Install vs activate — these are two different things and only one needs Wi-Fi.

Installation (needs internet)

Adding the Openline profile to your phone is a one-time download from Openline's SM-DP+ server. This step needs an internet connection — Wi-Fi is preferred, but a working mobile data connection on another line works too.

Activation (works over cellular)

Activation is the network handshake that happens when your phone first finds a partner carrier. This happens over cellular the moment you land, no Wi-Fi needed. Turn airplane mode off, wait 30–90 seconds, and you're online.

When Wi-Fi during install is a problem

Not all Wi-Fi networks are equal for eSIM installation. Some actively block the SM-DP+ handshake required to download the profile. Common offenders:

  • Hotel Wi-Fi with captive portals (the "please log in" page). Traffic can be intercepted or filtered.
  • Airport Wi-Fi — same captive-portal issue, plus aggressive port filtering.
  • Corporate Wi-Fi — enterprise firewalls block non-approved provisioning traffic to protect their MDM stack.
  • Coffee-shop/public Wi-Fi in some countries, especially where carriers lobby against unlicensed eSIM providers.
  • VPN connections — many VPNs route SM-DP+ traffic through servers the carrier rejects.

If the install stalls, switch to your home broadband, a personal hotspot, or an Airbnb host's private Wi-Fi. Most install failures we see are just this — a hostile Wi-Fi network.

The safest path

Install your Openline eSIM before you leave home on your own broadband. It won't consume any data until you activate it abroad, but the profile is safely on the device. Every Openline plan is delivered as a purchase code (format OL-4F7X-9K2Q-A3M8). You can redeem it in three ways: (1) inside the Openline app, (2) signed into your account at openline.com, or (3) anonymously at openline.com/start with just the code — no account needed.

Still stuck?

Reach Openline support 24/7 through any of these channels:

When you write in, include your purchase code (the OL-… code we emailed you) and, if the eSIM is already installed, its ICCID (Settings → Cellular → tap the Openline line). That's enough for us to find your plan and diagnose without back-and-forth.