Managed to fix my own issue ... some other expired eSIM's from traveling abroad didn't transfer over properly during the migration to the new phone. They were inactive but still somehow impeding the newly installed Public Mobile eSIM from transmittin...
Did you find a resolution to the issue? I have what appears to be precisely the same scenario ... just bought the iPhone 17 pro max. Been a PM customer for many years using physical SIM ... bought the new eSIM since new phone doesn't support physical...