Why did a phone lose service the day after an eSIM transfer?
Answer
This usually means the transfer completed on the new phone but was never finalised on the carrier's side, and the old profile has now been deactivated. Restart the new phone first, then check the line is switched on in settings. If there is still no service, the carrier needs to reissue the eSIM.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Do not factory reset either phone. That can delete the eSIM profile and make recovery harder.
- Never share an account PIN or transfer code with anyone who contacts you. Number transfers are a common account-takeover route.
Follow these steps
Restart the new phone
Power it fully off and on again, then wait a minute for it to register.
You should see: The carrier name returns, or confirms the problem persists.
Check the line is enabled
In Settings under network or SIM, confirm the transferred line is listed and switched on. An eSIM can be present but disabled.
You should see: The line shows as active.
Toggle airplane mode
Turn airplane mode on for ten seconds, then off, to force a fresh registration attempt.
You should see: The phone attempts to register again.
Check the old phone
See whether the old handset still has service. If both are dead, the number is unprovisioned at the carrier.
You should see: You know whether this is device or account side.
Ask the carrier to reissue the eSIM
Contact the carrier, explain the transfer completed but service stopped, and ask them to reissue the eSIM activation for the new device.
You should see: A new activation code is issued and service returns.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Whether the line still appears in the phone's SIM settings, and whether the old phone has also lost service — if both are dead, it is a carrier-side problem.
Before you change anything: Do not factory reset either phone. Keep the old one to hand, since the carrier may need details from it.
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