I have been on the phone with an EE representative twice today, and my boyfriend has spoke with them once. I believe the most recent representative to me has given me the full story, but I am unsatisfied with the response and I just want to really make sure this is correct!
My query involves going abroad for an unknown amount of time (for argument sake for my conversation with EE I said it will be at least seven months until I return to the UK) and as my contract was due for renewal I wanted to renew to a cheap and simple SIM only contract. This way I would be able to keep my phone number as well as stay connected when I come back to the UK. I would not be using this SIM for data or anything like that, it would be quite simply to retain my phone number so that when I buy an eSIM for data (from hola fly or whatever other local provider) I can turn on the eSIM data but use my phone number for this data. Allowing me to still message from my phone number.
The representative I have spoke to most recently said to me that if you are on a pay monthly contract, you are able to be out of the UK for 60 days by which, if you are not back in the UK after these 60 days, you then have 14 days to explain to EE why your phone is not connecting to a UK Mast. Obviously being out the country will probably not be good enough for them, so then following these 14 extra days you will then begin to be charged because of something to do with the stable link policy and some other policy. He also mentioned that if you are on a pay as you go, you would technically have up till nine months to reconnect your phone to a UK Mast.
He also tried to suggest that, if you want to keep your phone number, you can leave it at home and have someone send a text or call from that Sim… But my question to this was, people go travelling all the time, so what are people doing about their phones, because this is the Phone number, Friends and family would use to keep in contact with you?
Additionally, I then asked a friend who went travelling for eight months, but their contract was with three, and they said to me that they never phoned up their provider, yet they were able to retain their Small contract they already had, and didn’t have to even think about it once… Yet for some reason with EE you can’t be out the country for more than two months?
Is someone able to clarify that this is most definitely the case? The only other option I can see having is that I move provider, such as three, so as I can retain my phone number in a very small contract?
I can’t understand why EE would not perhaps have something in place where you can pay that little bit extra to be able to do this thing where you are out of the UK for more than two months because people are surely doing that all the time?! Additionally, the representative mentioned about how they are monitored by Ofcom or something about them needing rolling phone numbers so that they can sell contracts which I somewhat get because you could be out of the country for 10 years and you still have that phone number from that provider, but at the end of the day if you are paying for a service that you are not using what is the issue?!
It really is so confusing, and I’d really appreciate just some guidance on it, even though I’m certain the most recent guidance i’ve received is correct 😕
thank you
