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First esim casualty, be warned everyone don't remove data plan.

Maxsquared
4: Newbie

Hi all,

I recently sim swapped my sim to an esim, as I want to take the advantage of not taking 2 phones with me everywhere for personal and work.

 

There are some downside of esim that I wasn't aware of, resulting I don't have an active number now, so I want to share my experience here and everyone don't make the same mistake.

 

I follow the instruction and activated the esim via email QR code. It took 10 mins, thank you Vodafone for making the activation almost painless. After activation, I had made a couple of test calls and online was fine, so I took out my old sim (at this point the old sim's already deactivated). Then I went to my iPhone settings to do some clean ups. Here I accidentally deleted the data plan associated with the esim as I thought it was associated with my old sim card.Then I thought no big deal, I will just scan the QR code again as suggested here: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/esim/activate-my-esim

 

Nope, by scan the QR code again doesn't work, I keep getting an error: unable to complete data plan change iphone. I had done some research online and discovered that some carriers uses generic QR codes and it can be reactivated, but some carriers like Vodafone, uses unique QR code and can be only used once. In between, I tried log back onto my Vodafone to do sim swap again, but as I don't have an active sim, I can't receive security code via text message, I tried online technical chat, a few people try to help, but seems clueless, they were surprised that Vodafone even have eSim for phones. One guy literally tried to teach me how to put a sim card in a sim tray and how to put it to the phone.

 

The final solution for me is to go to a nearby store to get a new physical sim so I can transfer it to an esim again.

 

So 2 take aways here:

1. Don't remove data plan if you are on eSim.

2. Instruction on Vodafone website is incorrect, please update: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/esim/activate-my-esim

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

TJ
Community Manager (Retired)
Community Manager (Retired)

It's great to hear that everyone managed to get sorted - if anyone needs information on setting up an eSIM, you can check our website here 👍

For more information on what we offer and the benefits of the eSIM - our news centre is a great read! 

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42 REPLIES 42

Yes, it seems silly to have to get a sim first. At least there is a way to utilize the esim on my iPhone XS now though.

 

However, the question of how you move esim between phones is concerning. Apple offers an esim transfer feature during the setup of new phones but for that feature to appear the carrier must support it first. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a clear answer on how you transfer your esim each time you get a new phone.

 

With my Apple Watch when I needed to do this in the past, it was a real pain. Vodafone couldn't understand what I needed to do, over the phone. I had to go to a store in the end and even then, it took some explaining. They got it sorted but what they had to do was an immediate cancellation of my existing esim contract for the watch and then create a new contract with the new esim number. This was fine for the watch as it doesn't matter what number is allocated to the watch as everything is forwarded to your main mobile number. But when it comes to esim for the phones, the numbers matter. I'm not sure they could do the same trick especially when sim only contracts can last up to 24 months. 

chistery
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Vodafone do say the QR code can be re-used if you delete your eSIM.

Bottom of this page.  https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/esim

That does seem a bit of a security risk though?

Ye, I saw that as well, it's incorrect, in my case anyway. You can't reuse the QR code, Vodafone should update that.

I actually spoke to them yesterday regarding this. 

You don't have to get a sim first. You can create a new sim only contract and have a direct swap to esim apparently.

 

When changing handsets you must go to your online account and do another sim swap and put in the new esim number. There will be some downtime involved when changing handsets. 2-24 hours they say.

Vodafone online operations require you to do a text message verification for sim swap, without physical sim you won’t be able to do that, so you will still have to have a physical SIM card. 

 

chistery
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/esim seems to suggest if it's a new line then you can get an eSIM straight away but if you are replacing an existing SIM, then you need access to the old SIM for security reasons.

Interesting.

 

That's not what they told me. They were quite explicit that it would all be done without a physical sim.

 

I'm planning to go through procedure so I will report back what happens.

Ye, please do, would love to know. 

Thanks, it's OK, I went to the shop and they activated another sim for me, it all working now.

@Mark, I had the same problem, how do I go about reactivating my SIM? I tried to contact via Facebook (no response) and via Twitter (average response of 1+ hour).