What does SOS in the status bar mean?

The phone sees no network it is allowed to use, only emergency service. On a trip it almost always means the wrong line is selected for data, or data roaming is off for the eSIM. It is not a fault of the phone.

Should data roaming be on for the eSIM?

Yes. A travel eSIM is a roaming profile by design: the phone treats it as a foreign line. Roaming on for the eSIM, off for your own SIM.

The eSIM shows bars but nothing loads

Bars mean the phone found a network; data needs the line to be selected for Mobile Data and, in some countries, the APN. Check both, then toggle airplane mode for ten seconds.

Does the plan start when I install it?

In most countries the clock starts at the first connection abroad, so installing at home costs nothing. A few plans count from installation; the country page says which.

I deleted the eSIM by mistake

A travel eSIM installs once. Deleting it removes the profile for good; a new one has to be bought. Keep the profile until the plan is used up, and never remove it to "fix" a connection.

eSIM not working after landing

Six checks, in order of how often each one is the cause. Most cases end at the first two: the eSIM line has data roaming off, or the phone is still using your home SIM for data. SOS in the status bar means the same thing, not a broken phone.

1 · Data roaming on for the eSIM line iPhone: Settings → Cellular → the eSIM line → Data Roaming. Android: Settings → Network → SIMs → the eSIM → Data roaming. Leave it off on your own SIM.

2 · The eSIM is the line for mobile data iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data → pick the eSIM. Android: SIMs → Mobile data → pick the eSIM. Bars on the eSIM mean nothing while data still goes through the home SIM.

3 · Airplane mode on, ten seconds, off Forces the phone to register again. If it still shows SOS or No Service, go to the next step.

4 · Pick the network by hand iPhone: the eSIM line → Network Selection → Automatic off → choose the partner network named on your order page. Android: the eSIM → Network operators → choose manually.

5 · The APN Some networks need the access point name typed in. The value is on the order page; the countries where Android needs it are listed below. › 6 · Is the plan active? Open the order page: it shows the status, the data left and the expiry. A plan that has not been activated yet shows it there. ›

Countries where Android needs the APN typed by hand

From the catalogue, checked 13 September 2026. iPhone sets the APN itself on these plans except where marked; on Android open the eSIM line → Access Point Names → add one with this exact value, leave everything else empty, save, and select it.

When none of this helps

Write to us from the order page or the contact form with the phone model and what the status bar shows. A profile that never connected is refundable; one that has passed data is not, which is why the checklist comes first.

eSIM not working after landing

Countries where Android needs the APN typed by hand

When none of this helps

Common questions

signal_cellular_nodata What does SOS in the status bar mean?

toggle_on Should data roaming be on for the eSIM?

wifi_off The eSIM shows bars but nothing loads

schedule Does the plan start when I install it?

block I deleted the eSIM by mistake