Other eSIM + Dual SIM Q&A

[Wide opeN]

It’s very confusing. All I know is that some people on Reddit have posted screenshots showing TWO Verizon lines working, which goes against what that information from Apple says. I’m not for sure, but maybe that’s working for them because both lines are from the SAME CDMA carrier. Or maybe it only poses a problem when not on LTE.

I think your last sentence is spot on.

 

[racostaf]

My experience with TMO. Chat in the homepage: Not eligible. Twitter: Not eligible.

But by Facebook: "Thanks a million, really appreciate it. So, I want to be fully transparent with you; if you are attempting to use the eSIM feature on your iPhone, we don't currently have that process available right now. Though activating the EID could do the trick, we don’t recommend utilizing this process outside of our coming eSIM support, as it’s poised to best meet the needs of our customers. If you'd still like to proceed with activating the EID on your 5635 line though, I'd just need for you to let me know if you agree to the disclosures below;

If the phone is on a call, the call will drop when the SIM change is submitted.
Voicemail and downloaded Visual Voicemail will be deleted
While most changes occur within minutes, it may take up to 2 hours for the new SIM to activate. Turn off the device and turn it back on during the two-hour time frame until a ‘Welcome to T-Mobile’ text message is received."

In a minutes, done! Without a SMS confirmation

BTW... needed Facebook Authentication

 

[DeanL]

I think you CAN, but only the primary will fall back on CDMA if no LTE coverage.

Yah I know what the former portion of the paragraph is saying, it's the latter about CDMA that isn't very clear.

It’s very confusing. All I know is that some people on Reddit have posted screenshots showing TWO Verizon lines working, which goes against what that information from Apple says. I’m not for sure, but maybe that’s working for them because both lines are from the SAME CDMA carrier. Or maybe it only poses a problem when not on LTE.

It just mean the device must be unlocked to use different carriers. Otherwise, you're limited to one carrier but you can add 2 cellular plan with the same carrier. Dual SIM function will work differently on CDMA if there 2 lines.

Verizon is barely a CDMA carrier anymore, they're mostly LTE.
What you can't have is two different carriers on the CDMA network. You can use Verizon and Sprint as long as they are on LTE and VoLTE and not CDMA.

 

[john991]

Apple took down Rogers but Fido is still there... Wonder if it was a mistake. https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204039

You spoke to soon. It’s back up again. (Rogers AND Fido)

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209096

 

[Gamer-Dad]

FINALLY!

After trying all weekend to get this going, I finally had success, but with a catch.

My original iPhone XR was purchased directly from Apple, paid in full as a T-Mobile phone. Phone came with a T-Mobile SIM card. Every time they went to activate my EID, there system kept coming back saying that it was unsupported. Even tried with a new SIM card, same thing?

Fast forward to this morning, I said screw it. Went to T-Mobile and purchased another iPhone XR Product Red 128GB direct from the source. Started a chat with customer support, gave the gentlemen my EID and phone number, he kinda went back and forth about eSim not active yet, etc. He said it wasn't possible on a post paid account. I said, well, you know, lets try, if it doesn't work, we can go back to my physical sim. He sent the text, I gave him the pin, within 30 seconds I got a text saying my SIM was changed, went to settings, cellular, add plan, entered the address from above, and bam, done! eSim active, my T-Mobile line set as primary, popped in my Verizon work sim, set to secondary.

Still don't know what was up with my original Apple purchased phone? Luckily I was able to sell it this afternoon for $25 less than what I paid for it. Very weird indeed... But, I'm happy!

 

[DeanL]

You spoke to soon. It’s back up again. (Rogers AND Fido)

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209096

I'm talking about this page: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204039
Haha
Also, Rogers and Fido are still not activating eSIMs

 

[GoMike]

Great FAQ! Can somebody explain to me how Visual Voicemail works with two SIM cards in the phone? Do I only get visual voicemail on the line that’s enabled for data? Or both? If I don’t get visual voicemail on the voice only line, will I get some other notification that there’s a new voicemail for me?

I found this cyptic note in Apple’s doc:

“If data roaming is on for the number that uses cellular data, then Visual Voicemail and MMS will be disabled on your voice-only number.”

This would imply that you’d get visual voicemail for both lines if data roaming is off. However, from a technical point I don’t understand how roaming has anything to do with this.

 

[Wide opeN]

Verizon is barely a CDMA carrier anymore, they're mostly LTE.
What you can't have is two different carriers on the CDMA network. You can use Verizon and Sprint as long as they are on LTE and VoLTE and not CDMA.

Yeah, but what about Verizon and Verizon on the same phone!? I think you're right that the note that Apple has is saying basically "if you're with Verizon or Sprint, you can have two lines on the same phone from either, BUT if either is on 1x/EV-DO in a particular area only 1 of your phone lines will work".

I guess that would be a lot to get across to the average user... Still...

 

[anthonyzp]

My eSIM is now with AT&T and my physical sim is with an Australian carrier (Telstra). Since configuring my iPhone this way, text messages (green SMS, not iMessage) sent to my physical sim Australian carrier line are no longer forwarded to my other devices signed into iCloud.


Anyone know if this is by design or a bug which will hopefully be fixed in a future update?


As it stands now, in order for me to send and receive normal SMS text messages from my physical sim Australian carrier line, I am restricted to doing so from my iPhone. Cannot do this from my MacBook or iPad like I can when a green SMS text message arrives on my eSIM AT&T line.


Hope all this makes sense.


I used to have a second iPhone for my Australian number so when texts would arrive on the line, they would be auto forwarded to all my devices signed into iCloud which was a great feature. Being able to respond to texts from my other devices.


I live in the US.

Text Message Forwarding is turned ON. All devices turned ON. All devices signed into iCloud account etc. All settings are set to what they should be.
[doublepost=1544670757][/doublepost]After speaking with Apple Support, they confirmed that Text Message Forwarding only works with the primary line with a Dual Sim iPhone where Dual Sims are being used.

Hopefully Apple introduce the feature where Text Message Forwarding works on both lines where Dual Sim functionality is being used.
[doublepost=1544670787][/doublepost]After speaking with Apple Support, they confirmed that Text Message Forwarding only works with the primary line with a Dual Sim iPhone where Dual Sims are being used.

Hopefully Apple introduce the feature where Text Message Forwarding works on both lines where Dual Sim functionality is being used.

 

[hhzhao]

My eSIM is now with AT&T and my physical sim is with an Australian carrier (Telstra). Since configuring my iPhone this way, text messages (green SMS, not iMessage) sent to my physical sim Australian carrier line are no longer forwarded to my other devices signed into iCloud.


Anyone know if this is by design or a bug which will hopefully be fixed in a future update?

It is by design. The iMessage is only supported on the line where you have specified with data services. If you have your eSIM line as designated for data services, that is where the iMessage will be available. On your physical SIM, only voice and SMS will be available. Since iCloud will have nothing to do with SMS, by sign in to iCloud on other devices will not sync any SMS on other device.

 

[kingankur]

My eSIM is now with AT&T and my physical sim is with an Australian carrier (Telstra). Since configuring my iPhone this way, text messages (green SMS, not iMessage) sent to my physical sim Australian carrier line are no longer forwarded to my other devices signed into iCloud.


Anyone know if this is by design or a bug which will hopefully be fixed in a future update?


As it stands now, in order for me to send and receive normal SMS text messages from my physical sim Australian carrier line, I am restricted to doing so from my iPhone. Cannot do this from my MacBook or iPad like I can when a green SMS text message arrives on my eSIM AT&T line.


Hope all this makes sense.


I used to have a second iPhone for my Australian number so when texts would arrive on the line, they would be auto forwarded to all my devices signed into iCloud which was a great feature. Being able to respond to texts from my other devices.


I live in the US.

Text Message Forwarding is turned ON. All devices turned ON. All devices signed into iCloud account etc. All settings are set to what they should be.
[doublepost=1544670757][/doublepost]After speaking with Apple Support, they confirmed that Text Message Forwarding only works with the primary line with a Dual Sim iPhone where Dual Sims are being used.

Hopefully Apple introduce the feature where Text Message Forwarding works on both lines where Dual Sim functionality is being used.
[doublepost=1544670787][/doublepost]After speaking with Apple Support, they confirmed that Text Message Forwarding only works with the primary line with a Dual Sim iPhone where Dual Sims are being used.

Hopefully Apple introduce the feature where Text Message Forwarding works on both lines where Dual Sim functionality is being used.

Toggle around with the settings a bit more. I had the same issue and I eventually got it to work a few days ago but I forget exactly which setting I enabled (sorry!). My primary line is with verizon (esim) and my secondary line is with Freedom in Canada. I initially wasn't able to send any messages on my macbook using the canadian line (green bubble) but after messing around with some settings on the iphone its now working. I can send and receive imessages using the american line and regular texts using the canadian line on my macbook in the messages app now no problem.

 

[cwosigns]

It is by design. The iMessage is only supported on the line where you have specified with data services.

This isn’t true. You can use either number with iMessage, regardless of which account you have set for data. You choose the iMessage account under Messages settings.

 

[TIOATIOA]

FAQ on Dual SIM Visual Voicemail (2x Verizon lines)

(Yes, I have 2x Verizon lines working on the same phone and will write another post regarding that experience. This is regarding Visual Voicemail only.)

Just got Dual SIM working on iPhone XS using 2 Verizon lines and have not seen any info on this yet, so thought I’d contribute.

Essentially there is a unified Visual Voicemail screen that includes both lines. There is a small icon to the left of each message indicating which line the voicemail message is associated with.

Each line has its own greeting (custom greetings carried over from when they were on two separate phones). When you click “Greeting” you are presented the option “To change your voicemail greeting first select an account.” Upon choosing a line, the familiar Greeting customization screen shows up allowing you to select either a Default or Custom greeting and to play/record the custom greeting.

NOTE: all my voicemail disappeared... temporarily. I made the SIM change yesterday, and at first glance my voicemail looked normal and unchanged. This morning, I went to the voicemail screen and it was empty. Gasp! I have several messages saved that I did not want to lose. After the initial panic subsided, I ran a test by having another phone call in and leave a voicemail. As soon as that message arrived, the entire visual voicemail repopulated all the “missing” messages for that original line. I then called the other SIM line, left a voicemail, and it appeared along with the first set of messages with the now unified visual voicemail for both lines.

Overall, great result, the unified 2-line visual voicemail is a solid implementation. As someone who’s had to carry two phones for years now, this is a much welcomed improvement.

 

[DeanL]

FAQ on Dual SIM Visual Voicemail (2x Verizon lines)

NOTE: all my voicemail disappeared... temporarily. I made the SIM change yesterday, and at first glance my voicemail looked normal and unchanged. This morning, I went to the voicemail screen and it was empty. Gasp! I have several messages saved that I did not want to lose. After the initial panic subsided, I ran a test by having another phone call in and leave a voicemail. As soon as that message arrived, the entire visual voicemail repopulated all the “missing” messages for that original line. I then called the other SIM line, left a voicemail, and it appeared along with the first set of messages with the now unified visual voicemail for both lines.

That’s expected behaviour, although not documented well enough. Whenever you get a voicemail, they are downloaded locally so that even if the carrier erases it on the server, it’s available on the iPhone until you delete it (some carriers automatically erase listened voicemail from the server after a certain amount of time).
The locally downloaded voicemails are tied to the ICCID. Therefore, when you change the SIM, you can’t see these locally downloaded voicemails associated with your previous SIM. They’ll only reappear if they are still on the carrier server, which was the case for you.

 

[iGeneo]

Sorry for the newb question, hopefully I cover it all here. Physical SIM is from VZW, eSim will be Gigsky for now. Have them labeled Home & Travel.

I'm headed to London next week and am trying to work out my best strategy for avoiding the VZW $10 per day international fees. (I'll be gone two weeks)

My primary needs are mostly data..
iMessage
FB Messenger
Slack for my business contacts

I'm thinking the optimum setup would be "Use Secondary (TRAVEL) as your default line" All the above services would still function right? I do realize that before sending a new iMessage, I need to delete any existing iMessage threads.

What happens if I don't and I am on "secondary" and receive an incoming iMessage?
What happens when I get an incoming call on my "home" line? Does it ring through and I just don't answer? But if I make a call it uses secondary? (This is my confusion)

All new to me so any pointers would be appreciated. I think eSim may be the answer to accumulating $150 in VZW travel charges.

Thanks all!

 

[TIOATIOA]

I'm thinking the optimum setup would be "Use Secondary (TRAVEL) as your default line" All the above services would still function right? I do realize that before sending a new iMessage, I need to delete any existing iMessage threads.

I think that the best approach might be to deactivate the “home” line. Settings > Cellular > Cellular Plans (“Home”) > and select “Off” for the Home line. This way it’s just not possible for either calls or data usage to occur on the Home line while you are traveling.

 

[iGeneo]

I think that the best approach might be to deactivate the “home” line. Settings > Cellular > Cellular Plans (“Home”) > and select “Off” for the Home line. This way it’s just not possible for either calls or data usage to occur on the Home line while you are traveling.

I was just thinking the same. With that disabled, would I still need to start entirely new iMessage threads? And if one sent to my line that is “off” what happens?


Edit: Perhaps I should actually get a eSIM over there that comes with a phone number? My "local" UK contacts could then still reach me at that number? How would this impact iMessage that the majority of my US contacts utilize?

One more question: Do I actually need to "delete" iMessage threads, or can I simply start a new one from the new eSIM?

 

[jessebkr87]

I was just thinking the same. With that disabled, would I still need to start entirely new iMessage threads? And if one sent to my line that is “off” what happens?


Edit: Perhaps I should actually get a eSIM over there that comes with a phone number? My "local" UK contacts could then still reach me at that number? How would this impact iMessage that the majority of my US contacts utilize?

One more question: Do I actually need to "delete" iMessage threads, or can I simply start a new one from the new eSIM?

You don’t need to delete iMessage threads at all. It will/can still use your main phone number for iMessage while using the data on the other SIM card to send them.

 

[jtkboston]

Edit: Perhaps I should actually get a eSIM over there that comes with a phone number? My "local" UK contacts could then still reach me at that number? How would this impact iMessage that the majority of my US contacts utilize?

My plan for visiting UK next year is to use eSIM for my VZW line (I’ve already converted to that) and use a local PAYG physical nanoSIM for a UK phone number and data plan. You could pick one up after arrival, or get one before you leave USA. Someone elsewhere in this forum mentioned giffgaff (a virtual operator on the O2 network), they seem a good fit for my planned needs.

 

[iGeneo]

My plan for visiting UK next year is to use eSIM for my VZW line (I’ve already converted to that) and use a local PAYG physical nanoSIM for a UK phone number and data plan. You could pick one up after arrival, or get one before you leave USA. Someone elsewhere in this forum mentioned giffgaff (a virtual operator on the O2 network), they seem a good fit for my planned needs.

I like the sound of that.... iMessage should still work then

 

[d123]

Perhaps I should actually get a eSIM over there that comes with a phone number?

eSim in the UK is currently postpaid on EE only, you’ll need to rather use eSim for your home line and physical sim for your travel line (just pick one up on arrival).

 

[Trash Can]

I'm thinking about moving my primary carrier (AT&T) to an eSim and adding Google Fi to the physical sim, mainly for international travel.

I'm aware that there are some limitations on iPhones with Google Fi, VVM being one of them. I also know that some settings need to be tweaked for non-iMessages to work. Do these changes affect the phone as a whole or are they independent of each line of service? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[hojbjerg]

I'm thinking about moving my primary carrier (AT&T) to an eSim and adding Google Fi to the physical sim, mainly for international travel.

I'm aware that there are some limitations on iPhones with Google Fi, VVM being one of them. I also know that some settings need to be tweaked for non-iMessages to work. Do these changes affect the phone as a whole or are they independent of each line of service? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks in advance.

Hi

This past week, I did exactly what you are describing. I moved my AT&T SIM to eSIM and used the SIM slot for Google Fi on my iPhone XR.

Everything is working fine. As you mention, in order for MMS to work with Google Fi you have to update the cellular settings and restart. The Google Fi app guides you through the steps and it is pretty easy.

No problems besides it took a little while for me to figure out how to get iMessage working on the AT&T number after activating the eSIM. You just have to go into iMessage settings and select the default cellular plan and it reactivates iMessage for the phone number.

 

[Trash Can]

Hi

This past week, I did exactly what you are describing. I moved my AT&T SIM to eSIM and used the SIM slot for Google Fi on my iPhone XR.

Everything is working fine. As you mention, in order for MMS to work with Google Fi you have to update the cellular settings and restart. The Google Fi app guides you through the steps and it is pretty easy.

No problems besides it took a little while for me to figure out how to get iMessage working on the AT&T number after activating the eSIM. You just have to go into iMessage settings and select the default cellular plan and it reactivates iMessage for the phone number.

Thank you!

 

[jtkboston]

I ran a quick experiment to simulate traveling and wanting to use my Verizon line only over wifi, never over cellular radio. With previous single-SIM iPhones, this would only work as long as the SIM remained in the phone...after you swap the physical VZW SIM for a local operator's SIM, you can't swap the SIM back and enable wifi calling on the VZW line while in airplane mode, in part because the settings app would not let you get into cellular options while in airplane mode.

But, with the XS and 12.1.1, I can turn on airplane mode and still get into cellular settings, and there I can turn off or on the VZW line, remaining in airplane mode. Turning the line on in airplane mode while connected to WiFi, it will connect in VZW WiFi mode.

So the recipe seems to be this, to avoid any VZW international usage charges:

• Enable WiFi calling on Verizon line before departing USA
  
• Enable airplane mode before arrival outside USA
• Turn off the VZW line in cellular options
• Disable airplane mode; install nanoSIM for local provider, use as desired
• When wanting to check something on the VZW line:
  • Enable airplane mode
  • Connect to WiFi
  • Enable VZW line in cellular options
  • send SMS messages, make VZW WiFi voice calls, etc. *
    
  • Disable VZW line in cellular options
  • Disable airplane mode (return to using local provider)

* Trying voice mail while in airplane mode/WiFi, I get "Visual Voicemail is currently unavailable". I can call voicemail (*86) and get the messages the old way.
It seems I have to connect over the air for the VZW line to get visual voicemail to re-enable.