Verizon Expected to Implement eSIM Support for iPhone XR and XS on December 7

[MacRumors]

Verizon is expected to implement support for the eSIM in the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR on December 7, according to an internal employee memo that was shared with MacRumors.

Apple's newest iPhones have supported eSIM functionality since the October release of iOS 12.1, but to use the feature, carriers also needed to add support. At the time iOS 12.1 was released, U.S. carriers that include Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T said that support would not be implemented until later in the year.

AT&T at the time said that there were issues with visual voicemail, while Verizon had to work out some issues that would cause performance problems when its customers activated eSIMs from other carriers.

According to the document seen by MacRumors, Verizon will be implementing dual-SIM support and it will start activating eSIMs on Friday, December 7.

"Verizon will support Dual SIM activations on physical SIMs and eSIMs on select iPhones. Please visit the training portal to learn how to activate," reads the document.

Following today's release of iOS 12.1.1, several additional carriers around the world began rolling out eSIM support, including AT&T in the United States, so it's no surprise that Verizon would will shortly after.

The eSIM, or digital SIM, is a non-physical SIM card slot that pairs with the physical SIM in the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR to enable dual-SIM dual-standby, a feature that lets iPhone users have two phone numbers available at once.

With dual-SIM support, iPhone users are supposed to be able to swap between the two phone numbers readily, alleviating the need for a second phone or SIM swapping for work and travel.

Article Link: Verizon Expected to Implement eSIM Support for iPhone XR and XS on December 7

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Good news.

 

[coolbreeze2]

OK this means all of Verizon’z Customers including myself will now want a second number? Will it cost extra have a second number?

 

[mariusignorello]

OK this means all of Verizon’z Customers including myself will now want a second number? Will it cost extra have a second number?

Most likely. It's basically another line.

 

[acgmph]

Still no word from TMobile. Their reps keep promising it will be by the end of December. Hopefully they’ll support it starting this weekend.

 

[OriginalMacRat]

Good news.

It's a trap!

 

[**maestro**]

This is exactly why I haven't upgraded from my iPhone 7. The only feature that I personally "need" in order to justify upgrading to a newer phone, is Dual SIM. Unfortunately with both eSIM and the 'physical' Dual SIM iPhone (with two physical cards) not available from either of my carriers in Australia or Italy, I haven't given Apple my money

 

[mejsric]

Apple remove physical sim... coming soon.

 

[ianmb]

Is anyone aware of any news from the UK carriers?

 

[AngstyKylo]

Does the Chinese version work outside of China? Somehow that seems a much easier solution and not reliant on carriers.

 

[penajmz]

Aside from having a second line, are there other benefits to using esim?

 

[Michael Goff]

Aside from having a second line, are there other benefits to using esim?

Theoretical ease of moving carriers?

 

[mheaford]

Is anyone aware of any news from the UK carriers?

EE the only ones at the moment.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT209096
https://shop.ee.co.uk/iphone/apple-dual-sim

 

[riverfreak]

Seems like it would make more sense for Verizon to use the eSim and keep the physical sim slot open — will be much easier to acquire a physical sim in my locations for a long time yet, I expect. Not sure if that configuration is supported?

Also, what about apps that are associated with a phone number, like WhatsApp? How will THAT all shake out?

 

[kimmen]

All the talk about e-sim is "dual-sim" and "two phone numbers standby"...
I want to use my e-sim for my regular number, and leave the physical slot empty for use abroad etc.!
Is that possible?

 

[rbalkun]

The esim server is active, call Verizon and ask them to force change the imei number listed on the number to your digital sim imei listed in the about section of your phone, say that’s all you need done, they don’t need to change anything else, if the system for some reason changes the sim number listed on your account that’s fine, the IMEI for the esim just needs to be associated with your account, give it a few minutes then scan the qr code attached, it’s the same for everyone on Verizon, and make sure you are on Wi-Fi when you do it or it’ll error out.

 

[AngusW]

I'm hoping that when it goes active those of us who just signed up for that Verizon Numbers app they created for using a secondary number can port that number over. I just signed up for it for my small business and don't want to start changing things again.

 

[davfer86]

now i can have my mexican simcard in all the time!

 

[nburwell]

Not that I'm traveling abroad anytime soon, but I'm hoping T-Mobile activates eSIM functionality before the end of the year. Especially since they're behind AT&T and now Verizon.

 

[tooloud10]

So does this mean that I can use a Verizon SIM as primary and a Verizon eSIM as secondary without the secondary line being limited to 2G? For months now I've been reading that I wouldn't be able to have two fully functional Verizon lines active on the same iPhone. Anyone know?

 

[iBLAKEE]

So does this mean that I can use a Verizon SIM as primary and a Verizon eSIM as secondary without the secondary line being limited to 2G? For months now I've been reading that I wouldn't be able to have two fully functional Verizon lines active on the same iPhone. Anyone know?

I'm pretty sure that's why they delayed the roll out so they could get these issues fixed.

 

[joselc23]

The esim server is active, call Verizon and ask them to force change the imei number listed on the number to your digital sim imei listed in the about section of your phone, say that’s all you need done, they don’t need to change anything else, if the system for some reason changes the sim number listed on your account that’s fine, the IMEI for the esim just needs to be associated with your account, give it a few minutes then scan the qr code attached, it’s the same for everyone on Verizon, and make sure you are on Wi-Fi when you do it or it’ll error out.

I got a message saying this code is no longer valid.

 

[rbalkun]

I got a message saying this code is no longer valid.

It told me it was no longer valid until I had them manually change the IMEI number in their system...then a couple minutes later I scanned it and it worked, if just scan it without them changing it...it says no longer valid

 

[Topher227]

[EDIT: Deleting redundant post]

 

[AngusW]

So does this mean that I can use a Verizon SIM as primary and a Verizon eSIM as secondary without the secondary line being limited to 2G? For months now I've been reading that I wouldn't be able to have two fully functional Verizon lines active on the same iPhone. Anyone know?

From what I was reading people only got knocked down to 2G type speed was if the 2nd line came from another carrier. Knowing some will use a second carrier especially for traveling abroad or some businesses caused the delay. If both numbers were from VZW I believe it would have worked even then but they wanted to activated it as all or nothing.

I spoke to a rep today they're not acknowledging that esim goes live tomorrow. So I wasn't able to find pricing, but I was told that if you use Verizon Numbers any numbers you've added there will