Carrier SPECTRUM: How to activate eSIM on iPhone 14 Pro Max?

[RUQRU]

As we all now know the iPhone 14 PM has no SIM tray.
I currently have an iPhone 13 PM with a SIM card activated on Spectrum which is a Verizon reseller or virtual carrier.

In looking at the online instructions for eSIM activation they assume you are a new customer with a Bring Your Own phone or upgrading via their store. I am neither since I will be ordering the phone directly from Apple and they are not one of the carriers that comes pre-configured.

Has anyone activated an eSIM phone on Spectrum under this scenario?
If yes, how do you do it?

My guess is you have to call customer "service" and give them the phone information.

 

[vpr611]

I spoke with them before mine arrived, currently it has to be done manually. They mentioned it should be available in the MySpectrum app soon.

 

[jsugai]

I attempted to follow the online instructions from Spectrum Mobile and their app or their website was not showing any "Activation Dashboard" available.

I then went to a nearby Spectrum store and had one of the associates activate my eSIM manually.

 

[teerexx52]

After hours on the phone we gave up on activating my iPhone 14 Pro with Spectrum. They never suggested going to the store but did say the process should be fixed by November.

 

[russell_314]

After hours on the phone we gave up on activating my iPhone 14 Pro with Spectrum. They never suggested going to the store but did say the process should be fixed by November.

This is why I left Spectrum for cell phone service. I mean their customer service or lack of it. I went with them from Straight Talk for the no interest financing but when I tried to upgrade they said "Oh you can't just order a new phone from the website like new customers. You have to wait till one comes in the store". At the time it wasn't too often and they didn't give many choices for color or storage size. He offered me one of the pink looking colors in the smallest storage capacity. I wanted a different color and he said we'll give me your number and we'll call you when one comes in. I never got a call and a few months later I called and they still had none so I said adios. I think from then I went to Verizon. I think maybe I should have went back to Straight Talk because it's cheaper and almost the same cell service.

 

[Bstephens]

You have to log in to the mobile website and go through the bring your own phone process and use IMEI 2 and then select the phone on your account that it is replacing and then check out with no fee charged. It should look like this.

 

[doxielover]

You have to log in to the mobile website and go through the bring your own phone process and use IMEI 2 and then select the phone on your account that it is replacing and then check out with no fee charged. It should look like this.

View attachment 2070206

Thanks but how do you do it if your going to get new service? Do you log in to app or mobile website not sure what mobile website is.

 

[jsugai]

If you are able to go to a Spectrum store that would be the easiest path of least resistance.

Is there a Spectrum store near you?

 

[RUQRU]

This article shows how to use eSIM Quick Transfer. Did anyone try this on the iPhone 14? Seems pretty straightforward. My iPhone 13 Pro Max has the Add eSIM button shown above which seems to be a new iOS 16 function.
My 14 Pro Max is scheduled for next Monday delivery so I want to be ready to get this done right.

 

[iStorm]

This article shows how to use eSIM Quick Transfer. Did anyone try this on the iPhone 14? Seems pretty straightforward. My iPhone 13 Pro Max has the Add eSIM button shown above which seems to be a new iOS 16 function.
My 14 Pro Max is scheduled for next Monday delivery so I want to be ready to get this done right.

That's only if the carrier supports the feature. There's a link in that article that takes you to an Apple support page, and Spectrum isn't listed as a carrier that supports eSIM Quick Transfer.

Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service - Apple Support

Find out which wireless carriers in your country or region support eSIM.

support.apple.com

You're likely going to have to work with Spectrum and request a QR code to scan.

 

[IrwinMFletcher]

Not sure about the diff between eSIM Quick Transfer vs eSIM Activation. But a link on that Apple support page leads to another page where Spectrum Mobile is listed.

I'm wondering if I should convert my XS Max ahead of time so I go eSIM to eSIM.

Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service - Apple Support

Find out which wireless carriers in your country or region support eSIM.

support.apple.com

 

[IrwinMFletcher]

Then there's this.

Spectrum Mobile eSIM Activation – Check Devices & Eligibility

Activate a Spectrum Mobile line in a fraction of the time with an eSIM-enabled device, all without managing a physical SIM card. Shop new devices or bring your own phone today.

www.spectrum.com

"Spectrum currently supports the iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series and iPhone 14 series. Spectrum will eventually support additional manufacturers."

...and after checking my IMEI on their site...

Your Apple iPhone XS Max is eligible, but needs to be unlocked.​

To use your device on the Spectrum Mobile network, it needs to be unlocked from your current provider and updated to the latest system software.

LMAO - I guess I tricked them into letting me use a former AT&T locked phone on THEIR network for the past TWO years 😁

 

[RUQRU]

One thing I find puzzeling is that Spectrum shows how th activate you eSim when BYOD from another carrier but has no information for people who are Spectrum Mobile customers updating from a SIM to eSIM phone.

I did find some instructions on this page:Spectrum Mobile eSIM Activation

 

[Jackbequickly]

I attempted to follow the online instructions from Spectrum Mobile and their app or their website was not showing any "Activation Dashboard" available.

I then went to a nearby Spectrum store and had one of the associates activate my eSIM manually.

I had to do the same with my 13 PM to my new 14 PM and AT&T Prepaid. The store knew exactly what to do.

 

[RUQRU]

I am pretty much done with Spectrum. They really do not know WTF they are doing. Here is a story...
Yesterday my wife took her phone over to the local Spectrum store to get her SIM transferred from a 13PM to a 14PM (mine is still resting in China). According to all I've read this was the "safest" way to go.

Sometime after she left I get a call on our landline saying MY iPhone 13PM might be showing SOS instead of a cell signal. I looked and it did! She said they want me to go over to the store to get things transferred back because the customer "service" rep at the store mistakenly selected my phone as the SIM source even though she brought two phones to the store for the guy to do the transfer.

So, I drive over to the store and hand the rep my phone and he starts furiously scanning bar codes and clicking his mouse. Nothing happens, my phone is still showing SOS. After 45 minutes I ask the rep to call level 3 support. They do not even have a direct line, you have to spend 15 minutes on hold listening to the same stupid sales pitches we hear when calling support. Finally, they get a level 3 guy and he is making all kinds of noises and after 15 minutes says he cannot do anything until all the attempts to transfer the IMIE back to my phone are complete in the system.

I ask the rep and manager if they can give me a new SIM card and number so I will have a working phone. They cannot because my IMEI is locked for processing. I ask them if I can go to another carrier and get my phone actived there. They say yes THAT IS YOUR BEST option!! Yes, Spectrum says they messed up my account so it is better to go over to Verizon and open a new account there!

Meanwhile my wife's 14PM cannot be actived either but her 13PM is still working fine because it was never touched. After 90 minutes I left the store with no cell service to decide on my next move. My wife takes her 14 PM over to the Verizon store and gets her number transferred and has a working 14PM within 5 minutes of arrival.

I go home and walk the dog and try to calm down.

I get back home and notice there is a message on my 13PM to complete activation. For fun, I click the button and in minute my cell service is restored on the 13PM eSIM. My physical SIM is still toasted.

When my 14PM arrives after its vacation in China I am going to Verizon and moving my account and number over there.

If you go to a Spectrum store be very careful to monitor what the fools who work there are doing.

 

[teerexx52]

We tired of Spectrum screwing things up all the time and moved to T-Mobile with my iPhone 14 Pro and all our other phones.

 

[Preclaro_tipo]

I spend at least 6 hours on the phone with spectrum yesterday. Additionally, I showed up to my appointment only to see on the door of the store that they are closed Tuesdays. I’m going from 13P to 14P (both phones purchased from apple). I can confirm that if the dozen or so reps I spoke to in many departments not one of them knew the iPhone 14 was esim only. one salesman added my 14 as a new line and then dumped me to customer retention to cancel the other line, something they couldn’t do for some reason. My in-store appointment is 2 hours from now. This is day 3 of having my 14P and trying to get it activated.

Update: In the store Shar’ron was very helpful. She knew my issue required a phone call to support. She set up the call and we were on hold, then she told the support what we needed. We got transferred and found someone to fix the issue. 1hr 45 minutes later I left with the new phone working. Once I was put on the right track Shar’ron was able to help other guests at the store while I was on hold or waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

What made my issue worse is, the day prior, the ‘sales’ department added a line and tried to put my 14P on there and then transferred me to ‘customer retention’ to remove the old line. But it doesn’t work that way. So to unstuff myself today the guy had to set up my 14 with a new number and then port my actual number to the 14. My time is with more than the savings from spectrum. At this point I might stay one more year. The service is just fine. I had to go in the store to get my 13P activated last year. Get a coffee, bring and friend and just expect to hang out in the spectrum store for a while.

 

[bpeeps]

Spectrum is one of the worst ISP companies in the United States with awful customer service. Lots of people have no choice but to use them for internet/cable since they're a monopoly in certain areas. I can't imagine willingly deciding to choose them for cell service. That's absolutely wild!

 

[RUQRU]

I spend at least 6 hours on the phone with spectrum yesterday. .. This is day 3 of having my 14P and trying to get it activated.

Do yourself a BIG favor, go to another carrier even though it will cost a few bucks more.
I got my 14PM activated on Verizon in a few minutes. I know everyone has bad things to say about every cell phone carrier. But Spectrum excels in bad service.

 

[IrwinMFletcher]

My experience was much easier than I anticipated, coming from an XS Max. During setup the 14 made it clear my carrier didn't support the "easy" SIM move with my OLD phone. So I called in to a number that chat had given me earlier. Got a 20 minute wait signal but only waited maybe 3. From the way this person spoke I got the feel he knew exactly what to do. He first wanted to unlock the XS, then I gave him the IMEI2 from the 14. A couple of minutes later I get a notification on the 14. I forget now what was on the screen and what steps I took, but it wasn't much more than acknowledging the activation. The wheels on the acknowledgement spun about 3-4 minutes and that was it.