ESim on new Apple Iphone 14 Pro - NIGHTMARE NEVER HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM BEFORE

[BARBARELLA]

Got my shiny new Iphone 14 Pro this morning - a usually happy experience getting a new device. But no. I'm now so frustrated. No ESim pack, no QR code, Mobile Data activation in the phone says enter serial number of a plastic SIM I don't have, or set up via a QR code in a eSIM pack I don't have. I'm going round in circles looking at instructions that make no sense and can't activate or install the esim on my iphone despite my account info is saying the esim is active.

I don't want to drive 30 miles into a damn store - that's the whole point of having the thing delivered to your door!

So no phone calls on the new phone. I waited ages to swap to a new phone and I now wish I'd never bothered and getting through to o2 is like driving to Mars.

And this isn't a new thing either - I can see lots and lots of problems are being had with this process - so who designed this process? No other network provider seem to have this issue.

And YES THIS IS A COMPLAINT.

[MI5]

@BARBARELLA 

This isn't O2 you are talking to.

This is a customer community.

Looks like you should contact customer service as they can help with that – message them on Social Media if that works best for you -on Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG) or call on 202 or 0344 809 0202

How to complain here https://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain

[Bambino]

@BARBARELLA You're complaining in the wrong place. This is not O2. This is a customer community. You need to speak to customer service. Download Skype if you have no phone to use: Guide: A Guide to Skype You can call the Freephone numbers.
Call 0800 902 0217 or 0800 032 1402 
When it comes to the reason you are calling, stay silent for 15 seconds and you will be taken to the keypad options.
Press 2 for Everything Else
Press 5 for More Options
Press 7 for Anything Else which will put you though to someone.
Say 'Upgrade', 'Lost/Stolen', or 'Fraud' if the suggestion above doesn't get you through.
Best time to call is 8 am.
You can also reach O2 via social media:
Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB), Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW), or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG)

[BARBARELLA]

I'm already on hold to o2 - if this is a community forum it would be nice if the community could look at this ongoing problem with esim activation and post a resolution instead of lots of useless posts about calling customer service that then leaves the customer on hold for over an hour. The fact there's such a huge community forum moaning about 02's lack of service should be a highlight to the company.

[BARBARELLA]

Oh - and I've sent a message on FB - I can see it's not been picked up, so I guess I'll just sit here with a useless £1299 telephonic device that's unable to make or receive phone calls.

[MI5]

@BARBARELLA 

We can do no more that you can so how do you expect us, the community, to resolve the problem?

We are nothing to do with O2 at all.

Customer service is a total shambles, no argument, but nothing we can do about it. 

Sorry.

[Enlli]

I'll flag one of the Account Advisors. They will send a message here

@O2Emma can you help. @BARBARELLA 

[O2Emma]

Hi @Enlli  I will pick this up thanks.

Hi @BARBARELLA I will send you a private message to look into this for you.

[gmarkj]

Sorry to ask a daft question, but why not use your old sim?

[Joneses]

eSIM for iPhone 14 Pro Max nightmare continues...

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one with this eSIM problem and frustrated at the same time that it is still very much the same issue as previous customer. 

1st attempt Aug 02: I chat online with an agent in sales and I made sure to mention that my new iPhone 14 Pro Max only takes eSIM.  The agent mention that I will have to order a SIM plan first and then contact them back for activation. 

2nd attempt Aug 04: They sent me the regular SIM cards which is no use to me. 

3rd attempt Aug 05: I try to chat with another agent and I was told that I would need an eSIM pack and it would be quicker if I go to the local shop to get an eSIM instead of him ordering one. 

4th attempt Aug 06:  The local O2 shop never answered their phone.  So I went there to find out that they are out of eSIM pack and is backlog for about 3 weeks. So I try to chat online again going thru sales chat and they have to redirect me to service chat virtual queue.  Got a hold of a service agent and agent order an eSIM card to be sent me and told me the code that I need to remember to activate the eSIM card.  

5th attempt Aug 07: Received the eSIM pack and try to install it but got an error message "Unable to Activate eSIM. You can try again or contact your network provider for assistance." 

6th attempt Aug 07: I try to chat with someone because calling wait time is an hour every time I called.  I can't seem to get a service chat so I alway have to end up chat with a sales agent.  They always end up telling that I have contacted sales and they put me back into the virtual chat queue (which is laughable at best).  Finally got through with an agent on the phone (maybe it was the time of day that I got through).  The agent said she checked their end to made sure that my eSIM is active and that I should be able to download it within 0-48hrs. And that she would call me back to check if I was able to get the eSIM activated. 

7th attempt Aug 08:  The agent never call me back and the eSIM still give me the same error message. I had to leave town and can not get wifi where I was going.  

8th attempt Aug 13: Still experiencing the same error message every time I try to install the eSIM QR Code.  So I am at my wits end and going to contact O2 and cancel the whole dang thing. 

I did some research and you can get an eSIM on compatible Pay Monthly plans from EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. You can also get a Pay As You Go eSIM from Lyca Mobile. 

According to SignalChecker there are four companies that handles eSIM with 5G availability.  And only three companies handles eSIM with 5G in my area: EE, Three and O2. 

Hopefully I have better luck with cancelling with O2 eSIM monthly plans then activating them. 

Yes, I did send this message to https://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain thanks to previous user suggestion. And I have received an auto reply..."We've received your email and will look into it as soon as possible. We'll be in touch once we've assessed the matter and we aim to do this within 7 working days".