Activating an E-Sim

[Annie_M]

I just saw this “how-to” from a post by Apple Support on Twitter:

https://youtu.be/g5j7ILjx-BI

 

[kataran]

Looks straight forward. I like the idea that as soon as my new device E-Sim is set-Up my old device physical Sim will cease to operate automatically

My Question is do I setup my E-Sim before I transfer my data over????

 

[tadpoles]

Thank you Annie. I work in IT support and think that’s another good tool to be able to share.

 

[doogald]

My Question is do I setup my E-Sim before I transfer my data over????

If you have Verizon, based on my experience with the 13 Pro last year, yes, they suggest skipping transfer, activate the eSIM (and turn off Find My on your old phone and turn off the old phone first), then one of the next steps is again asking to restore from iCloud or iTunes, or doing the direct device transfer (and if you do this, obviously you turn the old phone back on again.)

 

[kataran]

If you have Verizon, based on my experience with the 13 Pro last year, yes, they suggest skipping transfer, activate the eSIM (and turn off Find My on your old phone and turn off the old phone first), then one of the next steps is again asking to restore from iCloud or iTunes, or doing the direct device transfer (and if you do this, obviously you turn the old phone back on again.)

Thanks should be the same advice for T-Mobile

 

[tcuprof]

My switch from iPhone 13 to 14 was quite simple. The 14 asked, do you want to activate the esim on this phone? When I said yes, it notified me that the old phone would no longer have cell service. I then gave is the okay to go ahead, and then it made completed the activation. I think the only thing remaining was to provide a pin to my carrier authorizing the change. It was very easy and and very fast.

 

[kataran]

My switch from iPhone 13 to 14 was quite simple. The 14 asked, do you want to activate the esim on this phone? When I said yes, it notified me that the old phone would no longer have cell service. I then gave is the okay to go ahead, and then it made completed the activation. I think the only thing remaining was to provide a pin to my carrier authorizing the change. It was very easy and and very fast.

It was simple for me as well and I saw something about a PIN but ignored it

What is that Pin For???

 

[doogald]

It was simple for me as well and I saw something about a PIN but ignored it

What is that Pin For???

I know that carriers ask you now to create a PIN for your account to help prevent SIM hijacking attacks. So, if somebody calls the carrier and asks for a new SIM for your number, to try to hijack your number, the carrier now asks for a PIN number as an extra level of security.

 

[kataran]

I know that carriers ask you now to create a PIN for your account to help prevent SIM hijacking attacks. So, if somebody calls the carrier and asks for a new SIM for your number, to try to hijack your number, the carrier now asks for a PIN number as an extra level of security.

Oh ok that’s a good idea

Thanks

 

[Annie_M]

I was just reading this thread on iMore's Sister Forum Android Central, and thought several of you might find it interesting. It's about e-sims, and using multiple e-sims:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/s...tra/1050033-apple-esim-cards.html#post7102357

 

[doogald]

FWIW, I did use multiple eSIMs on my 13 Pro last January when I was traveling, with the second SIM being a local data-only SIM. It worked just fine.

Weirdly, though, I am back on a physical SIM after my 13 Pro needed a repair and I needed to use my backup phone, a X, which doesn't have an eSIM. I had to get a physical SIM from Verizon, and then just moved that back to the 13 Pro when I got it back from repair. At some point I'm going to convert back to eSIM (but I was traveling again a few weeks ago with a local eSIM that, again, worked just great with the physical SIM at the same time.).

eSIM is a little more secure from loss/stealing - if somebody finds your phone, they can remove a physical SIM and turn off mobile data for the phone. You can't if you use an eSIM.

 

[rlacrossjr]

Both mine simple i phone 12 one with eSIM other with SIM. Just did the phone to phone transfer, asks I’d want to transfer number. Simple.