Pay to Go EE sim card not usable abroad (Romania)

Loqki · ‎04-05-2023

Hey all, I bought with the help of someone from UK a blank EE sim card and a 5 pounds e-voucher for a project. Today I received the sim card and slotted into an Iphone first and then into a Huawei phone. On both I have signal, roaming active and 4G signal with Orange|EE selected (auto and tried selecting other as well with no success) but I can't text/call at all (calling on any number will either just call once and then end the call or will say call is barred instantly). I did charge up the sim card directly with a credit card (as I couldn't use the initial e-voucher because I can't text to 150 anything) and added an add-on for 200 messages which will last only for 1 day, and still no luck in sending messages (the addon says to be national and international available). What can I do/try to make it work? Thank you in advance!

XRaySpeX · ‎04-05-2023

@Loqki : From where did you buy that SIM? Did you 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.

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Loqki · ‎04-05-2023

Hey @XRaySpeX. The sim was never used in UK prior to arriving in Romania. So there is no chance of using it at all here? The only solution is by using it first in UK to get itself registered and then it would be usable in Ro?

Chris_B · ‎04-05-2023

@Loqki That’s correct the sim has to be used in the UK first before it can work abroad

Katie_B · ‎04-05-2023

Hi @Loqki.

The SIM must be activated in the UK using the EE home network before travelling abroad.

Once you are back in the UK you will be able to activate your SIM and begin using your services.

Katie

Loqki · ‎16-05-2023

Hey guys, I come with updates. Someone in UK bought another new PAYG EE sim, activated it in their phone, did a top-up with the 5 pounds e-voucher, did a call and sent a text message, all working alright there (so it was activated there for sure). He then sent it to me back in Romania and I encounter the same thing as the previous sim card (it connects to the Orange with Roaming, it has 4G signal) but when I try to call it either says call barred or it just closes, can't send any message, can't use mobile data at all. Any clue what could be happening? Thanks in advance!

Katie_B · ‎16-05-2023

Hello @Loqki.

Thanks for coming back and keeping us updated.

Have you been able to try manually connecting to another network?

Do you have credit remaining to make calls?

Katie

Loqki · ‎16-05-2023

Yes, tried manually connecting to Vodafone, Digi and Telekom but it won't connect at all to these, it will accept only Orange|EE. I have bought internet data for 7 days and not being able to use it. As for calling/texting I suppose it would send automatically a message that I don't have enough credit to make them, but it just fails to send texts and for calls will just say calls barred.

Leanne_T · ‎16-05-2023

Hi @Loqki

Thanks for coming back to us.

This message when you make a call usually means the SIM has not been used on the EE network in the UK.

When the call was made in the UK was the phone connected to WiFi and using WiFi calling?

Leanne.

Loqki · ‎16-05-2023

It is possible that it was connected to WiFi and has been using WiFi calling, not exactly sure. He just said that he did call and it worked alright in UK, didn't ask for more details unfortunately.