How to get a replacement sim when abroad

[Diwedd]

Hello,

I am currently abroad and my sim has stopped working.  I am not longer receiving any text messages including one time pins from the UK.  I know EE won't send sims abroad and will send a replacement sim to my UK address.  I also know that the sim will need to be activated in the UK. 

My question is, if the sim is sent to my home address and a family member inserts it into their phone to activate it, will it work in my phone when I get it (eventually)?  The idea is that a family member will activate the sim and then post the sim card to me.  However, I don't know if the sim can be transferred from one phone to another. 

Many thanks. 

[Diwedd]

@James_B 

I have a dual SIM phone.  At the moment it shows my phone is connected to the mobile network, but it could be because it is connecting via the local SIM. 

As mentioned previously, I tried the SIM in another phone and it wasn't working. 

[bristolian]

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@Diwedd wrote:

I checked my roaming setting and it is active.  I previously connected to foreign networks without any problems.

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There is nowhere you can self-check your roaming setting - this is an account-level setting that only CS can currently view, a user's only check is via the ROAMING text before leaving the UK. You may be getting confused with "data roaming" or another similar option.

Having said that, by confirming you have previously used foreign networks - this confirms roaming is active. Try temporarily disabling your local SIM, if you want to be sure whether that is the current source of your connection.

[Diwedd]

An update of sorts.  I followed @bristolian suggestion and disabled the local SIM.  It hasn't made any difference. 

What is perhaps of significance is the I inserted the SIM in a friends phone (again!), then activated my local SIM and phoned my UK mobile number.  Unlike previous occasions, this time it rang an couple of times and then went to voicemail, saying I am not available.  However, my friend's phone - now with my SIM card in it - didn't ring at all.  So, I don't know what that means.  Does it mean the SM card is still active, and if so, why I am not getting calls and texts from the UK. 

[Leanne_T]

Hi @Diwedd 

Does any signal show when the SIM is in your friends phone? 

Can you make calls and send texts? 

Leanne.

[bristolian]

Sounds like your SIM is not able to attach to foreign networks. Calls, texts & data ability all flows from that.

[Diwedd]

@Leanne_T: I would have to repeat the experience to see.  I can't  remember. 

@bristolian: In which case there is a problem with the SIM because it worked perfectly until a week ago. 

So it seems my only option is to get a new SIM sent to my UK address, ask a family member to activate it, and ask them to post the SIM to me.