topic Where has the eSIM download facility gone? in Archived Posts

Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

timallen803 — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 06:16:14 GMT

I have just changed iPhones and discovered (to my cost) that the eSIM download functionality has disappeared from both the myEE web access and app. I am now stuck outside UK with no prospect of getting a new iPhone working on my UK mobile number..... The previous system worked really well when I originally installed the eSIM, and went dual SIM - all done successfully from outside UK. But now....?

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

Chris_B — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 07:26:16 GMT

@timallen803 You’ll probably find it’s been removed because of an issue. Once it’s resolved it’ll be back.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

timallen803 — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 09:16:47 GMT

I am sure that is the case....but EE really do need to be more transparent - not only with customers but also their own support staff who as of the past few days seemed blissfully unaware. Thanks for the reply @Chris_B

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

Lustral — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 09:22:02 GMT

I have contacted EE via webchat and they are sending me one out tomorrow hopefully. Also free of charge and not £1.50.

Try speaking to the technical team on webchat and they should sort you out.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

timallen803 — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 10:32:41 GMT

@Lustral thanks. I had one session with them a couple of days back, but they were still denying that facility had gone - so it got me nowhere. I shall try again.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

petehardie — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 12:56:04 GMT

I've just joined EE, went to swap my physical sim to an esim - get charged £1.50 and told it can take 5-7 working days for the esim to arrive by post! Immediate regret joining now. I thought vodafone were bad, but at least they don't charge you for new esims and make them available within a couple of minutes via email or to download.

Thankfully still within my cooling off period

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

Lustral — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 13:33:52 GMT

Fingers crossed it is only temporary. Have you tried to webchat ? Hopefully im getting mine send out by tomorrow.

When i did mine initially, it was pretty instant and only cost 50p.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

petehardie — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 14:04:18 GMT

Thanks, just did a live chat - said my request was on the system and probably will take about 5 working days to be posted out to me. They said they never issue esims electronically because it has to go to a persons home address for security reasons - this of course is nonsense. They said they would refund the £1.50 so that is something.

The concept of sending an esim in the post is quite funny if it wasn't so ridiculous.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

Lustral — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 14:11:07 GMT

Yeah it is a bit silly having to wait for an eSIM to be posted out. Surely by logging into MyEE online is enough, or at least when doing the webchat they can verify you by asking questions about your account.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

timallen803 — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 16:32:14 GMT

As I have been operating outside UK for many months now, I can categorically state that the former eSIM download system via the MyEE app worked a treat - so why has it been arbitrarily removed with no explanation? Come on EE - is anyone monitoring this community?

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

petehardie — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 16:57:32 GMT

I wouldn't mind if people actually knew what was going on. Live chat just said I should have chosen electronic delivery during the request process (there wasn't such an option), then the nice chap on the phone told me all operators now post things like esims as they have to make sure it goes to the billing address (lol) and then finally found someone who knew the service was down and postage was a last resort.

Have to say on day 4 of being with EE I'm not very impressed but hey lets stick with it, looking forward to my contract and bill being delivered on a rolled up piece of ancient parchment delivered by horse and cart.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

uvarvu — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 21:17:10 GMT

I’m hoping that a facility is being added to allow for offline activation, for example in situations where you have deactivated your old sim before activating the new one. The charge should also be removed.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

timallen803 — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 11:28:41 GMT

All I am asking EE for is to get back to where we were a couple of week's ago, i.e. a simple eSIM download and off you go....?

In the absence of any useful information I am off to investigate whether any of the competition can do better - because as of now (without a functioning SIM) I am paying rather too much for zero service.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

petehardie — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 11:57:32 GMT

I moved from Vodafone recently to EE so getting esims by post is a bit alien / backwards. Vodafone have a page on their website where you can do esim swaps pretty easily and it emails the esim as an attachment once its all set up usually takes a minute or two. Can take longer. But I'm forever moving phones so having to wait for the postman every time need to swap my SIM isn't going to work really.

Vodafone aren't perfect but that part worked well Vs carrier pigeon EE option.

I have been into an EE store today and actually got sorted. They didn't know anything about currently not being able to do this on line so the whole setup is a bit amateur.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

Lustral — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 18:31:21 GMT

Well still post with the eSIM today. Guess i will have to wait. I think i might stick to physical SIM cards now.

Re: Where has the eSIM download facility gone?

malcoski — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 19:49:31 GMT

Same issue here, upgraded to a new iPhone whilst abroad. Esim Transfer did not work and the old sim auto deactivated in the process and no option to download, after three days of calls and searching finally found one service tech who knew the system was down. They refuse to put any notification on the app or replacement page as they obviously prefer wasting peoples time whilst they find this out.

No option for anyone to manually get a copy of the QR code to send out as 'computer says no'

Really bad form, and no sign of this being fixed any time soon.