Need my micro SIM activating. out of UK and can not make calls and no network

[Yelwek-2020]

Hi there,

I recently got an upgrade to Iphone 16 pro. I put my old sim into the phone and then did my data transfer from old phone.

I then went to work in Europe..... tried to call the wife and kids and phone just bleeped and cut off.

I then called 150 to speak with EE and got redirected to the new Apple care team. when I told him my problem he said he thought it was because there was two sims registered on phone and told me to delete the eSim. I did this and  i now have no network or data so I'm without a phone. More want to try get this sorted as i have to travel and drive when at work so need a phone in case of emergency, and also to be able to speak with the wife and kids.

Anyway, I then went on Chat and spoke with EE customer care team. After going through all the security questions and checks, and then confirming the 2 letters asked from my account password so he could access my account,  I gave him the sim number on my micro SIM that I have in my phone, and he confirmed it was linked to my mobile number, but its de-activated since I got my new phone.

I asked him to activate it for me so I have use of my phone. but he wouldn't and said EE can't because I'm not in the UK, and to wait until I return home. (NOT HAPPY) after being with EE for over 25 years. I also can't do an eSim because I have no signal and text messages don't come through due to having no signal connection. Wifi is connected but no messages can be received or calls in or out. 

Does anyone know if  there anyway to get my sim activated or be sent the eSim activation code by another method than text message. I'm stuck in the middle of Europe "out in the sticks" with no mobile phone to be able to use. Thanks

[Chris_B]

@Yelwek-2020    You cannot activate a SIM card on a roaming network because roaming needs to be enabled and in order for that to be enabled you need a working connection.   You can not also enable the eSIM when not connected to the EE network.    Nothing will get this resolved until you are back in the UK.     You also shouldn’t have deleted the eSIM and the sim in the device wasn’t activated so wasn’t causing an issue and probably should have just been taken out the device. 

[Yelwek-2020]

EE can de-activate Sim cards so surely they can re-activate the sim card I have in my phone. there is Orange F network here where I am so can I not connect to that after sim activated? I do that each time I land anyway rather than it automatically choosing the wrong network. Other networks than the Orange F don't work always. 

Will the e SIM not just be activated online like you can do on the EE website and then turn phone off and connect to Orange F? I only got stuck trying this because it needs to send you a text message with the activation code and i cant receive texts. 

I deleted the eSIM because I was told to as it was thought having my old sim card in the phone that it was using that rather than eSIM.

[bristolian]

You can only have one SIM active on one number at any given time. If you had a working physical SIM, then changing phones is just a <2minute task of swapping the SIM from one phone to another. An electronic/embedded SIM is naturally a slightly longer process.

Deactivating a SIM can be done anytime & anywhere. There are complications with enabling one when that SIM is abroad - unless the SIM can connect to a foreign network to complete the process, then naturally you have a catch-22 situation.

[Yelwek-2020 · Accepted solution]

managed to call the EEtechnical team from a landline. Gave him my SIM reference and he has re-activated it.

Turn phone off, and take SIM card out. Put it back in switched the phone on and chose the Orange network.

All up and running and sorted. Phone is working again. WOOHOOOO.

[Ritu_D]

Thanks for letting us know @Yelwek-2020 

It's great to hear its all working now. 

Take care and have a fab day. 

Ritu