If you're an iOS user and your Firsty eSIM isn't working, don't worry—most eSIM issues, including connectivity problems, can be resolved quickly with a few simple troubleshooting steps. This comprehensive guide will help you get back online, whether you're experiencing connection issues, activation failures, or network problems.
Initial Checks: Essential Device & Plan Status
Step 1: Verify Your Firsty Plan is Active
If your Firsty eSIM was working previously but has stopped, or if you're not getting a connection, first ensure your plan is active and you're in a supported region for your plan type.
Open the Firsty App on your home screen.
Check your plan status. Look for any days that still need to be activated.
Confirm your current location and plan compatibility:
For Firsty Free, ensure you are in a country that supports Firsty Free and that your home country is also supported. Remember, there's a daily limit of 300MB, after which data pauses until the 24-hour reset or you upgrade.
For Comfort+ or First Class, confirm you are in one of the supported countries for your plan. If you've used a lot of data, your speed might be adjusted temporarily as per your plan's fair usage policy (Comfort+ | First Class).
For monthly subscriptions, make sure that you are in a country that is supported.
Step 2: Confirm Your Firsty eSIM Is Installed and Enabled
Ensure your device recognizes the Firsty eSIM and that it's turned on and set as your preferred option for mobile data.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Cellular (or Mobile Data).
Under "Cellular Plans" or "SIMs," look for your Firsty eSIM. It might be labeled as "Firsty" or similar.
If it's listed but shows "Turn On This Line" is off, tap it and toggle Turn On This Line.
If it's not listed, you may need to reinstall it. If you suspect your phone is carrier-locked or not eSIM compatible, refer to our guides: Is my phone carrier-locked? and Is Your Device eSIM Compatible?. If these issues are ruled out, and you've previously deleted your eSIM, you can reinstall it by opening the Firsty App, navigating to 'First Support', selecting 'I have deleted my eSIM', and completing any necessary steps.
Ensure your Firsty eSIM is selected as the Mobile Data line. You can check this in the "Cellular" or "Mobile Data" section of your Settings (How to check if your current internet session is using Firsty?).
Video: How to install an eSIM on iOS https://www.youtube.com/embed/wdJqaAZizaw?rel=0
Step 3: Enable Mobile Data and Data Roaming for Firsty
Data roaming is essential for Firsty to connect to local networks in different countries.
Open Settings.
Tap Cellular (or Mobile Data).
Under "Cellular Plans," tap on your Firsty eSIM profile.
Ensure Turn On This Line is toggled On for that eSIM.
Toggle Data Roaming On. This is required for Firsty to work internationally.
Video: How to Enable Data Roaming on iOS https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cp2gnjhu1ck?rel=0
Network Configuration: Access Point Names (APN)
Step 4: Update Your Access Point Names (APN)
Firsty uses different network profiles. You may need to manually configure your APN settings. Try the 'bicsapn' first, and if that doesn't work, try 'e-ideas'.
Open Settings.
Tap Cellular (or Mobile Data).
Tap on your Firsty eSIM profile.
Tap Mobile Data Network.
Set the APN according to your active Firsty network profile:
For Firsty (Proximus/BICS Profile):
APN:
bicsapnLeave Username and Password blank.
For Firsty (Singtel Profile):
APN:
e-ideasUsername:
65ideasPassword:
65ideas
Save your changes (this usually happens automatically when you go back to the previous screen).
Restart your phone and/or toggle Airplane Mode on and off for 30 seconds to refresh the network connection.
Advanced Troubleshooting: Network Profile & Operator Control
Step 5: Manually Adjust Your Firsty Network Profile
Firsty uses a smart system with multiple network profiles to find the best and most efficient connection. If automatic selection isn't working, you might need to manually switch between these underlying network profiles.
Locate SIM Applications Menu: This can usually be found in your iPhone's Settings under Cellular (or Mobile Data) → SIM Applications.
Inside the SIM Applications menu, look for an option like "Mode" or "Selection."
Change the mode from "Automatic" to "Manual."
You should then see options for different network profiles. Tap the profile that is not currently active or the one you haven't tried yet.
Allow your phone a moment to re-register on the network.
Once you've tested, it's CRUCIAL to return to the SIM Applications Menu and switch the "Mode" back to "Automatic" to ensure optimal network selection in the future.
Step 6: Select the Network Operator Manually
In rare cases, your phone might struggle to pick the best local network automatically. You can manually choose one from the available list.
Open Settings.
Tap Cellular (or Mobile Data).
Tap on your Firsty eSIM profile.
Tap Network Selection.
Toggle Automatic off.
Your phone will search for available networks. Select one from the list of network providers that appears. For a list of supported networks in your visiting country, you can refer to our detailed list here.
Important: After manually selecting a network, your device won't automatically connect to a new network when you travel to another country. You will need to manually select a supported network in your new location to regain service.
Restart your phone and/or toggle Airplane Mode on and off for 30 seconds.
Additional Considerations
Firsty Free Specific Issues (Advertisements Not Loading)
If you're using Firsty Free and ads aren't loading, preventing you from getting data, it might be due to IP address masking (like VPNs or Private Relay features) or exceeding your daily limit.
IP address masking
Turn off VPNs: Go to Settings, search for "VPN," and toggle it off.
Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking / Private Relay:
For Limit IP Address Tracking: Open Settings → Cellular (or Mobile Data) → Cellular Data Options (or Mobile Data Options) → Toggle Limit IP Address Tracking off.
For Private Relay: Open Settings → Tap your Apple ID / Name at the top → iCloud → Private Relay → Toggle Private Relay off.
Exceeding your daily limit
Check Daily Limit: Remember, Firsty Free has a 300MB daily limit. If you've reached this, you won't be able to watch more ads until the 24-hour reset. You can check your data usage in your phone's settings (How to Track Your Data Usage).4. Connect to a Stable Wi-Fi Network: Ensure your phone is connected to a reliable Wi-Fi network before attempting to load ads.
Watch an Advertisement: After the 24-hour allowance resets, open the Firsty App and watch an ad to re-enable access. Once the ad loads successfully, the granted usage should be available on the Firsty mobile network.
Restart Your Device: If the daily cap has reset and you are unable to reconnect, restart your device to refresh the connection.
eSIM Status Discrepancy (App vs. Device)
Occasionally, your Firsty app might show your eSIM as "Disabled" even if your phone's settings show it as "Enabled." This can happen if the eSIM was disabled while your phone was offline, preventing our system from receiving the update.
If you encounter this, please contact Firsty Support. Our team can manually update your eSIM status in our system to resolve the discrepancy.
Still Stuck? Contact Firsty Support
If you've followed these steps and are still unable to connect or experience persistent issues, please don't hesitate to reach out to Firsty Support. Provide us with as much detail as possible about the steps you've tried, your device model, and your current location, and we'll be happy to assist you further.