topic Re: how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM? in Get Support

how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM?

monkey5555555 — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:06:52 GMT

I recently bought a new iphone. I moved the physical sim card from the old phone into the new one, and when I was setting up the new phone, it said it was 'unable to transfer phone number to new device.' I have contacted the customer service agent here, but while I'm waiting for a response from them, I was wondering if anyone here has any advice for things I might try. Thanks all.

Re: how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM?

softech — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:43:53 GMT

@monkey5555555

was it physical sim or esim? your title says esim but your post says physical

with physical sim, you just move the sim card to the new phone and that is.. you should be able to make and receive calls and data should work.

Re: how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM?

Phil_Adelphus — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:11:48 GMT

@monkey5555555 When you say setting up the new phone what exactly do you mean? You should only have to take the sim out of the old phone and put it in the new one and it should work. There's no transfer of number, were you by chance trying to set up a second account?

Re: how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM?

monkey5555555 — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 02:36:54 GMT

I have a physical sim that I moved over, but I suspect the old phone was actually on esim and that the physical sim was doing nothing.

Re: how to transfer phone number to new iphone when you have an eSIM?

softech — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:51:30 GMT

@monkey5555555

if the old phone was using esim and you have a brand new physical sim, never been used/activated, you have two choices

physical sim (personally, I think better). Login to My Account using a desktop/laptop (not on phone), go to Profile page, click on the pencil to the right of the sim card, update the sim card number with the physical sim card # you have
https://myaccount.publicmobile.ca/en/account/profile/change-sim-number
Buy an esim on the new iPhone (you need to buy a new one as esim cannot be transferred).
First, download the app on your new phone, click ⊕ or ⧁ at the bottom left to bring up the menu and go to Subscription & Add-on page, scroll down to the bottom and click Shop SIM Card Now. You can buy and install eSIM from there