I am in India and using AirTel network. Still, no option of Cellular in setting. Is this option not made active in Indian region?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone ESim active on AT&T
- Thread starter rbalkun
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
An interesting thing happened today on my 'purchased from Apple, SIM-free' Xs Max. I don't use it as a primary device, but when I turned it on today, it popped up with an "Invalid SIM" error, even though I've got a legit AT&T SIM in the slot, but I noticed a secondary signal line under the primary bars. It was trying to use the eSIM and nanoSIM at the same time. The best part is, this phone is on 12.0.1. After a vol up/down reboot, the error went away and the phone is no longer trying to use the eSIM.
Only Americans use the term cellular. Most British English countries use the term Mobile. The settings menu reflects that. So try searching for Mobile...
[doublepost=1539922768][/doublepost]
Can operators lock devices remotely? I'd be very surprised. That would in my view be illegal. It's like your petrol station locking in your car so that you can only go there after fuelling for the first time.
I am trying to reconcile/understand "As per AT&T, the eSIM and second IMEI will follow the same locking policy as the primary IMEI. So... it can be unlocked, but only if it follows the same steps found on att.com/deviceunlock"
I had an AppleSIM in a cellular iPad that I purchased - unlocked, from Apple - and ATT "burnt" the AppleSIM to themselves the first time it was used on their network and wouldn't undo it. I ended up ordering a replacement AppleSIM from Apple and using a dedicated physical ATT SIM whenever I needed that carrier on my iPad.
It's one thing - still bad IMHO but small in comparative scope - for ATT to "take" a SIM card. It's another for them to take some part of ownership over a whole phone bought SIM free and unlocked from Apple, solely because it is provisioned via an eSIM.
Apple's support document says this is the case with devices bought via carrier - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203099 - but it's not clear what happens with Apple direct purchases. ATT's historical behavior - see https://www.recode.net/2014/10/24/1...gets-locked-to-its-network-but-says-switching -
"As for why AT&T is locking the SIM card to its network while other carriers are not, Siegel said that “it’s just simply the way we’ve chosen to do it.”
I think this is more from misinterpretation of information...from everything I have seen, carriers will have the ability to carrier lock an esim like a normal sim to keep you on a sim until you fulfill the obligations to that company, for example if you are on a payment plan with the company or are delinquent in your monthly plan, if you fulfill the obligations then they will unlock it for you, Verizon never locks their phones also so this is mostly for the other providers I think.
I thought like, if you ordered the iPhone from carrier directly, not from apple store nor apple.com, the phone is locked at first (no matter vzw, tmobile nor att). If you paid it full already, you still need to request unlock from the carrier manually. If I'm right, both att and vzw require 30-day before user can request unlock nowadays. For the locking policy he mentioned, my understanding is, if the phone is locked, both physical sim and esim are all locked. Or there is no esim option in your menu instead. You need to follow the steps to unlock both physical sim and also esim. Another possibility is, if you request to unlock your phone, both of your physical sim and esim are unlocked at same time.
BTW vzw phone is locked now. This lock is for domestic carriers only. If you want to use vzw locked phone in US, you have to use vzw. If you want to use this phone in other countries, there is no lock.
[doublepost=1539991363][/doublepost]I tweeted att support, unfortunately, they don't have beta test program for esim. Att support asked me to contact apple instead.
BTW vzw phone is locked now. This lock is for domestic carriers only. If you want to use vzw locked phone in US, you have to use vzw. If you want to use this phone in other countries, there is no lock.
[doublepost=1539991363][/doublepost]I tweeted att support, unfortunately, they don't have beta test program for esim. Att support asked me to contact apple instead.
It makes sense to keep both locked so someone can’t get a phone from their carrier and not pay then connect the esim or get a new SIM card from another carrier and pretty much get a free phone, I was under the impression that Verizon has always been unlocked but I’ve been on the apple upgrade plan for 3 years so that’s just what I remember from years ago...only thing I can say is on the Apple plan it’s unlocked because I can throw a FirstNet SIM in with no issues with the Xs Max.
I’m on att next for my personal. It will be over a year before I can unlock it as I am not paying in full. Would be great If they locked the esim to force the carrier and allowed the Verizon sim in the physical slot. I’m ok with work but it’s the locking of the phone not allowing me to use both slots.
I'm finally glad to see that we don't have to wait till the end of the year for this.
Doubt that...all the phones are already boxed and ready to be distributed...new iPads yes, Xr, no chance
an hour with my manager at the AT&T store and it works flawless
That's so cool!!! Can't wait for T-Mobile to support eSIM once iOS 12.1 drops so I could start using my work AT&T physical sim and ditch my work phone all together.
What state? Lol I tried to talk my store manager into it and all other stores are either clueless or denying they have the cards.
This is the exact same configuration I was looking at adding when 12.1 is released to the public. My personal is AT&T while work is Verizon. Having two phones is a beat down.
I know it's early but I'd be interested to hear if you notice any additional battery drain from having two services on one phone. I wouldn't think so but you never know.
Is there a $30 activation/upgrade fee for moving the physical sim over to the esim?
no additional battery drain so far, the only charge was 5.00 for esim card because it was not a corporate store