iPhone 14/Plus T-Mobile no longer allows self eSIM swaps?

[jay968]

So within weeks of the iphone 14 having come on the market, T-Mobile is no longer allowing SIM swaps online. This used to be a quick and painless method. Now you have to either go to a T-Mobile store to have it done, or wait on hold when you call customer service.
I wanted to put a line from a physical SIM that I have onto an eSIM in my phone and cannot do so until I am able to get to the store or have enough time to do it with them over the phone.

Really great decision Apple! I am SO glad I went to a non physical SIM phone!! (NOT)

 

[jay968]

Just an update. I waited over a half hour to get a rep to help. I decided not to bother as this is NOT what I purchased a phone that I was told would be a quick easy one to do a SIM swap with. T-Mobile has decided to remove this capability from their web site, thus making the iphone 14 a real pain in the butt to swap SIMS with.
Everyone was saying it would be very quick and easy if you wanted to swap the SIM for use in more than one phone at any given time. Well it's not.
Very bad decision, purchasing this phone!

 

[now i see it]

eSIM was implemented to enable the cellular providers, not the end user

 

[jay968]

eSIM was implemented to enable the cellular providers, not the end user

In reality you are correct. But all the hype and the concerns over it led to responses of how easy and quick it would be to do. Imagine having to use a foreign line when in a different country and having to go through all the problems of waiting on hold to get it working? Everyone who warned about this before the iphone 14 started selling was correct. It's a pain in the ass and shouldn't be.
T-Mobile is passing this off as something that they feel is just not secure enough to allow the end user to do yet.
I really wish they had said this before the phone became available.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I have T-Mobile and using Apple’s Quick Start made the migration from SIM card to eSIM very easy when I set up an iPhone 13 mini. I have two lines and it let me choose which one to use. I later decided to return the 13 mini, so I did a reset of my 12 mini and used Quick Start again to migrate back. I didn’t have a SIM card in the 12 mini so I don’t know if I would’ve had a choice or not as I simply moved the line to the eSIM. Anyhow, I never had to contact T mobile.

edit: of course in my scenario I was only moving the one primary line and willing to reset a phone. Very different from temporarily adding a second line on eSIM.

p.s. Quick start is handy if you wear an Apple Watch or use a maximum length wifi password.

 

[Torty]

Good to have SIM with my 14PM. My provider doesn’t offer ESIM. But this costs us 500$ (!) more than the US version.

 

[jay968]

I have T-Mobile and using Apple’s Quick Start made the migration from SIM card to eSIM very easy when I set up an iPhone 13 mini. I have two lines and it let me choose which one to use. I later decided to return the 13 mini, so I did a reset of my 12 mini and used Quick Start again to migrate back. I didn’t have a SIM card in the 12 mini so I don’t know if I would’ve had a choice or not as I simply moved the line to the eSIM. Anyhow, I never had to contact T mobile.

p.s. Quick start is handy if you wear an Apple Watch or use a maximum length wifi password.

The problem is, T-Mobile USED to let you do a swap on their website. Bu they have removed that capability for "security reasons." I had no problem moving 2 numbers from my old iphone 12 to the 14 when I purchased the 14. Now, I wanted to move a third number that I have on a SIM card and used to use in a Samsung phone but cannot do so online anymore. After waiting over a half hour to speak with a rep, I decided that NO this is not what I want to have to do each time I want to migrate a number from one phone to the other.

The SIM swapping had been discussed here and in many other forums with the guarantee that this would be quick and easy. It is NOT.

What I have found is that if I use T-Mobile's Digits app, I can use the phone number on the 14 without even having a SIM in the phone. It works pretty well and this may end up being the way I use that phone number. Using Digits, I can actually use that number on several phones and never have to worry about a SIM, be it either a physical one or an eSIM. I just hope T-Mobile doesn't decide to do away with Digits now as well. It's actually very good.

Another benefit of Digits is that it is not necessary to be on WiFi calling in order to still have a call come through on the main number when on a call using the Digits number. Using eSIM only DOES require WiFi calling or the incoming call will go to voicemail.

 

[jay968]

Good to have SIM with my 14PM. My provider doesn’t offer ESIM. But this costs us 500$ (!) more than the US version.

Yes! I WISH the SIM version was available in the USA.

 

[JamesMcFlyJR]

T-Mobile removing the ability to change sims/esims is a temporary solution. It will be back. Sucks for people wanting to change their sims now though

You Won't Be Able To Swap Your Own SIM For A While On T-Mobile

T-Mobile is making changes to their SIM swap systems for security upgrades, and in the meantime you'll have to contact them for SIM changes.

tmo.report

 

[KaliYoni]

The SIM swapping had been discussed here and in many other forums with the guarantee that this would be quick and easy.

Personally, I don't consider stuff posted online by people I don't know or from non-official sources as a "guarantee" of anything. Plus social media "guarantors" don't have the ability to issue refunds or any other kind of compensation.

 

[jay968]

Personally, I don't consider stuff posted online by people I don't know or from non-official sources as a "guarantee" of anything. Plus social media "guarantors" don't have the ability to issue refunds or any other kind of compensation.

Agreed! I'm frankly tired of all the false promises I've gotten over the years from so many of these companies!
I am at the point now where I take anything with a grain of salt until I see it with my own eyes.

By the way..."extra security measures?" You have to log into their website using not only a password but then use 2 factor authentication! And now they are saying that doing a SIM swap is insecure?

This from the company that has supposedly agreed to spend $150 million to upgrade its security.

 

[davedvdy]

I have T-Mobile and I was able to switch eSims from iPhone to iPhone under the Cellular settings in iOS, so I guess this is just the website self service options that are an issue?

 

[jay968]

I have T-Mobile and I was able to switch eSims from my iPhone 14 Pro to 14 Pro Max today under Cellular in iOS, so I guess this is just the website self service options that are an issue?

Yes, that was my point. You need to speak with a rep to do it and while I don't know what you're situation is like, around here hold times are extensive. You had to have a rep help you out and perhaps send you a Q code or do it by some other means, right?

 

[Hazmat401]

Agreed! I'm frankly tired of all the false promises I've gotten over the years from so many of these companies!
I am at the point now where I take anything with a grain of salt until I see it with my own eyes.

By the way..."extra security measures?" You have to log into their website using not only a password but then use 2 factor authentication! And now they are saying that doing a SIM swap is insecure?

This from the company that has supposedly agreed to spend $150 million to upgrade its security.

What do you expect though… companies ultimate end game is to fleece you for more money with the least amount of capital invested…. They don’t care about your damn inconveniences…. Pay them!

 

[davedvdy]

You had to have a rep help you out and perhaps send you a Q code or do it by some other means, right?

Nope, no rep needed for switching eSIM to eSim -- iPhone to iPhone today.

I just went to Cellular in Settings, then to "Add eSIM", and followed the instructions. It took me maybe about a little over a minute total.

 

[jay968]

Nope, no rep needed for switching eSIM to eSim -- iPhone to iPhone today.

I just went to Cellular in Settings, then to "Add eSIM", and followed the instructions. It took me maybe about a little over a minute total.

No. You either need a QR code from a rep to do this, or you need a SIM in another iphone to do this.

If I had another iphone, this wouldn't have been an issue at all.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my solution actually was to use T-Mobile Digits. If anyone reading this isn't familiar with that, look it up. It's actually a pretty good way to get around having to swap a SIM at all and not only does it work very well it has the advantage of still being notified of an incoming call on the other line while on a call, even without being on WiFi calling.

 

[davedvdy]

Didn't you need a QR code?And if so, where did it come from?

Oh, I see...from nearby phone. Well, what if you don't have a nearby phone and only have the SIM card? And even if you do, this is only if you have an iphone to transfer from.

No QR Code, just via iOS. Yes, this is just one scenario, it might work only because I have another iPhone to transfer it back and forth. iPhone to Android or vice versa might not work at all too.

The security is just in iOS confirming and double clicking from the old device. Maybe with a physical SIM card it wouldn't work with these new changes with their network, no idea. I used Quick Start on the 14 Pro/Pro Max launch day from a physical SIM card of a 13 Pro. Now I switch my eSIM around from each device depending on the one I want to use. The only caveat there though is you need WiFI for this to work.

At the end, I get a text message each time confirming the transfer was successful from T-Mobile.

 

[jaytv111]

Does the T-Mobile app let you obtain an eSIM? You can do this with AT&T. In theory it lets you switch between phones, Android and iPhone, no phone call needed, no visit to store needed. I used this option to replace an eSIM before, it was pretty painless. But you need to be signed into the carrier app, which is its own pain point, you need to use a 2-factor phone line with AT&T to sign in so you would need access to your phone regardless.

That’s supposed to be the future of eSIM, you sign into the carrier app and it’s a few clicks to get an eSIM, but signing in is the issue for now on carriers that have this. Maybe Passkeys fixes this but no carrier supports Passkeys yet.

That said, 99% of the time, someone is basically just moving from an old iPhone to a new iPhone, they can do it with eSIM just in iOS settings, but the carrier needs to support this feature.

 

[jay968]

No, T-Mobile has taken the ability to do this down. They insist that you speak with a rep either on the phone or in the store to do a SIM swap.

 

[jay968]

No QR Code, just via iOS. Yes, this is just one scenario, it might work only because I have another iPhone to transfer it back and forth. iPhone to Android or vice versa might not work at all too.

The security is just in iOS confirming and double clicking from the old device. Maybe with a physical SIM card it wouldn't work with these new changes with their network, no idea. I used Quick Start on the 14 Pro/Pro Max launch day from a physical SIM card of a 13 Pro. Now I switch my eSIM around from each device depending on the one I want to use. The only caveat there though is you need WiFI for this to work.

At the end, I get a text message each time confirming the transfer was successful from T-Mobile.

Yes, I can see how this would work with another iphone. That's how it works when you first purchase the iphone 14. Apple is doing this, not T-Mobile. But if you don't have another iphone it won't work.

 

[davedvdy]

No. You either need a QR code from a rep to do this, or you need a SIM in another iphone to do this.

To be clear, neither of my current 2 iPhones I move back and forth between have a physical sim in them and no QR or rep are needed. I own two iPhones on hand I can move back and forth between them as I did today, because yes...likely cause they are both iPhones.

Someone should be able to use Quick Start the same way also, because my previous 13 Pro did have the physical SIM. Never at any point did I need to involve a rep, generate an eSIM or go into T-Mobile online options.

BTW, you can see what I posted in #17 and your original quote I have there before your edits. Yours (#16) is barely recognizable since you last edited, so I'm just responding to this new info you revised.

 

[jay968]

How are you accessing Quick Start?

BTW you keep mentioning using two phones. My problem is I do not have a second phone anymore, just the one phone and one physical SIM card ... other than the eSIMs in my iphone 14.

 

[davedvdy]

How are you accessing Quick Start?

BTW you keep mentioning using two phones. My problem is I do not have a second phone anymore, just the one phone and one physical SIM card ... other than the eSIMs in my iphone 14.

Yeah, that's why I said this is likely only limited to this particular method, which is definitely limiting.
Even before T-Mobile made this change, people were telling others to make sure they don't trade in prior to handing
over the Quick Start info.

You only access Quick Start when you are setting up a new iPhone to start with from scratch and
it hands off the old info from the old iPhone nearby. Did you trade in or sell your old phone already?

That is unfortunately the limitation of this method, you need to have the active line on another phone for this to work in both cases (regardless of a physical SIM card or not).

Outside of that, you go into the Cellular menu in the settings to add an eSim there.

If say one of my iPhones dies or WiFI isn't available, this method doesn't work either, which is yet another reason why I'm not a fan of eSIM only.

 

[jay968]

Yeah, that's why I said this is likely only limited to this particular method, which is definitely limiting.
Even before T-Mobile made this change, people were telling others to make sure they don't trade in prior to handing
over the Quick Start info.

You only access Quick Start when you are setting up a new iPhone to start with from scratch and
it hands off the old info from the old iPhone nearby. Did you trade in or sell your old phone already?

That is unfortunately the limitation of this method, you need to have the active line on another phone for this to work in both cases (regardless of a physical SIM card or not).

Outside of that, you go into the Cellular menu in the settings to add an eSim there.

If say one of my iPhones dies or WiFI isn't available, this method doesn't work either, which is yet another reason why I'm not a fan of eSIM only.

Sorry, let me reiterate.....
- I have had the iphone 14 for a month. When I got it I used Quick Start to move 2 lines into 2 eSIMS in it. These two lines came from an iphone 12 which I sold once the new phone was set up.
- I had another phone, a Samsung with a physical SIM.
- I just sold the Samsung with the intent of moving that SIM into an eSIM in the iphone.
- Then discovered I cannot do so without waiting on hold or going to a store to get it done. There is no other way.
- I came here to mention about all this.
- Prior to them taking down this ability, there was all kinds of talk from people basically stating "don't worry, this is the future and it is quick and easy."
- Well it can be but T-Mobile has made it so that it is not. It is actually a pain in the ass and it doesn't need to be.
- End of discussion

 

[Mikeske]

I have a hard time understanding what the fuss is. When I moved from the iPhone 11 Pro I had with a physical sim to the new eSim on my iPhone 14 Pro I was in a physical store anyway. Guess what the store had an issue with the doing the eSim anyway but it was quickly resolved. Really how hard is it to go to a T-mobile store. Just in the the nearby town I am familiar with they have 4 stores if not more that can be easily accessed. I mean I already drive by 2 of the stores just to get to grocery store and 4 blocks down is even a Bestbuy store so that makes it 5 different places.

Just go to the t-mobile store and get it done.