CONNECTION TROUBLESHOOTING

Travel eSIM not working? APN, reinstall & transfer

Fix APN and connection problems without deleting the profile first, then compare official reinstall and phone-transfer rules for seven travel eSIM providers.

1. Start with the symptom

No service or SOS usually calls for coverage, activation and network-registration checks. If signal bars or 4G/5G appear but data does not work, first confirm the travel eSIM is selected for mobile data, its required data-roaming setting is on, and the APN matches the provider instructions.

2. Refresh registration without destructive changes

Turn airplane mode on briefly, turn it off, and wait for the device to register. Restart after an APN or data-line change. GigSky says first registration in a new country can take up to five minutes.

3. Do not guess the APN or network

APN values are provider-specific and can also be plan-specific. Automatic network selection is the safe default unless the provider app, installation instructions or support team identifies a supported network for manual selection.

4. Preserve the installed profile

Deleting a profile can create a reinstall or device-transfer problem, and the rules differ sharply by provider and underlying Nomad package. First turn the line off instead of deleting it. Save the order number, plan name, current country, phone model, OS version, error message and relevant settings screenshots before asking support for help.

Key points✓ No service or SOS: confirm coverage, plan activation and that the eSIM line is on✓ Signal but no internet: select the travel eSIM for data, enable its roaming and verify its APN✓ After crossing a border: allow time to register, then toggle airplane mode and restart✓ Use manual network selection only when the provider identifies a supported network✓ Check the provider-specific recovery rule before deleting an installed eSIM

PROVIDER-SPECIFIC RULES

APN and network-selection differences

These are support instructions, not performance rankings. Confirm the current plan details in the provider app before changing settings.

Provider	APN rule	Network selection	Important caution
Airalo	Use the exact value in My eSIMs → Details; many plans configure it automatically.	Use only a network listed in the plan’s connection instructions.	APN and supported networks can vary by plan.
Saily	For the cited iOS troubleshooting flow, enter wbdata in Mobile Data and LTE Setup.	If needed, choose the provider supplied by Saily; ask support when unsure.	The confirmed APN instruction here is scoped to iOS troubleshooting.
Nomad	Usually automatic; manual values vary with Nomad’s underlying provider shown in the app or email.	Try manual selection only after matching the plan’s supported provider.	There is no single Nomad APN for every plan.
Holafly	The cited iPhone and Samsung guide specifies Global when manual entry is required.	Keep the provider’s supported-network instructions available before changing from automatic.	Resetting iPhone network settings also removes saved Wi-Fi passwords.
Ubigi	Usually automatic; enter mbb if manual setup is required.	No universal manual-network value is published in the cited APN guide.	On Android, save and select the newly created APN.
aloSIM	The cited iPhone settings guide specifies alosim.	Keep Automatic on; use manual selection only when aloSIM support names a network.	A visible network is not necessarily supported by the plan.
GigSky	The cited new-country guide specifies gigsky.	Wait up to five minutes on first registration, then try airplane mode or restart.	The app can issue a replacement after accidental deletion, but the published self-service limit is two.

BEFORE YOU DELETE OR CHANGE PHONES

Reinstall and device-transfer rules

A profile, account and paid data plan are different things. These are provider-published recovery rules, not a promise that every active package can move.

Provider	Same-device recovery	New-device rule	Safe action
AiraloOfficial recovery rule ↗	Usually not reinstallable after removal; Airalo says a new eSIM may be required.	Not transferable after the eSIM has been installed on the first device.	Leave the profile installed and turn the line off when it is not in use.
HolaflyOfficial recovery rule ↗	The reviewed guidance allows up to four total installations on the original phone.	Not transferable; the eSIM remains linked to the first phone.	Keep the original email and manual activation codes, and do not delete merely to troubleshoot.
SailyOfficial recovery rule ↗	Reinstallation is supported through the Saily app.	Supported when the user signs in to the app with the same email address.	Use the app reinstall flow; contact Saily support if installation is unavailable.
UbigiOfficial recovery rule ↗	The profile can be reinstalled after a reset or deletion through Ubigi guidance.	Delete it from the old device while online before reinstalling; contact support if the old device is unavailable.	Keep access to the Ubigi account and old phone until the new device is connected.
NomadOfficial recovery rule ↗	Depends on the underlying provider; Neon and Plum packages cannot be reinstalled.	Depends on the underlying provider; some allow transfer, some only same-device reinstall, and some neither.	Identify the plan provider in Nomad and check its row before deleting the profile.
GigSkyOfficial recovery rule ↗	The app can issue a replacement eSIM for an active plan up to two times.	A new profile is required because GigSky eSIMs are single-device profiles.	Use My Plans → Get new eSIM; contact support after the replacement limit.
aloSIMOfficial recovery rule ↗	Deleted eSIM profiles cannot be recovered in the reviewed guidance.	The account can move, but the existing profile cannot; a new data plan must be purchased and installed.	Set up and test the new plan before deleting the old profile.

EVIDENCE · CHECKED 2026-09-04

Official sources

LAST UPDATED · 2026-09-04

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