EE switched me to a monthly plan without notifying me

[ddisley]

Back in June 2026, I purchased a Pay-As-You-Go sim to use as a work phone number. I specifically purchased PAYG as I would be communicating very little using that SIM - mostly it was so that I could provide a number to colleagues that was not my personal one in case I couldn't reach them using other means.

However, in January this year, I received a random text stating "You now have 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 8GB to use in the UK for up to 30 days and £10.00 has come out of your credit ...". This was taken without my consent or even as much as an email or text to say it was coming.

I have attempted this morning to call the support number but I end up in a phone tree that would keep minotaurs confused and there doesn't appear to be any form of online chat to use either. Why would such a reputable business decide that moving someone to, what is effectively, a monthly contract without their consent or knowledge is completely beyond me.

I'm now getting texts every day stating that I need to top up £10 just so that it can be taken again to apply to another monthly payment!

[XRaySpeX · Accepted solution]

@ddisley : You haven't been moved to a monthly contract. You are still on PAYG.

In Jan. just before you received the "You now have 500 minutes,..." text, did you just top-up with £10? If so that's how EE PAYG works. 

All EE PAYG SIMs come primed with a recurring Pack of allowances ready to bought out of your PAYG credit as soon as it is sufficient. Your last top-up went to buy this Pack.

By texting AL to 150 it should show you the Pack you have bought with your credit & how much you have left from your allowances until its expiry date.

Text STOP PACK to 150 before you next top-up & you can use the SIM for calls & texts but not data as normal PAYG at standard per-unit rates paid for out of your standing PAYG credit balance.

To save the SIM going into hibernation due to lack of use, just remember within every 179 days (~ 6 months) to make a chargeable action like making a chargeable call or text, topping up or buying a Pack or Add-on, not just using your mins, texts or data from any Pack or Add-on you might have.

[bristolian]

To add, a pay-monthly contract is also a credit agreement which requires a credit check.

If you've not been advised of that, you're absolutely not on pay-monthly. Unless something has gone very badly and drastically wrong.