With an iPhone that includes a digital eSIM option aside its standard Nano-SIM card, you can have two cellular service accounts. One can be your primary line with your main wireless carrier, and the other can be from your main carrier or another provider. The eSIM account can be prepaid or postpaid as well as data-only, which is great for traveling. But which wireless providers support eSIM?
The list below, geared toward US customers, highlights all the current cellular providers that offer plans that work on the digital eSIM of your dual-SIM iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR. Accounts can be created in stores manually, via a QR code, or via a carrier's app. Each carrier will vary, but there will be links to help you can answers.
For any of the prepaid or postpaid service plans from any of the mobile network operators below to work on the eSIM, your iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR needs to be running iOS 12.1.1 or later. So make sure you stay updated! However, some carriers will work on iOS 12.1 since that's when the feature first rolled out.
Top US Wireless Carriers
- AT&T Wireless: On an unlocked device, current customers can add additional accounts and new customers can create a new account by visiting retail stores that will provide QR codes for setup. It applies to both prepaid and postpaid service plans.
- Verizon Wireless: On an unlocked device, current customers can add additional accounts and new customers can create an account through the My Verizon app (v. 6.10.0 or higher) or in Verizon Wireless stores. If you purchased the device through Verizon, your primary account will need to remain on the nano-SIM card and may not be transferred.
Prepaid US Wireless Carriers
- GigSky: Offers prepaid data-only plans that can be used in almost any country of your choice. It's a great choice when traveling or when you just want to use some data outside your normal plan in the US. Accounts are created in the GigSky World Mobile Data app. More details.
- Truphone: Similar to GigSky, it offers prepaid, data-only plans with numerous countries you can choose from. Ideal for when traveling abroad, but also useful at home in the US when you just need a second data line. However, you can only get 3G data in the US, though, there is 4G in other countries. Accounts are created in the My Truphone app.
US Wireless Carriers Coming Soon
- Sprint: The company has promised eSIM support will arrive but has given no time frame. We expect it to appear in a couple of months, at least.
- T-Mobile: The T-Mobile app will eventually let you sign up for prepaid plans, supposedly in the near future. For postpaid plans, new or additional, a trip to a retail location will be needed to set them up on the eSIM until it's supported in-app.
US Wireless Carriers We'd Like to See
A few major US wireless service carriers, as well as a large amount of mobile virtual network operators (providers who use networks from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon), have yet to gain eSIM support, but we'd like to see some of these add support soon.
- Boost Mobile
- Consumer Cellular
- Cricket Wireless
- FreedomPop
- Google Fi
- H2O Wireless
- Metro
- Simple Mobile
- Straight Talk
- Total Wireless
- US Cellular
- US Mobile
- Virgin Mobile USA
Wireless Carriers in Other Regions
- Austria: T-Mobile
- Canada: Bell
- Canada: Fido (Apple lists as eSIM compatible but Fido says otherwise)
- Canada: Lucky Mobile
- Canada: Rogers
- Canada: Virgin Mobile
- Croatia: Hrvatski Telekom
- Czech Republic: T-Mobile
- Denmark: 3
- Estonia: Telia
- Finland: Telia
- Germany: Telekom
- Germany: Vodafone
- Hong Kong: 1O1O
- Hong Kong: csl
- Hong Kong: China Mobile Hong Kong
- Hong Kong: SmarTone
- Hong Kong: 3
- Hungary: Magyar Telekom
- India: Airtel
- India: Reliance Jio
- Kuwait: Ooredoo
- Norway: Telenor
- Poland: Orange
- Qatar: Ooredoo
- Qatar: Vodafone
- Singapore: M1
- Spain: Movistar
- Spain: Orange
- Spain: Vodafone Spain
- Sweden: 3
- Sweden: Tele2
- Switzerland: Sunrise
- Switzerland: Swisscom
- Tawain: APT
- Thailand: AIS
- Thailand: dtac
- Thailand: True Move H
- United Arab Emirates: du
- United Arab Emirates: Etisalat
- United Arab Emirates: Virgin Mobile
- United Kingdom: EE
Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.
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