Calls blocked on pay as you go & can't access the roaming add on

[Des72]

I changed from the bill phone I had for about 25 years to a pay as you go as I was leaving the UK but I still need to use the phone now and again for bank stuff as it's the registered number.  But I can't make any calls from it or send sms to get this roaming add on. I can't believe it's such a faff.  There is more than enough credit on the phone to just ring direct to the bank and do what I need to do and if credit ran out then I'd top-up.  Any tips? I tried calling and get a 'these calls are blocked' when I sms 'roameu1d' to 150 (from outside the UK) that is blocked too, so what am I missing?

[Katie_B]

Hi @Des72. 

Welcome to the community. 

Are you connected to a local EE network?

Did you receive a welcome text with a link when you arrived at your destination?

Katie

[Des72]

Hi, as far as I know yes, I thought would be fine to text or make calls and pay the rate as I only need the UK number for certain things not every day. But can't do anything on the phone even with plenty of credit.

[Katie_B]

When did you move to pay as you go @Des72?

Have you used your SIM OK in the UK before leaving?

Did you receive a welcome text when arriving at your destination?

Katie

[XRaySpeX]

It takes 30 days to cancel a contract & before it is moved to PAYG. Doesn't sound like you left enough time to use that PAYG SIM for making calls or texts in UK before you left to go abroad. EE PAYG SIMs need 1st activating on EE's home UK network before they can be used abroad. If it wasn't you can't now use it until you return to UK.

[bristolian]

Did you transfer to PAYG, and subsequently use the phone, before leaving the UK?

These are the fundamentals for roaming to be enabled on a PAYG phone and allow use abroad.

[Des72]

I have received location texts but delete them, I only changed the phone earlier this year, I can't believe it is so hard to just make calls, or why they need to authorised. It's a pay as you go so if there's no credit for a call that's my issue but why they are blocked I don't understand, iI don't get why I can't just make a call, receive one or test and be told it's X for a test or Y for calls and go from there.

[Des72]

I don't think I did, can't honestly remember. I may have made a test call. But can't be 100%.

[Katie_B]

Hi @Des72. 

Are you able to try turning your phone onto flight mode then off again to see if this triggers the welcome text?

Katie

[Des72]

It doesn't work, nothing works. Turned on and off, WhatsApp, internet fine but no text or calls