How to use sim from Abroad

[nadirasaif7896]

I came out of UK without activating my SIM card roaming. I also have a already activated monthly internet pack without roaming that I was using but I came to Bangladesh for two months vacation and am not using the internet and do not have roaming but want to activate  roaming. How to do it? i am not being able to call on EE helpline number from the number. Kindly help.

[Schockwave]

Hello @nadirasaif7896 ,

Welcome to the community,

Did you first use your SIM card to in the UK by making a chargeable call or text? If not, then you would have to send it back to the UK for someone you know to activate it, by making a chargeable call or text and then sending it back to, roaming on pay as you go is automatically enabled.

If used in the UK before going abroad, then try searching manually for a network.

It is only if on a monthly contract that roaming needs enabling before going abroad.

[bristolian]

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.

Have you used your phone abroad previously, did you receive a welcome text message on first arrival abroad? These are good evidence of roaming being enabled if so. In these cases, manually cycling through all available local networks often resolves issues - toggling flight mode can have the same effect.

If not...On PAYG, roaming 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 over WiFi.

[nadirasaif7896]

Hi. Yes i have used my EE Sim in UK and have been paying for it monthly for the last 10 months. But my roaming is not showing automatic as i have a Spend Cap so it is not allowing to me receive calls or make calls from Bangadesh to UK.

[nadirasaif7896]

Yes, i have received welcome text on first arrival abroad but i think it’s not allowing me to make calls or receive calls to & from UK because of my “Spend Cap”. And unfortunately i forgot to do manual roaming setting, before leaving UK. 

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

FYI you can edit posts for a short time after posting, negating the need for multiple responses.

If you received a welcome text, then your phone has a connection to a local network - you are therefore roaming, and nothing has been forgotten. I'm not sure what you mean by "forgot to do manual roaming setting" - manual network searching is a phone menu option. Roaming is self-evidently enabled by virtue of your phone receiving a text message.

You can amend your spend cap by following the instructions on https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile/manage-use/pay-monthly/set-up-and-manage-spend-cap - although if you're not 100% sure this is the reason, then feel free to explain your symptoms in as much detail as necessary, for an extra opinion.