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Other eSIM + Dual SIM Q&A

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
With my iPhone 11 Pro, I'm sticking with a Verizon physical SIM and using the eSIM for the UK. Any recommendations on a UK Carrier with eSIM? I need my primary to be a physical SIM.

Also, any UK carrier that will allow me to sign up from the US?
 
iGeneo said:
With my iPhone 11 Pro, I'm sticking with a Verizon physical SIM and using the eSIM for the UK. Any recommendations on a UK Carrier with eSIM? I need my primary to be a physical SIM.

Also, any UK carrier that will allow me to sign up from the US?
Click to expand...

I believe only EE offer eSIM for iPhone.
 
adrianlondon said:
I may be a bit behind the times, but I'm still confused about dual sim capabilities. Is it correct that it's not possible to have two 4G sims?

So, if one has a sim from a network that only supports 3/4/5G (e.g. Three UK) then it can't be used as a secondary sim; and if one is in a country (e.g. Taiwan) that has turned off 2G (and soon 3G) networks then the secondary sim won't work?

If that's the case, it seems pretty useless for me unfortunately.
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valkyrie917 said:
That's incorrect. The restriction is with CDMA (Verizon) because there is only 1 CDMA radio in the handset. But it's isn't a speed restriction. You can have any 2 GSM at LTE. The speed restriction on LTE/4G/3G on any GSM SIM is determined by the carrier.
[doublepost=1568571410][/doublepost]

Turn off data roaming from the US carrier side or get a local SIM. If you have Verizon, use the Message+ app and turn your US line off completely while traveling. If you set it up right, you can still send/receive calls & texts via that app while traveling and you'd be using the UK SIM data.
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adrianlondon said:
This contradicts what they say at Three UK:
http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI...cat=simsupport,varset_subcat=,Case=obj(41848)

"You can’t use 2 Three SIMs in one device, because you can only use one 3G or 4G SIM at a time, and Three don’t support the 2G network. ... Your secondary SIM will only work on 2G, which we don’t support"

Or am I not understanding your reply? That's quite likely 🙂

I basically need both SIMs to work at 3G or 4G at the same time as I'm often in a country with no 2G support.
Click to expand...

valkyrie917 said:
It's correct that you can only use 1 data provider at a time but both SIMs can be LTE/4G. You can not use simultaneous data on your 2 SIMs no matter what. Hence the option for a "primary" data line. Maybe I misunderstood what you're trying to do or what you are asking. But otherwise, as stated, the speed restriction is on the carrier end, ie - Three not having 2G which would be used as a way to get texts & calls.

I have a Verizon LTE on eSIM and a Mint Mobile LTE SIM in my phone and it all works great.
Click to expand...

adrianlondon said:
Aha - I think it's because "Three" uses voice-over-data (VoLTE) which could be a European thing? So when you say you can't use simultaneous data, that could be why their SIM won't work as secondary and their website states "If your Three SIM is set up as the secondary SIM, you’ll see a No Service notice". Thanks for taking the time to explain.
Click to expand...

Lyn2012 said:
My understanding is that you choose which line it uses for data in Settings>Mobile (or Cellular) Data. So you would choose the UK line and enable roaming, but switch off Mobile Data Switching so it can’t try using data from your other line. If you can’t see these options it may be because I’m on iOS 13, but as that is coming out officially next week it shouldn’t be a problem.

I’m going to be doing a similar thing next week as I’m going to New York for a few days. My phone has a Spanish Sim that will be the data line with roaming enabled, and a UK Sim.

Regarding WiFi calling, I have no idea as I don’t think it’s available to me.
Click to expand...

valkyrie917 said:
Both Verizon & Mint use VoLTE (voice over LTE) so I don't think that's it. VoLTE is certainly not limited to the EU. Here's some additional information on Dual SIM VoLTE can can probably explain it better. But what I can tell you is that when I come to the UK with my US SIM in the eSIM slot (Verizon w/ VoLTE) and my Three SIM in the physical slot set for primary data, it all works great.
Click to expand...

adrianlondon said:
I assume that's because Verizon can fall back to non-VoLTE use to at least receive calls and texts when not primary, whereas Three can't. If you switch your Three SIM to secondary it'll get no service at all. Your link correctly states that Dual SIM VoLTE isn't supported by any iPhone. I suppose I could just switch the primary/secondary allocation every now and again to get any texts and voicemail notifications. That would work for me.

If only every country would get together and sort this mess of roaming charges out! Even with just one SIM it's confusing. With a Three SIM it's cheaper to leave the UK and call another European country (3p/min) than just to call that country from the UK (20p/min).
Click to expand...

Hatton920 said:
I currently have a ee e sim as primary and a three uk sim as secondary and have signal on both and both work as they should.
Click to expand...

adrianlondon said:
So the Three website is talking rubbish. Thanks for your info! I might finally be upgrading my 6S this year 🙂
Click to expand...

As @valkyrie917 said, the restriction on dual-SIM concerns data. Two lines cannot have simultaneous data. The confusion is probably because people use 3G as a colloquial term for data.
You can have two active lines connected to LTE, 3G HSPA, UMTS or GSM.

The exception is you cannot have two CDMA lines at the same time. But even then, people get confused:
Verizon used to be a CDMA carrier, but they're now mostly LTE (and VoLTE). It means that you can indeed have two active Verizon lines. BUT, one line will be able to fall back on CDMA while the other one will only be able to do LTE. This means the restriction on two CDMA lines is NOT a restriction on two Verizon lines.
 
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iGeneo said:
Maybe I'll switch it up and stick with VZW eSim and get a physical SIM
Click to expand...
(Sorry, not an answer to your question, but helpful I hope🙂 I have VZW on an eSIM, and used a prepaid GiffGaff physical SIM while vacationing in UK and Europe this summer. Worked great. You can get the GG SIM via postal mail in USA if you have enough lead time before you travel.
 
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DeanLubaki said:
The confusion is probably because ....
Click to expand...
I wasn't confused at all, until I read the Three UK website which said their sim will not work as secondary 🙂 I'm going to ignore them.

iGeneo said:
Maybe I'll switch it up and stick with VZW eSim and get a physical SIM

Thoughts on a prepaid Three?
Click to expand...
I've just got one. I activated it here in Switzerland despite the fact their website says it has to be activated in the UK. That should have been my first clue that their website isn't the most accurate on technical issues! Do check the prices on their website directly before ordering from a third party.

https://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go

They don't do an e-sim though, which is annoying. I'm almost tempted to buy my next phone from Hong Kong to get the dual physical sim model, but I'm concerned about the warranty and getting support on phone models not sold in Europe.
 
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Im wondering is it now possible with ios 13 to out second sim sleep mode on, while it is not running for primary sim ?

For example I would like to set my e-sim for business use offline everyday after working hours, but my primary prive sim may still be working..

I asked apple about this, so far this is not possible with ios 12
 
FlorisVN said:
Im wondering is it now possible with ios 13 to out second sim sleep mode on, while it is not running for primary sim ?

For example I would like to set my e-sim for business use offline everyday after working hours, but my primary prive sim may still be working..

I asked apple about this, so far this is not possible with ios 12
Click to expand...

You've always been able to turn off the line you want to silence
 
cdcdoc said:
So no one else is experiencing this? It is the same thing on 13.1 beta 2...
Click to expand...

I have this exact issue.

But it only affects the eSIM.

I have one personal eSIM phone line and one business Physical SIM phone line.

When I call using the Physical SIM my eSIM coverage goes to no coverage. When I end the call with my physical SIM the coverage on eSIM comes back.
 
Aknot said:
I have this exact issue.

But it only affects the eSIM.

I have one personal eSIM phone line and one business Physical SIM phone line.

When I call using the Physical SIM my eSIM coverage goes to no coverage. When I end the call with my physical SIM the coverage on eSIM comes back.
Click to expand...

This is expected behaviour. The Phone is Dual SIM but only one line can be active at any one time.
 
Farsider said:
This is expected behaviour. The Phone is Dual SIM but only one line can be active at any one time.
Click to expand...

But when I call using my eSIM the physical SIM line still has full coverage. Doesn’t seem expected with different behavior?
if I activate WiFi calling on both lines and talk on either line with call waiting I will get incoming calls either way, if I disable WiFi calling it only works one way. Inconsistent expected behavior? Doesn’t seem right...
 
Farsider said:
This is expected behaviour. The Phone is Dual SIM but only one line can be active at any one time.
Click to expand...

No it's not, not with iOS 13. Read the first post 🙂
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Aknot said:
But when I call using my eSIM the physical SIM line still has full coverage. Doesn’t seem expected with different behavior?
if I activate WiFi calling on both lines and talk on either line with call waiting I will get incoming calls either way, if I disable WiFi calling it only works one way. Inconsistent expected behavior? Doesn’t seem right...
Click to expand...

You're right–iOS 13 should allow you to use both if both have active data. Make sure VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling is enabled on both lines.
 
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Hello everyone.

I have been using AT&T roaming on Rogers as a main sim for data and Freedom Mobile for my Canadian number. Freedom being used on esim.

The workaround i use to force Freedom to use Rogers/AT&T data for Wifi-calling is going into manual network selection for Freedom line and selecting a competitors network. Doing so, the freedom line is not authorized for connection to the towers and will be perpetually in "No Service".

Not sure the impact on battery life doing this though. Having the Freedom line constantly trying to connect.


This also solves a bug that I've been experiencing where mobile data is not consistant when two sim lines are connected at the same time to their corresponding networks. Facebook messenger and facetime calls are choppy and laggy.
Now with only the Rogers/at&t pho connected to an actual network and freedom piggybacking off that, there are no more lag problems.
 
adrianlondon said:
I'm almost tempted to buy my next phone from Hong Kong to get the dual physical sim model, but I'm concerned about the warranty and getting support on phone models not sold in Europe.
Click to expand...

FYI this doesn‘t affect warranty or support if you purchase from Apple (like on a trip). Not sure how it works with 3rd party sellers.
 
poocat said:
FYI this doesn‘t affect warranty or support if you purchase from Apple (like on a trip). Not sure how it works with 3rd party sellers.
Click to expand...
I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this. An iPhone warranty is only for the country it's bought in (apart from the EU + some others, where it's treated as one country). The official warranty terms do say something like "may be restricted to the country" so the option is there for repairs, but as the dual physical sim model is only sold in Hong Kong (the China version is different again) there have been many reports of repairs being refused and none of repairs being accepted. The other countries simply don't have the parts or the correct model number phone. HK is also an exception where there's no 14-day return period.

I'm not willing to take the risk.
 
adrianlondon said:
I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this. An iPhone warranty is only for the country it's bought in (apart from the EU + some others, where it's treated as one country). The official warranty terms do say something like "may be restricted to the country" so the option is there for repairs, but as the dual physical sim model is only sold in Hong Kong (the China version is different again) there have been many reports of repairs being refused and none of repairs being accepted. The other countries simply don't have the parts or the correct model number phone. HK is also an exception where there's no 14-day return period.

I'm not willing to take the risk.
Click to expand...
Totally understand. I'm in the opposite situation (as are a lot of folk here/in Singapore) where we live in HK/SG with iPhones purchased in home countries, and Apple Stores here definitely accept the warranty/repair as needed. That's all I was basing on, so no experience vice versa. Good luck either way.
 
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