are OK through the wifi calling option. However, this doesn't help when trying to call non smart mobile phones back home or when not in a wifi area. Roaming data is Ok when out and about. Everything works fine except for being able to make calls when not in wifi zone. Tried manually selecting the available networks and not one of them works.

Been in France for 14 months on and off and this his the first time this has happened. Tried EE support twice and to no avail.

Any divine intervention or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[bristolian]

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@twill1973 wrote:

When in a wifi zone, calls are OK through there wifi calling option. However, this doesn't help when trying to call non smart mobile phones back home.

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What you're describing here is NOT WiFi-calling, but using an app. WiFi-calling allows full normal use of your phone for standard dialling to & from any valid number, including landlines. Although it's not supported abroad.

Forget your app-based "calls", all this will ever prove is a working internet connection. Have you been able to make or receive calls on this trip previously? Your ability to send & receive texts proves an otherwise-working network connection.

When you say "tried EE support twice to no avail", what do you mean? Did you speak to an agent, and if so, what did they advise?

[twill1973]

Good evening. Sorry I should have kept it more concise. When I switch wifi off, everything works fine except for being able to make a call. Texts, receiving calls, data etc all ok. I spoke to two separate agents but got cut off the second time. They both tried some form of network reset (I don't know what this was), restarted the handsets and tried again but it was the same.

I replaced both handsets 2 months ago and now hove esims but we have been in France since this and everything was fine. When we returned at the weekend is when we encountered the problem.

[bristolian]

Perhaps an explanation of how app-based calls differ from WiFi-calls may help..

"Calling" from within WhatsApp, Messenger, Facetime etc is entirely internet-based and doesn't route via the mobile network. They only work between users of that specific app, and usage of this just proves a working internet connection.

WiFi-calling effectively replaces your mobile network connection with a WiFi-connection, but then allows incoming & outgoing calls entirely as normal - landlines, mobiles (smart or otherwise), the lot. Your calls are still routed via EE's core network. This is not officially supported abroad, but can sometimes work.

Is this inability to make outgoing calls, affecting both in-country & "international" calls? Calls back to the UK are international for this purpose. This is testing whether your issue could be caused by an international call bar.

You've mentioned all local networks are affected, which points back towards an account issue. I'd like to hope your CS bods will have checked this, but can never be sure.

[twill1973]

Hi, when WiFi is on I can call other smartphones but not landline or non smart phone devices. When I switch WiFi off I can’t make any calls at all. Will try the CS again but they seemed baffled by it yesterday. Unfortunately I’m not back in the UK for another 6 weeks but if this can’t be resolved by then I’ll just switch networks.

Thankyou for your additional to now.

[twill1973]

Tried another CS yesterday who tried to do some form of reset but still can’t make any calls.

I received an email from EE saying if things hadn’t been resolved I was to place another comment on this feed so here it is. 
lost at what to do next other than ditch EE and use another network provider.

[bristolian]

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@twill1973 wrote:

Hi, when WiFi is on I can call other smartphones but not landline or non smart phone devices

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This is a classic description of app-based calls, not WiFi-calling.

@twill1973 wrote:

I received an email from EE saying if things hadn’t been resolved I was to place another comment on this feed

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With personal details removed, I would love to see that email in screenshot form.

I note you've not answered a previous question....Is this inability to make outgoing calls, affecting both in-country & "international" calls? Calls back to the UK are international for this purpose. This is testing whether your issue could be caused by an international call bar.

[twill1973]

Hi, I’ve not tried any in country (France) calls. All the calls I am trying are back to the UK. Nothing has changed since we were last here and this is the first time it has happened in 15 months. We’re going to menorca in a couple of weeks. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when we go there if it still isn’t resolved. 
Thanks

[Katie_B]

Hi @twill1973. 

Thanks for flagging this with us. 

I have sent you a private message so we can get this investigated. 

Katie