Automatic Network Selection not working In EU with iphone using electronic SIM

[daweller24]

Just spent a frustrating 2 weeks in EU, went on a tour with my partner on our Motorcycle. 

We used my iPhone 16 as the main navigation system, but the electronic SIM constantly failed to find any carrier. I had to manually search and find one. Then redo the search again when it has lost contact! Yet my partner's older iPhone 12 with a normal sim had no issues at all. Always finding a provider with a strong signal?

Is there a way to resolve this without having to add a standard sim?

Thanks

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

A physical SIM would enable you to swap SIMs between phones, and see if the problem followed the SIM or remained with the specific phone model.

If you have two different models of phone - presumably running different software versions, there's 2 sets of variables here.

[daweller24]

From searching WWW it appears it may be a known issue with electronic SIM's 

Think I will ask EE for a normal SIM for next time

[daweller24]

Spoke to EE today; all they can offer is a physical SIM. 

What is the point of an e-SIM? And why does the one in my watch work fine but not the one in the phone?

[bristolian]

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@daweller24 wrote:

What is the point of an e-SIM?

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The purpose of an eSIM is to free up your physical SIM slot!