eSIM Help & FAQ
Everything you need to get your Shpper eSIM working, and what to do if it doesn’t.
In a hurry? If you have signal but no internet, jump to Connected, but no internet — it’s almost always one setting.
Contents
- Getting started
- Installing your eSIM
- Connected, but no internet ← most common
- No signal at all
- Your plan: when it starts and when it ends
- Adding more data
- Moving your eSIM to a new phone
- Will it work on my phone?
- Billing and refunds
- Still stuck?
Getting started
What is a Shpper eSIM?
A digital SIM card. There’s nothing to post and nothing to swap — you install it on your phone from the Shpper app, and it gives you mobile data abroad without roaming charges from your home operator.
Your normal SIM stays in your phone. You keep your usual number for calls and messages, and the Shpper eSIM handles data.
How do I buy one?
In the Shpper app: open the menu, tap eSIM, choose where you’re travelling, and pick a plan. You can pay by card, from your Shpper wallet, or with loyalty points.
One eSIM, many plans
You only ever get one Shpper eSIM. Every plan you buy afterwards is added to that same eSIM — you never install a second one, and you don’t need a new QR code for a top-up.
Installing your eSIM
You’ll need a Wi-Fi or working internet connection to install — the install itself downloads the eSIM to your phone. Install before you fly, while you still have internet.
Install with a QR code
If you’re reading this on the phone you want to install on, use manual setup instead — you can’t scan a QR code on the same screen it’s displayed on.
- Open the Shpper app → eSIM → Install via QR
- On another device, or printed, display the QR code
- On the phone you’re installing to:
- iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → Add eSIM → Use QR Code
- Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add eSIM
- Scan and follow the prompts
Install manually
Open the Shpper app → eSIM → Install manually. You’ll see an SM-DP+ address and an activation code. Enter both where your phone asks for them (iPhone: “Enter Details Manually”). Leave any other fields blank.
After installing — please do this
Two settings decide whether your eSIM actually works. Set them now, before you travel:
- Turn Data Roaming ON for the Shpper line
- Set the APN to
globaldata
Both are explained in the next section. They’re the cause of nearly every “it’s not working” message we get.
Can I install it before I travel?
Yes, and you should. Installing does not start your plan.
Your plan only starts counting when you first use data on it. So you can buy and install a 7-day plan a week before you fly, and you’ll still get the full 7 days from the moment you actually land and start using it.
Connected, but no internet
This is the most common issue, and it’s almost always a phone setting.
If you can see signal bars and your phone says it’s connected to a network, your eSIM is installed and working correctly — it has found a local network. What’s missing is permission to actually pass data. Work through these four in order.
1. Turn on Data Roaming
A travel eSIM is always technically roaming, because the network you’re using abroad isn’t its home network. If Data Roaming is off, you’ll see full signal bars and get no internet at all.
- iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → tap your Shpper eSIM → Data Roaming → ON
- Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → tap Shpper → Roaming → ON
Don’t worry — turning this on does not let your home operator charge you. It only affects the Shpper eSIM line you tapped into.
2. Make the Shpper eSIM your mobile data line
If your phone is still trying to use your home SIM for data, nothing will load.
- iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → Mobile Data → select Shpper
- Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Mobile data → select Shpper
3. Set the APN to globaldata
The APN tells your phone how to reach the internet. Most phones fill this in automatically — but when they don’t, you get signal and no data, with nothing on screen to explain why.
Type it exactly: globaldata — all lowercase, one word, no spaces. Leave username and password empty.
- iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → tap your Shpper eSIM → Mobile Data Network → under Mobile Data, set APN to
globaldata - Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → tap Shpper → Access Point Names → + (add) → Name:
Shpper, APN:globaldata→ Save → then select it
iPhone note: if you can’t see “Mobile Data Network”, it’s usually because the Shpper eSIM isn’t selected as your mobile data line — do step 2 first, then come back.
4. Restart
Turn Airplane Mode on, wait 10 seconds, turn it off. If that doesn’t do it, restart the phone properly.
Still nothing?
Check that your plan covers the country you’re actually in — a single-country plan for Japan won’t work in Hong Kong. You can see your plan’s coverage in the app under eSIM → your plan → Coverage.
If your plan has run out of data or expired, you’ll also get exactly this symptom: connected, no internet. Check your remaining data in the app, and add more if you need it.
If you’ve done all of the above, contact us — include the country you’re in and we’ll check your eSIM from our side.
No signal at all
Different problem from the one above — here the eSIM hasn’t found a network.
- Check the eSIM line is turned on. iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service → tap Shpper → Turn On This Line. Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Shpper → make sure it’s enabled.
- Try selecting a network manually. Settings → Mobile Service → Network Selection → turn Automatic off and pick a local network from the list. If one fails, try the next.
- Restart your phone.
- Give it a few minutes after landing. Finding a partner network in a new country can take a little while.
Your plan: when it starts and when it ends
When does my plan start?
When you first use data on it — not when you buy it, and not when you install it.
This is deliberate, so you can set everything up at home and only start the clock when you actually need it. Until then the app shows “Starts on first use” rather than a countdown.
So what’s the “use by” date?
Every plan has a shelf life — a deadline to start using it by. The app shows this as “Use by”. Start the plan before that date and you get its full duration. Leave it unused past that date and it expires without being used.
When does it expire?
Once started, your plan runs for its full duration — a 7-day plan gives you 7 days from first use. The app shows the real expiry date as soon as the plan is running.
What happens to data I didn’t use?
Unused data doesn’t roll over, and a plan can’t be paused once it’s running.
Adding more data
Open the app → eSIM → Buy a package. The new plan is added to the eSIM you already have — no new QR code, no reinstalling.
You can buy a top-up at any time, including while a plan is still running. Your plans stack, so you won’t lose what’s left of the current one.
Moving your eSIM to a new phone
⚠️ Please contact us first — don’t delete it yourself
Do not delete the eSIM from your old phone before speaking to us.
An eSIM QR code is a one-time install code. Once it’s been used, it usually can’t simply be scanned again on a different phone, and deleting the eSIM from your old phone can’t always be undone. If you remove it before we’ve checked, you may lose a working eSIM and the plans on it.
What to do
Message us with your order number, or the last 4 digits of your eSIM number (in the app under eSIM → Manage → eSIM number), and tell us you’re changing phones.
We’ll check whether your specific eSIM can be reinstalled on the new device. If it can, we’ll walk you through it. If it can’t, we’ll sort out a replacement for you.
Why can’t I just re-scan my QR code?
The QR code isn’t a password — it’s a one-time voucher to download the eSIM. Once your phone has claimed it, it’s spent. Some eSIMs can be re-issued a limited number of times, but that depends on the individual eSIM, which is why we need to check yours rather than give a blanket answer.
Will it work on my phone?
You need two things:
- A phone that supports eSIM. Most phones from 2019 onward do — iPhone XS and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, and many others.
- A carrier-unlocked phone. If your phone is locked to a specific operator, it will refuse to install another eSIM. If you bought it on a contract and haven’t had it unlocked, check with your operator.
Quick check:
- iPhone: Settings → General → About → scroll to EID. If there’s an EID, your phone supports eSIM.
- Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs — if you see Add eSIM or Download a SIM instead, you’re good.
The app also shows a compatibility check before you buy.
Billing and refunds
Will I be charged roaming by my normal operator?
No — as long as the Shpper eSIM is set as your mobile data line (see step 2 above). Your home SIM still handles calls and texts, and those are billed by your own operator as usual.
I was charged but didn’t get my eSIM
Contact us with your order number. Payments and eSIM delivery are matched automatically on our side, and if something didn’t go through we’ll either complete it or refund you.
Can I get a refund on a plan I haven’t used?
Get in touch and we’ll look at it case by case. Plans that have already been started can’t be refunded, because the data allowance is issued the moment the plan begins.
Still stuck?
Contact us through the app, or email [email protected].
To get you sorted fastest, please include:
- The country you’re in
- Your order number, or the last 4 digits of your eSIM number
- What you see: signal bars or no signal? Any error message?
- Which of the steps above you’ve already tried
We can check your eSIM’s status directly, so with those details we can usually tell you what’s wrong straight away.
