aloSIM Not Working? Fixes That Actually Help (2026)

If your aloSIM eSIM installed but shows no data, the cause is almost always one of four settings - data roaming off, the wrong line set for data, a missing APN, or you are simply out of the plan's coverage. aloSIM is a Canadian travel-eSIM app that works fine for most people, so before you assume the plan is broken, walk these checks in order. Most "not working" reports are fixed in under five minutes. If none of it helps, the last section covers when it genuinely is aloSIM's side and what to do about it.

Is your data roaming turned on?

A travel eSIM connects to a local partner network, and your phone treats that as roaming - so if data roaming is off, you get nothing. aloSIM's own support is explicit that the eSIM needs data roaming enabled to draw on the plan (aloSIM support).

• iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > tap your aloSIM line > turn on Data Roaming.
• Android: Settings > Network and internet > SIMs > select the aloSIM eSIM > turn on Roaming.

One honest nuance: on iPhones running iOS 16.4 or newer, Apple changed how eSIM data behaves, so your aloSIM data can work even with Data Roaming toggled off. Do not panic if the switch looks "wrong" but data flows anyway. And keep data roaming off for your home SIM so your normal network does not bill you for roaming.

Is aloSIM set as your data line?

Having two SIMs is where most people trip up. Your phone can only pull mobile data from one line at a time, and if that line is still your home SIM, the eSIM sits idle. aloSIM notes the eSIM must be selected as the line used for data (aloSIM support).

• iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > Mobile Data > choose your aloSIM plan. Also check Mobile Data Switching ("Allow Mobile Data Switching") - if it is on, your phone may quietly fall back to your home line and burn its data instead. Turn it off while you travel.
• Android: Settings > Network and internet > SIMs > Mobile data > set the aloSIM eSIM as the active data SIM.

Leave your home SIM on for calls and texts if you want to keep your number for 2FA - just make sure data is pointed at the aloSIM line.

Is the APN set to alosim?

The Access Point Name (APN) tells your phone how to reach the network's data network. Most eSIMs configure this automatically, but if data still will not move, aloSIM's guidance is to check that the APN reads alosim, entering it in both the Name and APN fields if it is blank (aloSIM support).

• iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > tap your aloSIM line > Mobile Data Network (this menu only appears for some networks) > set APN to alosim.
• Android: Settings > Network and internet > SIMs > aloSIM eSIM > Access Point Names > add or edit an APN named alosim with alosim in the APN field, then select it.

Leave the username, password, and other fields blank unless aloSIM's app tells you otherwise. After saving, toggle airplane mode on and off to force the phone to reconnect.

Did the eSIM activate, and are you in coverage?

Two things get confused here: installing an eSIM is not the same as activating a plan, and a plan only works inside the country or region you bought it for.

• Activation timing. Many aloSIM plans start counting from first network connection, not from purchase, so a freshly installed eSIM that has never connected may simply not be live yet. Check the plan status in the aloSIM app.
• Coverage. If you bought a United States plan and you are still at home, or you crossed a border the plan does not cover, you will see no data - that is expected, not a fault. Confirm the plan's country list in the app.
• Device lock. aloSIM points out that a network-locked phone cannot use a travel eSIM. On iPhone the tell is a message like "Mobile Plans From This Network Cannot Be Added"; if you see it, ask your home network to unlock the device (aloSIM support).

Still no data after these last checks?

If roaming, data line, APN, and coverage all look right and you are still offline, work down this short list - these clear the large majority of stubborn cases:

• Restart the phone. The single most effective fix for a profile that installed but will not attach to the network.
• Toggle airplane mode for 30 seconds to force a fresh network search.
• Select the network manually. iPhone: Settings > Mobile Service > aloSIM line > Network Selection > turn off Automatic and pick a partner network. Android: SIMs > aloSIM > Choose network automatically off, then pick one manually.
• Check you have signal for the eSIM line, not just your home line - look at the second signal bar.
• Reinstall only as a last resort. Deleting an eSIM usually means a new QR code from aloSIM, so contact them first.
• Move. Thick walls, basements, and deep rural spots weaken any roaming signal.

When is it aloSIM's side, not yours?

Sometimes it really is not your settings. It is aloSIM's side when: the partner network is down or congested in your area, the plan was provisioned incorrectly, or coverage in that specific location is genuinely poor. aloSIM runs 24/7 support by email at [email protected] and live chat, and to their credit they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you cannot install the eSIM or cannot connect to a local network - you provide your original receipt and the reason (aloSIM refund policy). If you are low on data rather than broken, aloSIM lets you top up in the app instead of rebuying.

That is a fair policy, and for a lot of travellers aloSIM does the job. But if you keep landing in weak-coverage spots, it is reasonable to compare alternatives. eSIMpass sells data plans for 200+ destinations from £2.59, with real top-up and a "My eSIMs" dashboard that shows your data burning down live, so you are never guessing whether a problem is coverage or an empty plan. Like aloSIM it is a data-only eSIM installed by QR code, and your home number stays active through dual SIM. It is a smaller brand and its catalogue can be thinner for very obscure destinations, so check your exact route first - but for mainstream trips it is a transparent option worth pricing against aloSIM.

The bottom line

An aloSIM eSIM that will not connect is almost always fixed by one of four things: turn on data roaming, set aloSIM as the data line, set the APN to alosim, and confirm you are inside the plan's coverage with an unlocked phone. Restart the phone and toggle airplane mode to seal the fix. If it truly is aloSIM's side, their 30-day guarantee and top-up are fair backstops. And if weak coverage keeps biting, comparing a transparent alternative with live usage tracking is a sensible next step rather than fighting the same problem twice.

Why does my aloSIM say "No Service" or show no data?

Usually because data roaming is off, the wrong line is set for data, or the APN is missing. Set data roaming on for the aloSIM line, make it your data line, and check the APN reads alosim. Then restart the phone. If you are outside the plan's country, no data is expected - that is coverage, not a fault.

Do I have to set an APN for aloSIM to work?

Often no - most phones configure it automatically. But if data still will not move after checking roaming and the data line, aloSIM's guidance is to set the APN to alosim in both the Name and APN fields, then toggle airplane mode to reconnect.

Can I get a refund if my aloSIM never worked?

aloSIM advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee if you cannot install the eSIM or cannot connect to a local network, requesting your original receipt and the reason. Policies change, so confirm the current terms on aloSIM's refund page before you buy.

Can I top up an aloSIM eSIM instead of buying a new one?

Yes. aloSIM lets you add data to an existing eSIM from the app if you run low mid-trip, so you keep the same profile rather than installing another.

Should I switch from aloSIM to another eSIM?

Only if the problem is coverage or support rather than a setting you can fix in two minutes. If aloSIM keeps giving you weak signal where you travel, an alternative like eSIMpass - data plans from £2.59, top-up, and live usage tracking - is worth pricing against your usual route. There is no lock-in either way; an eSIM is just a profile you install.