Travellers bewarned - no esim transfer if you lose your phone

[Jb_2847]

Just a heads up, particularly to anyone abroad relying on eSIMs - if you lose/break your main phone, there is no way to transfer your esim to a new phone.

Three requires you to visit a Three store or send you a physical sim by post to your UK address.

This is because they insist you use their app to initiate the transfer, which requires logging in, which requires an SMS to the number you no longer have access to.

I've had multiple conversations with customer support to confirm this (the policy appears to have changed).

The workaround seems to be

1. get someone to collect your post and send the sim on to you after activating it in the UK.

2. leave Three - get a PAC code (support are happy to do that without SMS verification) and move to another network that lets you activate a SIM abroad to reclaim access.

[Jb_2847]

I was forced to enter a 2FA logging in online (not just the app). I think if you have logged in (very) recently the website may skip the 2fa step.

[Andy2]

Yes. This was a year and a half ago and as it was a test eSIM I hadn’t logged into the web interface much, but I had logged in previously. I have just logged into the web interface for my main number and I wasn’t prompted for a OTP. As JB_2847said in a previous post it is not something that can be relied upon.

I am hoping I never lose or break my phone whilst abroad and have to test this.

[littledesk1]

I've also noticed that the activation email no longer provides the QR code. Simply redirects you to the web interface. Not much use if you are logged out of the interface. I always ensure I'm logged in every few weeks via my phone or desktop just to ensure the cookie is present if I did lose my phone and needed to re-activate my SIM.

Though I read above that CS can send you an email with the QR code? That's what Voxi do.

[Jb_2847]

I believe CS *used* to be able to send a qr code via email (twitter support still thought it was possible) but no longer - I tried chat support, I called and asked to escalate to supervisor, and I filed a complaint - all said it is not possible.