Has Anyone Activated a Monthly Thai Mobile Phone Plan For an eSIM?

[donx]

My new iPhone doesn't have a SIM card slot. My previous iPhone had a SIM card slot and an internal eSIM. I'm in the United States and I transferred my US phone number from the eSIM on my old iPhone to an eSIM on my new iPhone. Instead of a SIM card slot, Apple has added a second eSIM which means that when I travel to Thailand for vacation for a month, I'll need to use the second eSIM for whatever Thai mobile phone service I decide to use. My understanding is that AIS, dtac, and TrueMove H all support at least one eSIM activation method. I'd like to know if anyone has ever activated a monthly Thai mobile phone plan for an eSIM instead of using a physical SIM card which my iPhone doesn't support. If so, what carrier and plan did you choose?

[MJCM]

1 hour ago, donx said:

I'd like to know if anyone has ever activated a monthly Thai mobile phone plan for an eSIM instead of using a physical SIM card which my iPhone doesn't support. If so, what carrier and plan did you choose?

I don't know if it is relevant, but I recently changed my physical sim to an eSIM for my iPhone

 

The provider was AIS and I am not on a plan as I use Pre-Paid.

 

Note: I don't have a physical SIM any more only the eSIM and the conversion was done at the AIS shop which you find in many Shopping Centers

[donx]

Yes, I did sort of the same thing last year with my T-Mobile SIM on my old phone. However, I did it over the phone with their tech support. Since I don’t have a SIM card slot on the new phone, this method of moving the phone number from a SIM card to an eSIM won’t work.

[MJCM]

Then just go into an AIS shop (or any others like Dtac or True (if Dtac still exists ????)) and apply for a new number and just say that you want eSim only.

 

Edit: Or don't and let them search for the SIM Slot and after a While they can't find it just say eSim only (???? but that is mean)

 

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by MJCM

[sometimewoodworker]

5 hours ago, donx said:

Apple has added a second eSIM which means that when I travel to Thailand for vacation for a month, I'll need to use the second eSIM for whatever Thai mobile phone service I decide to use.

A point of correction Apple has either 6 eSIMs for the iPhone 14 or 8 eSIMs for the iPhone 14 Pro. Though you can only have 2 of these active at one time.

Edited September 20, 2022 by sometimewoodworker

[donx]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

A point of correction Apple has either 6 eSIMs for the iPhone 14 or 8 eSIMs for the iPhone 14 Pro. Though you can only have 2 of these active at one time.

Thank you for that information. I just read on PCMag.com that even my old iPhone XS Max has 8 eSIMs, but only one can be active for that phone. Now I see why Apple has gone all in on eSIMs - you can have up to 8 numbers for 8 different carriers. Of course only 2 can be active at a time, but switching between them no longer requires swapping physical SIMs. You just make the change in Settings.

[sometimewoodworker]

17 minutes ago, donx said:

Thank you for that information. I just read on PCMag.com that even my old iPhone XS Max has 8 eSIMs, but only one can be active for that phone.

That is almost certainly untrue. The most authoritative information states. “SIM slot; nano-SIM and eSIM (A1921, A2101, A2102) dual nano-SIM (A2104)”  any iPhone that has dual SIM (physical or e-SIM) capability can have both active. 
 

The only iPhone’s that have multiple eSIM capability are the iPhone 14s

 

Also though you have an iPhone XS Max there are multiple variations of that model depending on the country it’s being sold in.

[donx]

11 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That is almost certainly untrue. The most authoritative information states. “SIM slot; nano-SIM and eSIM (A1921, A2101, A2102) dual nano-SIM (A2104)”  any iPhone that has dual SIM (physical or e-SIM) capability can have both active. 
 

The only iPhone’s that have multiple eSIM capability are the iPhone 14s

 

Also though you have an iPhone XS Max there are multiple variations of that model depending on the country it’s being sold in.

 

The following is from https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044:

What you need

• An iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, or later with iOS 12.1 or later
• A wireless carrier that supports eSIM

Set up another cellular plan on your iPhone

All iPhone models that support eSIM can have multiple eSIMs and use Dual SIM with two active SIMs at the same time. 

You can use Dual SIM by using a physical SIM and an eSIM. iPhone 13 models and later also support two active eSIMs. iPhone models without a physical SIM tray support two active eSIMs.

Learn how to activate a cellular plan on an eSIM.

[BaanOz]

I'm interested in this too.

Got my dtac sim cancelled while I couldn't top it up being overseas and after 3 years away (covid) coming back very soon!

Looking to see if I can activate a dtac eSim.

Anyone know if it's ok to buy an eSim here https://www.dtac.co.th/en/new-number/esim and preferably activate it before arrival or on arrival?

I see you need to provide a passport or alien ID.

[Bruno123]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:55 PM, donx said:

My new iPhone doesn't have a SIM card slot. My previous iPhone had a SIM card slot and an internal eSIM. I'm in the United States and I transferred my US phone number from the eSIM on my old iPhone to an eSIM on my new iPhone. Instead of a SIM card slot, Apple has added a second eSIM which means that when I travel to Thailand for vacation for a month, I'll need to use the second eSIM for whatever Thai mobile phone service I decide to use. My understanding is that AIS, dtac, and TrueMove H all support at least one eSIM activation method. I'd like to know if anyone has ever activated a monthly Thai mobile phone plan for an eSIM instead of using a physical SIM card which my iPhone doesn't support. If so, what carrier and plan did you choose?

There is no issue and no difficulty. Just rock up to the network shop of your choice, activate an eSIM with them, top up your account with the required amount(perhaps 200 baht) and then tap in the USSD code on your phone's keypad to apply the package of your choice. Currently, 200 baht gets you unlimited data at up to 15 Mbps with unlimited voice calls. Just top up by 200 baht prior to the renewal date 30 days later if you want to continue with the package.

The network is up to you. 

You can choose a monthly package using my method or buy a long term pack from DTAC as illustrated by BaanOz.