Abroad and PAYG not working

[Sverze]

I am in Indonesia, I switched to PAYG recently and I topped up my account yesterday (I think).

The 150 service is not working and I am unable to see my status/balance from the app or the website.

What the best way to resolve this issue?

[bristolian]

All new PAYG SIMs need to be activated on EE's UK network, before roaming is auto-enabled for use abroad. This includes migrations from pay-monthly.  When exactly did you arrive in Indonesia, and was it before or after your 30days notice expired and thus you had a new PAYG SIM?

If your SIM is a new PAYG one, it therefore needs usage in the UK before roaming is enabled. If you've not done this, it will not work abroad until it's first used on EE's UK network.

[Sverze]

I left the UK when my 2 year plan was still active (14/12), it should have switched automatically to a PAYG, and all I needed to do was top it up while abroad. This is what service team has informed me of before I left.

i don’t have a specific PAYG SIM, it’s the same one I left with. I don’t plan to be back in the UK for some time (> 12m) so I won’t be able to activate there.

As context, I am trying to keep my UK number active while I am away, if there are any better ways to achieve this, I’m all ears?

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

If your SIM was transferred to PAYG whilst you were abroad, then it is now a new PAYG SIM and needs to be activated in the UK before it will work abroad. To have avoided this, you should have given and waited for your 30days notice to expire before leaving the UK, and used (what is effectively your) the new PAYG SIM in the UK before travelling abroad.

If you're not returning to the UK, you will need to post the SIM to a trusted friend or relative in the UK for them to activate and then post it back to you. If you don't do this, your new SIM will be subject to the hibernation policy. This requires chargeable usage at least once every 6 months to avoid suspension, with a further 3months grace before your number & credit is permanently lost.

There is no workaround for needing the SIM activated in the UK.

[Sverze]

Thanks,  helpful to know now but unfortunately the service team members from EE I spoke to before I left the UK did not make me aware of this or possibly was not aware of this themselves

Interewtingly I am still receiving EE test messages, not sure if that means something.

is it possible to switch to an eSIM and have it activated in the UK by a friend, and also what is the process to activate the SIM?

[bristolian]

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@Sverze wrote:

is it possible to switch to an eSIM and have it activated in the UK by a friend, and also what is the process to activate the SIM?

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The definition of an eSIM is "embedded" SIM or "electronic" SIM, so would mean sending your phone to the UK for activation. It won't solve your issue any more than a standard physical SIM will.

Unfortunately... you're not the first to migrate from pay-monthly > PAYG and not be told about UK activation, and I doubt you'll be the last.