Carrier On interminable hold with ATT.

[MareLuce]

Am trying to call ATT to double-check the process for:

Moving from

iPhone 11 Pro Max with dual SIM / eSim activated. This was so useful when in Austria this February!

to

iPhone 12 Pro Max received yesterday.

1) I do NOT want to immediately activate for eSim. Not till I start traveling across the pond again. I want to try 5G.
I read elsewhere here on MacRumors that if I activate for eSim, then I can NOT get 5G ... ? as well? or at all?

2) I do NOT want to restore from backup. I want to re-install everything.
(other than contacts, etc. that I will sync from local system)

Have been on hold for > 30 min with ATT, forced to listen to that never ending recording of offers that is undoubtedly destroying brain cells.

Should I just try moving the SIM?

 

[Lobwedgephil]

If you are going from eSim to a physical SIM card, you are going to need a physical SIM card.

 

[MareLuce]

Update: Finally off hold.

The very nice agent Mark who sounds like he knows what he's talking about said:
YES, I could still get 5G service if I activate just using the iPhone 12 Pro Max's eSIM.

He asked me if the iPhone 12 Pro Max came with a physical SIM?
I popped out the SIM holder, now on the LEFT side. No - there is no physical SIM.

Now that the physical SIM holder is on the LEFT, what is that darker SIM-looking band on the right side for?
On the right side, there is no hole for sticking the SIM removal tool in. But it looks like a SIM holder. What is that?

 

[BrettDS]

Update: Finally off hold.

The very nice agent Mark who sounds like he knows what he's talking about said:
YES, I could still get 5G service if I activate just using the iPhone 12 Pro Max's eSIM.

He asked me if the iPhone 12 Pro Max came with a physical SIM?
I popped out the SIM holder, now on the LEFT side. No - there is no physical SIM.

Now that the physical SIM holder is on the LEFT, what is that darker SIM-looking band on the right side for?
On the right side, there is no hole for sticking the SIM removal tool in. But it looks like a SIM holder. What is that?

It‘s the 5G mm wave antenna. (Or more accurately a plastic window to allow the 5G mm wave antenna that is behind it to get a signal through the steal band)

 

[MareLuce]

DONE!

Took 3 hrs to do what I needed from time of dialing the ATT #. ~ 45 min was waiting.

My agent had very good level of knowledge and a great attitude.

Bottom line - I definitely needed to call an agent. Following any set of directions was not good enough.
Even with the agent, I still ended out at the "Error transferring SIM. Call ATT at ..."
Then the agent had to go quiet for ~ 5 min or so while he figured out what to do.

I have not seen anything written down that's close to what this agent took me through.

Notes to self for next time, and if it's helpful to you
Remember to do next time DO BEFORE CALLING ATT:

1) Call ATT from a third phone. Yes, a THIRD phone. (I remembered to do this)

i.e., NOT the old iPhone. NOT the new iPhone. I used my Verizon work phone.
Why?
Part of the process involved a step of powering OFF both phones, powering on the old one, (giving it a head start, making sure it's powered up and connected to Wifi...). Then, powering on the new one

2) UNPAIR Apple Watch from old phone before calling ATT. (I did not know doing this would be helpful)

And YES I realize this means I need to re-set up my apple watch. Ugh. Is there any workaround from this?