New esim - setting up - moving from iPhone 10 to iPhone 12ro

[boxbeck77]

I’ve just received an esim and am setting up my new iPhone . I need to know if I should set it up using my current iPhone 10 or put the existing sim in my new iPhone 12 and set up the esim from there. Which method please? Many thanks!

[MI5]

You can remove it now @boxbeck77 

It should be dead anyway.

[boxbeck77]

Thanks. I tried removing it but got the message “no sim” so have put it back in. It’s about 3.5 hours since I set up the esim, so I guess I’ll just have to be patient. Nightmare trying to speak to someone at o2, they clearly don’t want you to call them. Cheers

[MI5]

Just be patient @boxbeck77 

Reboot every half hour or so.

[boxbeck77]

Good morning! Rebooted this morning and still no service. 11am will be 24 hours since I started the esim process. Not sure how to get to speak to an O2 technician, but will search for a landline number. Is it worth scanning the qr code with the phone before I do this? Or does it run the risk of losing my mobile number? Cheers

[MI5]

@boxbeck77 

QR code should have been scanned as part of the swap process. 

Landline numbers here Guide: Coronavirus Community Help and Support 

[boxbeck77]

I have a horrible feeling I screwed up. I have scanned the code and now have ended up with a secondary connection which does not have my mobile number! Any bright ideas how I can get my number transferred?

[MI5]

You'll need to call O2 now @boxbeck77 

Just ask them to transfer your number to the eSim.

They open at 8.00am

[boxbeck77]

Thanks MI5. I am all sorted now. I spoke to someone in Customer Services who confirmed that the only phone number associated with the esim is my existing number. So I removed the old sim and the secondary connection has now become primary!

I have looked again at the instructions on the esim to see how I went wrong. I did misread them but They don’t actually quite match up to what happens on the iPhone. Because I had inserted the physical sim from my previous phone, scanning the code with the camera on the new phone would lead to setting up a secondary connection which would have confused me mightily! Anyway this is all water under the bridge but it would have been better if o2 had decent step by step instructions for someone in my position; I cannot be unique! Thanks again for your support and prompt attention! Cheers

[MI5]

Glad you are sorted @boxbeck77 

Yes indeed, you set up the eSim as secondary and then do the sim swap.

Your physical sim dies when the swap commences which you can then remove as it's no longer functioning.

The phone then only sees one connection on the eSim.

If you want a second line now, you can place another active sim in the sim slot and the phone will detect this and run you through a setup routine.