eSIM Swap FAILURE

[jkwelsh]

I have  Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, it had my VF eSIM activated.

I purchased a new phone - A Galaxy Fold3, and wanted to transfer my eSIM from old phone to new phone.

Using the My Vodafone app on the Note 20, I went through all the steps to carry out a SIM Swap, and at the end of the process received the QR code via the app.

Went to my Fold3 - eSIM, Add mobile plan.  Scanned the QR code from my Note 20, and thats as far as I got.

Ive now been without any operating SIM since the 1st September, and Im going around in circles with the VF Tech Team - We will cancel the SIM Swap, and get you a physical SIM, which you can then convert to an eSIM on the new phone, but it will take up to 24 hours.  That was three days ago, and they still cant cancel the SIM swap request.  Apparently there is an "Open Order" for a SIM swap, and no one has been able to figure out a way to close it, despite trying, and submitting manual requests etc.

When I scanned the new QR code onto the Fold3, I got the following error message - "Your mobile plan is already being used by another device.  For more information contact your service provider.  Error Code SVR_8.1.1/3.8"

My SIM no longer registers on the network, and anyone calling the number gets a permanently engaged tone 😡

I've been a VF customer for 20 years, and have had my number for just as long.

Now Im unable to access anything that has 2 Factor Authentication set up - Banking, security, Network, PayPal etc.  And to change the number to a new number, you need - yeap, the original number working to pass the 2FA security 👎

Im so p!ssed off at VF right now Im ready to terminate my contracts.......

Anyone had similar problems when swapping an eSIM to a new phone??

John.

[jkwelsh]

Update Day 27.5

Service has been restored, as of lunchtime today.

Monitoring closely to see if it survives intact overnight. 👍

Thanks to the numerous support teams who have been working to resolve this.

John.

[jkwelsh]

Update Day 30

Im happy to report that the service has been up and running without any further issues since the 27th, and I have now closed the complaint with VFUK.

It was a painful experience of what happens when things go wrong, but Im just glad its been resolved, and 2FA services restored.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this tread 👍

👋👋👋

John.

[pahardie]

I fear I am just at the start of this journey, I appreciate the efforts you've gone to recording all this.

I tried to swap my esim today to a new phone and failed and now am without service. They say they cannot do anything as there is an active swap in progress.

I fear I might be starting your process. It is just so poor and no one knows what they are doing, it beggers belief. Im encouraged you got yours fixed but worried it's going to take me as much effort.

[jkwelsh]

It took almost a month to get mine sorted in the end, and that was calling every day and bombarding their public social media accounts (Facebook & Twitter) as well as emailing the CEO.  In the end it was sorted after intervention of a senior tech that I’m friends with.

Every time Customer Service  tried something, the “wait 24 hours and it will all be sorted “ card was played.  Talk about Groundhog Day….

In the end, after a lot of effort, they found that an international SIM card in physical slot 1, had corrupted the eSIM activation process.

What phone are you transferring the eSIM from and to, and did you have a different operators  physical SIM card in slot 1?

[WelshPaul]

While the international SIM may (not so sure it did) have corrupted the eSIM activation process, Vodafone should have been able to issue another eSIM 24 hours (LOL) after the last one. The fact that you experienced what you did shows that Vodafone have no idea what they are doing, and that their backend systems are a mess!

[pahardie]

I have been considerably luckier than yourself I think, touch wood they provided another esim - 3rd one - and it scanned and installed and so far so good. I had 3-4 hours with CS yesterday and they just didn't have a clue to be honest. One guy said to get a new  esim (baring in mind my original esim had been suspended) they'd send me out a new physical sim so that I could do 2fa and log into the website.

Thankfully someone a little more 'pragmatic' sent it out in a PDF form and this time it worked. I hope I don't really ever want to swap esims again as it is too difficult and you are without your phone number for at minimum 1 day. 

I got a result I think but it was through luck rather than confidence anyone I spoke to actually knew what they were doing. I get esim is relatively new to vodafone but it is really janky.

[jkwelsh]

Glad you got it sorted so quickly 🙂

My VF account became corrupted in the process, so even replacing with a physical SIM failed 😐  In the end my whole account had to be deleted (all phones and data SIMs) and rebuild from scratch.

Everything's been good since they sorted the issue at the end of September 👍

[MONKEYFACE6840]

Hey! I know it’s been a while since you’ve posted about your sim swap but I wanted to ask how you sorted it. I’m on day 8 now and going through the same thing. I’m sick of hearing another 24hrs and then being told the same thing everyday. I’ve made numerous complaints and nothing has been done. I’ve also abandoned the esim swap and actually had a physical sim activated in store but that’s stuck in open too and going no where. 

[pahardie]

Very long story short I am now with ee.

The whole esim situation with Vodafone is a joke. None of the advisors know anything about them.

I tried the same as you may esim request got stuck for no clear reason so my number was unavailable for a while. I tried to go to a store to switch to a physical sim but they couldn't provision that as the number wasn't available as was stuck in the esim process.

I also couldn't request my pac as the number wasn't available.

I just kept on at them I'm afraid. It doesn't take 24 hours at all that was total bs. So every time they told me it was I argued the ##~##.

When I eventually got someone who knew what they were doing it literally came through while I was on the phone with them.

I literally immediately asked for my pac and moved the next day to EE. Who are far from perfect - in fact they had to post me out a qr code for the esim 🤣🤣.

But yeah no real advice. If you find a good advisor get their names and keep going back to them. I had so many promises from some clowns that they'd own the ticket and call back. Nothing.

Sorry not helpful but hope you get your number back and when you do get your PAC and get out of there.

[MONKEYFACE6840]

Thank you… that’s the plan for me. I’ve been with Vodafone as long I can remember but this has wiped me out. I was going to swap next month anyway but this has definitely made my mind up.