how to tranfer phone number to a sim-free iphone

[tanyamon88]

Hi, I've got a sim-free iphone, but still want to use an EE sim card. Anyone know the process to link the phone number with the phone, without using a sim card?

[Chris_B]

@tanyamon88  you can not setup an eSim when outside the UK as it’ll not receive the information activate.     

[tanyamon88]

ok, thanks. 

[XRaySpeX]

& if you're not a UK resident just visiting UK for a trip, you won't be able to get a contract SIM but only PAYG (pre-paid) for which eSIMs are not yet available.

[Theo77]

If you have an old iPhone, I would recommend putting the UK EE sim into this and then following my steps to transfer. If that doesn’t work you’ll have to order an ESIM QR code from EE, that might work via the website, and scan that with the new phone. Or you could install the EE app on the new phone and possibly install the eSIM from there, but you’d have had to order it already.

update: you should be able to get hold of the ESIM digitally, without coming to the UK, by one of several methods. So one unavailable option for you is the ESIM QR code by post, but I think that is not the only option.

[Theo77]

Sorry, I overlooked the fact you might be on pay as you go, that would indeed stop you getting an eSIM, and I’m not sure about activation outside the UK.

but I can’t confirm, I have installed esim for other countries. When not being there, but don’t know about EE specifically