Skip to main content
Forum FAQ's
cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

If I lose my phone abroad, can I download an eSim?

hotjambalaya
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

‎01-09-2025 06:56 PM

My last info on this is pretty old, so just wondering if someone can tell me, some time ago I had conflicting advice from EE:

1st I was told that they'd have to mail me a QR code to my home address for me to scan (very handy whilst I'm abroad!)

2nd I was told that I'd be able to log into my EE account online and scan a QR code, and be set up -WHILST still abroad

3rd I was told that 2 wasnt possible, because of data privacy.

 

So, very simply, If I'm in a foreign country and break/lose/have stollen my phone, can I buy a new phone, and just online scan a QR code and have my account re-activated? Or am I going to have to get someone to go to my house, find mail from EE, and then have it couriered to the far east?!

0 Helpful
4 REPLIES 4
bristolian
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

‎01-09-2025 08:53 PM

There are some complications with activating a new SIM whilst already abroad, and for all intents you should consider yourself offline until you return to the UK.

A physical SIM can only be obtained whilst in the UK, whilst an eSIM has some "catch 22" elements to an activation that are tricky to resolve abroad.

hotjambalaya
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
In response to bristolian

‎01-09-2025 09:35 PM

Thanks for the reply! 

Ok it seems that my only realistic way would be to have a replacement physical sim sent to my home, and then physically mailed to me...

I'm away for 4 months, so I'm kinda hoping if something happens its not early in the trip!

0 Helpful
Michael_D
EE Community Support Team
In response to hotjambalaya

‎02-09-2025 08:35 AM

Hi @hotjambalaya 

Following on from what @bristolian has mentioned, the physical SIM would be the only realistic option if the worst was to happen.

There is a way to change to eSIM within the EE app, but it will require you to have your current SIM active to receive a PIN to verify the request, plus it may not work when abroad even if that was possible.

Michael

Schockwave
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

‎02-09-2025 12:19 PM

@Michael_D , just to add, when the physical SIM card is sent to your home address, please make sure that it is first activated in the uk, that is that the person sending it out to you, puts it in a device first, to make sure that it is activated, just to be on the safe side.

To contact EE customer service dial 150 from your mobile phone or ring customer service for free using web based app or another phone: +44 800 079 8586 or +44 800 956 6000.