Roaming add-ons. How do they interact?

[Elina_K]

Ι have full roaming, roam in EU and Roam Further pass active in my new plan. 
Ηοw do these interact?
In my previous plan I was able to use my allowance to call from/to US/EU while roaming and I asked for the same to be retained when I signed the new plan. Now I am facing charges and roaming failures. 
Does anyone know more about roaming add-ons and how they are combined?

[Alex_H · Accepted solution]

Hello @Elina_K,

Thanks for visiting the EE Community

There are two types of Roaming add-ons, the first is one is one that actually enables your phone to connect and be used outside the UK. The options on this one are Full roaming, to allow you to connect worldwide or EU Roaming allowing you to connect in the EU only.

If you have Full Roaming enabled currently that would mean you have permission to connect worldwide currently.

The second type of add-on is to give you an inclusive allowance to use whilst outside the UK e.g. calls, texts and data. The Roam Further pass is the old version, is it definitely still active in your add-ons? 

Your roaming options does depend on the plan you have but Roam in EU being active would suggest you can use your plan allowances whilst in the EU. Does your plan come with an inclusive extra? As if so if you check do you have a ROW1 inclusive extra available? 

That inclusive extra would cover our new Zone 1 which includes the 5 countries the Roam further pass covered such as the US and many more countries. If you have no inclusive extra with your plan to select that roaming add-on, you can buy a  weekly pass as a chargeable add-on when you arrive in one of those countries.  Roaming Refresh

Alex

[Elina_K]

Hello Alex
Thanks for your reply. I went on a new plan last January, and the add-ons that came with it are: Full roaming, Roam in EU and Roam Further Pass. These appear active on my plan now and are included in my monthly pay.
With my previous plan, which I had for years, Roam Further came as an extra, paid, add-on and I had no problem roaming in the USA and using my allowance to make calls from/to USA/Europe (Greece). 
Now, with the new plan, despite the reassurance of the EE guide upon the renewal of my contract, I face problems roaming. 
My calls when in the USA either won't connect at all, or are trying to connect, and  cut off, and roaming charges appear on my account as if calls were answered and then cut off. 
I have spent hours chatting with EE guides on the EE app, I have tried everything the suggested on my device, I have submitted a complaint and the problem still remains. I can't use my phone at all, calls to European or US number either don't connect at all, or try to connect, cut off and charges appear. 

It's really frustrating and disappointing. I need some clarification, what is going on with this roaming add-ons. Why roaming only works for data, doesn't work at all for calls,  despite my 3 add-ons, and why I am now charged while trying to call Europe from the US, although calls from/to US/Europe were free while roaming under Further Pass in the past? Could it be that all three add-ons interact badly between them? I am hopeless, EE just CAN'T DELIVER!
 

[Alex_H]

@Elina_K Firstly I am sorry to hear of the issues you are having using your phone in the US, I know that will be frustrating to deal with. Just to clarify we have no account access through these forums so I can only advise generally rather than the specific situation with your account.

The Roam Further extra did get removed/replaced beginning in March so I would just double check if you have the Roaming Pass Row active/available under Manage> Mobile add-ons> View inclusive extras in the app.

Having full roaming enabled means you have the correct permissions setup to connect, which is shown by some services working, so there may be something else technical going on rather than anything to do with your add-ons.

 Which network are you using and just to check but you have cycled through and tried manually connecting to all available roaming networks? 

Are you able to call UK numbers? Have you tried calling us on +44 (0)7953 966 150 ? It would be free to call from your EE mobile, we have a dedicated technical team who may be able to provide some further assistance than the app chat.

Alex

[Elina_K]

Hi again, finally the roaming &connection  issue was resolved by the advanced level technical team calls can connect now BUT in order to be able to call fee of roaming charges from USA to Europe I had to purchase an additional 250min. UK international calls add-on. It will take 24 hours to be activated. 
I am quite disappointed though, because with my previous plan that I had for years I was paying 25£ including the add-ons that allowed me to make international calls while roaming and now that I went to a more expensive plan and despite the reassurance that the international calls feature would continue to work,   I have to pay extra another 14£ a month. This almost doubled my monthly cost from what I had 6 month ago. It must be some kind of punishment from EE for my loyalty, to have their Covent Garden Branch guide mislead me  to a more expensive contract with less roaming possibilities. 
Anyway, I hope I can finally use my phone to call Europe from the US making use of this 250min allowance. I will check this roaming pass row that you mentioned I haven’t heard of it, the further roaming pass stil appears in my account I don’t know if it’s obsolete . 
Thanks again for your help Alex 

[bristolian]

"Advanced level technical support" made me chuckle...

I'm fairly sure the only 250 minute bundle available, is for international calls from the UK to abroad - not for calls made whilst roaming abroad.

[XRaySpeX]

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@Elina_K wrote:

I had to purchase an additional 250min. UK international calls add-on. It will take 24 hours to be activated. 

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You've been misinformed. After 24 hours you'll find you haven't got what you asked for. An International Call add-on is not for roaming but for making International Calls from the UK. Calls made from abroad by a UK no. are not International Calls but roaming calls.

[Alex_H]

@Elina_K I am glad to hear you did manage to get the technical side resolved and can now use your phone fully.

Unfortunately it appears the agent has made a mistake as what @bristolian & @XRaySpeX have said is correct, that particular bundle is for international calls from the UK. I am sorry, you should be able to remove it via your EE online account, however I would recommend getting in touch when you are available so we can make sure you are not charged for that add-on.

In terms of the add-ons for roaming in the USA which allow you to use your allowances, if you do have the Roam further pass still showing that should cover your usage. Alternatively if your plan does come with an inclusive extra you should be able to select the Roaming Pass Row I mentioned in my last reply which is the new version of the Roam further pass. 

Otherwise you have the option of a £5 24 hour pass or £25 7 day pass. 

If you have been able to use your data all this time without having to buy the above add-on, it does suggest your Roam further pass is working to cover you already. 

Alex

[Elina_K]

I am afraid all of you, @Alex_H @XRaySpeX @bristolian  you were right.
I was misled again!  And not only once, from the person who suggested I should buy this 250min add-on , but also from the EE guide on 150 helpline, where I called when I saw a new charge, after the purchase of the add-on. He said that this charge was because it needs 24 hours for the add-on to work on my account. So I tried a call today and BOOM! another 4 pounds charge in my bill. 
I don't know what to say, I was very clear to all these people that my need is to use my allowance to make calls from the USA, where I happen to be now,  to EUROPE (Greece)

@Alex_H  With my previous plan, which was about 22 pounds/ month plus a Further roaming pass,   I was able to make international calls from the USA to EUROPE, making use of my allowance, with no additional charges. Is there a way I can continue to do so?  I was more than clear to explain this to everyone in EE, from the employee who did my contract renewal suggesting the new plan at the Covent Garden EE branch, to all the people from technical support and the "Tech Guru Richard"   (as he was initiated to me from his colleagues) in the advanced level technical support team, to the billing department guide with whom he connected me for advice on this, and again to the billing assistance person on 150 when I called again to clarify why I keep seeing charges.
I was very clear and I repeated more than once the question " Will I be able to use this 250min add-on allowance to make calls from the USA to Greece without extra charges, given that I also have the full roaming and the EU roaming, and the Further Pass?" The billing assistant on 150 said "100% per cent YES!"
First, my roaming is messed up, then I get misled about add-ons and roaming charges. I've spent hours chatting and talking to employees and many US dollars to call EE from the US as my phone couldn't connect. 
I can't believe there is so much inefficiency in one company! 
It's really SO disappointing! I feel this is some kind of punishment for being a loyal customer for more than 12 years. 
I don't know what to say...next step, Ombudsman Services

[bristolian]

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@Elina_K wrote:

I don't know what to say...next step, Ombudsman Services

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The formal complaints process allows for referral to external arbitration if unresolved after 8 weeks or deadlocked before. Ombudsman will not accept individual customer complaints that haven't followed this route first.

https://ee.co.uk/help/contact-ee/complaint