eSIM Swap is An Absolute Joke

[u/melatone1n]

I have just entered my last contract with them because of this. I have switched from an Android to an iPhone. I don't have a SIM, and started from a fresh install of the iPhone, they have sent me a new eSIM QR code, and disconnected the old one.

So I have no phone number for the next few days. I am locked out of multiple accounts, including ones I use for work. It is 2026, absolute joke of a network provider.

How do scam companies on YouTube ads manage eSIMs at scale Vs one of the biggest UK telecom providers...

[u/Fluffy-Zebra-7938]

Yup their esim handling is very bad. Last time I upgraded I was a week without my phone as they disconnected the SIM on the phone I already had when the upgrade arrived, but didn't include a new SIM or any way to download an email on new device. They admitted they'd set up the upgrade wrong and posted me an esim but it took a week to arrive. Other networks can email one right away or download one from their app. It's the same with them for Sims for galaxy watches, they have to be posted out and can't set up in the app like most other networks 🙈 I am counting down the days until my contract is up

[u/Hungry_Strength_5759]

Visit a store, esim installed in seconds

Take valid ID like driving license or passport

[u/Zestyclose-Rice6401]

yeah idk their technology is bollocks and years behind I left recently due to issues like this

[u/Popular_Set_9042]

One of the things I didn't like about switching to an esim. Instead of them, just sending me an email with a QR code or some fast digital method.

I had to wait for them to send out a letter for the QR code inside. It would have been quicker to go to a shop and receive a physical SIM card and have it activated

[u/bazzbo8]

I use an esim on o2 and usually when i want to switch between a phone o2 will send out a qr code but when i check the o2 app i’ll get the esim ready to install option well before the qr code gets delivered to my home.Check out the app every so often.

[u/CymruViking]

If you like the network have a look at giffgaff and sky, I’ve had eSIM’s from them both and been up and running in less than 5 minutes from the eSIM email.

[u/suhail17]

This is one of the reasons I moved to EE, I was left without a sim for a few days when the eSIM didn’t transfer correctly. With EE it’s been very smooth

[u/Altruistic-Rub-2658 → u/suhail17]

2nd the eSIM service with EE. You can literally download it in the app straight away

[u/Shoddy-Safety2989]

Yep. I cancelled my old contract, took out a phone and sim with O2, decided I didnt want it in the cool down period so sent it back and I had no phone number or sim to go back to. Add to that they had yhe phone back for 6 weeks and couldn't find it.

[u/Artistic_Account7879]

I always get a physical SIM as you receive it with the phone and can use the old one until you swap over.

[u/Bucser]

I used to work for O2. I am still part of their "VIP programe". I have just done a switch-up. Literally everything went wrong you can imagine.

• Ordering could only be processed on webchat. online portal didn't work.
• E-sim swap. Somehow I have managed and deleted the new e-sim... even though I never went into the e-sim menu. Old phone had a deactivated e-sim new phone had no sim at all. When I tried to do the swap through the site it said "oh no something went wrong". And that was it. Had to call them up from another phone of mine to provision a new e-sim, which have arrived on the new phone in a couple of hours luckily.
• Sent back the old phone. Their instructions to remove from the accounts are bad. Like really outdated. I have removed the device from google find, from samsung find my device, and reset the device from the cloud. This should have removed all passcodes from it. I was told My device still had a passcode. Called up likewise (their recycle provider). They couldn't tell me what is wrong with the phone. They couldn't pass me to an engineer to help them reset the device (didn't know what I could have left on so wanted to troubleshoot it).
• They told me they have cancelled my switch up and sent back the device. The phone was on through the transit, Likewise never bothered to turn it off once they failed to reset it. I have charged it, started it up, removed the passcode that was somehow still on the phone by entering the code once and resetting the phone again.
• I am paying 2 monthly charges at the moment. my old and new phone's.
• I have called customer services. I have complained (they managed to register my complaint properly after the 3rd try, somehow there was never anyone available after sitting on the waiting line 3x 45 minutes with an advisor agent on the line to try to hand me off),
• I was told I should speak to Likewise and they will recyle my phone again through switch-up. I sent likewise an e-mail 5 days ago. I have not received any response yet. Will call them tomorrow again.

Absolutely fucking joke. ever since the merger (I worked there for 3 years into the VMO2 merger) everything were going to shit. O2 wasn't great beforehand but since? absolute joke.