O2 store eSIM disaster – three phones now without service

[CJD1]

Hi all,

I really need help. We have several O2 SIM-only lines. My son’s iPhone started showing repeated “SIM card failure” messages, so we were advised by O2 to switch his phone to an eSIM. The app and website instructions didn’t work, so we went to the O2 store at Bluewater to get it sorted.

We arrived with two fully working phones (mine and my wife’s) and one phone with a SIM fault (my son’s). The store adviser tried to fix my son’s by sending a verification code to my number to log in, but the text never arrived. He then sent it to my wife’s phone, which worked instantly. On that basis, he decided there must also be a problem with my eSIM — even though my phone was working fine — and said he’d replace it too.

He deleted my working eSIM and began activating two new ones: one for my son and one for me. Both failed with “Unable to activate eSIM.” A second adviser then tried to roll my son’s number back to his physical SIM, but accidentally assigned his number to my wife’s phone, immediately disabling hers as well.

We walked into the store with one phone that needed help and two that were fine. We left with three phones not working — no calls, no texts, no data — and no clear fix. The staff said it might “sort itself out,” but it hasn’t.

Has anyone else had this level of eSIM activation failure or know how to get a competent team to restore the lines quickly? Any guidance or escalation route would be appreciated.

Thanks.

@O2Sarah@O2Lisa@O2Bambino @O2Kirsty – tagging moderators in case you can escalate this, please.

[jonsie]

O2 and esims are truly awful when things go wrong

None of the tags above actually work for O2 now and have no presence on the community now

I'll tag our community manager to see if he can help you though he does have a busy inbox at the moment as he is the only one we can turn to in times of need

@Dave-O2 can you assist?

Other help here : eSIM - How to activate  

[Enlli]

As I keep saying eSIMs and O2 just don't go together, especially if it is your only line.

@CJD1 Hope this gets sorted for you

[Dave-O2]

Thanks for the tag @jonsie 

@CJD1 Can you please drop me a PM with some further details and i'll take a closer look 👍

[jonsie]