Thread by @TRSaranathan

This is a #thread (12 parts) about how I went about converting the normal @airtelindia SIM to an eSIM, so that others who wish to do it benefit.
Note that only some high-end phones support eSIM. (Mine is @SamsungMobile #Note20 (1/12)

First, I sent an SMS from my registered mobile number to 121 (Airtel customer care). The format is: eSIM<>registered email id. Sent to 121. (2/12)

I got a message that I will get a call to confirm the eSIM change request and that the request would get cancelled if I did not give the consent on the call.
I got the call immediately, but Truecaller blocked it as the number had been reported as spam by someone. (3/12)

As Truecaller was blocking the calls, I did not get to hear the ringtone (my phone was also in the automatic Do Not Disturb mode). I realised I had received four or five calls in a span of a few minutes. I unblocked the number (99940 41209) (4/12)

I did not have to wait long for the next call. The process was fully automatic. It was an IVR that asked me to press 1 if I wished to convert the SIM to an eSIM. (5/12)

After the call, I received a message saying I would get an email with a QR code to complete the eSIM activation. It also said the eSIM would get activated in two hours after scanning the QR code. (6/12)

I got the email in a few seconds. It had a unique QR code applicable for one time use on one device only. I went to the SIM card manager and selected the Add Mobile Plan option. It had an option to scan QR code. (7/12)

I scanned the code and the eSIM was added in the second SIM slot, though my Airtel SIM I was converting was in the first. The second PHYSICAL SIM slot got deactivated. It took two hours for the eSIM to get activated, but during the time, the physical SIM worked. (8/12)

I had to switch the second (JIO) SIM to the first slot (as the eSIM had got activated in the second slot). Airtel, as a security measure, blocked outgoing SMS for 24 hours. (9/12)

As the Airtel SIM slot had changed from one to two, all the UPI applications had got deactivated. I could not activate them again that day as I had to wait for 24 hours for the UPI activation messages. (10/12)

The next day, I activated all UPI apps and mobile banking apps except @GooglePayIndia which continued to say it could not find the SIM. I asked @GooglePayIndia support. (11/12)

They said it would take a week for it to be activated (as a security measure), which I think is stupid, and wrong. Any way, I will wait for a week and update. Till then, no @GooglePayIndia for me. @airtelindia has the eSIM process details here: airtel.in/esim (12/12)

Update: I had a chat again with @GooglePayIndia customer care. They asked me to remove the account. Even this was not possible as I continued to get the 'Insert SIM card' error.
I was told to send an email with the screenshot which I did last week. Still no resolution!

... and it's official.
@GooglePayIndia DOES NOT support eSIM. Just received a call from Google Pay confirming it won't work in eSIM.
Operators @Airtel_Presence and @JioCare must put out a note in their eSIM pages.
Also @SamsungMobile and @SamsungIndia

Now. I am out of @GooglePayIndia . I am not going to get a physical SIM again just because @GooglePay does not support eSIM.