Abroad with no support

[Raygc]

I have roaming enabled on my account… I am in the USA, but I cannot send or receive text messages or calls.

I have tried calling the ‘abroad’ support number. It won’t connect. I cannot text 150.

I downloaded the app and have started MULTIPLE conversations, I am told I need to wait for hours to connect to an agent, it times out or disconnects me.

Due to this issue I have lost money, cannot access accounts that need text confirmation and have been unable to respond to a complaint I made, which apparently is now closed as a result.

I have spent HOURS on this and I just need someone to resolve this issue.

@Katie_B 

@James_B

@NickBS 

@JordanTA 

[Northerner]

Hi @Raygc 

Use Skype over wifi and the number in my signature. 

Thanks 

[bristolian]

Regardless of any billing add-on, your ability to get coverage abroad (which calls, texts & mobile data rely on) is dependent on roaming being activated - which allows your phone to connect to foreign networks. Your symptoms are entirely consistent with roaming not being enabled - so what is your basis for saying otherwise?

On PAYG, this is auto-enabled once your phone is used in the UK first.
On pay-monthly, this needs to be enabled manually - usually by texting ROAMING to 150 before leaving the UK. Did you do this?

If you are on pay-monthly and now find yourself abroad without having enabled roaming, your only recourse will be to contact CS to request it activated. You can either contact +44 7953 966150 from another working phone, or +44 800 9566000 using a web-calling app such as Skype over WiFi.

[Raygc]

I have roaming enabled. It confirms that when I call the number via Skype.

Although I am now in a 45 minute call waiting queue.

HOURS and HOURS of time now wasted! 😂

[bristolian]

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@Raygc wrote:

I have roaming enabled. It confirms that when I call the number via Skype.😂

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If so, the problem must lie elsewhere. Roaming allows your phone to connect to foreign networks and thus creates the ability to send/receive texts, make/receive calls and use mobile data.

If necessary, try manually cycling through each available network in turn using your phone's network selection menu.

[Northerner]

Hi @Raygc 

Have you checked your spend cap? 

Thanks 

[XRaySpeX]

How do you think you have you enabled roaming on your a/c. Was it the overall ability to roam or did you just buy a billing add-on to help pay for any charges while roaming?

Are you on contract or PAYG? Had you used that SIM for making calls or texts in UK before you left to go abroad?

If you are on contract, did you activate roaming on your EE a/c before you left UK by texting ROAMING to 150? Having a roaming billing add-on doesn't of itself activate roaming on your a/c. Having roaming activated on your EE a/c, not just on your device, is crucial to using your contract SIM abroad.

Often just rebooting the phone is the simple remedy. Also try selecting a network manually rather than auto.

Otherwise if you are on contract you need to call CS to get your roaming activated. Try calling CS on the Freephone no. in my sig. on Skype over WiFi. It should be free.

[Raygc]

I have roaming, because when I got to that on the phone menu (when calling with Skype), it tells me that roaming is enabled. I can use data just fine - just no calls and texts.

This is also part of my package / contract (I am not PAYG).

I don’t have a spend cap which would inhibit this.

I have rebooted the phone multiple times. Issue is not resolved.

Scrolled through all networks - rebooting phone every time - no joy.

[XRaySpeX]

Got to what on your phone menu? Your phone settings have nowt to do with your ability to roam on your a/c. All you are seeing is that is that the data roaming setting is ON. That is immaterial.

[bristolian]

When you refer to the "phone menu", do you mean one of the on-screen settings menus?

Or do you mean the audible- IVR that's played when you call CS?