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M.Rizk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2015
785
613
I have T-Mobile as my primary service, I just got my att esim activated. How long did it take to activate physically on the phone? It’s still trying to load about half hour after esim card was scanned?

It shouldn’t take a minute (not on AT&T, or in US).
 

0970373

Suspended
Mar 15, 2008
2,727
1,412
it still hasn't activated. they mentioned it may take a while to check with tmobile since they are my primary carrier before it activates? any ideas?

If you ported over from a different carrier and started new service with AT&T, the port could take up to 24 hours but likely will be less than that.
 

M.Rizk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2015
785
613
Got my XS Max 2 days ago and just activated my eSIM now on Ooredoo Qatar. I activated it while roaming in Egypt. This is the first time Ooredoo allows a new SIM activation outside its own coverage. I never thought it would work (and it did not connect for the first 5 minutes) but all of a sudden it got onto a partner network and a dozen of SMS landed on my iPhone :D
 
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M.Rizk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2015
785
613
Update: I just noticed that the eSIM (secondary) loses coverage when I do/receive a call on the physical SIM (primary). Primary carrier does not offer VoLTE which means it drops to 3G when a call is received. Still doesn’t make any sense to me as why the eSIM drops coverage entirely.
 

Juanefny

macrumors 6502
Sep 27, 2013
491
279
Spokane, WA
Update: I just noticed that the eSIM (secondary) loses coverage when I do/receive a call on the physical SIM (primary). Primary carrier does not offer VoLTE which means it drops to 3G when a call is received. Still doesn’t make any sense to me as why the eSIM drops coverage entirely.
That’s how it works. Whatever line is not the one of the call gets dropped all together.
 
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DeanL

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 29, 2014
1,351
1,288
London
Ah, ok. I never used a Dual SIM phone before so had no idea this was the normal.

Yes, this is what Dual-Standby means: it can receive calls/texts from any line while on standby, but cannot while actively on a call.
 

M.Rizk

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2015
785
613
It is real. eSIM gets better signal than physical SIM. (Noticed it twice so far)

6fd3e35aefb4e526a54735e5407eb557.jpg
 

jdizzberg

macrumors newbie
Dec 26, 2018
8
2
George - did you manage to get an answer to this question - If you have an HK version dual sim XR can you also use esims? I'm in a unique position where I want two physical and 1 esim working.

Ta
JD



What I wanted to know was whether the A2104 (Hong Kong) had the capability of multiple eSIM, despite the fact that it was already dual physical SIM.
[doublepost=1542643468][/doublepost]From the answers in here, it looks like I'll be happier in the end waiting for T-Mobile's implementation of eSIM instead of getting the dual physical SIM A2104.

I can wait. :)

You know how it is, though. You don't really want to wait, and you might be willing to waste some money getting what you don't really need because...well...Apple stuff....
 

George Knighton

macrumors 65816
Oct 13, 2010
1,392
346
George - did you manage to get an answer to this question - If you have an HK version dual sim XR can you also use esims? I'm in a unique position where I want two physical and 1 esim working.

No. Nobody seems to be doing what we're wondering about.

It is real. eSIM gets better signal than physical SIM. (Noticed it twice so far)

Are you sure that you're not hooking different bands from the same provider?
 

hhzhao

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2018
108
91
Northeast Ohio
George - did you manage to get an answer to this question - If you have an HK version dual sim XR can you also use esims? I'm in a unique position where I want two physical and 1 esim working.

Ta
JD
There is no eSIM in HK/China version of iPhone. Due to Chinese Government regulation, Dual SIM support in China/HK has b=to be accomplished with two physical SIM. That is why the version sold there has two physical SIM instead of one eSIM and one Physical SIM. It is not one eSIM and two physical SIM.
 

jdizzberg

macrumors newbie
Dec 26, 2018
8
2
There is no eSIM in HK/China version of iPhone. Due to Chinese Government regulation, Dual SIM support in China/HK has b=to be accomplished with two physical SIM. That is why the version sold there has two physical SIM instead of one eSIM and one Physical SIM. It is not one eSIM and two physical SIM.

Thanks . Are you sure this applies to BOTH then mainland China and HK versions? I was under the impression the HK version had standard iOS software so thought esim would be available on the HK version but NOT the mainland China version.
 

DeanL

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 29, 2014
1,351
1,288
London
Thanks . Are you sure this applies to BOTH then mainland China and HK versions? I was under the impression the HK version had standard iOS software so thought esim would be available on the HK version but NOT the mainland China version.

Not it does not. The China version doesn’t have eSIM while the HK one has eSIM in addition to the two physical SIM slots. It is covered on Apple’s support documents


  1. eSIM on iPhone is not offered in mainland China. In Hong Kong and Macau, only iPhone XS features eSIM. Learn about using Dual SIM with two nano-SIM cards in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau
 

jdizzberg

macrumors newbie
Dec 26, 2018
8
2
Not it does not. The China version doesn’t have eSIM while the HK one has eSIM in addition to the two physical SIM slots. It is covered on Apple’s support documents


  1. eSIM on iPhone is not offered in mainland China. In Hong Kong and Macau, only iPhone XS features eSIM. Learn about using Dual SIM with two nano-SIM cards in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau


The problem is that refers to the iPhone XS. Physical dual sim only refers to iPhone XS MAX and XR.
 

elkido122

macrumors member
Apr 29, 2017
32
8
Quick question . Got an xs on att with currently a physical sim . If I go in and have them switch me to esim as my only , will everything work the same way as when I had the physical sim ? Hd voice? Lte data , sms and such ? Thanks
 

George Knighton

macrumors 65816
Oct 13, 2010
1,392
346
I am posting right now with no physical SIM.

The confusion might be that many people reported that the SIM **tray** must be inserted, whether or not there is a SIM in it.
 
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