Unable to get EE app live chat help abroad.

[Hughes13]

I’m currently abroad; my EE contract ended and I’m on pay as you go. Despite having paid roaming and topped up I’m still unable to make calls and the live chat is not working on the EEapp. Please help!!!!

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

You could potentially have 2 issues here.  Live chat is only available to pay-monthly customers.

When you give 30days notice to cancel an EE pay-monthly contract and move to PAYG, you effectively have a new PAYG line which needs to be used in the UK first to enable the free roaming facility.

Did you use your new PAYG SIM in the EE after it ceased to be a pay-monthly line, and before you travelled abroad? If so, roaming would not have been enabled, your phone will not have access to foreign networks, and your symptoms would be explained.

If you did do this - does your phone show network coverage?

[Hughes13]

I contacted EE whilst still in the UK and the advisor never mentioned once I went into PAYG the card wouldn’t work. I feel I have been mislead in here. I managed to chat to an advisor on Friday who also didn’t mentioned the card wouldn’t work. I have payed for a 7 day roaming pass, I have network but still unable to use my phone

[bristolian]

PAYG will work abroad, the issue is the notice period and the activation.

The pay-monthly contract requires 30days notice to cancel, during which it continues to be live as pay-monthly. At the expiry of that period, it is now a new PAYG line and needs to be used in the UK first, before roaming is auto-enabled.

It is this in-between period that matters - as per my previous post, did you use the new PAYG SIM in the UK between it converting to PAYG, and being taken abroad?

[Hughes13]

No, I didn’t use the PAYG in the UK. 

[bristolian]

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@Hughes13 wrote:

No, I didn’t use the PAYG in the UK. 

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There's your issue then. Refer to my previous posts.

Your PAYG SIM has not been activated and thus roaming has not been enabled  - preventing access to foreign networks until this is completed.

You also need to be aware of the PAYG hibernation policy, which requires chargeable usage at least once every 179 days to prevent your SIM being suspended. You then have a further 3months grace before outright disconnection.

[Hughes13]

So let me get this right, I need someone to go to the UK, use the PAYG SIM card (like make a phone call) once and then it will work? 

[bristolian]

Your new PAYG SIM needs to be used in the UK to make a (ideally chargeable) call. That activates the SIM and auto-enables roaming for use abroad, yes.

[Hughes13]

Thank you. Do I also have to purchase another 7 day roaming pass in the UK or can I do that once abroad? Can I use the PAYG SIM card and pay the roaming charges once abroad without a roaming pass?

[bristolian]

Within the EU, roaming is on a flat-rate regime - where you pay a single daily or weekly price for calls, texts & use of your data allowance.

Outside the EU, you pay per-minute or per-text