For UK consumers planning travel to the United States, understanding the roaming policies and costs associated with EE is essential to avoid unexpected charges. The available information indicates that roaming with EE in the USA is not free for most customers, with specific exceptions and alternative packages designed to manage costs. This article outlines the key details regarding EE's roaming services in the USA, including eligibility for free roaming, available data passes, add-on pricing, and activation procedures, based exclusively on the provided source materials.
Understanding EE's USA Roaming Zones and Charges
EE classifies the USA as Zone 1 for roaming purposes. For most EE customers, using a mobile phone in the USA incurs additional charges. The cost structure differs significantly between Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go customers.
Pay Monthly Customers
For Pay Monthly customers, roaming is not automatically included in all plans. However, an exception exists for customers on the EE Full Works plan. According to the provided data, the EE Full Works plan includes EE America roaming, allowing customers to use their UK data, minutes, and texts while in the US with no daily charges or additional fees. This appears to be the only plan mentioned that offers free roaming in the USA.
For Pay Monthly customers not on the Full Works plan, EE offers a Travel Data Pass and specific Data Roaming Add-Ons. The Travel Data Pass, launched in time for Christmas, is available to Pay Monthly customers and replaces the previous Euro Data Pass. It is designed for worry-free phone use in 11 countries, including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Thailand. Customers receive 500MB of data each day for the duration of their trip. There is no need to remove the pass upon return to the UK, and users are only charged on the days they use mobile data abroad in an included country. The pass continues automatically after a 6-month term unless cancelled and is subject to fair use limits.
In addition to the Travel Data Pass, EE offers Data Roaming Add-Ons for customers visiting Zones B, C, and D. While the USA is Zone 1, the add-on pricing structure for Zones B, C, and D is provided as an example of EE's roaming add-on model. For these zones, add-ons are available in various denominations, such as 1 day for £5 (20MB for Zone B) or 7 days for £20 (90MB for Zone B). These add-ons last for 30 days and can be purchased via the My EE app or by texting or calling 150.
Pay As You Go Customers
For Pay As You Go customers, roaming in the USA is not free and is generally expensive. The standard Pay As You Go rates for roaming in the USA (Zone 1) are: - Making/Receiving a call: £1.20 per minute - Sending a text: 60p per text - Receiving texts: Free - Sending a picture message: 48p per picture message - Data/internet: Buy a data add-on when you land, as standard data is very expensive (e.g., £10 per 100MB).
Alternatively, Pay As You Go customers can purchase data add-ons that provide a fixed amount of UK data for a set price. These add-ons last for 30 days and include options such as 1 day for £3 (1GB) or 7 days for £9 (3GB). It is noted that standard Pay As You Go rates for roaming are high, and it is recommended to purchase an add-on or consider an eSIM option instead.
Another source indicates that for Pay As You Go customers without a specific plan, using roaming in the USA will cost £1.80 per minute for calls and 60p per text, with data prices not disclosed but assumed to be high.
Activating EE Roaming in the USA
Before travelling, EE customers must ensure their account is set up to roam abroad. The activation process involves several steps: - Text ROAMING to 150: This free text message enables roaming on the EE account. - Turn on data roaming: This must be done in the phone’s settings. - Check your spend cap: Ensure the Spend Cap is high enough to cover daily roaming charges, especially if planning to use the Travel Data Pass. - Set your phone to automatic network selection: This allows the phone to pick the best available network in the USA, such as AT&T or T-Mobile. - Turn off WiFi Calling: WiFi Calling is only supported in the UK, so turning it off is necessary to avoid international charges if calls are made over Wi-Fi while abroad.
Alternative Options and Cost Considerations
The provided data suggests that EE roaming in the USA can be costly, particularly for data usage. One alternative mentioned is using an unlimited data eSIM from a provider like Holafly. This option provides unlimited data, eliminating the need to track usage, and can be a more straightforward and potentially more affordable solution for data roaming.
It is also noted that for most travellers, roaming costs are high, and it may be better to keep data roaming turned off and seek alternative internet connections. However, the specific alternatives beyond eSIMs are not detailed in the source material.
Important Considerations for Travellers
When using EE in the USA, it is important to verify that the mobile phone supports international roaming and works on local US networks. Most modern smartphones from 2016 or later with GSM and LTE compatibility should work fine on American networks.
For Pay Monthly customers, the Travel Data Pass offers a daily allowance of 500MB, which may be sufficient for basic internet use like sharing photos or checking maps. However, for heavier data users, the unlimited eSIM option or purchasing a larger data add-on may be necessary. The data roaming add-ons for other zones indicate that EE's pricing is based on the destination zone and the amount of data required.
For Pay As You Go customers, the high per-minute and per-text charges make it advisable to purchase data add-ons or use an alternative SIM/eSIM to avoid excessive costs. The standard Pay As You Go roaming rates are significantly higher than typical UK rates, and data is particularly expensive without an add-on.
Conclusion
In summary, EE roaming in the USA is not free for most customers. The only exception identified is for Pay Monthly customers on the EE Full Works plan, who can use their UK allowances at no extra cost. Other Pay Monthly customers can opt for the Travel Data Pass, which provides 500MB of daily data, or purchase Data Roaming Add-Ons. Pay As You Go customers face high standard charges and are advised to buy data add-ons or consider alternatives like eSIMs. Activating roaming requires texting ROAMING to 150 and adjusting phone settings. Travellers should carefully assess their data needs and compare EE's offerings with alternative solutions to manage costs effectively.