eSIM on EE PAYG -due to new iPhone 15 setup

[Noord1]

With the launch of the new iPhone 15 yesterday (September 12, 2023), Apple has switched to no physical SIM slot in some markets (including the USA)—those markets only allow you to run eSIMs on the iPhone 15. 

***Question: When will EE allow PAYG customers to switch to eSIM?***

I planned to order a new iPhone 15 but my understanding is that (currently) only EE monthly customers can switch from physical SIM to eSIM. I'm based in the USA but travel to the UK regularly. I've had an EE PAYG SIM for years and it works great (on my iPhone 13, Line 1 is my USA eSIM and line 2 is the physical EE PAYG SIM). I'd prefer to stick with a USA-spec iPhone 15 as I want to prioritize the 5G/4G frequencies for the USA (as that's where I'm based)—and it's cheaper to buy an iPhone 15 in the USA. But to do that, I need EE to offer eSIM with PAYG.

Thanks for your help. 

[Chris_B]

@Noord1  EE will announce this when they allow it. They will not give you a heads up when they plan to release it,    At present it’s not available and that’s all the information you’ll get. 

[Noord1]

Thanks, @Chris_B

Hopefully that comes soon. I'd like to order a new iPhone 15 Pro but I can't use it until EE switches to eSIM on PAYG. 

[Rseal]

Same exact situation for me. Super disappointing as I've also been a long time EE PAYG customer.

[Rseal]

Just got back from a trip, and you can actually get an EE PAYG eSIM at the SIM-Local stores at LHR. Their kiosk (the one I used was at one of their physical stores at T3 vs. one of the standalone kiosks) was super simple to use. 30 GBP for 30gigs of data + new eSIM. You're still limited to 4G like other PAYG phones, but you're able to register the # on an EE account and top up going forward. Worked out to 20 GBP for the plan and 10 GBP for SIM-Local to sell it to you.

I did have some issues that caused me to need to engage EE support to get it listed on my account, but my understanding is there were some complications with their new account profile system and my existing EE SIM on it.

So this won't let you move your SIM to eSIM, but folks new to EE can get a PAYG this way.

[Noord1]

Interesting. Thank you for posting. To confirm, this was an eSIM for an iPhone/phone (NOT a data eSIM for a iPad/tablet)? 

[Rseal]

Yep, iPhone 15 w/ eSIM that included SMS, calls, and 30gigs data.

[Noord1]

Great. Thanks!