First Three UK launched it, then “put a short pause” on the deployment and said it was just a trial, before adding that it would arrive in “early 2021“, which in January 2021 became “later this year”.  Latest news about Three UK eSIM support find out below.

Mobile operator Three UK has now indicated that eSIM support for 4G and 5G handsets will not arrive until 2022. Normally, the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card that you insert into a handset will contain a tiny chip that authenticates your identity to a mobile operator. Such cards can also store a basic list of your contacts, although online contact lists have largely superseded that feature on modern devices.

But a growing number of new smartphones, and also smartwatches (wearables), are now shipping with eSIM as an option, which essentially embeds an electronic SIM into your device and that could make it easier to switch between carriers via multiple account support (i.e. no more waiting for new SIM cards to arrive or fiddling with different ones when trying to change network). At least that’s the idea, but in practice it hasn’t always worked out that way.

After a long wait, mobile operator Three UK finally appeared to be introducing limited eSIM support last September 2020, but feedback from consumers suggests that this was a somewhat muddled affair, and by December 2020 they had opted to put a “short pause” on its deployment. But that “short pause” now looks set to last even longer.

Upon enquiring about the status of eSIM support, one of Three UK’s customers was told this week: “Following a successful trial in a small number of our stores, we’re pleased to say that we’ll be launching eSIM on handsets in 2022. We don’t have an exact date right now, but rest assured, we’ll inform you when it’s available for both consumer and business customers.”

At present nobody is saying when in 2022 it will be launched, and, once again, there’s no mention of support for wearables in there. The wait for eSIM is now rapidly becoming almost as bad as the wait for Virgin Media (VMO2) to finally introduce IPv6 support to their network, although that issue has been running for several years longer.

Rival operators including O2, Vodafone, and EE (BT) have had eSIM support for a while, albeit with varying levels of support (i.e. it’s sometimes only enabled for selected devices). three uk esim support

If your phone is dual-sim compatible, you can use an eSIM alongside a physical SIM. This means you can have two different plans and phone numbers, or even have two plans on two different networks. Check with your device manufacturer on how to set up your phone to use Dual SIM. If you’re using Dual SIM, you’ll need to make sure you set one as your default. This means you can only receive one call at a time, and any missed calls will go to your voicemail on the relevant number.

You can request an eSIM replacement by calling the 3 Contact Centre on 333. You can only request a replacement if you currently have eSIM. Once you receive it, check out the video on this page to get started. Take note that when 3 processes your eSIM request, your physical SIM will be disconnected. You’ll need to wait for your new eSIM to arrive. This will mean you’ll have to go 1-2 days without service.

If your physical SIM or eSIM is terminated or suspended by 3, the other may be terminated or suspended too. This may happen if you breach your Pay Monthly Mobile Agreement. This may also result in your device being blacklisted.

If you ever need to remove your eSIM from your device, it’s straightforward to do.

1. Go to Settings.

2. Select Mobile Data, then Select Data Plan.

3. Select Remove Data Plan, then select Remove Three Plan.

4. You’re good to go, and your eSIM is no longer linked to your device.