How do I switch iPhone carriers?

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Level 1

1 points

How do I switch iPhone carriers?

iPhone 11 has a SIM card from my old iPhone 6. While attempting to transfer the iPhone 11 from Verizon to Xfinity, I received a notification "Your SIM is Not Supported, The SIM in your old iPhone does not support eAIM transfer. Contact Verizon for asistance". Verizon tells me they will try to unlock the SIM but it may take up to 48 hours to do.

If they are successful unlocking the SIM, how do I transfer the iPhone from Verizon to Xfinity? Do I need a new SIM card or can Xfinity use the one from my iPhone which I think is needed to keep my cell phone number?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone XR, iOS 17

Posted on Feb 24, 2024 2:15 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2026

Level 10

230,328 points

Feb 24, 2024 2:33 PM in response to rrusbibste

You contact Xfinity and tell them you want to “port your phone number” from Verizon. You must do this BEFORE you cancel service with Verizon. You will also need a new SIM from Xfinity, or an eSIM code to scan if they support eSIMs. You do not need (and cannot use) a Verizon SIM for any other carrier.

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Answer 2

Axel Foley

Level 10

151,194 points

Feb 24, 2024 2:37 PM in response to rrusbibste

There are two things going on with your iPhone 11.

1) Your iPhone 11 is locked to Verizon Network. No other SIM from another service provider will work. This is the reason you were not able to install the Xfinity eSIM. You contacted Verizon so that they can unlock your iPhone so that it can be used with other providers (in this case, it is Xfinity).

2) Once Verizon notifies you that your iPhone 11 has been unlocked, then you can contact Xfinity to port your number and service from Verizon to Xfinity. NOTE that the Verizon SIM card will not work with Xfinity. If Xfinity has the eSIM service available, then they will provide instructions on how to get it activated.

Axel F.

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Answer 3

Axel Foley

Level 10

151,194 points

Feb 25, 2024 8:45 AM in response to rrusbibste

Your daughter’s iPhone 11 has a SIM card from Verizon. That Verizon SIM card will NOT work with service from Xfinity. You will have to contact Xfinity and have them port over the phone number from your daughter’s account to Xfinity. At that point, Xfinity can choose to set up an eSIM for you or issue a new SIM card.

Axel F.

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Answer 4

Trijeh

Level 1

12 points

Mar 8, 2024 10:12 PM in response to rrusbibste

If you are switching mobile providers you have too have the sim card from Xfinity, but before you do that you will need your account info from Verizon mainly your account number so that Xfinity can switch your previous phone number to their service, make sure that you have a Xfinity sim card to do this because it will not work if you don't.

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Answer 5

rrusbibste Author

Level 1

1 points

Feb 24, 2024 3:08 PM in response to Axel Foley

Thanks Axel! Really appreciate your response. Xfinity successfully ported over my other 2 iPhones (XR's) using eSIM service a couple of days ago. My daughter's Phone has the SIM from her old iPhone 6 put into the iPhone 11 which did not port over as you already know. If the SIM card will not work with Xfinity, does that mean they'll provide a new one and if so, does Does this mean she will be issued a new cell #? Obviously I'm just learning about SIM and thought that the SIM card is specifically tied to the cell #.

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