eSIM activation abroad, how to get it to work?

Nick, the way I read the moderator’s earlier response is that it could be the software (or firmware) of the foreign bought phone that may not allow the installation of the Simyo eSIM. If that is true there is no point visiting the Netherlands since that will not solve the problem. A moderator of this forum will respond in due course and hopefully clarify the matter.

Scotsman, your interpretation reminds me about such a thing as carrier lock. This is not my case, obviously, since I have SIM/eSIM cards from different countries and they works.

I bought an eSIM being in Italy. It can’t connect to any network here.

So did the eSIM install on your phone and does it not connect or did installing the eSIM not work?

The software thing really is about installing the eSIM. If the succeeded without issue and the eSIM is installed in the phone, then that software thing is not an issue.

Groentjuh, eSIM is installed without errors and is available in the phone settings. It can be enabled by the phone but it can't connect to Italian networks. I've tried manual network selection too.

In case it can be useful, my phone displays this as the operator settings version for the simyo eSIM:

kpn_nl-64000000642.67

2024-08-29

Hi ​@Nick S.,

Thanks for your question. What ​@Scotsman and ​@Groentjuh said in their message is actually correct. Unfortunately, coming to the Netherlands to install your eSIM won't solve the problem since the phone you bought is from abroad and won't work with our eSIM. The only thing I could possibly do for you is send you a physical SIM card so you can insert it into your phone. If you'd like that, please let me know, and I’ll send you one free of charge.

Bedankt voor je hulp ​@Scotsman ​@Groentjuh!

Groetjes,
Seren

Hi ​@Seren,

The idea that a phone bought outside the Netherlands can't work with your eSIM card may seem normal (from your point of view), but I still think it's a misconception or a deliberate limitation. The thing is that my phone's model is listed among supported on your website but it was never selling in NL officially (Google Pixel 6 Pro).

So could you please double check this and tell me if that's an intentional narrowing your user base in such a weird way? I still hope it's a technical problem that has a technical solution.

​@Seren also, if you're saying ​Groentjuh's answer is correct, then in no way my phone is the problem. Since the eSIM has been installed successfully.

At that point, I suppose foreign roaming should be check indeed. Coming to the Netherlands would help in the form that the eSIM should then connect to the Simyo/KPN network.

Given the eSIM installed, the main issue I believe is that it just does not work to connect to the Italian networks. Technically that shouldn’t have anything to do with eSIM installation (although it is good to know it was just installed). A physical sim also can have issue connecting to foreign networks for roaming.

My apologies ​@Nick S.. I totally missed your response where you mentioned that the installation was done successfully. In that case, I can definitely try to do a reset on the simcard (this is network related). For that, I’ll need you to turn off your phone for 10 minutes and then turn it on again. Please let me know if this works! And once again, my apologies. 

I’ll need you to turn off your phone for 10 minutes and then turn it on again

Did you mean nothing from your side is needed for this?

Simyo will do (or has already done) a reset, this will force the sim card to reconnect to the network with a clean slate. Wait 10 minutes before switching on the phone again.

It didn’t help.

What I can get by `adb shell dumpsys telephony.registry | grep mServiceState`:

• for the “bad” eSIM (simyo):
  • NetworkRegistrationInfo{ domain=CS transportType=WWAN registrationState=DENIED networkRegistrationState=DENIED roamingType=NOT_ROAMING accessNetworkTechnology=UMTS rejectCause=0 emergencyEnabled=true availableServices=[EMERGENCY] ... }
  • NetworkRegistrationInfo{ domain=PS transportType=WWAN registrationState=NOT_REG_OR_SEARCHING networkRegistrationState=NOT_REG_OR_SEARCHING roamingType=NOT_ROAMING accessNetworkTechnology=UNKNOWN rejectCause=0 emergencyEnabled=false availableServices=[] ... }

• for the “good” eSIM (Orange PL):

  • NetworkRegistrationInfo{ domain=CS transportType=WWAN registrationState=ROAMING networkRegistrationState=ROAMING roamingType=INTERNATIONAL accessNetworkTechnology=LTE rejectCause=0 emergencyEnabled=false availableServices=[VOICE,SMS,VIDEO] ... }

  • NetworkRegistrationInfo{ domain=PS transportType=WWAN registrationState=ROAMING networkRegistrationState=ROAMING roamingType=INTERNATIONAL accessNetworkTechnology=LTE rejectCause=0 emergencyEnabled=false availableServices=[DATA,MMS] ... }

I removed part of the output but can say that in both cases network is 222 50 (Iliad).

If anyone have an idea what logs I can check to understand what exactly goes wrong with the registration, please tell me.

What are the APN settings for your Simyo simcard?

​@Groentjuh APN is internet

I don’t think it’s related because APN is for mobile data and its usage is possible only when SIM is already registered in the network. I guess my eSIM card from simyo can’t register because simyo doesn’t allow their eSIMs to register with Italian operators.

Not sure how it works, but can imagine a short list of PLMN codes (NL only operators) included in the eSIM profile and then a long list (NL + roaming operators) downloaded after the first registration.

If this is the case, I’d like to kindly ask the operator stuff review how others do it and make changes. I had no problems with registering my German (Vodafone) and Ukrainian (Kyivstar) eSIMs outside the respective home networks (with the same device).

​@Seren thanks for pointing this out. It was unclear that registration in the roaming network requires that setting to be turned on (I don’t want to make outgoing calls, only to be able to receive incoming ones).

Unfortunately, it didn’t help. Can you PM me a 6-digit code to reinstall my eSIM? I hope it will change things.

I'm sorry to hear that this didn't work. I just sent you the validation code.

Finally, it works! Thanks everyone, especially your technical department.

Since the eSIM installation is done through the application, I think it might be a good idea to automatically enable the "Bellen in het buitenland" setting when the IP address of a client isn't in the Netherlands. It will be much less confusing then.

I'm glad to hear that it finally worked! :) I will send your feedback to the right department.

For now, I hope you have a great time in Italy! ☀