Why do I see signal bars but no 5G/LTE/4G/3G data icon?
If you're seeing signal bars but no 5G/LTE/4G/3G data icon, or only an E data icon, it could be due to the following reasons:
1. Check that you are not connected to WiFi. If you are, then disconnect.
2. Check eSIM Selection: Ensure your eSIM is selected for Mobile/Cellular Data.
3. Ensure Correct Phone Settings: For most travel or roaming plans, Data Roaming should be enabled, and Voice and Data mode should be set to 4G/5G Auto. If you are in the UK with a Vodafone, O2, Three or EE UK plan, Data Roaming is not needed. If you are using an EE UK plan while you are in the UK, the eSIM should connect to EE or CTExcel. If you are using an SFR France plan while you are in France, Data Roaming should be turned OFF and the eSIM should connect to the SFR network.
4. Location and Coverage: Verify that you're in an area with strong network coverage. A weak signal could prevent the icon from showing, even though there’s connectivity.
5. If your signal bar is showing 'E' then data will be extremely slow and you might think it is not working at all. Best to find an area that has 4G or 5G coverage.
6. Try manual network selection. If you are using an EE UK plan while in the UK, select EE or CTExcel if shown. If EE or CTExcel is not listed, turn Automatic network selection back ON, turn Airplane Mode ON for 10 seconds, turn it OFF again, wait 2-3 minutes, and restart the phone. If you are using an SFR France plan while in France, select SFR. For other travel plans, try another available local network if one is listed. Wait a few minutes after changing network, then restart your device if needed.
7. Temporarily turn off other SIMs or eSIMs: If you have another SIM or eSIM active in the same phone, temporarily turn off the other line and leave only the eSIM.net line switched on. Restart the phone, keep Wi-Fi switched off, make sure the eSIM.net line is selected for Mobile Data, then open Network Selection, turn Automatic off, and manually select one of the available supported networks. Leave it selected for at least 5 minutes so the eSIM has time to register and show a 5G/LTE/4G/3G data icon. If that network does not work, try another available network. Once the eSIM.net line has registered and is working, you can turn your other line back on.
8. Restart Your Device: Sometimes, a simple restart can help your device reconnect to the network and resolve icon issues.
If you still don't see the 5G/LTE/4G/3G data icon after following these steps, please email support@esim.net with your order number and screenshots showing that the eSIM is selected for mobile data, Data Roaming is enabled where required, the APN settings, the available networks under Manual Network Selection, and any error message you see. Please also confirm which networks you manually tried.
Important: This guidance is for plans that include mobile data. If your product does not include mobile data, such as O2 SMS Only GLOBAL, do not try to enable Mobile Data or Data Roaming for that plan. O2 SMS Only GLOBAL is for receiving SMS only and does not include mobile data.
