My new iPhone Duo appeared connected after I scanned CMLink’s eSIM QR code. By this morning, it had no service, while the physical SIM in my old iPhone was still working.
I’d skipped the separate website activation in CMLink’s email. If you’re moving your number from a physical SIM to an eSIM, adding the eSIM to your phone doesn’t necessarily complete the migration.
The email had 2 steps. My attention span had 1.
S$3,300, and I hadn’t checked the SIM tray
After yesterday’s backup migration problem and my unboxing, I had another surprise: this S$3,300 phone didn’t have a physical SIM tray. I hadn’t checked before buying it.
I do much less due diligence with purchases now than I did 10 years ago. Back then, I’d read every hardware spec and ponder for days before deciding. Now I can spend S$3,300 and discover something as basic as the SIM situation during setup.
Luckily, a few clicks on CMLink’s website got me an eSIM email almost instantly. I scanned the QR code, added it to the Duo, and thought I was connected.
Back on the old SIM
Many hours later, the Duo lost service and my number seemed to be back on the old physical SIM. The new phone showed 11 minutes of call time, so I was pretty sure the eSIM had been active for a short while. That made the switch back puzzling.
Rereading the email, I found the step I’d missed.
The activation step I’d skipped
For my CMLink migration, there were 2 steps:
- Scan the QR code to install the eSIM.
- Complete the activation on CMLink’s website, including Singpass verification.
CMLink indicated activation could take up to 4 hours. After I completed step 2, mine connected in about 10 minutes.
If your new eSIM stops working while your old SIM still works, check that you’ve completed the activation in the email. That was all I needed.
Maybe I’m just impatient
Perhaps spending so much time with AI has made me impatient. I ask for something, get an answer in seconds, and expect the next thing to be just as immediate. A QR code scans, the phone looks connected, and I’m already mentally onto something else.