Data roaming USA

[Michael1101]

I went to the USA last year and added on the roaming packing before I left the UK and everything worked fine. I’m going back this year and looked at doing the same again but it says you can’t buy the roaming add-on until you’re in the country you’re visiting. This seems ridiculous. So once I get to the USA how will I buy the add-on, when I need to use my data, to buy the data add-on, that lets me use my data in the USA?
The only way I can do this I assume, is by using data while I don’t have an add-on activated, which will be charged at an extortionate rate to use it? Is this intentional by EE to make some extra money from people by forcing them to use out-of-allowance data? 

[Chris_B]

@Michael1101  You’ll be able to purchase the add on  you’ll receive a text message with what’s available for you to purchase.   Texts don’t use data 

[bristolian]

As above - links to purchase add-ons are in the welcome text-message. You can't otherwise use data until you have an add-on.. only calls & texts can be used abroad without add-ons covering them.

[XRaySpeX]

On arrival you will receive a Welcome text offering you to buy the Zone 1 Roaming Pass for £5 / day or £25 / week. This will allow you to  use your usual UK allowances there with up to 50 GB data per billing month if you have more. You don't need data to receive & reply to texts.

[Matt_124 · Accepted solution]

EE will allow you to access the add-on link sent in the text message upon landing to purchase your pass.

Just make sure roaming is enabled on your account by texting ROAMING to 150 before you leave the UK and ensuring it confirms you are set up to Roam.

[Michael1101]

Thanks everyone (I’ve only just saw these replies as they went to my junk mail) 

It still concerns me that as soon as I land, I’ll be charged for using my phone abroad before I get chance to activate the add-on. 

On our last trip, my girlfriend, who is with another provider and had no add-ons, immediately received a text upon landing that she’d hit her out-of-allowance spending cap, even though she hadn’t used her phone. So it must have been from receiving a text or her phone trying to connect to local networks or something.

Not sure if the same will happen with me this time with EE? 

[XRaySpeX]

Receiving texts is free worldwide. It costs nowt just to connect to the local network.