I have the option to merge calls but it’s not working. How do I fix this?

[Sai2019]

Please help

[Kirigaya_Kazuto]

There are alternatives available and while I know it is not the most convenient to everyone, Microsoft teams offer group calls - so does Massager   and even Telegram offer it now

I've used a 3 way call ONCE in 5 years when my internet went down

[Chris_B]

@Kirigaya_Kazuto   That’s once more then me.  Lol.    Ever 

the problem is it was also a service that was hardly ever used and then one time you want to use it it was removed long ago.  

[RachelLees]

Not that either of my Grandmothers will be able to use who are 90 and 86.

• No Internet- landlines only
• Blind or partially sighted 
• Alheimer's
• Immobile
• Not very good with technology
• Lockdowns

I would have thought for a company who have been able to offer this and are a major provider, and for a contract which I spend a lot of money on every month this wouldn't be an issue.

I recently renewed my contract with you based on what I was getting. It just stopped working.

Is there anyway of getting this back to use through landlines? Or what other companies do offer this as my Mum's contract with you is due to expire and we can look elsewhere?

Edited to add.

I have been able to use this regularly during lockdown until the last few times I've tried to do it since Christmas time.

It's been so helpful.

[Kirigaya_Kazuto]

It seems Vodafone still offer it from a cursory google search - but you may wish to ring the big mobile operators and double check - the webpages I found were written a couple years ago

[PaulKT]

Sadly @RachelLees EE does not care, they don't care it's vital for those with disabilities, for those without any technical knowledge (who don't want to or cannot put a code in) who don't know how to text never mind WhatsApp. There isn't much sympathy from most EE users either it seems as they never used it so don't care.

This was a critical feature, I would argue fundamental to having a mobile phone and EE just discarded it without a care in the world. Their response has been very poor.

I literally had it one week in January and then it was gone, great start to the year. Since then I have needed to use it on at least 6 occasions, on one occasion my grandmother was rushed to hospital, I'm shielding and so is she so a conference call would have worked between her landline and 111 but nope I couldn't do it.

EE need to rethink this but they steadfastly refuse, instead directing you to apps that 1. cannot be used on a landline 2. cannot be used by those who are not IT savvy etc.

All we can do is continue to protest and ultimately leave, that seems what EE wants anyway for us to just leave.

[Kirigaya_Kazuto]

Unfortunately I cannot test to see if it is still a feature on my line, though I doubt it - I do have the numbers available to call, but not the extra phones (that work)

EDIT: I did get a Merge calls option - but it just hung up one of the numbers

Edit 2: Calling Add-Ons | Broadband and Phone Deals (ee.co.uk)

You can get 3 way calling, BUT it needs to be an add-on package from an EE landline

[mdc1983uk]

That's insane. They told me they stopped it on mobiles because of fraud issues.... But allow it on landlines as a add on. Ridiculous

[PaulKT]

Surely no one believed the "fraud" bull, emails, text messages all are subject to fraud so are calls on your mobile and landline saying "It's Amazon, you need to pay this" or "It's HMRC you owe tax" etc. No one sees EE turning off text messaging, data or calls. I also do not believe that it was simply that it was under-used. There was clearly a cost saving to be made and EE elected to make it regardless of the impact on customers. It was a poor decision and one they absolutely have the power to reverse but they don't have the will to do it. There is no technological or legal (i.e. fraud) reason not to do it, it's purely a decision they have made and they want to stick to it regardless.

As for allowing it on landlines, just complete hypocrisy, I just hope that those EE executives and managers who made this decision, never need to conference in a loved one who is in need of medical assistance and they can't because they elected to block it on their network. I am sure EE is the only network to make this decision. It seems O2 and Voda both have it so clearly EE just want to be different.

[STAUN]

I was with BT mobile and they have it - used it a lot for work in lockdown - really helps. When I called EE the day after switching to ask why it wasn't working, I was told i should have checked it worked before signing up - like I'm a fool for not checking every little possible existing piece of functionality of each phone and network provider combination. I asked where I could have found this information - she told me the EE website - I asked where on the EE website and she didn't know - Apparently i should have just googled it. I didn't Google does EE make up fibs for not offering services, either - my mistake !! I will use my money to talk for me and leave EE as soon as my contract is up. 

[PaulKT]

Yes their callous attitude and despicable behaviour of trying to blame for you their removal of a substantially core feature. So core and fundamental: it is built into almost all handsets, as standard and cannot be disabled at the handset level!

EE just have their heads in the sand on this and are hoping we'll all go away, which I guess we will. I have no idea why they just woke up and thought let's upset as many customers as we can for little to no gain. I am pretty sure it cost money to disable it and I'm also pretty sure that the cost of "maintaining" it was minimal.