o2 eSim to eSim transfer NIGHTMARE!

[Shabbadoof]

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of a nightmare at the moment and I'm hopeful someone can perhaps help or give me some advice on how I can resolve it.

My existing phone is an iPhone 12 and I've now got an iPhone 16. The iPhone 12 has an eSim on it which has worked fine for months and I wanted to transfer that to the new phone.

Tried to transfer it during the setup of the new phone and it kept failing, fine OK I'll try and do it manually.

That doesn't work so I go into a store to see if they can help (the Leeds Trinity one) however because my account has sent me too many verification codes today they can't get into it and my account is locked out (and still seems to be) if I try and login on a new device I get told 'We can't send you anymore codes. Get in touch if you need help' so both the My02 app on my new phone or using safari on it won't let me move any further forward so I'm at a dead end there and they've told me to wait until the lock has been removed from my account which could take 2 hours, could take 24hrs etc.

so dead end there.

I then go onto X and connect with o2 and speak to someone there. They create a new order for me this afternoon of an eSim which has now deactivated my old eSim in my iphone 12 and the order appears to be stuck in processing so when I go onto 'Install Your sim' on My02 nothing is there for me to do.

I'm at a loss at what I should do next. 

I can't ring / data / text anyone on my iPhone 12 as they have cut my existing eSim off.

IF the order completes for the replacement eSim is it not going to want to send a verification code to my existing number which now no longer works before it lets me do anything

I can't even setup my02 on the new iPhone 16 because when I go to login (and when verification codes can be sent to me again) it will send that to my existing number which I no longer have access to.

Your Sim page is currently showing - 

Unable to make changes

Because there are some changes underway on your account, you can’t make any changes on this page at the moment.

I've also rang o2 tonight who basically just said it's best to do nothing and let the existing order complete.

Help.... anyone?? lol

[hilo]

It's good to hear that you are ok now! I hope they will handle my eSIM soon.

[Cleoriff]

I've read this thread with great interest and am sure of a couple of things

1) I will NEVER try an esim in my phone.

2) I will NEVER request a physical sim replacement over the phone.

So that means, I'm hoping my current physical sim lasts forever. 😂

Why, for the love of god, do O2 think it's a good idea to disable your current sim when you request a new one? I know our manager @Kei-M_O2, told us we can no longer request a physical sim online due to fraud, so this practice must have something to do with that?

It seems they are giving O2 store staff a lot more responsibility, as that is the suggested way forward (if you don't want to be cut off for days!)

Going instore would cause further issues for me in terms of photo ID.

I no longer drive, so don't have a driving licence. My husband is my designated driver.

My passport expired 4 years ago when I was told I couldn't travel abroad for medical reasons

I DO have a photo ID on my blue badge disabled card (For parking)

However, I've not been told that the store would accept that as proof of ID.

Maybe @Kei-M_O2 could confirm whether the store staff would accept the blue badge cards?

Otherwise, I'm stuck with the sim I have until the end of time 😂

[hilo]

This is also super strange to me. Orange, for example, generates a QR code for eSIM for you, and when you activate it, the old card is deactivated. 

And why is the SIM swap even taking so long?

[Oxonian]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

I've read this thread with great interest and am sure of a couple of things

1) I will NEVER try an esim in my phone.

2) I will NEVER request a physical sim replacement over the phone.

So that means, I'm hoping my current physical sim lasts forever. 😂

Why, for the love of god, do O2 think it's a good idea to disable your current sim when you request a new one? I know our manager @Kei-M_O2, told us we can no longer request a physical sim online due to fraud, so this practice must have something to do with that?

It seems they are giving O2 store staff a lot more responsibility, as that is the suggested way forward (if you don't want to be cut off for days!)

Going instore would cause further issues for me in terms of photo ID.

I no longer drive, so don't have a driving licence. My husband is my designated driver.

My passport expired 4 years ago when I was told I couldn't travel abroad for medical reasons

I DO have a photo ID on my blue badge disabled card (For parking)

However, I've not been told that the store would accept that as proof of ID.

Maybe @Kei-M_O2 could confirm whether the store staff would accept the blue badge cards?

Otherwise, I'm stuck with the sim I have until the end of time 😂

---

Did you vote in the General election @Cleoriff and, if so, what photo ID did you use for that purpose ? 

I believe that folks without photo ID could apply to their local authority for an identity card to facilitate them voting. I wonder if O2 will accept those cards ?

Having said that, last time I did a SIM-swap at an O2 retail store - which has closed down in the interim - the agent did not ask for any photo ID even though I had taken three different items with me ! 👍 

[Cleoriff]

@Oxonian 

I didn't have a photo ID to vote. I'm not sure that would be acceptable anyway as the Voting ID card was for a specific day.

The blue badge holder cards are for a year and you reapply when they run out. They have your photo on one side and on the back have the date and council code.

[Oxonian]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

I didn't have a photo ID to vote. I'm not sure that would be acceptable anyway as the Voting ID card was for a specific day.

---

I suppose @Cleoriff that it is up to O2 whether or not they accept them.

Knowing how O2 retail stores operate, there is bound to be inconsistency ! 😀  

[Cleoriff]

Having checked via PM with @Kei-M_O2, he has asked if there is any leeway re ID.

The answer is no. It's driving licence or passport only.

So that's me up the creek if I need a new sim. 😖

[Enlli]

@Cleoriff Just have to ring customers services fifteen or sixteen times in the hope you get an agent who knows what they are doing 

[pgn]

@Kei-M_O2 has said elsewhere the Social Media team can also fulfil these requests, so FB it is @Cleoriff - and a wait with no phone service while Royal Mail gets your new SIM card to you...

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Tech-Support/Got-new-IPhone-16-changed-sim-to-e-sim-amp-locked-out-of/...

[Cleoriff]

@Enlli @pgn 

This is the time when we all miss the advisors who helped us on this forum.

If I need a new sim, I've no intention of going through customer service or the social media team just to be cut off whilst a new sim is posted out.

I've given nearly 12 years to this forum, so I'll ask our forum manager to sort it for me.

No idea if that will work but it's worth a try. 😊