eSIM Not Working? Fix No Service, Activation and No Data

Do these checks first

If your eSIM shows No Service, is stuck on Activating, or has signal bars but no internet, start with the matching symptom and follow these checks in order:

1. Do not delete the eSIM. Some travel profiles can be installed only once.
2. Confirm that you have arrived in a country covered by the plan and that its validity has started.
3. Turn the travel eSIM line on.
4. Select that line for mobile data.
5. Set data roaming exactly as the plan instructions say—many travel eSIMs require it on.
6. Turn Airplane Mode on for 30 seconds, then off.
7. Restart the phone.
8. If you have signal but no internet, check the APN, data balance and any fair-use limit.

These steps fix the common setting and network-registration problems without risking the installed profile.

Important: deleting an eSIM is not the same as switching it off. Do not remove it unless BambooSIM support or the network provider confirms that the profile can be downloaded again.

Need help with an active BambooSIM plan? Keep the eSIM installed and contact BambooSIM support with the order number, phone model, location, exact error and screenshots of the line settings.

Match the symptom before changing settings

1. Check whether the eSIM is installed

On iPhone

Open Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Service/Mobile Data, depending on region). The travel plan should appear under SIMs. Tap it and confirm Turn On This Line is enabled.

Apple’s current troubleshooting guidance recommends checking that the line appears, toggling Airplane Mode and restarting. See Apple: If you can’t set up an eSIM. The separate do-not-delete warning above is BambooSIM guidance for travel profiles that may use a single-use installation code.

On Samsung Galaxy

Open Settings → Connections → SIM manager. Confirm the eSIM is listed and switched on. Samsung documents the installation path in How to use an eSIM with your Galaxy phone.

On Google Pixel and other Android phones

Open Settings → Network & internet → SIMs. Menu names differ between brands, but the eSIM should be visible and enabled. Google’s Pixel SIM help covers adding and managing an eSIM.

If the profile is missing, connect to dependable Wi-Fi and return to the original QR code or manual-installation details. Check first whether the code is reusable. Do not keep scanning a single-use code after an error.

2. Select the travel eSIM for mobile data

An installed line can show signal while the phone still sends data through the home SIM.

iPhone

Open Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data and select the travel eSIM. Leave Allow Cellular Data Switching off while troubleshooting so the phone does not silently fall back to the home line.

Android

Open the SIM manager and set the travel eSIM as the preferred SIM for Mobile data. On dual-SIM phones, the defaults for calls and messages can remain on the home SIM if that is what you need.

Then turn Wi-Fi off briefly and load a simple webpage. Testing on mobile data prevents working hotel Wi-Fi from hiding the problem.

3. Check data roaming on the correct line

Many international travel eSIMs connect through partner networks and require Data Roaming to be enabled on the travel line. Follow the installation instructions for your specific plan.

The safe dual-SIM setup is usually:

• travel eSIM selected for mobile data;
• data roaming set as instructed on the travel eSIM;
• data roaming off on the home SIM;
• cellular-data switching off during diagnosis.

This reduces the chance that the phone uses paid roaming on the Australian or other home-country SIM. Carrier rules still vary, so check the home carrier’s conditions for calls, voicemail and SMS.

4. Refresh network registration

After landing or crossing a border:

1. Turn Airplane Mode on.
2. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Turn it off.
4. Allow up to a few minutes for a partner network to appear.
5. Restart once if the line still does not register.

Do not change five settings at once. Test after each step so you know what solved the problem.

5. Check automatic network selection

Automatic selection is normally the right default.

• On iPhone: Settings → Cellular → travel eSIM → Network Selection → Automatic.
• On Android: open the travel SIM’s mobile-network settings and enable automatic network selection.

If the plan instructions name a specific partner network, try manual selection only after automatic registration has failed. A network appearing in the list does not necessarily mean the plan is allowed to use it.

6. If there are bars but no internet, check the APN

The Access Point Name tells the phone how to reach mobile data. Some eSIMs configure it automatically; others provide a value in the installation email or app.

• Copy the APN exactly, including punctuation and capitalisation.
• Leave username and password blank unless the instructions provide them.
• Avoid borrowing an APN from a forum or another provider.
• Restart after saving a changed APN.

On iPhone, the APN menu may be hidden when the carrier configures it automatically. On Android, it is usually within the travel SIM’s Access Point Names menu.

Also check:

• the plan still has data remaining;
• the validity period has not ended;
• the current country is included;
• a daily high-speed allowance has not been reached;
• a VPN or custom DNS is not blocking the test.

7. “Activating” before arrival can be normal

Some destination eSIMs cannot finish network activation until they see an eligible network in the covered country. If the profile is installed, the line is visible and the provider says activation happens on arrival, an “Activating” status at home does not always mean failure.

Before departure:

• keep the eSIM installed;
• save the installation instructions offline;
• label the line clearly;
• confirm which setting starts validity;
• do not enable a destination-activated plan early unless instructed.

The iPhone eSIM setup guide and Samsung/Android setup guide cover the normal installation flow.

8. Fix common special cases

eSIM worked, then stopped

Check the remaining data and validity first. If both are fine, refresh network registration and recheck automatic network selection. A fair-use policy may also reduce speed after a daily threshold without cutting the connection completely.

eSIM stopped after a border crossing

Confirm that the next country is in the plan’s coverage list. Turn Airplane Mode on and off, then allow the phone to register with a new partner. A country eSIM will not become a regional eSIM simply because both places are nearby.

Internet works, but calls or SMS do not

Many travel eSIMs are data-only. Calls made through WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal or similar apps use data, but conventional calls and SMS require a plan that explicitly includes them. A displayed number does not by itself guarantee full voice or SMS service.

Only one app is broken

If maps and a browser work, the mobile-data connection is probably fine. Check the app’s mobile-data permission, VPN, Private Relay, DNS or regional availability before changing SIM settings.

The phone is carrier-locked

An eSIM-capable phone can still be locked to its original carrier. Check the lock status with the home carrier. On iPhone, Settings → General → About → Carrier Lock should show no SIM restriction for an unlocked device.

Australian traffic versus the rest of the world

The technical fix is the same in Australia and elsewhere. The main Australian-specific risk is leaving a Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or other home line able to use roaming data while the travel eSIM is being tested.

Australians who keep the home number active for bank codes should select the travel eSIM for data, disable cellular-data switching and check the carrier’s rules for receiving texts, answering calls and voicemail abroad. Travellers from other countries should make the same checks against their own carrier’s roaming policy.

What to send support

If the checklist does not solve it, contact BambooSIM support with:

• order number or eSIM identifier—never post the full QR code publicly;
• phone make, model and operating-system version;
• current country and city;
• exact error wording;
• screenshots showing the travel line, selected data line and signal state;
• whether Airplane Mode and a restart were tried;
• whether the issue is No Service, bars with no data, or one app only;
• the APN currently entered, if one was provided.

Complete information helps support distinguish device settings, plan status, coverage and network issues quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my eSIM showing No Service?

The line may be off, outside its coverage area, waiting for destination activation or failing to register with a partner network. Confirm coverage, enable the line, use automatic network selection and refresh the connection with Airplane Mode.

Why is my eSIM activated but there is no internet?

The wrong SIM may be selected for data, data roaming may not match the plan instructions, the APN may be missing, or the allowance may be exhausted. Signal bars confirm radio service, not a working data session.

Should I turn data roaming on for a travel eSIM?

Many travel eSIMs require data roaming on because they use partner networks. Follow the plan instructions and enable it on the travel eSIM, not the home SIM, unless your provider says otherwise.

Should I delete and reinstall an eSIM that is not working?

No, not as a first step. Some profiles and QR codes are single-use. Turn the line off and on, check settings and contact support before deleting it.

Why is my eSIM stuck on Activating?

It may need to reach a supported destination network before activation can finish. Check the provider’s activation policy, keep the profile installed and retry after arrival on an eligible network.

Why did my eSIM stop working after crossing a border?

The new country may not be covered, or the phone may need to register with a different partner. Confirm coverage, then toggle Airplane Mode and use automatic network selection.

Can I keep my Australian SIM active with a travel eSIM?

Yes, on a dual-SIM phone. Select the travel eSIM for mobile data, turn off data roaming on the Australian line and check your home carrier’s call, SMS and voicemail charges.

What if none of these steps work?

Contact support with the phone model, location, exact symptom, screenshots, APN and steps already tried. Do not delete the eSIM while waiting unless support confirms it can be reissued.

Sources and device help

• Apple: If you can’t set up an eSIM on iPhone
• Apple: Use Dual SIM with an eSIM
• Samsung: How to use an eSIM with a Galaxy phone
• Google Pixel Help: Add a SIM or eSIM