UK eSIM/Dual-SIM Thread

[Manatlt]

Today is the day Apple will release iOS 12.1 to the public with Dual-SIM support for XS/Max/XR.

EE are the only carrier to support Dual-SIM capabilities. The support team said that EE will be ready for eSIM support as soon 12.1 releases.

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Apple/eSim-when-will-EE-support-this-on-my-iPhone-XS/m-p/721354#M84462

Feel free to share screenshots, help and updates regarding iPhone Dual-SIM in the UK!

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UPDATE: eSIMs on EE now available from October 31st.

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Apple/Dual-SIM-for-iPhone-on-EE/td-p/729577

 

[docemmettlbrown]

I had a chat with the EE online support mentioning it should be launched today.
After some initial uncertainty, they copy-pasted a pre-written message, which mentioned that in order to get it activated you should first have your physical EE sim in the physical slot, and then you either have to visit an EE store or call 150 which will provide you a code, once you have upgraded to 12.1.
I assume they are not keen to share anything this morning as this information is probably embargoed until 5pm today UK time (10am in Cupertino, as UK is already on standard time), when 12.1 will be released.
One thing for sure: calling 150 after 5pm today will be a nightmare

 

[Manatlt]

One thing for sure: calling 150 after 5pm today will be a nightmare

Not really, if everyone doesn't know about it.

 

[n14agp]

EE are so disorganised with what they are telling customers, ill be surprised if anything goes smoothly once its available.

So far ive been told that it will only be a new Pay Monthly line that can be an esim (PAYG not available), they wont transfer an existing number to esim.
To take advantage of the eSim, you have to have a physical sim installed (can be from any network, providing phone is unlocked)
When roaming it will default to the physical Sim and that romaing where a network don't support esim, will render the esim unusable (they later retracted this and said it will work the same as a normal sim)

EE are supposedly setting up a special team to deal with all the eSim requests/queries and EE staff have been told to defer to the "when apple release the update well have more info"

My local EE store has QR Codes in store and under Quarantine until they go live on the system after 12.1 is released.

So lets see what fun comes later

 

[Tidybeard]

Thanks for starting the thread.

I’ve been told by our corporate mobile provider that EE won’t be supporting eSIM for business lines “for the foreseeable future”. My work line is on EE and my personal line is Vodafone. It seems crazy that EE won’t support business lines as moving from two phones to one must be one of the main drivers for the dual SIM functionality in the phone. If EE is the only eSIM provider at launch and won’t support business lines, wouldn’t that make the feature essentially redundant in the UK unless someone wants to use two separate EE personal lines on the same phone?

Has anyone else heard that EE won’t support business lines please?

The alternative is to hope that Vodafone will support eSIM and then I’ll transfer my personal line to eSIM and move the EE business SIM to the card slot but there’s no sign that Vodafone will be supporting eSIM at launch.

I can’t be the only person with this problem, hopefully someone else has solved it...

 

[jon8214]

So EE's twitter is going into meltdown with eSim questions they are saying that because Apple hasn't actually released 12.1 yet they won't give any more info about it, their phone lines are going to go into meltdown when it is released

 

[Manatlt]

iOS 12.1 is now available. Let's start moving to eSIM folks!

EDIT: Oh.

https://twitter.com/EE/status/1057315341653733386

 

[dan9700]

what's the benefit of esim no point cos cant use WhatsApp for both work and personal, with a single sim what's advantage to change from real sim to esim

 

[Davelfc]

To be fair, it's not like they've had long to get the ready, I mean there's no way they could have been informed of this a long time ago.

 

[docemmettlbrown]

Typical EE. 150 says it’s been delayed to next week. A guy in the EE store told me that it should be available starting from Monday (5th).
But they’ve been promising for 2 months that it would have been available on 12.1 release date.

 

[scotio200]

iOS 12.1 is now available. Let's start moving to eSIM folks!

EDIT: Oh.

https://twitter.com/EE/status/1057315341653733386

Thats me

I called for pricing on the iPad Pro 11" and the guy didnt even know it existed. I then asked about esim and again he didnt have a clue, went and spoke with his manager and told me that Apple have delayed esim world wide! I told him that this was not true and he should let his manager know this.

How can they not be making staff aware of new devices and features is beyond me, I know my stuff and knew what he told me was pure BS. The average consumer wont!

 

[Manatlt]

Typical EE. 150 says it’s been delayed to next week. A guy in the EE store told me that it should be available starting from Monday (5th).
But they’ve been promising for 2 months that it would have been available on 12.1 release date.

Kind of unacceptable if that’s the case. Other carriers around the world got their **** together. Why the “#1 Mobile Carrier in the UK” failed to deliver?

Monday, seriously?

 

[Chris2107]

Kind of unacceptable if that’s the case. Other carriers around the world got their **** together. Why the “#1 Mobile Carrier in the UK” failed to deliver?

Monday, seriously?

Just called EE from the US enquiring when I can use an Esim for my uk number in my US iPhone.

EE guy didnt really fill me with confidence. He said it was a UK regulations hold up, not a EE hold up, and it would be a couple of months before EE would start handing out eSim details.

I’d like for him to be wrong.

EDIT. Ok seems that was nonsense. How can the dudes on the phone just say what first comes to mind. I’d rather they say they didnt know.

 

[Davelfc]

Yeah it's pathetic, their tweet seems to suggest that this has been thrown at them last minute, ridiculous.

And the watch uses an esim, and they cope with that ok.

On the subject of UK regulations, in the past the usual excuses were EU regulations, now they're just trolling us. The excuse is UK regulations, the truth is incompetence.

 

[scotio200]

Just called EE from the US enquiring when I can use an Esim for my uk number in my US iPhone.

EE guy didnt really fill me with confidence. He said it was a UK regulations hold up, not a EE hold up, and it would be a couple of months before EE would start handing out eSim details.

I’d like for him to be wrong.

Sounds like bull **** to me, iPads and apple watches have been using esims for years

 

[Manatlt]

Good news! Tomorrow!

https://www.twitter.com/EE/status/1057343143593607168

 

[LewisChapman]

Looks like 8am tomorrow.

https://mobile.twitter.com/EE/status/1057343624470511616

 

[DeanL]

Sounds like bull **** to me, iPads and apple watches have been using esims for years

That's incorrect. iPad used an Apple SIM and Embedded Apple SIM. Not eSIM.
Of the iPads, only the new iPad Pro has true eSIM.

 

[Manatlt]

That's incorrect. iPad used an Apple SIM and Embedded Apple SIM. Not eSIM.
Only the new iPad Pro has true eSIM.

And the cellular Apple watches.

 

[d123]

EE now reference eSim on the sim activation page.

https://myaccount.ee.co.uk/app/activate-sim/

 

[SayCheese]

I have an XS Max on O2. I've applied for an unlock to O2.
I want an EE eSim on a second line. Do you know if this is possible or do I have to have an EE primary sim first?

 

[d123]

I have an XS Max on O2. I've applied for an unlock to O2.
I want an EE eSim on a second line. Do you know if this is possible or do I have to have an EE primary sim first?

What do you mean by a second line? EE refer to second line as exactly that, an account holder gets a second line meaning you’ve got 2 lines each with their own number,

You just want an EE line on an eSim, signing up for a new line should make the process pretty straightforward, just tell the sales rep you want an eSim.

 

[thecork]

what's the benefit of esim no point cos cant use WhatsApp for both work and personal, with a single sim what's advantage to change from real sim to esim

There are ways if you search hard enough, I have three WhatsApp’s on my iPhone right now for three different numbers, and for my work line I currently just forward calls (no one ever texts!) Can’t wait for dual sim so can ditch call forwarded and just run everything on one phone!!

 

[SayCheese]

What do you mean by a second line? EE refer to second line as exactly that, an account holder gets a second line meaning you’ve got 2 lines each with their own number,

You just want an EE line on an eSim, signing up for a new line should make the process pretty straightforward, just tell the sales rep you want an eSim.

Thanks. This is what I meant. I want a new EE number on an eSim when I only have O2 currently.

 

[d123]

Thanks. This is what I meant. I want a new EE number on an eSim when I only have O2 currently.

Hopefully (if they know what they are doing) it should be a fairly easy thing to sort, as you won’t be doing a sim swap to the eSim, you’d hope the first bit of training will be to process new connections with an eSim.