Change Number for SMS on Dual-SIM iPhone XS Max

Question

Level 1

119 points

Change Number for SMS on Dual-SIM iPhone XS Max

I have an eSIM from my Canadian wireless provider, Rogers. While travelling in Europe I purchased a physical SIM from a local provider. Both the Cellular Data and Default Voice Line where set to the physical SIM line.

However, I sent an SMS from an existing conversation and I thought it would go through the physical SIM line (the Default Voice Line). Instead, it went through the eSIM line, and triggered a $12+tax Roam Like Home charge!!!

How would I know which line an SMS in an existing conversation will use? And how could one change the line from the eSIM line to the physical SIM, or the other way around for an existing conversation?

This is so confusing!

iPhone XS Max, iOS 13

Posted on Nov 24, 2019 4:39 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

zedinho

Level 1

17 points

Dec 19, 2019 9:49 PM in response to Michael9009

+1 this is frustrating

It’s apparently not possible to change the line without having to delete an existing conversation and starting a new one which means you’d have to delete a thread you might want to keep. Not cool.

Reply

Answer 2

CarlAVII

Community Specialist

Nov 26, 2019 5:45 PM in response to Michael9009

Hey there Michael9009,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. I understand you have some questions about which service is using your eSIM or Physical SIM. I’ll be happy to help with this.

‘You can switch phone numbers before you send an iMessage or SMS/MMS message.’ When you send a message, you should be able to tap the current phone number in use, then tap the number you want to use for the message. Take a look at this link for more details on this and using Dual SIM:

Using Dual SIM with an eSIM

I hope this helps.

Reply

Answer 3

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Nov 27, 2019 8:38 AM in response to Michael9009

Hi Michael9009,

So according to the article that was provided, ‘You can switch phone numbers before you send an iMessage or SMS/MMS message.’ The number has to be determined before you send the message. If you want, you can delete the existing message thread and then start a new one using the correct number. Here's that link once more:

Using Dual SIM with an eSIM

Cheers.

Reply

Answer 4

Michael9009 Author

Level 1

119 points

Nov 27, 2019 1:54 AM in response to CarlAVII

Allen,

Thanks for trying to help but I think you misunderstood my question. Basically, I need to know how could I - after adding a second SIM and configuring it to be the Default Voice line and the Cellular Data line - reply to an existing SMS conversation using the telephone number associated to the new (second) SIM, not the number associated to the primary SIM which had been used previously?

I thought the number would be changed automatically once the second SIM is set as the Default Voice line but no! One SMS I sent from an existing conversation went out from the number associated to the primary SMS which triggered a $12+tax Roam Like Home charge from Rogers.

When I click on the 'i' button at the top of the screen for the existing conversation, I can see "Using Primary for this conversation", but I cannot find a way to switch the conversation to the Secondary line. How can this be done?

Michael

Reply

Answer 5

Nov 27, 2019 1:58 AM in response to Michael9009

If you go to Settings > Mobile Data > Default voice line , which one is selected as default?

Reply

Answer 6

Michael9009 Author

Level 1

119 points

Nov 27, 2019 2:04 AM in response to Jidemikey

As I mentioned above:

Settings -> Cellular -> Default Voice Line = Secondary

Reply

Answer 7

Michael9009 Author

Level 1

119 points

Nov 27, 2019 8:53 AM in response to Joseph_S.

Yes, I understand that. But what I would like to do is keep the message thread and be able to switch the numbers without starting a new conversation thread with the same person.

Reply

Change Number for SMS on Dual-SIM iPhone XS Max

Similar questions