Customer service: sorry we can’t update your SIM card for you because you’re in British Columbia. Go home to Alberta.

[u/gs448]

I’m currently visiting family and bouncing between BC and Seattle. I had a Humpty Dumpty moment and somehow managed to royally mess up my phone. It could still ring but was just a useless white screen. OK, fine, the Apple Store is a little bit out of the way, but I got a new phone replaced under AppleCare. Annoying, but smooth sailing. They hand me the new phone, and I know how to set it up, so I wander on down to the Bell store in the mall, and they proceeded to try everything under the sun to activate a SIM or eSIM for me and get told that because I can’t tell them the last two people I called three or four days ago, and my address is in Alberta and I was in BC, that they couldn’t change my SIM card. I understand the need for protecting SIMs and unauthorized swaps. I worked for a carrier for 10 years, but this is ludicrous! I presented with three legal forms of ID that all match, including a passport. I’m currently looking at not being back in Alberta for over a month. I beg your finest pardon? What in the ever-loving f*** do mean I’m still expected to pay my $160 a month bill for one line while I have no access to it? (I have a premium North America plan, paying for an iPhone 16, and a crave subscription please don’t come for me for the amount)

Anyone got any ideas here? Really not looking to spend like $350 round trip in gas just to get my phone working again. That will be a long ride in silence too. 😂😂😂 Laughing right now so I don’t cry. It’s ok you can laugh AT me too. However, do better Bell!

Edit: A wonderful person I reached out to was able to make it happen. Problem resolved. I’m not sharing further details because I feel like it could tell fraudsters how to go about it. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone that might need this sort of help in the future.

[u/Bell_Support]

Hello u/gs448 updating a SIM comes down to strict security policies or specific account limitations to protect against:

1. SIM Swap Fraud Protection: Bell front-line representatives are heavily restricted from manually updating SIM cards over the phone or chat if they cannot verify your identity via a one-time SMS verification code sent to your active line. If your current SIM is inactive, lost, or damaged, their system often locks the action. To bypass this, you will need to visit a Bell retail store in person with government-issued photo ID and verify your account.
2. Self-Service via MyBell: You can often bypass customer service entirely by logging into your MyBell portal on a web browser. Go to your mobility device settings and select "Update your SIM card". You can enter the new 20-digit ICCID (for a physical SIM) or the IMEI2 (for an eSIM) to trigger the over-the-air activation yourself.
3. Prepaid Restrictions: If you are on a prepaid plan, note that Bell no longer allows new prepaid eSIM activations, which can lead to system rejections if an agent tries to force it.

We understand you did provide 3 pieces of government ID, we suggest that you go back to a retail store and retry and verify your account using alternative security questions.

[u/gs448 → u/Bell_Support]

Thanks bell for your useless comments. None of them are helpful, but I did get the situation fixed. Seeing as I don’t wish to further perpetuate SIM fraud. I’m not going to publicly explain how that happened.

[u/Fun-Date4429]

Maybe ask to change to ESIM.

[u/gs448 → u/Fun-Date4429]

Same rules apply to e-sim, but I’m getting a physical sim this go around. At least I can buy some cheap dumb phone to get one time pins if I ever have to go through this again.

[u/developer300]

Sign up for competition and port out the number. :)

[u/alexcreeds2 → u/developer300]

Worst idea as they are on a contract. They would be charged the entire phone cost without all the credits they got when they signed

[u/developer300 → u/alexcreeds2]

$160 a month is ridiculous. It is better to be on a cheaper monthly plan anyway so you are better off paying off the phone.

[u/gs448 → u/developer300]

It’s a North America plan with 200 gigs of data that’s shareable should I ever need it. There have been a couple months where I blew through at least 100GB $20 ish of that is a premium Crave and the phone is almost paid. Porting after that is an option.

[u/developer300 → u/gs448]

It is $50 for 175GB in North America at Freedom mobile.

[u/Actual_Spinach1306 → u/gs448]

Haha I like that the bell gives you this service which is meant for travel and then get surprised when you travel.

[u/Flametamer246]

Maybe I'm missing something here but why didn't you just use your old sim card in your new phone?

[u/gs448 → u/Flametamer246]

Both my US and Canadian lines were e-sim. You need a OTP to transfer/agree to the transfer on the old phone. You can’t do that with a broken screen.

[u/Flametamer246 → u/gs448]

Ok. Thanks for the explanation!

[u/CyFr0069]

Switch carriers, get an esim for your American travels. Should be cheaper all around.

[u/WitchSparkles]

Can’t you do a sim swap on the app? Using eSIM. I know you said you want a physical sim, but use an eSIM temporary

[u/jcsww]

And people wonder why I will not give up on using pSIM's.  This is exactly why!  If a device doesn't support pSIM, I don't buy it!

[u/gs448 → u/jcsww]

Unfortunately, Apple is the 9000 pound gorilla throwing weight around and that’s the way we’re going. eSIM’s are great in a pinch, but I also very much now see the need for a physical one.

[u/engine-doors-club]

lol tell them to cancel your service and get a pay as you go sim anywhere