Unable to make calls

[Waynee1953]

I am visiting Oman. I have done everything suggested, set my phone and account right, paid for additional add on's and been notified I can make calls etc by EE but nothing, Apart from from call 150. I cannot because I cannot make any fu*(ing calls!

Advice please.

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

Can you be specific what you mean by "set my phone and account right", and "been notified I can make calls etc"? Regardless of any billing add-ons, your ability to get coverage abroad (which calls, texts & mobile data rely on) is dependent on roaming being activated - which allows your phone to connect to foreign networks. Does your phone show a connection to any Omani networks?

On PAYG, this is auto-enabled once your phone is used in the UK first.
On pay-monthly, this needs to be enabled manually - usually by texting ROAMING to 150 before leaving the UK. Did you do this?

If you are on pay-monthly and now find yourself abroad without having enabled roaming, your only recourse will be to contact CS to request it activated. You can either contact +44 7953 966150 from another working phone, or +44 800 0798586 using a web-calling app such as Skype over WiFi.

[Waynee1953]

I did exactly what I had to except I did not text Roaming before I left. However, I got notifications from EE that I was good to go showing me how much charges would cost etc. I have never before had to text Roaming to any of my providers. 

I was connected to a local provider I even paid for extra  roaming which I got. I had several exchanges with EE who must have recognized I had a problem as they said they would call me back. Then I had a text from them to say they could not called me back. Of course they could not call me back because I had no effing facility to make or receive calls. The same applies to your last suggestion above. I even paid for extra calls - which I was charged for but still could not make.

It is pathetic that I could not change the situation by text or e-mail or online even when it was clear I had a problem. I shall not be renewing with EE.

[bristolian]

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@Waynee1953 wrote:

I did exactly what I had to except I did not text Roaming before I left.

I was connected to a local provider I even paid for extra  roaming which I got. I had several exchanges with EE who must have recognized I had a problem as they said they would call me back.. Of course they could not call me back because I had no effing facility to make or receive calls. The same applies to your last suggestion above. I even paid for extra calls - which I was charged for but still could not make.

It is pathetic that I could not change the situation by text

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This is fundamental to the misunderstanding many users find themselves in. Billing add-ons reduce the cost of roaming, but they don't enable the facility itself.

If you don't enable roaming, you have no connection to foreign networks and thus cannot roam - all other issues naturally follow. Enable the facility, your phone gets coverage abroad, everything else follows.

The principle of needing to unlock access to foreign networks is true across all UK networks, the process differs - even between EE PAYG & pay-monthly. Once the facility is enabled, you get access to foreign networks and thus are in their hands for local coverage.

[Waynee1953]

Thanks. I am content to admit my error but my complaint remains in this day and age it must be possible to retrospectively change your settings.  What is the point of me having an online account when I cannot change my settings to Roam. And why didi EE say I was free to roam in Oman and Qatar when clearly I could not.

[bristolian]

It is indeed possible to enable roaming whilst you are abroad, but you need to break the catch-22 scenario of not having local coverage - by making contact with CS via a different means. My original post mentioned this.

The auto-response texts regarding costs to roam are specifically worded to refer to charges and not the ability to roam.

One of your posts does mention that you were "connected to a local provider" however - the only way this could be true is if you had roaming enabled, this appears contrary to your later comments of not being able to make and receive calls. The inability to use network coverage is often caused by the lack of it.

Do you have a screenshot of the text message where you believe you were advised you were free to roam? I agree that it would be easier if roaming activation was available via self-service, it used to be but was removed due to reliability issues a couple of years back.