iPhone X eSim Roaming Question

[Pagemakers]

If my network provider supports eSim will the iPhone XS roam as normal on that eSim anywhere a physical sim will or does every roaming network need to support eSim?

In that case it makes roaming very very very limited.

 

[Banglazed]

With the eSIM, it will be embedded in the device and communcate with the carrier by implementing a profile and can integrate all other operators it supports. For example, you use T-Mobile network with the eSIM. You can manually set the eSIM or with the help of the carrier to activate it on the T-Mobile network. It will download carrier update etc and may add all its roaming partners around the world so you roam freely. The problem may be the the little inconvenience to switch carrier than just swapping SIM card. The other problem is some carrier don’t support the eSIM yet.

 

[Pagemakers]

With the eSIM, it will be embedded in the device and communcate with the carrier by implementing a profile and can integrate all other operators it supports. For example, you use T-Mobile network with the eSIM. You can manually set the eSIM or with the help of the carrier to activate it on the T-Mobile network. It will download carrier update etc and may add all its roaming partners around the world so when you roam freely. The problem may be the the little inconvenience to switch carrier than just swapping SIM card. The other problem is some carrier don’t support the eSIM yet.

So here in the U.K. EE will support eSim when Apple launch it.

So if I’m on their eSim and then come to say America or Asia and roam on an EE partner network who currently don’t offer eSim themselves will roaming still work?

 

[goudok]

EFF i didn't even think of this, but ill be able to tell you as soon as 12.1 comes out.
I live in US but travel between us and Canada for work every month and have 2 phones, well had 2 phones, i sold them both and got a Xs max. I am currently in Canada for few more weeks, so hopefully 12.1 launches soon and enables esim support, because then ill have my ATT line be on esim and Canada on regular sim because rogers doesn't support esim.
I have north American roaming including in my US plan, so this is going to be interesting to see how this will work.
I know i sometimes roam on the Bell network while on my US line, so maybe it will constantly be connected to that, hopefully roaming works and its not like apple watch roaming debacle.

 

[seinman]

It should work in theory. My understanding is that your provider has to support programming of the esim, but once it’s programmed, it appears like a regular sim to the network. So when you roam, since the esim is already programmed by a provider that supports it, the roaming network can’t tell that it’s an esim.

 

[DeanL]

All the roaming carrier cares about is your identity. eSIMs still have an ICCID just like regular SIMs and thus roaming works just like a normal SIM.
You may thin it'll be different because of the Apple Watch, but the Apple Watch doesn't support roaming for different reasons.

 

[4492865]

It will roam. Roaming also works with the embedded esim on the iPad Pro. I have tried this with T-Mobile. Most places where I go don't have esims yet.

The watch is an exception.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Will work the exact same as a physical sim.

 

[goudok]

Will work the exact same as a physical sim.

Guys thanks so much for chiming in, because i started getting worried and was even planning on getting the HK version since my friend is there for another month, but would rather not due to warranty/replacement issues.
Once 12.1 comes out I will also confirm this so it is confirmed 100%.