Activating an eSIM in an already personalized phone without factory reset?

[sgeneris]

For the last 2-3 weeks I've been stuck with a problem that I am unable to resolve, for which reason I cannot use my new phone.

I have a new Pixel 4a 5G. A TMo agent botched the eSIM activation -- sent me a "blank" eSIM for an Apple phone that did not work in an Android device -- I had to erase it. Thus I spent those weeks personalizing the phone without an active SIM and no mobile account, using just the WiFi, believing I can install a eSIM later.

All TMo stores in SF are closed. After I talked to about 4-5 clueless agents, I reached a manager (in the Philippines!) who told me that the only solution is to factory reset the phone and activate an eSIM properly, which means I would have to repeat all that personalization -- I cannot afford that.

1. Isn't there a way to activate a SIM without a reset? Does it hold for both eSIM and physical SIM? I have
an old SIM I could transfer from the old phone.
2. Is all the personalization recoverable from backup? Anything that's lost?

I don't trust TMo anymore and would drop it, but it has the plan that suits me best and in my experience the
other carriers are not much better.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[mikedt]

Are certain US carriers providing service via eSIMs rather than providing physical SIM cards now? Are the T-Mobile stores closed because of Covid-19 lockdown, or just because it's Sunday?

Can't really help though, because the only time I've used eSIMs, was for international wireless data packages.

 

[sgeneris]

Yes, they do.

I have no idea why they're closed and it looks like they won't reopen and TMo is mum about it. They had a flyer on the window that it will open on 6/30 but did not. The problem is that their phone support is mostly useless except for very basic stuff -- the slightest problem and they're clueless. But hey, they call them "experts".

It's not clear that it's just eSIM -- can either an eSIM OR a physical SIM be inserted BEFORE personalization? That's what I need to know from somebody who has the tech knowledge of this.

 

[mikedt]

Yes, they do.

I have no idea why they're closed and it looks like they won't reopen and TMo is mum about it. They had a flyer on the window that it will open on 6/30 but did not. The problem is that their phone support is mostly useless except for very basic stuff -- the slightest problem and they're clueless. But hey, they call them "experts".

I'm not American, but I just remembered why businesses might currently be closed there at the moment?

Biggest public holiday of the year?

It's not clear that it's just eSIM -- can either an eSIM OR a physical SIM be inserted BEFORE personalization? That's what I need to know from somebody who has the tech knowledge of this.

@kate One for you?

 

[sgeneris]

Nope -- they have been closed fro weeks now.

 

[puppykickr]

Yes, they do.

I have no idea why they're closed and it looks like they won't reopen and TMo is mum about it. They had a flyer on the window that it will open on 6/30 but did not. The problem is that their phone support is mostly useless except for very basic stuff -- the slightest problem and they're clueless. But hey, they call them "experts".

It's not clear that it's just eSIM -- can either an eSIM OR a physical SIM be inserted BEFORE personalization? That's what I need to know from somebody who has the tech knowledge of this.

I have personalized my last couple of phones before activation.

Really shouldn't affect the setup when you change SIM cards, although I am not familiar with eSIMs.

If possible, try using your old SIM first.
Shut the phone off, open it, and replace the SIM card, then reassemble it and turn it on.

T-Mobile is by far the most strange and fickle cellular service I have ever used.

My data and texting didn't work for the first 24-48 hours after activation.

It seems that they sent a bunch of stuff via text message (or whatever) that introduced settings into my device to work on their system.

 

[sgeneris]

Lots of incompetence @Tmo, but all carriers are the same. ATT is the pits -- worse company stinking from the head.
.
Turns out they complicated a simple thing due to ignorance.

They don't have an eSIM solution for Android, only for Apple. Luckily I have a blank SIM card so they just activated it via phone and say it won't affect content.

The only reason I stick with TMo (other than I won't touch ATT) is that I am not a heavy user of data and phone and they
have the least expensive plans for that.

 

[puppykickr]

I actually have the best luck with AT&T.
I have been a customrr since 2001, when nobody else around here even had service worth having.

In southern Indiana, near Springville, my AT&T phone worked when my ol'lady's device (Verizon towers) had zero service.
Saved our tail once.

It is still the most reliable service here, and virtually everywhere we go.

Plus, AT&T uses GSM technology, while Verizon towers are crappy CDMA.

The real test will be to see if the service is still as reliable once they shut down their 3G service.

My guess is that then it will be as bad as everyone else's.

The only thing worse is 5G, which my area won't see untill the rest of the country is on 6G or 7G.

 

[sgeneris]

I was not referring to service, but to the company.

I'm in SF -- heart of SV tech -- and Internet service is either shit or unaffordable

 

[puppykickr]

I was not referring to service, but to the company.

I'm in SF -- heart of SV tech -- and Internet service is either shit or unaffordable

Well, that is basically what I am getting at.

You live in an urban, densely populated area with the latest and 'greatest' teck available, and yet the service sucks.

Here I am, stuck in BFE Indiana in a town of 25,000, and service has been extrodinary- even with Sprint, of all carriers- right up until the recent merger with T-Mobile- and now service is a giant steaming dog turd right where you step.

I really should invest in some carrier pigeons in case I ever really need to contact someone in an emergency.

3G, and even 4G service was excellent around here.
Not LTE, or this new poop 5G.
Suckity, suck, suck.

I don't care if the company sends me a birthday card and a Christmas gift every year- if the service sucks, then the company sucks.

 

[sgeneris]

Well, we live now in a monopolistic oligarchic corporate welfare state and things will get worse and worse until the whole shabang will collapse. And WHEN -- NOT IF -- the West collapses, even pigeons will be useless. I'm glad I'm old enough to not catch that, but given the speed of decline, I'm no longer sure.

 

[puppykickr]

Well, we live now in a monopolistic oligarchic corporate welfare state and things will get worse and worse until the whole shabang will collapse. And WHEN -- NOT IF -- the West collapses, even pigeons will be useless. I'm glad I'm old enough to not catch that, but given the speed of decline, I'm no longer sure.

Which was all entirely brought on by ourselves...
not willing to do for ourselves, laziness, putting up with horrid service instead of doing without it as a whole.

These things are trained into us by the 'entertainment' industry and our schools.

When I see people walking or driving alone and wearing a mask- bingo.

Imagine a disease sooooo deadly that you need to be tested to see if you have it...
and it disappears as soon as you turn off the TV and radio...

My hat is off to the countless workers that must be removing the hordes of corpses from the streets each night.

 

[sgeneris]

Yes but you see that's how societal histories work -- all dominant civilizations INHERENTLY peak and decline -- there are no exceptions. So it is now the turn of the West -- there is nothing different about it: all the flaws that you describe is the natural progression of societies in history.

 

[sgeneris]

There is no recovery from decadence and decline -- only acceleration and there is nothing that can be done about it.

 

[puppykickr]

Yes but you see that's how societal histories work -- all dominant civilizations INHERENTLY peak and decline -- there are no exceptions. So it is now the turn of the West -- there is nothing different about it: all the flaws that you describe is the natural progression of societies in history.

Well, it doesn't have to be that way.

Our founding fathers gave us tools to prevent that from happening in the USA.

They looked at and learned from every society for the known human times, and formed a republic.

The problem starts with subversive elements, that move into positions of power, education, and influence.

At the very least, our dumbing down and lethargy in dealing with this has been the fuel for our decline.

Advancements bring about convenience, which in turn breed laziness.
Laziness begats lethargy and apathy.

These bring about a resistance to knowlege and respect of history.

And here we are.

History repeats itself, and this is why.

 

[sgeneris]

Yes, it does. Can you give me ONE example of a dominant civilization in history that did not decline and collapsed? Until you do, there is no basis for your refusal to accept reality.

I guarantee you that the Romans and the Greeks did not believe it either when they collapsed -- humans simply cannot accept it and psychologically cope with denial. This is exactly what is now happening to the West in general and the US in particular. But denial is extremely difficult to exit.

 

[puppykickr]

Yes, it does. Can you give me ONE example of a dominant civilization in history that did not decline and collapsed? Until you do, there is no basis for your refusal to accept reality.

I guarantee you that the Romans and the Greeks did not believe it either when they collapsed -- humans simply cannot accept it and psychologically cope with denial. This is exactly what is now happening to the West in general and the US in particular. But denial is extremely difficult to exit.

The point is that we had a republic that would have lasted, if we had continued to follow the founding father's legacy.

 

[sgeneris]

But I just proved to you that this is an illusion -- there is no escape from collapse, it's the nature of systems, they deteriorate and collapse -- entropy can only increase.

When B. Franklin said "It's a republic IF YOU CAN KEEP IT!" he knew we wouldn't because nobody could to this day.

 

[puppykickr]

But I just proved to you that this is an illusion -- there is no escape from collapse, it's the nature of systems, they deteriorate and collapse -- entropy can only increase.

When B. Franklin said "It's a republic IF YOU CAN KEEP IT!" he knew we wouldn't because nobody could to this day.

Not true.
He said IF you can keep it.
That means that there are choices.
Whether or not the correct choices have been made, the idea is that there was choice- and therefore the possibility- of a lasting system.

 

[sgeneris]

That's the interpretation of denial. The way he used the if indicates that he doubted it -- that pretty clear.

When their wishes are not consistent with reality, it's usually the reality that has to go. And that in itself accelerates the process of decline. which makes very hard for them to accept that they are not different tan any other dominant civilization.