Roaming abroad with PAYG

[Al_T]

I'm abroad for 18 months (Australia and New Zealand). I've received SMS messages listing costs for sending texts and making calls, while over here, but attempts to send messages fail with "Error 38".  Why is this?

Secondly, I'm making regular top ups on my plan because I'm worried about losing it. Your Ts&Cs say topping up should be enough to preserve the plan and that has been reaffirmed elsewhere on the forum. But I've just received another text saying I need to "make a chargeable call/text or use data otherwise you may lose your number and any available credit". It doesn't mention topping up! I'm confused. If topping up is enough why am I still getting these messages? If it isn't, how can I make a chargeable call/send a message when roaming doesn't seem to work?

[Al_T]

Hi Christopher

I have the same problem. I'm abroad for 18 months. I've received SMS messages listing costs for sending texts and making calls but I can't do either on my PAYG plan. I'm keeping it regularly topped up because I'm also worried about losing my plan. Your Ts&Cs say topping up should be enough to preserve the plan and you reaffirm it above, but I've just received another text saying I need to "make a chargeable call/text or use data otherwise you may lose your number and any available credit", with no mention of topping up. I''m confused. If topping up is enough why am I still getting these messages?

Thanks

Alastair

[XRaySpeX]

Had you used that PAYG SIM for making calls or texts in UK before you left to go abroad? To be used abroad EE PAYG SIMs need 1st activating on EE's home UK network. If it wasn't you can't now use it until you return to UK.

[Al_T]

Thanks for your response. Yes, I used it for years in UK before going
abroad.

[bristolian]

Roaming is self-evidently active here, by virtue of "received SMS messages" whilst abroad - this needs a mobile network connection.

Have you tried using each & every available local network? If there's an issue with one, manually changing can often resolve.

[XRaySpeX]

Yes, topping-up should be enough to keep it live. When did you last top-up?

[Al_T]

Thanks for your response. Receiving text messages abroad is a free service
provided by all networks / plans. It's not evidence of an ability to roam
i.e. make/receive calls and send text messages. Your idea of trying other
networks is a good one and it WORKED (yay!) on Optus 3G (though my phone
support 3, 4 and 5G), so thanks very much for that.



I'd still like to know why I'm receiving messages from EE saying I need to
send a message / make a call to keep my plan active, when topping up should
be sufficient according to their Ts&Cs.



Thanks again for your help

[Al_T]

Thanks for your response XRaySpeX. 25th Feb was my last top up, so less than
3 months ago and it's supposed to be ~6 months (179 days) before a plan is
hibernated, so seems a tad early to be reminding me. Also, as I said in my
query, the text message I received made no mention of topping up as a valid
'chargeable activity', which the Ts&Cs define as any of:

* voice and data usage - this includes making calls, sending text
messages and photo messages, retrieving a voicemail, and using data
* topping up your account
* buying a pack or add-on

As I've slowly built up my boosts over 8 years with this plan, I'd hate to
lose it and the wording in EEs messages concern me. Fortunately, thanks to
bristolians suggestion of trying alternative networks, I've finally managed
to send a text on EE, I think. Still awaiting confirmation from the
recipient. Of course, I should have been able to do this with the network I
was automatically connected to, on which I received EEs text message
explaining roaming charges. Not exactly a seamless service! Also notable so
far is any response from EE customer service. If it wasn't for you
volunteers I'd be screwed.



Again, thanks for your consideration.

[Leanne_T]

Morning @Al_T 

Thanks for coming to the community. 

Our Why Has My Top Credit Run Out? Help page has full information on chargeable activities to keep your account active.

We would need to get your account looked into to see why you have received this text, to do this please give our pay as you go guides a call and the team will be happy to help 🙂

Leanne.

[Al_T]

Thanks Leanne. I was already aware of that page, especially the bit about
top ups being sufficient to keep the a/c active. Which is why I’m concerned
about the messages I’ve been getting which seem to imply only sending
texts/making calls/accessing data is sufficient – no mention of top-ups.



As I said, I’m in Australia at the moment where calls to UK on EE cost
£1.20/min to make plus, I presume, international call charges. So perhaps
you can suggest a less costly way to contact your Pay As You Go Guides?