UK eSIM/Dual-SIM Thread

[Pagemakers]

I think that’s correct.

 

[Lyn2012]

I can’t see why an eSim is supposed to be advantageous over a physical Sim. From what I see so far, a physical Sim is far simpler to get hold off, swap between devices, and anything else you care to do. An eSim makes everything harder, from choosing a carrier (from a very restricted list) to swapping Sims - honestly, swapping physical Sims is easy, why have eSims at all when they only serve to complicate things and restrict choice. Even travelling between countries it’s easy to get and use a physical Sim. Also, until eSim is available off contract, using this to facilitate travel (having multiple eSims installed) is not possible, unless you have a contracted line in each country, which is rather unlikely, especially as in some countries you need to be a resident to have a mobile contract (opposed to PAYG or pre paid phone).

 

[Pagemakers]

I can’t see why an eSim is supposed to be advantageous over a physical Sim. From what I see so far, a physical Sim is far simpler to get hold off, swap between devices, and anything else you care to do. An eSim makes everything harder, from choosing a carrier (from a very restricted list) to swapping Sims - honestly, swapping physical Sims is easy, why have eSims at all when they only serve to complicate things and restrict choice. Even travelling between countries it’s easy to get and use a physical Sim. Also, until eSim is available off contract, using this to facilitate travel (having multiple eSims installed) is not possible, unless you have a contracted line in each country, which is rather unlikely, especially as in some countries you need to be a resident to have a mobile contract (opposed to PAYG or pre paid phone).

When eSims are in full swing you can go to say Japan, go to a website. Pay your money and install a esim on your phone there and then. You can have any number of eSims on your phone and switch between then with no fear of losing a physical sim.

The problem at the moment is Apple’s very very poor implementation of dual sim whether that be physical sim or esim. The software is the same.

 

[akash.nu]

I can’t see why an eSim is supposed to be advantageous over a physical Sim. From what I see so far, a physical Sim is far simpler to get hold off, swap between devices, and anything else you care to do. An eSim makes everything harder, from choosing a carrier (from a very restricted list) to swapping Sims - honestly, swapping physical Sims is easy, why have eSims at all when they only serve to complicate things and restrict choice. Even travelling between countries it’s easy to get and use a physical Sim. Also, until eSim is available off contract, using this to facilitate travel (having multiple eSims installed) is not possible, unless you have a contracted line in each country, which is rather unlikely, especially as in some countries you need to be a resident to have a mobile contract (opposed to PAYG or pre paid phone).

I guess the idea at present is that you have a permanent SIM card that you use on a regular basis and have another SIM card that can be used as an extra option to be used for something else.

For eg. I have my personal SIM card as eSim now and have my business number on the physical SIM card.

Similarly when I travel outside the EU, I just put a local SIM card and I’m good to go.

 

[Pagemakers]

Exactly. Same here.

Only problem is the difficulty in texting from line 1 or 2 and the cumbersome calling from line 1 or 2.

Not great from the world’s largest company.

 

[akash.nu]

Exactly. Same here.

Only problem is the difficulty in texting from line 1 or 2 and the cumbersome calling from line 1 or 2.

Not great from the world’s largest company.

I think if you assign the default SIM card to the specific contacts then it works fine.

 

[Pagemakers]

You miss the point. If you have person X on your default personal line 1. Then on a business trip you want to send that person an SMS from your business line 2 (because your company pays the roaming charges) you can’t unless you delete the ENTIRE message conversation first and start a new one.

 

[UKapple73]

Has anybody who is using the dual sim feature noticed any effect on battery life? I guess it depends if both are strong signals

 

[Pagemakers]

I’m on EE UK and have been on New York for the past 4 days. No impact on battery life.

 

[d123]

I think if you assign the default SIM card to the specific contacts then it works fine.

It’s anything but “works fine”. It’s a complete dogs breakfast.

Who could imagine a dual sim system that is virtually impossible to easily choose which line to use for a call or sms? only Apple, it would seem...

 

[Pagemakers]

It’s anything but “works fine”. It’s a complete dogs breakfast.

Who could imagine a dual sim system that is virtually impossible to easily choose which line to use for a call or sms? only Apple, it would seem...

100% agree

 

[akash.nu]

You miss the point. If you have person X on your default personal line 1. Then on a business trip you want to send that person an SMS from your business line 2 (because your company pays the roaming charges) you can’t unless you delete the ENTIRE message conversation first and start a new one.

Ah. That’s a very specific requirement. I tend to keep my personal and business communication completely separate. So the current solution works for me.

 

[Pagemakers]

I disagree it’s a very specific requirement but each to their own I guess.

 

[Sal09]

My 4G signal and speed have improved massively since my switch to esim.

 

[Ifti]

My 4G signal and speed have improved massively since my switch to esim.

This is interesting...….
You switched completely to a single eSim, or added an eSim?

Has signal improved due to it being a different carrier?

 

[Sal09]

This is interesting...….
You switched completely to a single eSim, or added an eSim?

Has signal improved due to it being a different carrier?

Single Esim for now (still with EE). Will use O2 as my secondary sim once EE unlock the device.

 

[Ifti]

Single Esim for now (still with EE). Will use O2 as my secondary sim once EE unlock the device.

I always thought eSim was an addition - didn't realise you could go eSim only....

 

[d123]

Ah. That’s a very specific requirement. I tend to keep my personal and business communication completely separate. So the current solution works for me.

I would say yours is the more strange specific requirement whilst the average person would expect to be able to use either sim to send a text or make a call from when they want to...

 

[Sal09]

I always thought eSim was an addition - didn't realise you could go eSim only....

I did a sim swap as suggested in previous posts.
Choose an esim as primary.
Changed my esim number from 00000000000 to my active number manually.
Restarted the device.
Went back into mobile settings. Pressed Update Contacts.
All done.

Now in settings i only see esim as an active line as my sim tray slot is empty but if you attach the device to itunes.
Under device info you will see two lines. One reading empty and one with your active line.

 

[JDP1970]

I would say yours is the more strange specific requirement whilst the average person would expect to be able to use either sim to send a text or make a call from when they want to...

Agreed. I can't think why anyone would have such a rigid requirement.

 

[dbrose]

Ah. That’s a very specific requirement. I tend to keep my personal and business communication completely separate. So the current solution works for me.

I agree. I would have thought you would still want personal to go down personal line and business down business line just like you have said.

 

[davethorp]

Well the optimist in me hoped that the latest BT Sport patch which had bug fixes would fix the bug where it doesn’t recognise eSIM

It didn’t

 

[Pagemakers]

I agree. I would have thought you would still want personal to go down personal line and business down business line just like you have said.

You’ve obviously have not read all the thread.

Most of the time you are correct. I travel a lot. A couple of times a week.

However, on many occasions I may text you from my personal line by default. Then I find myself in a country where my sim is not supported in my contract and I have to send a SMS message. Let’s say Turkey for example. Sending you the message via my personal number will cost me approx 70p/$1 for each and every message so in these occasions I would text you from my business number and my company would pay the bill.

With 2 phones it’s simple. I just used my business phone to send you an SMS.

On dual sim android phone it’s simple. I just tell the phone to use line 2.

On iOS it’s impossible unless it’s a new conversation or I delete the old conversation and start all over again.

If you travel a lot and aren’t just using an eSim for the sake of it you will very quickly see the huge restrictions this and a couple of other not so simple things are on the iphone.
[doublepost=1542117297][/doublepost]

Well the optimist in me hoped that the latest BT Sport patch which had bug fixes would fix the bug where it doesn’t recognise eSIM

It didn’t

Did you re-text SPORT to 150? That fixed it for me.

 

[davethorp]

Yeah I saw it had fixed it for you in the EE forum @Pagemakers

Sadly I’ve tried that 3 or 4 times with nothing
[doublepost=1542118340][/doublepost]Well just chatted with tech support and they say they’ve added casting to my BT Sport now for free which has fixed the issue for me
[doublepost=1542119137][/doublepost]Urgh and all they’ve done is added the free trial of casting for 3 months

Suppose it gives them 3 months to fix it properly at least

 

[akash.nu]

I agree. I would have thought you would still want personal to go down personal line and business down business line just like you have said.

Yes that’s what I thought is normal but it seems a lot of people use multiple numbers to communicate with the same person. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯