Pay as you go abroad (cannot send messages or make calls to UK)

[Duggyr]

I have a pay as you go sim. I’m in Thailand at the moment and the phone is useless. I cannot send messages or call the UK . How do I fix this urgently 

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

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.. Did you do this?

[Duggyr]

I did not use phone in UK as I had urgent travel  plans . I changed from a monthly plan to Pay as you go and it changed over when I got here . I cannot seem to do anything now and it is impossible to get CS . I did get a welcome message yesterday saying calls cost £1.80 / min and texts 60p . But I still cannot use these services . I put £5 credit on and still no bloody good 

[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.

Now that 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.

[Duggyr]

Thanks for that,  if I convert it back to a monthly plan will I be able to use it then ? Perhaps I should not have  changed from my original monthly contract before leaving ? 

[XRaySpeX]

Probably not.

[Duggyr]

So what you’re saying is that my number is redundant unless I return to the UK ? I had a monthly plan on this same number for many years and changed to PAYG just before it changed over . So what can I do to get this UK number to work ? 

[bristolian]

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@Duggyr wrote:

So what can I do to get this UK number to work ? 

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Now that 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.

Pay-monthly users can enable roaming via CS remotely, however you then have the issue of a new SIM needing activation whilst abroad - it may work, but it comes with no guarantees.

[hz2019]

Thanks,

I came across the same situation, and seems the only solution for this is to come back to UK.

Wondering how long can I keep this number for (not deactived by the system) if I can't text and make call,  or any other suggestions  to prevent this number from being deactivated  while I can't make call and text until I go back to UK?  

Many thanks.

[XRaySpeX]

@hz2019 : A PAYG SIM goes into hibernation after 279 days of non-chargeable activity.