iPhone 12 Verizon eSIM Transfer

[macfanboy]

Hey folks, I’m planning to get the iPhone 12 mini SIM-Free when it’s released and use two SIMs with it: my personal Verizon eSIM and my work AT&T physical SIM. I currently have both of these in my iPhone XS. Obviously, for the AT&T SIM, I can just swap that into the new phone, but I’m curious about the eSIM swap with Verizon. Does anyone know if transferring eSIM during Quick Setup is supported on Verizon? The article states that “some carriers support transferring your eSIM during Quick Start,” and it isn’t quite clear if Verizon is one of them.

When searching, I came across a few (old) articles that stated I needed to go through Verizon’s customer service to get it transfered, but those were over a year old, before iOS 13.1 came out (which added support for transferring eSIM during setup). I’d really prefer not to go through their customer service reps, especially when they’ll likely be swamped with a bunch of customer calls.

 

[macfanboy]

I just got off the phone with Verizon and they do indeed support this feature.

 

[greatestash]

can anyone confirm if this works automatically without calling or chatting with Verizon?

 

[macfanboy]

I’m waiting for the iPhone 12 mini, but I’m hoping someone else got a new phone today and can chime in

 

[Alohabai]

No go for me. I’ve tried multiple times.

 

[acousticbiker]

Just did quick setup from my 11 Pro that was eSIM and I never got the option to do the transfer

 

[greatestash]

Just did quick setup from my 11 Pro that was eSIM and I never got the option to do the transfer

Was there a physical sim already inside? and did it activate that?

 

[acousticbiker]

There was a physical sim inside but it didn't activate either one. So I then went to Verizon chat and there was an automated activation process in it that activated the eSIM

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

can anyone confirm if this works automatically without calling or chatting with Verizon?

Either calling or chatting.

I suggest if you do a chat just immediately have the eSIM IMEI ready for the rep so they can activate right away in order to generate a QR code to send to you. I've done this 10 times with them.

 

[Alohabai]

There was a physical sim inside but it didn't activate either one. So I then went to Verizon chat and there was an automated activation process in it that activated the eSIM

Do you remember the terms you used to get it? I have to chat every time
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Either calling or chatting.

I suggest if you do a chat just immediately have the eSIM IMEI ready for the rep so they can activate right away in order to generate a QR code to send to you. I've done this 10 times with them.

I had the B team. Two reps I talked to asked what the SIM card number was. Gave them digital sim number and they said it was too short lol.

 

[greatestash]

There was a physical sim inside but it didn't activate either one. So I then went to Verizon chat and there was an automated activation process in it that activated the eSIM

Oh ok; so the chat basically navigated you to New Device activation and in the IMEI page, you entered the IMEI for esim. is that correct? and once entered and submitted, did it send you any QR code to scan or it activate automatically over the air? what about activation fee? did it show how much Verizon will be charging to activate the new phone?

 

[mvray]

I’m hung up on the confirm your phone number screen.

 

[ajpuciat]

I got my eSIM actiavted on Verizon. Huge pain. I’m not getting any 5g service. No physical sim is installed in the tray.

 

[acousticbiker]

Do you remember the terms you used to get it? I have to chat every time
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‘Activate device’

 

[acousticbiker]

Oh ok; so the chat basically navigated you to New Device activation and in the IMEI page, you entered the IMEI for esim. is that correct? and once entered and submitted, did it send you any QR code to scan or it activate automatically over the air? what about activation fee? did it show how much Verizon will be charging to activate the new phone?

No, it was actually within the chat interface. I was asked questions and there were buttons for me to press to respond. I didn’t need to put in IMEI or anything

 

[vanburen982]

There was a physical sim inside but it didn't activate either one. So I then went to Verizon chat and there was an automated activation process in it that activated the eSIM

Interesting. I spent an hour in a Verizon store after failing to activate the esim at home. My goal is to use the esim as the primary line and use the physical sim from my work phone as the secondary line. While tryin to activate the esim, something failed and essentially my iPhone X SIM card was dead, and I had no service on my 12pro. So I went to the Verizon store after an hour of repeated disconnects with Verizon tech support at home. At the Verison store (franchise) all they could do was call tech support. After about an hours worth of trouble shooting - trying to activate the esim through various methods, some tech told us - “Oh - this isn’t an issue - eSIM won’t work with Verison and iPhone 12 until 10/30”. They essentially ”reprovisioned” my old SIM card, and I popped in my 12Pro, and it worked. The customer service workers in the store seemed pretty pissed that they weren’t given a heads up to this issue.

I would love to know how you were able to activate your phone via eSIM. It seems like Verizon is providing inconsistent information to their customers and technical teams.

 

[acousticbiker]

Interesting. I spent an hour in a Verizon store after failing to activate the esim at home. My goal is to use the esim as the primary line and use the physical sim from my work phone as the secondary line. While tryin to activate the esim, something failed and essentially my iPhone X SIM card was dead, and I had no service on my 12pro. So I went to the Verizon store after an hour of repeated disconnects with Verizon tech support at home. At the Verison store (franchise) all they could do was call tech support. After about an hours worth of trouble shooting - trying to activate the esim through various methods, some tech told us - “Oh - this isn’t an issue - eSIM won’t work with Verison and iPhone 12 until 10/30”. They essentially ”reprovisioned” my old SIM card, and I popped in my 12Pro, and it worked. The customer service workers in the store seemed pretty pissed that they weren’t given a heads up to this issue.

I would love to know how you were able to activate your phone via eSIM. It seems like Verizon is providing inconsistent information to their customers and technical teams.

Hmm, sorry for all the trouble you had. I did it, as described in the posts above, via chat on the Verizon website. I put in ‘activate device’ and the bot (not a live agent) asked me whether I bought it from Verizon. After I said yes, it asked whether it was the 12 Pro I ordered. I said yes and my eSIM was activated. No QR code, no IMEI number, nothing - I was pleasantly surprised how simple it was

One detail in case it matters: I came from an 11 Pro that was eSIM and did a phone-to-phone transfer when setting up the 12 Pro. As mentioned, I did my get the official prompt to transfer the eSIM as linked above but maybe the phone-to-phone transfer set up the easy activation from there?

 

[Alohabai]

Hmm, sorry for all the trouble you had. I did it, as described in the posts above, via chat on the Verizon website. I put in ‘activate device’ and the bot (not a live agent) asked me whether I bought it from Verizon. After I said yes, it asked whether it was the 12 Pro I ordered. I said yes and my eSIM was activated. No QR code, no IMEI number, nothing - I was pleasantly surprised how simple it was

One detail in case it matters: I came from an 11 Pro that was eSIM and did a phone-to-phone transfer when setting up the 12 Pro. As mentioned, I did my get the official prompt to transfer the eSIM as linked above but maybe the phone-to-phone transfer set up the easy activation from there?

Interesting. You said you had a prompt to enter your digital sim number?

 

[vanburen982]

Hmm, sorry for all the trouble you had. I did it, as described in the posts above, via chat on the Verizon website. I put in ‘activate device’ and the bot (not a live agent) asked me whether I bought it from Verizon. After I said yes, it asked whether it was the 12 Pro I ordered. I said yes and my eSIM was activated. No QR code, no IMEI number, nothing - I was pleasantly surprised how simple it was

One detail in case it matters: I came from an 11 Pro that was eSIM and did a phone-to-phone transfer when setting up the 12 Pro. As mentioned, I did my get the official prompt to transfer the eSIM as linked above but maybe the phone-to-phone transfer set up the easy activation from there?

From a certain point of view, that makes sense. But that also lets me know that the eSIM is in fact enabled. So, I’ll give it another shot once the initial group of activations die down. Thanks for the insight.

 

[acousticbiker]

Interesting. You said you had a prompt to enter your digital sim number?

No, was never asked to enter that. In fact, the only way I knew it was my eSIM that was activated (and not the physical) was by cross-checking the IMEI listed under my Verizon account after activation with the digital IMEI in iPhone settings

 

[meDANOcine]

I am having some trouble as well. On a business account, so couldn't use the automated system online, we have to call during weekday hours, and I wasn't given the option to transfer during setup. So I waited until today, called, they de-provisioned my old phone (that was using an eSIM), then told me they couldn't activate the eSIM on the new 12 pro because the ICCID/IMEI combo was listed as incompatible in their system. Made it to level 2 tech support, where they ended up submitting a ticket to someone else to review the issue. Now I'm stuck with no working phone and no iMessage access.

TL;DR if you're having trouble with Verizon, maybe wait until the 30th?

Interesting. I spent an hour in a Verizon store after failing to activate the esim at home. My goal is to use the esim as the primary line and use the physical sim from my work phone as the secondary line. While tryin to activate the esim, something failed and essentially my iPhone X SIM card was dead, and I had no service on my 12pro. So I went to the Verizon store after an hour of repeated disconnects with Verizon tech support at home. At the Verison store (franchise) all they could do was call tech support. After about an hours worth of trouble shooting - trying to activate the esim through various methods, some tech told us - “Oh - this isn’t an issue - eSIM won’t work with Verison and iPhone 12 until 10/30”. They essentially ”reprovisioned” my old SIM card, and I popped in my 12Pro, and it worked. The customer service workers in the store seemed pretty pissed that they weren’t given a heads up to this issue.

I would love to know how you were able to activate your phone via eSIM. It seems like Verizon is providing inconsistent information to their customers and technical teams.

 

[vanburen982]

I am having some trouble as well. On a business account, so couldn't use the automated system online, we have to call during weekday hours, and I wasn't given the option to transfer during setup. So I waited until today, called, they de-provisioned my old phone (that was using an eSIM), then told me they couldn't activate the eSIM on the new 12 pro because the ICCID/IMEI combo was listed as incompatible in their system. Made it to level 2 tech support, where they ended up submitting a ticket to someone else to review the issue. Now I'm stuck with no working phone and no iMessage access.

TL;DR if you're having trouble with Verizon, maybe wait until the 30th?

Ouch. So are they saying the issue is because it’s a business account?

 

[meDANOcine]

Ouch. So are they saying the issue is because it’s a business account?

Actually they don't know what the issue is. I couldn't use the automated system that others were reporting success with because it is a business account. Their internal system wouldn't accept the IMEI as valid, saying it was incompatible with the Verizon network. When I hear back on the ticket I'll try to update so everyone else can benefit.

 

[BrianInMD]

Actually they don't know what the issue is. I couldn't use the automated system that others were reporting success with because it is a business account. Their internal system wouldn't accept the IMEI as valid, saying it was incompatible with the Verizon network. When I hear back on the ticket I'll try to update so everyone else can benefit.

I had the same issue - ticket opened Saturday, and updated this morning. I got my phone direct through Apple, with a T-Mobile SIM. Since it was not a "Verizon" phone, the eSIM ID was not yet updated in Verizon's database. Once the backend team got my ticket and added my device ID to their systems, it activated with no problem. Definitely frustrating, as most reps didn't know anything about the issue and I went in circles for quite a while. I suspect they'll mass-add the device ID's over the next week or so, but for anyone else with the same problem, have tier 2 submit a ticket to add your device ID.

 

[meDANOcine]

I had the same issue - ticket opened Saturday, and updated this morning. I got my phone direct through Apple, with a T-Mobile SIM. Since it was not a "Verizon" phone, the eSIM ID was not yet updated in Verizon's database. Once the backend team got my ticket and added my device ID to their systems, it activated with no problem. Definitely frustrating, as most reps didn't know anything about the issue and I went in circles for quite a while. I suspect they'll mass-add the device ID's over the next week or so, but for anyone else with the same problem, have tier 2 submit a ticket to add your device ID.

This seems to be the key. Even the tier 2 rep didn't know this was the problem, but a little searching from last year's threads revealed it to be an annual issue. I just checked the BYOD checker and it now recognizes my IMEI as an esim, so hopefully I'll get the all clear soon. For anyone else, just skip straight to asking them to whitelist the IMEI. Verizon seriously needs to create a support document for their reps about this.