Ukraine sudden price change - free to £5 per 15mb

[Username1384]

I’m quite upset. I live in Ukraine and my phone has given me free data for almost two years, which is vital to me with local networks patchy. It has just been cut with no warning. I would be happy to pay for the connection it’s not about it being free - it’s that it’s been cut with no warning leaving me stuck near the front line with no internet at all. I topped up and that doesn’t work (so now I wasted £10 for no reason at all) - it says I have to buy an add on for over £5 for 15mb that lasts 24 hrs. How can it go from free to £5 per 15mb plus pack!!!!? This is incredibly expensive and I can’t afford that. You’ve really left me in the lurch with currently no way to even access a local sim. I’m sorry by who can afford this rate? 

[XRaySpeX]

EE stopped free calls, texts and data usage whilst in Ukraine, on 10 January 2024. They made these charges free from February 2022, but are now charging normal international rates. Please visit Roaming Costs | Help | EE  for more information. 

[Poprocks_CA]

 If you live in Ukraine you are not connecting to EE.  Go get a sim from whoever provides your cell service that you're tapping into.

[Username1384]

Thanks for not understanding the post but commenting anyway! 

[Username1384]

Ok, thank you. But mine worked until a few days ago, when I was on assignment near the front line and it cut off and a pack plus £5 for every 15MB is just beyond expensive. I am stuck in the middle of nowhere with connection unless someone can hotspot me until I can go somewhere to buy a sim. Some warning would have been nice, or at least not charging the insanely high add ons. 

[Leanne_T]

Hi @Username1384 

Do you have signal showing or has the SIM lost service? 

We made these charges free from February 2022, but are now charging our normal international rates. Please visit Roaming Costs | Help | EE  for more information.

Leanne.

[bristolian]

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@Username1384 wrote:

I live in Ukraine

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EE is a UK operator and roaming services are intended for short trips abroad, not long-term residents.

You should have a subscription from a Ukrainian operator as your primary connectivity.

[Username1384]

Ok, but wanting would have been nice. It suddenly stopped giving me internet at the worst possible time and only offering the highest charges which I can’t afford. If you at least sent a text telling me I wouldn’t have been stuck near the front line with no internet, and I wouldn’t have then put a pack on my phone hoping it would fix it (that is now a useless waste of money as I won’t be back in the UK for the next month) only to find out I can’t use it because the add ons are prohibitively expensive. Basic courtesy would have been to let people know so they’re not suddenly stuck with no internet. 

[Username1384]

I’m British. I work in Ukraine for long periods at a time and need to retain a British number for my bank. I had a local number but I can’t used banking apps etc with it and seen as my UK one was free there was no point. I think there should have just been a warning so I wasn’t stuck suddenly without it. Thank you, though, for mansplaining my phone to me.  Glad you have so much free time. 

[Username1384]

*without warning.