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apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
I’m still hoping that Vodafone offer eSim support come September.

I’m thinking September, because that’d be a year after EE started to offer it (they were also a year ahead of everyone else for 4G here in the U.K).

I have read Three are working on their packs. So with a bit of luck all the main carriers will offer esims and then maybe the MVNO’s like Smarty, Tesco Mobile etc?
 
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4sallypat

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2016
3,494
3,300
So Calif
After the one time setup:

- I have the low cost T-Mobile plan domestic and international
- On the second eSIM line I have prepaid AT&T for areas with no T-Mobile coverage
- When I travel to Europe, I turn on the Telekom eSIM line and use it for local data in all of the EU

- I don't have to remove the case
- I don't have to change physical SIM and risk losing it e.g. in an airplane or at airport (have done that before)

It is as easy as flipping a switch in the settings (takes only a few seconds) and turn on data for this plan. I do it when I board the airplane or when I land. It's much easier than the 3 SIM's I had to have before to achieve the same.

Actually, when I travelled I had two phones. My current one so I can be reached under my main number and my old unlocked phone with the local SIM for data. Now I only have to carry one phone.

On the other side, if you don't like what the OP is asking for, than you could just move on ... We do understand that not everyone travels internationally and domestic and doesn't have a large use for it.
^^^ This is very helpful!

Past spring when I was in Spain and France, I had a hard time using the slow T Mobile 2G/3G data service so I pulled out the SIM card and replaced it with an Orange SIM data card and it was a HUGE uptick in data speeds.

In a few months I am going back to Europe (Greece, Croatia, Italy) so if I can get an eSIM from AT&T, will that work instead of changing out physical SIM cards ??
 

riteshritesh

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2016
142
81
Mumbai INDIA
I’m still hoping that Vodafone offer eSim support come September.

I’m thinking September, because that’d be a year after EE started to offer it (they were also a year ahead of everyone else for 4G here in the U.K).

I hope Vodafone UK does it soon. Vodafone India is the only provider, here in India, not offering it and I believe once Vodafone UK does it, it should roll over to all the subsidiary places. I try scaring them on & off, with a porting request and citing lack of Esim as the reason and they say they should be out with it 'soon' ( soon = 11 months now)
 

NYCValkyrie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 1, 2019
628
489
I’m still hoping that Vodafone offer eSim support come September.

I’m thinking September, because that’d be a year after EE started to offer it (they were also a year ahead of everyone else for 4G here in the U.K).

EE offers prepaid eSIM?
[doublepost=1567191990][/doublepost]
Guys, do you have any idea why apple does not allow us to have 2 eSIM profile active? This seems like a software limitation not a hardware one.

This is likely the goal in the long run but to do that at launch would have been a disaster. Carriers around the world need time, including MVNOs. Look at how hard it was for TMobile to just get to prepaid eSIM and took a year for postpaid. It is a hardware limitation though but eventually, all phones will be eSIM I think.
 

Lyn2012

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2007
675
267
Vodafone Spain have been the only eSIM provider since launch last November. I can’t see why they should have any problems bringing eSIM to other countries fairly quickly.
 

catean

Suspended
Jun 16, 2013
531
555
London, UK
I hope Vodafone UK does it soon. Vodafone India is the only provider, here in India, not offering it and I believe once Vodafone UK does it, it should roll over to all the subsidiary places. I try scaring them on & off, with a porting request and citing lack of Esim as the reason and they say they should be out with it 'soon' ( soon = 11 months now)

They are probably waiting for the new iPhones so they can up-sell.
 

EDH667

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2009
1,035
278
Northern California
^^^ This is very helpful!

Past spring when I was in Spain and France, I had a hard time using the slow T Mobile 2G/3G data service so I pulled out the SIM card and replaced it with an Orange SIM data card and it was a HUGE uptick in data speeds.

In a few months I am going back to Europe (Greece, Croatia, Italy) so if I can get an eSIM from AT&T, will that work instead of changing out physical SIM cards ??
Leave your Primary SIM in place and use KnowRoaming or Ubigi as your eSIM for data. I’ve used KnowRoaming in Croatia and Greece and it has worked very well with fast LTE service for my data, and I still use my normal provider for text and voice calls.
 
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michael31986

macrumors 601
Jul 11, 2008
4,578
704
Anyone know why my phone number when I plug my iPhone into iTunes says its phone number 2? Is that because of esim?

Is regular sim considered phone number 1?
 

Luba

macrumors 68000
Apr 22, 2009
1,781
370
AT&T Prepaid - Walked into corporate location and was able to activate eSIM on my XS Max. Took maybe 5 minutes total to get it setup.
What do you they need to setup AT&T PrePaid. It's good that it was easy, but also sounds like it's easy for someone to steal your PrePaid number. Previously to steal your PrePaid number someone would have to have your physical SIM card.
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That is extremely weird.
Restores with iTunes never erase eSIMs, and via the iPhone settings it explicitly asks whether or not you want to keep the eSIM...
[doublepost=1552109840][/doublepost]

That’s incorrect. After 1-2 days, the QR code can’t be used to reprovision the phone. It will give an error message.
Also it can’t be used for phone swap. Once you activate it on a phone, it can only be reinstalled on that same phone for 1-2 days after which it expires but once never on another phone.
Source: I tested it multiple times .
For the foreseeable future I'll be getting a new iPhone every year since I'm on the Upgrade Program. I also have a AT&T PrePaid number. An AT&T Store said I could have my main number on the eSIM or the PrePaid, which do you think is better? Currently, I have my PrePaid number on an old iPhone so I was thinking of having both numbers on the same iPhone. But I plan to do some international traveling, and wonder if it's easier to get a temporary international plan on a physical SIM or an eSIM?

If PrePaid is on the eSIM, is it easy to take it off when I travel internationally to install a temporary international plan, and then put back the PrePaid when I get back home?
 

KnightPawn

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2019
21
24
Bristol, UK
Anyone using the eSIM of the 10 and had to have their phone replaced, how did you move the eSIM across.

That's the only bit I'm wary about on Friday. I don't want to be without my personal number. (personal is on the eSIM. Work on a physical card)
 

john991

macrumors 68040
Sep 30, 2014
3,431
1,975
Great White North - aka Canada
Anyone using the eSIM of the 10 and had to have their phone replaced, how did you move the eSIM across.

That's the only bit I'm wary about on Friday. I don't want to be without my personal number. (personal is on the eSIM. Work on a physical card)

I think you need the bar code from your carrier or the eSim app from your carrier and add it in again.

A bit of a pain if you misplaced your bar code from your carrier.
 

Rayfire

macrumors 68030
Aug 25, 2008
2,579
148
PNW
Anyone using the eSIM of the 10 and had to have their phone replaced, how did you move the eSIM across.

That's the only bit I'm wary about on Friday. I don't want to be without my personal number. (personal is on the eSIM. Work on a physical card)
I think you need the bar code from your carrier or the eSim app from your carrier and add it in again.

A bit of a pain if you misplaced your bar code from your carrier.
Is there an easy way to transfer my active eSim from my former iPhone XS Max to my new iPhone 11 Pro Max? (USA T-Mobile)

EDIT: I had to reach out to T-Mobile via Twitter and they helped me set it up. More importantly, you need to provide the EID to them.
 
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iNICK20

macrumors 6502
Oct 25, 2014
366
217
I'm not understanding the reason on why, I gotta lie and fake that I'm going outta the country to have T-Mobile allow me access to the SIM Card slot? I usually use E-Sim for my T-Mobile line, then use my free Xfinity Mobile line with the Sim Card Slot.
 

Ron21

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2007
951
708
I switched my t-mobile physical sim to the esim in my new 11 Pro very easily. Just chat with t-mobile support on facebook or twitter and they will do it for you.

All they need is your EID #.
 

Luba

macrumors 68000
Apr 22, 2009
1,781
370
I switched my t-mobile physical sim to the esim in my new 11 Pro very easily. Just chat with t-mobile support on facebook or twitter and they will do it for you.

All they need is your EID #.
I should be that easy. I wonder why AT&T insist that you bring your phone in and then wait in their long lines to get service. I think I'll try calling AT&T to move number to eSIM.
 

ryanmp

macrumors regular
Dec 6, 2016
193
348
I spent a few hours at the Apple Store on the phone to T-Mobile trying to get eSim activated on my new 11 Pro (I had an existing t-mobile eSim for my XS). What a saga! The T-Mobile phone support reps barely have any idea what to do. They said only the stores can help, which at 8:30pm I rushed to before it closed at 9. Finally got it working.
 

Durhamguy

macrumors newbie
Nov 11, 2018
11
11
Wow, such convoluted mess. Why do we want this instead of simply putting a physical SIM inside a phone?

I fail to see the logic of eSIM. Unless Apple becomes the provider hosting all the carrier options so user can directly choose carriers via Apple, I don’t see the point of eSIM.

In theory, one could set up an account in minutes from start-to-finish without having to obtain a sim or set foot in a store.
 

Pez555

macrumors 68020
Apr 18, 2010
2,285
775
Those that use esim, can I have esim with one provider and a pay as you go with another provider? I want to switch to O2 for my main contract line but I figured I might as well keep my EE pay as you go sim in the phone for business use?
 
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