Most Laos eSIM problems come down to three things: you can’t scan a QR code that’s sitting on the same phone, you haven’t dialled 121 yet, or data roaming is switched off. This guide fixes all three, plus everything else we see in support.
Start with the triage below. It should take you to the right section in under thirty seconds.
Quick triage
| What’s happening | Go to |
|---|---|
| I can’t scan the QR code because it’s on this phone | Installing from the same phone |
| The eSIM installed but I have no data | Installed but no service |
| I’ve landed in Laos and nothing is working | Dial 121 to activate |
| I get “unable to add cellular plan” or a similar error | Installation errors |
| I have signal in town but nothing in the countryside | Coverage in remote areas |
Before anything else: don’t scan twice
eSIM activation codes are single use. Once a profile installs on a device, that code is spent. It does not matter whether the installation completed successfully or you cancelled it halfway through.
If something goes wrong, do not repeatedly scan the QR code hoping it will take. Work through the steps below instead. If you have already burned the code, contact us and we will look at your order.
Installing from the same phone as the QR code
This is the single most common issue we see, and it is not a fault. You bought the eSIM on your phone, the QR code arrived in your email on that same phone, and now you are trying to point the camera at a code displayed on the screen you are looking at. That obviously will not work.
Three ways around it, in order of speed.
Method 1: install from a saved image
Most modern phones let you pick the QR code from your photo library instead of using the camera.
- Open the confirmation email and save the QR code image to your Photos or Gallery. On iPhone, press and hold the image and choose Save to Photos. On Android, press and hold and choose Download image.
- Go to your eSIM setup screen. On iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM. On most Android phones: Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Add eSIM.
- When the camera opens, look for an option along the lines of Choose photo, Select from gallery, or Use image.
- Pick the saved QR code and follow the prompts.
If your phone does not offer that option, move to method 2.
Method 2: one-tap install link
Your confirmation email includes an installation link. Tapping it opens your phone’s eSIM installer directly, with the details already filled in. No camera, no typing.
This works on iPhone XR and later running iOS 17.4 or newer, and on most Android phones running Android 10 or later. Samsung, Google Pixel and OPPO handle it cleanly. Some vivo phones need eSIM enabled in settings first.
Method 3: enter the details manually
This one never fails. It just takes a minute of typing.
Your confirmation email contains two values alongside the QR code: an SM-DP+ address (a server address that looks like a web address) and an activation code (a long string of characters). These are unique to your order.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM
- Tap Use QR Code, then Enter Details Manually at the bottom of the screen
- Enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code exactly as they appear in your email
- Tap Next and follow the prompts
On Android:
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Add eSIM
- On the scanning screen, look for Need help? then Enter it manually. On Samsung this is usually Enter activation code.
- Enter the details from your email
Copy and paste rather than typing where you can. A single wrong character will fail the installation. Watch for accidental spaces at the start or end when pasting.
Some Android phones expect the whole string in the format LPA:1$address$code. If your code already starts with LPA:, do not add it again.
Landed in Laos? Dial 121
This is the step almost everyone misses, and it is specific to how our eSIMs work.
You can buy and install your eSIM well in advance of your trip. Installing it does not start your package. Your data allowance and validity period only begin when you activate on arrival.
To activate: once you are in Laos and connected to the Unitel network, dial 121 from the eSIM line.
That is the whole step. Make sure you are dialling from the eSIM line and not your home number, especially if you are running dual SIM.
Why we do it this way: you get to set everything up at home on solid Wi-Fi, with time to fix any problems, instead of standing in an arrivals hall trying to troubleshoot. The clock only starts when you actually need the data.
Don’t have an eSIM yet? Our Unitel eSIMs install in minutes and only start counting when you dial 121 on arrival. Browse Laos eSIM plans →
Installed but no service
The profile is on your phone but you have no data. Work through these in order.
1. Have you dialled 121?
If you are in Laos and have not activated, nothing else on this list matters. See the section above.
2. Is data roaming on for the eSIM line?
This catches a lot of people. Your eSIM is a Lao line, and your phone treats it as roaming even though you are physically in Laos.
iPhone: Settings > Cellular > select the eSIM line > turn on Data Roaming
Android: Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > select the eSIM > turn on Roaming
3. Is the eSIM set as your data line?
Installing an eSIM does not automatically make it the line your phone uses for data.
iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data > choose your Laos eSIM
Android: Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs > Mobile data > choose your Laos eSIM
4. Toggle airplane mode
Turn airplane mode on, wait ten seconds, turn it off. This forces your phone to search for networks again. Sounds trivial, fixes a surprising number of cases.
5. Restart the phone
A full restart after installing an eSIM resolves cases where the profile installed but never properly attached to the network. Samsung phones in particular often need this.
6. Check network selection
If your phone is set to select networks manually, it may be sitting on the wrong one. Set network selection back to automatic, or manually choose Unitel.
7. Still nothing? Check your APN manually
Rare on an eSIM, since the profile normally carries its own
configuration, but worth checking if everything above is correct.
The APN differs by operator:
Unitel (unitel3g),
Lao Telecom and TPlus (ltcnet),
ETL (etlnet).
Installation errors
“Unable to add cellular plan” or “Cannot complete request”
Usually one of three things. You need a working internet connection to install an eSIM, so make sure you are on Wi-Fi. Check the SM-DP+ address and activation code for typos or stray spaces. And confirm the code has not already been used on another device.
“This code is no longer valid”
The activation code has been used. This happens if the profile was already installed once, including a cancelled attempt. Contact us with your order number.
Your phone does not offer an eSIM option at all
Two possibilities. Either the handset does not support eSIM, or it does but is carrier locked. A locked phone will often hide eSIM settings entirely, even on a model that supports it. Check with the carrier you bought the phone from.
If you bought the wrong country
Check your confirmation email now, before you install. eSIM plans are country specific, and a plan for a neighbouring country will not work in Laos.
We cannot refund or exchange a plan purchased for the wrong destination. This is standard across the eSIM industry and comes down to how the profiles are provisioned. Once a plan is issued against a specific network, it cannot be reassigned.
If you are travelling to Laos and several neighbouring countries on the same trip, tell us before you buy and we will point you to the right option.
Coverage in remote areas
Our eSIMs run on Unitel, which has the widest rural footprint of the four operators in Laos. That said, no network reaches everywhere, and it is worth knowing where the limits are.
Strong 4G across Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Pakse and the main road corridors between them. Workable coverage in the 4000 Islands around the main island clusters. Patchy to non-existent in the far north around Phongsali, in the mountains generally, on multi-day treks, and in cave systems.
If your itinerary includes serious trekking or remote northern provinces, download offline maps and anything else you need before you leave a town with signal. That is good practice regardless of which operator you are on.
Heading off the main routes? Our eSIMs run on Unitel, the widest rural network in Laos. See plans and coverage →
Still stuck?
Send us your order number and describe what you are seeing, including any error message word for word and your phone model. That gets you a useful answer faster than a general description.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install the eSIM before I travel?
Yes, and we recommend it. Install at home on Wi-Fi, then dial 121 when you land in Laos to start your package.
Does installing the eSIM start my data allowance?
No. Your allowance and validity period start when you dial 121 in Laos.
Can I keep my home number active?
Yes. The eSIM sits alongside your existing SIM. Keep your home line for calls and messages, set the Laos eSIM as your data line, and turn off data roaming on your home line to avoid charges.
Can I move the eSIM to a different phone?
No. The activation code is single use and the profile installs to one device.
Can I top up when my package runs out?
Yes. Get in touch and we will sort it out.
What if my QR code will not scan?
Save the image and select it from your photo library, use the one-tap link in your email, or enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code manually. All three are covered above.
