e& roaming support, rates and the travellers' call-back
The useful part of roaming support is not the rate card - it is knowing the one number that works when your own line is abroad, and what a call-back costs you.
The travellers' helpline
While roaming you can request a call-back from the care team using the roaming call-back code on the handset: it is free on postpaid and charged on prepaid (the published figure on the operator's roaming FAQ is AED 3), and an agent calls you back rather than you paying international rates to reach them.
From any other phone - a hotel desk, a colleague - the care number is reachable on the UAE number, and you can use another operator's line to call the support number that is not billed to your roaming account. Email support is also published on the roaming help page and is the better channel when you need a written trail for a dispute.
What to do before you fly
Confirm roaming is enabled on the line (not just on the handset) and that the destination is on the covered list, then buy the data or voice pack **before** departure; activation while already roaming is where double charges come from.
Check which partner network is preferred in the destination country. A pack that is 'valid for that country' still may only work on selected partners, and the phone may have registered on a non-preferred one.
Set a data cap on the handset, disable background sync for cloud drives, and keep Wi-Fi calling on where permitted so calls home route over Wi-Fi instead of at roaming rates.
If it goes wrong abroad
No data at all on arrival: restart, then select the network manually. Still nothing: check that the pack is active (the confirmation SMS is the evidence) and that you are not on a network the pack does not cover.
Bill shock on return: pull the itemised usage view, compare the pack window against the timestamps, and dispute in writing with that evidence attached. A roaming dispute without a reference number and a screenshot is usually lost.
What to use, exactly
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Request a call-back while abroad | the roaming call-back code on the handset (free postpaid, AED 3 prepaid) |
| Reach the account holder's support | call the UAE care number from any other phone |
| Check pack status | e& UAE app > roaming, before you fly |
Keep these open next to each other
Say it in one message
Tell us the number type (prepaid, postpaid, business), what the device shows and what you already tried. If it is ours to chase, we will draft the request for you.
Send it on WhatsAppWhere to check it yourself
- The operator's own plan and support pages - the text your order form was written from
- The regulator's complaint portal - what to file, in what order, with which evidence
These pages belong to the operator and the regulator - open them side by side with your own bill or app before acting on anything here.
Verify this yourself in two minutes
- Prices and inclusions: the operator's own plan page for your emirate, then the same figure on the order form you signed.
- Your line state: the My du app - Account > Services shows suspension, bar, data cap and contract end.
- Faults in your area: My du app > Support > Outage status, or 155 from a du mobile (free).
- Anything regulatory (billing disputes, escalation): TDRA - your complaint must cite the ticket number du gave you, dated.
Confirm the current fee and the exact menu path in the operator app before you act on anything here.
If a number on this page and a number in your app disagree, the app wins - and we would like to know: WhatsApp us the screenshot and we correct the page.