How to get an esim?

[answerthepho]

Hi all

I've just joined ee with a new PAYG sim. It didn't come with any QR codes. I've registered and logged into my ee (app and website) but I can't find an esim option anywhere. How do you get an esim? Thanks

[chistery · Accepted solution]

Hi @answerthepho 

EE do not support eSIMs on PAYG at this time.

[intellix]

EE, please update your documentation. Ordered a SIM only, set it up, paid £10 for data, texts and calls and wasted about an hour crawling through the app menus and documentation wondering where the button was for downloading the eSIM. Now I find out that I wasted £10 because I can't get one. I already have a physical SIM.

The documention doesn't ever mention that PAYG isn't supported at all.

[James_B]

Thanks for your feedback @intellix

I'm sorry to hear you weren't aware eSIM's weren't available with pay as you go at the time of placing your order.

James

[XRaySpeX]

@intellix : What documentation implied you can get an eSIM on PAYG? Linky please?

[intellix]

- Apple says EE supports eSIM in the UK: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT209096
- I don't see what PAYG/Monthly has to do with changing a physical sim card to a virtual one (but I don't really know how it works so there's that)

On this page, are some quotes that made me believe I could get it: https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrading/setting-up-an-esim/what-is-an-esim 

- "you can get a new eSIM by going to My EE" 

- "If you’ve ordered an eSIM for a SIM only plan with us, you’ll be able to download your eSIM from My EE. " - I had ordered a SIM card to my house, at which point I topped it up with £10, as the app was in a continous loop saying an error had occured after login (I assumed I needed to activate the SIM before the app worked but after it still failed, a re-install got me into it).

A few quotes from this page: https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrading/setting-up-an-esim/how-do-i-use-dual-si... 

"It's easy to order a new or replacement eSIM - You can also get a new line for your eSIM if you want a second number or you can order an eSIM for your existing line that you currently use with a physical SIM.".

I feel like it should all be prefixed with a line of text: "Note: eSIM is only available on Pay Monthly Plans. Once you have a plan, the button will activate"

Or in the app, the button should have been there, but disabled with a tooltip: "Only available on Pay Monthly plans".

[XRaySpeX]

PAYG/Contract has everything to do with it even if Apple is ignorant of EE's stance on it. EE just won't supply an eSIM conversion of an EE PAYG SIM.

"A SIM-Only Plan" is a contract, not just a PAYG SIM.

[sranee7]

“What documentation implied you can get an eSIM on PAYG? Linky please?”

Conversely, what documentation implied you CAN’T get an eSIM on PAYG? Linky please?

EE provides an entire page to explaining eSIMs and how to get them but says absolutely nothing on that page about it being limited to contracts. The people that need the functionality (e.g. travelers that MOST benefit from PAYG) can’t get it , weird stance from EE and seemingly every other UK company. 

[chistery]

It does say it here (though maybe it's recently been added)

Are all EE customers able to use an eSIM on iPhone? 

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Are all EE customers able to use an eSIM on iPhone?

eSIM is currently only available to EE Pay Monthly customers.

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[intellix]

must be recent because it wasn't there in July: https://web.archive.org/web/20220703155927/https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrad...

To be honest the help section is vast and it needs to be included on most pages that mentions an eSIM IMO. Also on that note, thanks for adding that section cause it will help future people 🙂