Using bought in the US IPhone 15 in Israel

Using Apples guide for carriers that support eSIM internationally, I am not able to find any carriers listed in Israel.

Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service - Apple Support

Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone - Apple Support

It is also possible that your phone is locked to your carrier in the U.S. Check with your U.S. carrier to see if they have an International Plan that you could use with your phone.

Re: “… Apple’s guide for carriers … “

FWIW, my own “Line 2” carrier (a Verizon network MVNO) isn’t on that list either; and they most definitely DO provision eSIMs.

I’d certainly not relish attempting to keep that beast of a list “current” … I always refer to it as “Apple’s non-authoritative, Best Effort listing”

Bob Timmons wrote:

Using Apples guide for carriers that support eSIM internationally, I am not able to find any carriers listed in Israel...

Given the Hebrew on either side of “eSIM” and “5G” on what looks to be the Partner 5G carrier’s .il domain webpage, I’d assume the Apple eSIM webpage is stale.

Though it may technically be compatible, Cellcom is not under any obligation to allow your US model phone on their network.

If you want a device guaranteed to work with supported carriers in Israel, then buy a phone from an authorized source in Israel.

If this is a carrier lock as mentioned above, you’ll need to ask the carrier holding the lock to unlock it:

How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier - Apple Support

To check whether an iPhone is carrier locked, Settings > General > About > Carrier Lock. If that field shows as "No SIM Restrictions", then that iPhone is unlocked. Otherwise, that iPhone is carrier locked.

Any iPhone purchased in the US anywhere but directly from Apple will be carrier locked, and even a select few iPhone purchases directly from Apple will have carrier subsidies and will be carrier locked.

Without more detail, it sounds like your phone is carrier-locked to another (i.e. U.S.) carrier.

What was your U.S. purchase source?

I have the same problem with my iphone 15 and Cellcom in Israel. Cellcom says it will not work with the US model of the phone. The sales clerk at the Apple store promised me that it would work. I would not have bought it if there was any doubt. I believed Apple, as a worldwide company, would honor the promise, but, sadly, they are requiring that I return the phone to the store when I am already overseas, which means a huge Fedex bill.

While we empathize w/ your situation, the Apple Store sales rep was not in any

position to “promise” that any particular overseas carrier could or would provision the phone.

To the contrary, Apple always recommends purchasing a phone within the country of primary residence and/or use to preclude these sorts of issues.

Ken Taranto wrote:

I have the same problem with my iphone 15 and Cellcom in Israel. Cellcom says it will not work with the US model of the phone. The sales clerk at the Apple store promised me that it would work. I would not have bought it if there was any doubt. I believed Apple, as a worldwide company, would honor the promise, but, sadly, they are requiring that I return the phone to the store when I am already overseas, which means a huge Fedex bill.

Unless Apple is making an exception for you, Apple does not accept international shipment. Did they specifically tell you you could return the phone via Fedex? And Apple has a strict 14 day return window in the US for refund. If you can ship the phone to someone you know with the receipt, a friend can return the phone for you.