Bought a sim free iPhone 13 mini from Apple, went to active via eSIM but it activated under IMEI1 not IMEI2 as I've seen in documentation. any issue with that? does it matter which IMEI its activated under?
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iPhone 13 mini random question regarding using eSIM iPhone 13
- Thread starter ThirteenXIII
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hm its odd, I did put an old SIM in temporarily but wanted to try eSIM, so I removed it and reset network settings and activated the device through VZ using IMEI2 but when it fully activates, the iPhone shows eSIM is using IMEI1, same with the Verizon my device page shows the IMEI1 # as the activation IMEI, even though I only supplied IMEI2 to Verizon. cell service works. so I dont know if it just picks that by default. there are no SIM installed.
just wasn't sure if this was expected behaivor
just wasn't sure if this was expected behaivor
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I think it will activate the IMEI1, that is how mine activate when I initially setup my 13 Pro Max.
did you have a SIM in your iP13?
if not, must be expected behavior as same thing happened when we tried a different new iP13. from all the articles it made it seem like it had to be IMEI2 but guess not.
The way to think of this is, if you have one line activated on the phone, that line will be assigned to the primary IMEI. If you have two lines activated, the second line to be activated will be assigned to IMEI 2.
Regardless, both IMEI 1 and IMEI 2 are associated with the same iPhone, so whether you provide IMEI or IMEI 2 to your phone company, they'll know what the other IMEI number is.
IMEI number identifies a piece of hardware. The SIM card is not programmed with the IMEI number - that's why you can move a physical SIM into another phone and still make a call (assuming you have't moved it into a phone that's locked to a different carrier).
Here are some definitions:
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module - this is an integrated circuit that contains, among other items, your IMSI number (see below). It can be either a physical, removable card that can be inserted into a phone (Full-size SIM, Mini-SIM, Micro-SIM, or Nano-SIM), or an embedded SIM (eSIM) that is built into the phone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card
IMSI - International Mobile Subscriber Identity - this is a number programmed into the SIM that identifies you as a subscriber to a particular mobile network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_mobile_subscriber_identity
*IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity - a unique number assigned to a piece of 3GPP (GSM) or IDEN mobile telephone equipment that identifies that equipment to the mobile network (similar to the MAC address of a piece of Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth equipment.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Mobile_Equipment_Identity
*MEID - Mobile Equipment Identifier - a unique number assigned to a piece of CDMA2000 (CDMA) mobile telephone equipment to identify that equipment to the mobile network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_equipment_identifier
*Most of today's cell phones have both IMEI and MEID numbers because they are capable of being used on both GSM and CDMA networks.
By having separate identifying numbers for the subscriber and the equipment, service providers can independently enable/disable subscriber access and/or equipment access as the need arises. This allows a subscriber to transfer their service to any compatible phone without contacting the mobile provider. It also prevents the use of an otherwise-valid SIM in a piece of blacklisted or carrier-locked equipment, or the connection of an otherwise valid piece of equipment to a network. This is also why you can make emergency calls without having a valid SIM. The phone can connect to any compatible network without a SIM, but without the IMSI number recorded in the SIM the kinds of calls you can make is severely limited.
Regardless, both IMEI 1 and IMEI 2 are associated with the same iPhone, so whether you provide IMEI or IMEI 2 to your phone company, they'll know what the other IMEI number is.
IMEI number identifies a piece of hardware. The SIM card is not programmed with the IMEI number - that's why you can move a physical SIM into another phone and still make a call (assuming you have't moved it into a phone that's locked to a different carrier).
Here are some definitions:
SIM - Subscriber Identity Module - this is an integrated circuit that contains, among other items, your IMSI number (see below). It can be either a physical, removable card that can be inserted into a phone (Full-size SIM, Mini-SIM, Micro-SIM, or Nano-SIM), or an embedded SIM (eSIM) that is built into the phone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card
IMSI - International Mobile Subscriber Identity - this is a number programmed into the SIM that identifies you as a subscriber to a particular mobile network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_mobile_subscriber_identity
*IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity - a unique number assigned to a piece of 3GPP (GSM) or IDEN mobile telephone equipment that identifies that equipment to the mobile network (similar to the MAC address of a piece of Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth equipment.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Mobile_Equipment_Identity
*MEID - Mobile Equipment Identifier - a unique number assigned to a piece of CDMA2000 (CDMA) mobile telephone equipment to identify that equipment to the mobile network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_equipment_identifier
*Most of today's cell phones have both IMEI and MEID numbers because they are capable of being used on both GSM and CDMA networks.
By having separate identifying numbers for the subscriber and the equipment, service providers can independently enable/disable subscriber access and/or equipment access as the need arises. This allows a subscriber to transfer their service to any compatible phone without contacting the mobile provider. It also prevents the use of an otherwise-valid SIM in a piece of blacklisted or carrier-locked equipment, or the connection of an otherwise valid piece of equipment to a network. This is also why you can make emergency calls without having a valid SIM. The phone can connect to any compatible network without a SIM, but without the IMSI number recorded in the SIM the kinds of calls you can make is severely limited.
Many thanks for your informative reply.
Scenario:
I’ll travel to Dubai from US next month.
I purchased from Apple an unlocked iPhone 13 Pro Max.
I activated ATT as my US carrier. I did not insert a SIM, so I assume it is eSIM-based now.
In Dubai I will purchase a Visitor’s Plan + SIM from a mobile carrier, either Etisalat or Du.
Question: While in Dubai, If family in US calls me on my ATT cell #,
will that call get through to me even though I have the Dubai SIM also active?
My guess is, that scenario is the whole point of a 2 SIM phone, right?
The new iPhone may have come equipped with Apple SIM - a physical SIM that can be used with participating carriers. Best thing to do to know if you're using eSIM or physical SIM is to check your Cellular settings, they'll show whether you're using physical SIM or eSIM.
If your AT&T line is not currently eSIM, you may be able to convert it to eSIM to free-up the SIM slot - https://support.apple.com/HT210655
Your ability to get a call on your AT&T number while in Dubai depends on whether you have international roaming on that number.
Assuming you do have international roaming, then yes, you should be able to receive calls on both lines.