EE Roaming - Getting ready to use your phone abroad

[Edenlynn]

Hi,

in the FAQ above it says

"In your My EE account online go to Menu > Account Settings > Parental and Data Controls > Enable Roaming and also Make calls abroad from the UK"

When I go into my account under menu > account settings, there is no option for "parental and data controls".  How can I make sure roaming is enabled?

I am leaving on Thursday and of all the things I've had to do to make this trip happen, setting up my mobile phone has been by far the most confusing, aggravating, and time-consuming thing of them all.  The not-so-helpful "help screen" (which it seems that every menu option, every link, everything I choose sends me to, in one ever-annoying circle) says I have to buy a data pack when I land.  Great. Problem is, the last two times I've been to America, I haven't been able to access any networks to buy any data.  So how do I buy a data pack when I land?  There are no helpful hints about this anywhere at all.

I have texted ROAMING to 150 and I've also texted "RO USA" which tells me I can get data packs for £5 but, as above, I'm told I can't buy them until I land, so where and how do I get these data packs? I really don't want yet another visit to America only having data when I can connect to wifi somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any advice.  I'm just beyond frustrated at the moment.

[XRaySpeX]

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@Edenlynn wrote:

When I go into my account under menu > account settings, there is no option for "parental and data controls". 

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Then you must be on PAYG. PAYG is auto enabled for roaming as long as you've used the SIM in the UK previously. You won't see any of those settings & don't need to change anything. If outside EU, do you have enough credit for making calls & texts from abroad?

[Edenlynn]

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@XRaySpeX wrote:

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If outside EU, do you have enough credit for making calls & texts from abroad?

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I will be outside the EU by this time tomorrow (Currently in the UK).

What worries me is that twice now I've been left without data OR minutes when traveling to the US.  Hopefully I've sorted the minutes but I'm really worried about being left without data.  AGAIN.  Usually when I land I get the text "Welcome to the USA! To enable data text (number)" but then I'm unable to text.

I thought I was on a contract, as I pay via direct debit each month, yet it seems I'm somehow on PAYG  (?).

If it happens again I'm just going to get a USA Sim to use when I'm there.

Thank you for your help.  🙂

[XRaySpeX]

@Edenlynn : You don't pay PAYG by DD but by recurring bank card.

As it is not in EU, you cannot use your usual UK allowances there but will need to pay the charges or buy roaming add-ons as set out in https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/roaming-costs/countries/usa > PAYG.

[Edenlynn]

I went to that page (a few days ago), texted roaming tp 150 and enabled roaming on my handset, but can't locate where to buy any add ons. There's no direct link from that page, and I couldn't find it anywhere else on the site. I did purchase an addon for international minutes for £3 but I don't think that was correct. It was all I could find that seemed relevant.

Thank you for the help, it's greatly appreciated. 

This really should not be so difficult!! 

[James_B]

Hi @Edenlynn,

You'll be able to purchase a data add-on when you land in the US. You'll be offered all available add-ons when you first open your web browser.

James

[XRaySpeX]

@Edenlynn : Texting ROAMING to 150 shouldn't work for PAYG. It's only for contracts.

International Calls add-on is only for calling from UK to non-UK nos.

On the USA Roaming page it does say:

Data/internet	Buy data add-on when you land

[Edenlynn]

@XRaySpeX  Texting ROAMING to 150 shouldn't work for PAYG. It's only for contracts.

.... But that is exactly what it says to do on the link you sent above. So I did.

In any event, my flight leaves in 35 minutes so I guess I will find out soon enough.

I'm sorry if I'm being thick, I'm traveling because my mother is unwell and sorting out this phone has been the single biggest headache of everything I've had to do to prepare for this trip. I appreciate your help and apologise if I'm coming across as annoying. 

[Edenlynn]

Thank you - I hope it will work! 👍

[XRaySpeX]

@Edenlynn : It's an EE mistake to write that on the PAYG page.