Any news on eSIMs in Ireland?

DopeTech · 11-10-2023 8:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225864#Comment_121225864

Identical to 3 speeds. Have no dial tone though when calling people until call connects. Hopefully 3 hero deals makes a comeback for Black Friday

13-10-2023 10:30am

That lack of a ringing tone issue is down to a misconfiguration of something for localisation.

In countries that use the normal ETSI ringing tone that you hear on the continent, the network just sends a message saying 'ringing' to the handset, and it generates the ringback tone. The logic of that is it doesn't need to open a voice channel until the call connects, so saves bandwidth.

In Ireland and the UK, the ringing tone has to be generated the old fashioned way, and is played down the audio channel by the network. What's happening there is they're sending neither the signalling message nor the ring back tone.

That's also why sometimes in weird routing, Irish domestic mobile calls can generate the normal European ringing tone too.

Normally in Ireland you'll get the busy / call rejected tones etc just played by your handset, except on 3 for some reason which seems to actually send them as an audio channel.

Ah-Watch · 13-10-2023 11:59am

Just received my replacement work phone from 3 and set up esim. Extremely quick and straight forward. Quicker, simpler and without any problems when compared to Vodafone esim activation, which, while it eventually works, sometimes you have to try it a few times before it activates.

DopeTech · 13-10-2023 12:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121232144#Comment_121232144

Was the esim corporate or personal?

jusvi2001 · 23-10-2023 8:41pm

esim option is back on lyca mobile website.

one of the household phone was with lyca (physical sim) in 2022 but speed was terrible and end up switching to eir. may be they have improved now.

PH0NER · 31-10-2023 5:27pm

Any word on when Eir will launch eSIM?

Also curious if anyone has heard of plans for GoMo to launch eSIM beyond that international GoMo World app for roaming.

deepdavster · 05-11-2023 6:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121225864#Comment_121225864

I ordered esim and got it instantly

Amouar · 05-11-2023 9:09pm

Anyone knows when Tescomobile will launch eSIMs?

leeryanrs · 06-11-2023 6:04pm

Three ireland have just officially launched their eSims. Finally there are now two providers.

Vodafone IE

Three IE

DopeTech · 06-11-2023 6:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121333624#Comment_121333624

All we need now is the 3 hero prepay plan to return. Here’s hoping

jusvi2001 · 07-11-2023 7:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121328904#Comment_121328904

howz the coverage and speed?

darrenheaphy · 07-11-2023 8:29am

Does that mean cellular smart watches can now work (assuming I could buy one, Apple not selling cellular watches in Ireland yet)? Seems like a better alternative to getting kids a phone

wassie · 07-11-2023 9:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335714#Comment_121335714

It will be the same as a physical SIM - and the SIM doesn't determine speed or coverage.

https://www.getnomad.app/blog/is-esim-faster-than-physical-sim

jusvi2001 · 07-11-2023 1:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335885#Comment_121335885

sorry i mean Lyca coverage and speed in particular.

roman0red · 11-11-2023 2:39pm

Anyone know when EIR might offer an eSim option?

Bought an Iphone 15 in the US last week and have now just realised (after returning home) there's no sim slot on iphone 15's purchased in US 🙄😔

They use eSIM only

Cheers

DopeTech · 11-11-2023 2:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355259#Comment_121355259

if you’re not tied into a contract Lyca, 3 and Vodafone all offer esim now.

roman0red · 11-11-2023 2:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355270#Comment_121355270

Thanks ... It is part of a multi sim contract with EIR

It may be the only option ... my son wont be happy he will have move and start paying for his own mobile :-)

rhinosaurious · 11-11-2023 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355259#Comment_121355259

By Christmas, I heard that from someone working in the highest point of contact in eir and also a store manager told me the same

Sierra Oscar · 15-11-2023 7:55pm

Have Virgin Mobile given any sort of indication when they will be launching eSIM? Can't seem to find anything online whatsoever.

DopeTech · 16-11-2023 3:34pm

Word of warning, Lyca porting system is down the past few days. I purchased a sim/plan and can't port in so ended up porting to 3 instead.

wassie · 16-11-2023 10:51pm

Longer than that. I tired porting on the 30 Oct and couldnt then. CS was hopeless in responding also.

Sierra Oscar · 20-11-2023 12:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378052#Comment_121378052

Did you get this sorted?

I'm thinking of porting from Virgin Mobile to Lyca. VM can't tell me when they are likely to introduce eSIM so I'm on the move I think.

I'm looking at the Lyca Long Term plans at the moment. €110 for 12 months eSIM with unlimited calls, texts & data is very appealing. What's the catch - the dodgy porting system?! 😂

DopeTech · 20-11-2023 1:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121391351#Comment_121391351

Before starting any transfer I'd ask them on online chat to confirm porting is working again.

Sierra Oscar · 20-11-2023 4:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121391608#Comment_121391608

Yeah I checked that with their support, they said it's up and running and the eSIM activation is instantenous after purchasing.

I wonder if anyone here can confirm?

On a side note, Virgin Mobile loyalty team were very surprised to hear that Three and Lyca now offer eSIM. They were full sure it was still only Vodafone. I can see some of the operators loosing market share if they leave it too long to adapt.

wassie · 21-11-2023 9:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121391351#Comment_121391351

No. And I tried signing up to a long term plan last night with the existing Lyca number - should of been €40 for 6 months. Went through the checkout process and bank app said I was being charged €54 - full whack. So double check if you go through with that.

Ended up porting my main number over to VF prepay - no hassles and esim working fine.

deepdavster · 21-11-2023 2:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335714#Comment_121335714

There is no difference in coverage for esim and normal sim

avud · 23-11-2023 10:00am

I'm contemplating getting an i phone from the USA but was told by an apple rep there it was an esim. I'm on a monthly package with eir. Would anyone know if this is an option for me as I'm not tech savy

Glaceon · 23-11-2023 10:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403891#Comment_121403891

US iPhones are eSIM only. Eir don't offer them yet, only Vodafone, Three and Lyca so far.

Sierra Oscar · 25-11-2023 2:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394861#Comment_121394861

Just getting back to you on this. I finally got around to purchasing an eSIM and surprise surprise, their port in service still is not working. Keep getting an MSISDN error message.

Rang their customer care and so far have been rerouted to agents in Romania, France, Germany and Italy - there's a problem with their customer care centre in Ireland apparently and I'm being told I'll have to ring back another time.

Their online support agent is advising me that their port in service is down and to try again in 48 hours, despite the website telling me on purchase that it will be instantaneous. Such a joke of an outfit 😂

Anyway making a complaint to Comreg, I've zero tolerance of this nonsense behaviour.

wassie · 26-11-2023 3:34pm

Easier to keep prices low when you dont provide customer support.....

jeffk · 28-11-2023 4:28pm

I had the misfortune of my phone dying and trying to setup a new phone and in turn esim from 3 (day 1 of holidays in Galway/Athlone)

I must've sent in 5 or 6 applications, trying different variations of my name full or short, using my different emails

Twice onto chat, ah 2 too 3 hours it takes just wait

It took from around 6 in the evening until 10 the next day before I got the emails (just one esim from the 5 or 6 applications, 1 was rejected), so I couldn't use my phone as a phone, revolut or whatsapp

Then when I get it going, messages about esim application rejected, how too active etc, how'd you see these texts when you have no sim

As ever the theory is better than the practice

Ah-Watch · 29-11-2023 9:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429375#Comment_121429375

tbf I think 3 would be the exact same trying to switch to a physical sim and not just esim. I've seen them refuse a sim change or activation with just one letter wrong or just a different email address on the account so the quickest and easiest thing is just to go to a Three Store. Not ideal if there's no Three Store near you though

jeffk · 29-11-2023 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121431952#Comment_121431952

Yeah it wouldn't surprise me, the chat attitude of why did you do more of just wait two to three hours summed them up

Unfortunately I was not long back from until store in a panic buy after my phone broke on day one of holidays

I MIGHT have got the esim back with Google restore but didn't want to have that doubt if any issues down the road with my phone

First world problems as they say

lordsheepface · 29-11-2023 6:25pm

Vodafone esim options on their website seem to remain up and down in terms of whether its available or not.

drogon. · 04-12-2023 8:05pm

Signed up for e-Sim from three today very happy. Out of curiosity is the e-sim QR code a one time code ? so if I rescan it again it won't work ?

Tech_Head · 05-12-2023 7:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454802#Comment_121454802

That was the case for Vodafone anyway. I took a screenshot of the original QR code and it didn’t work when I changed phones. Make sense in a way. You wouldn’t want it copied that easily.

siddhanth · 15-01-2024 12:20pm

I know it might be a long shot but is there any news on the student-friendly carriers eyeing on the eSIM route? I have a 48 SIM card and would really like to switch to an eSIM to accommodate another SIM card.

feargantae · 15-01-2024 4:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121618109#Comment_121618109

Unlikely since eSims seem to be treated as a feature here so the budgets networks won't have it for a good while yet I'd say, with the exception of Lycamobile but they're more international than budget

DopeTech · 16-01-2024 10:16pm

Were comreg not forcing operators to have it implemented by end of 2023 no? Wish the mnvos would hurry up and stop treating it like a big deal. We’re years behind other markets in Europe.

18-01-2024 8:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121454802#Comment_121454802

I got BADLY caught on this. I moved a sim between the devices more than 3 times - twice the QR code didn't work and wouldn't rescan, and they started threatening a €15.20+VAT charge!

The way they do eSIMs is manual, and it's a bit of a joke. It should be possible to move devices without all this nonsense. They treat it as a full physical SIM replacement.

rhinosaurious · 18-01-2024 9:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121636226#Comment_121636226

shocking. You don’t get charged to transfer a physical sim from one phone to another so why is it different now? eSIMs are meant to be more convenient, I would definitely argue that with them. The QR codes are designed like that for a reason 100% so they can cash in.

Ah-Watch · 19-01-2024 5:15pm

Three have always had the 15.20+ VAT sim change charge but I've never actually seen them charge it. It's a bit of a pity you can't generate the QR within My3 though and have to fill out the form. I've filled the form out 3 times for my brother who doesn't top up every month and because you cannot select the true amount of his monthly top up it fails verification. Stores can do it in seconds so would recommend calling instore if you're near one at all.

PH0NER · 19-01-2024 11:41pm

I'm confused as to why Eir and Gomo still haven't launched eSIM. Gomo still only has that international eSIM offering, nothing for actual Irish plans. Eir hasn't announced anything.

a clanger · 21-01-2024 8:41pm

Set up two US iphones (no physical sim)with esim in the Three store and it was quite painless. Needed a spare phone for a holiday and tried Lyca online for an esim. took about 3 minutes and the coverage and (5G) download speeds are great. I'll be swapping the 2 iphones onto lyca as its half price (€10 unlimited for 12 mths). Lyca obviously being a multi country operator seem far more motivated towards esim but as previous poster said we are miles behind in Ireland !

Irishman25 · 22-01-2024 10:50am

Filled out an eSIM replacement form this morning on three.ie and within 2 hours got my qr-code. Took my old sim from my iPhone 11 Pro and it asked if I wanted to set up a “carrier”. Went through the scan qr-code eSIM setup and less than a minute I was set up and everything was fine. No hassle. I only done it to future proof and had just learned three was doing eSIM’s now.

22-01-2024 12:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121642023#Comment_121642023

I'd assume that GoMo World could actually be a product from Eir's parent, Iliad SA in France for the whole group, or at least is being structured differently to eir.

It may not be running on eir's networks at all.

They launched the GoMo brand in Switzerland too https://www.go-mo.ch/ using the branding developed by Eir.

It looks like they might plan to use the GoMo brand for a broader range of products and services.

I suspect you'll see gradually more convergence between Eir, Free, Salt and their more recent acquisition, Play in Poland, on products etc as time goes by.

Glaceon · 22-01-2024 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653543#Comment_121653543

This probably means nothing but the developer of the iOS app is shown in the App Store as "eircom Limited".

22-01-2024 6:27pm

eSIM rollout is just provisioning and having a customer interface for it.

Only Vodafone has really managed to do this (sort of), as you can access QR codes through MyVodafone and move your sim etc.

3 has eSIMs but they're essentially manually issued.

Eir could yet steal a march on the rest by implementing the full iOS spec, and have sim conversion to eSIM. eSIM swapping between near by devices and all of that.

Without those features, eSIM is in many ways quite awkward to use beyond just initially installing it.

I think the European Commission needs to intervene tbh and ensure that eSIMs are a fully open platform with equivalence to physical SIM levels of convenience, including being able to swap the eSIMs between devices.

lordsheepface · 29-01-2024 11:46pm

Ive recently changed phones with my vodafone esim.

I couldnt use the website qr code until i removed the esim from the old phone first.

What if i lost my phone? Does this mean i need manual customer support help to do the esim move?

PH0NER · 02-02-2024 3:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653543#Comment_121653543

It is kinda weird that Iliad SA owns so many European brands, but every country is under a different brand name.

I also wonder if Iliad owns the GoMo brand, or if they're just licensing it. I have seen other GoMo branded mobile services in Asia for example.

Regardless, it seems like Iliad SA offers eSIM in Italy, France, Switzerland, and Poland. Why not Ireland?

Any news on eSIMs in Ireland?

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