The eSIM is not connecting
The short answer
Check three things in order: data roaming is on for the eSIM line, mobile data is set to the eSIM, and the phone is not still holding a dead Wi-Fi or a home-line data preference. Most cases end at the first check.
Checked on September 30, 2026
Work through these checks in order. The first one fixes most cases.
1. Data roaming, on the eSIM line
These are Africa regional plans, so the eSIM connects on a South African partner network. Open the phone’s settings, tap the travel line, and turn data roaming on. Keep it off on your home line.
2. The data line
Make sure mobile data is set to the eSIM, not to your home SIM. On iPhone: Settings, Mobile Service, Mobile Data. On Android: Settings, Network and internet, SIMs, Mobile data.
3. The usual fixes
- Toggle airplane mode on for ten seconds, then off.
- Restart the phone.
- Check the phone is not connected to a dead Wi-Fi network.
- Move to the open, near a window, if you are indoors.
4. The plan itself
The store sells 7, 15 and 30 day plans with set data. If the days or the data ran out, nothing on the phone will fix it. Write to contact@baobabsim.com with your order link and ask what state the plan is in; if the eSIM cannot be made to work, the refund promise applies.
Questions
The phone shows the network but nothing loads
That combination almost always means data roaming is off for the eSIM line. Turn it on for this line only, then toggle airplane mode for ten seconds.
The phone shows no network at all
Switch the eSIM line off and on, restart the phone, and give it a minute in the open. South Africa's 4G reaches 99.5% of the population, but a basement or a deep valley can still leave a gap.
Can I use the eSIM before landing?
No. The line connects in South Africa. Keep it switched off until you land so it does not spend time hunting for a network abroad.
It worked yesterday, today it does not
Check the plan's days: the store sells 7, 15 and 30 day plans. If the data or the days ran out, the store's support can tell you what state the plan is in. Write with your order link.
More help
Install the eSIM before you fly
Scan the QR code on Wi-Fi at home and your South Africa eSIM is on the phone before you board. Where to find the code, and what to do if it fails.
Switch the eSIM on after landing
Land in Johannesburg or Cape Town and get online: choose the eSIM for mobile data, turn on data roaming for that line, and keep your own number for calls.
Data roaming in South Africa, explained
These plans roam, so data roaming on the eSIM line is what lets them connect. Switch it on there, and keep it off your home line.
Refunds and a lost QR code
The refund promise in plain words, how to find your order page if you lost the link, and why a working eSIM is not refunded after a change of mind.
Check your phone takes an eSIM
iPhone XR onward, Pixel 4 onward, Galaxy S20 onward and most recent phones take an eSIM. The one-minute check, and the models that do not.
Still stuck?
Orders, QR codes and refunds are handled by BaobabSIM support. Write with the link to your order page and your phone model.
contact@baobabsim.com