I recently switched my phone service to EE, as it has better coverage (and 5G) where I spend a lot of time. As a freelancer, I had to get my phone on a business contract, which started oddly and soon turned into a farce, and now it’s impossible to manage my account online.
In this age of advanced AI, super-fast mobile networks and data at our fingertips, how can a company the size of EE (and owned by BT) be unable to make something as simple as online account management work?
An eSIM by post
Things started strangely when I tried to order an eSIM. I thought that I’d get the eSIM in an email, but I was told that the system was down, so it had to be posted. Yes, you read that right: the eSIM had to be posted.
To be fair, the service was fast, and the next day I had an envelope with a cardboard wallet containing the QR code for my eSIM. A few minutes later, I had the eSIM installed and connected, and glorious 5G was mine, with better reception.
It was even smooth transferring my old number to my new account. But that’s where things started to go wrong.
Online account linking didn’t work
I was about to go on a work trip to Berlin, so I wanted to check that my Roam Abroad Inclusive Extra, which I’d picked on checkout, was added to my account. Despite being able to create an EE account, I found that it wouldn’t let me add my phone.
Advertisement
So, I called for support and was told there was an issue, but my account would be manually linked, and it would take up to four working days. I explained about the work trip and was told that it was noted, and roaming was turned on.
When I landed in Berlin, I got a text saying roaming charges applied per day. My Roam Abroad extra had not been applied. Fortunately, I could do this by text.
Business account linking can’t be done manually
When I got back, I found that my account still hadn’t been linked, so I had to phone again. This time, I got closer to the truth.
“The reason being the EE app is getting upgrade to a better version and it’s under maintenance, so that’s the reason why you are not able to [link your account],” the support person told me.
I was then offered paper bills every month, and the option to call for help every time I wanted to do something simple, but no option to have the actual issue fixed. When I took out the account, the sales team didn’t mention that online account management was broken. I told this to the support person, who denied that account linking is broken and said that “it is getting upgraded to a better version”.
When pressed on why the account linking is broken, I was told, “It is not broken.”
Advertisement
Apparently, “There’s a difference between a broken app. There’s a difference between an app and an app under maintenance and getting upgraded to a better version.”
And there is. A broken app doesn’t work and doesn’t let you do the most basic of things.
I asked, “So, does my app work at the moment?”
And the answer was, “No.”
“So if it doesn’t work…” I began to say.
“That doesn’t mean it’s broken,” interrupted the support person.
Advertisement
“It does. If something doesn’t work, it’s broken,” I said.
I was then offered some further help and asked to wait for two minutes. Which I did. Rather than help, I was put through to the e-business upgrades team instead. Another trip through security questions, and I was transferred to the service team, who also had to put me through the security questions.
Business account linking has been broken for ages and there’s no confirmed fix
Finally, this support person told me what the actual problem was.
“You are not being able to sync your numbers, check accounts online, manage your account online. Basically our EE app and our website; both versions are not working as they should,” said the support person. “There are technical difficulties that have been going on for several months now. I’ll be very honest with you. This is a recorded line. I’m giving you this information. Okay. Now, this has been going on for several months.”
Apparently, EE needs to build a new application to manage accounts, and there’s no confirmed date for when this will be done. And, the old version can’t be reverted to, either.
Advertisement
“Previously what we were trying was to revive the application which we already had, but we have things have not turned up good,” I was told.
I was then told that if I really wanted online account management, you know, almost as though we were in the 21stcentury in a world filled with technology, then I could cancel my account as I was in the cooling-off period. Or, I could have paper billing, which would be provided free of charge.
I asked for a discount on my line while the issues are fixed, but apparently that’s impossible to do on any day except day one of the contract.
My call finished with the service representative confirming that the online application is broken: “To manage things online, yes, you need access to our online applications, which is currently broken.”
So, what is going on? Looking around, it seems as though the issue has been dragging on for a long period. This Reddit thread from a year ago describes the same issue. So does this thread from September 2025 on the EE support forum, which describes the issue as starting in November 2024.
I got in contact with EE to ask for a statement and for more detail on the issue, but only had my request put through as a complaint. The resolution of the complaint? Paper billing, of course.
Advertisement