I just successfully registered a new hotlink prepaid esim for my wife's new iPad Mini 7 cellular using Hotlink App itself.
Very easy, take front picture of IC & do selfie (eKYC).

all is well with the esim download & activation. I can choose the number of my desire. Saw the 5G icon in the iPad. Can surf but not sure what's the initial data allocation before we buy the passes?
but then, came along the Hotlink Login part.

It's IMPOSSIBLE to login as it requires you to keyin the 6 digit SMS OTP.

Now I just remembered, iPads CANNOT send/receive SMS or call.
Even though it has cellular capability, it can only provide DATA.

And recently, Apple Inc being genius to release the latest iPad Pro M4, Air M2 refresh & Mini 7 cellular that has esim ONLY, no physical sim slot.

After calling Hotlink hotline, agent can give the following possible solutions:

1. convert esim to physical sim back (need to go to nearest Maxis center). Put the physical sim into a iphone, login the Hotlink App from there, take out the sim, convert to esim, install in ANOTHER iPad that can use esim, then transfer into the designated iPad . - quite a useless, lengthy steps. Also, to transfer esim, need to be from iPad to iPad. Cannot be from iPhone to iPad.

2. upgrade the hotlink prepaid to Maxis Postpaid RM79, then use Maxis app that CAN LOGIN USING EMAIL instead of SMS. Agent says, for hotlink app, no option for email login yet due to security reasons??


I guess that initial RM5 prepaid registration is burnt? Looking for other cheaper alternative telcos to use in the iPad Mini 7 cellular.
I told the agent to ask Maxis to study my case here, and allow for login using EMAIL instead in Hotlink App.

Hotlink esim enabled devices

In the Hotlink website, it says among the list is the iPads. But little they know, it's not possible to login the app if iPads cannot receive SMS.

not sure even if I go to Maxis center, will they able to help to login to Hotlink App via iPads??

I would try to transfer the eSIM to iPhone and back using the native iOS eSIM transfer. Not sure if hotlink can do (Yoodo I think failed but Thai DTAC worked without contacting carrier).
If it doesn't work automatically please don't bother as sometime it will log you out of hotlink app and you need to do the eSIM transfer again.

Yes. i read that Hotlink App will auto log out you every 14 days for security purpose. Like this, mati liao!

I think I may have found a possible solution:

upgrade Hotlink Prepaid to Hotlink Postpaid. Get the cheapest package RM45 month (50GB + 50GB). Set to auto debit first (do this with agent at Maxis Center). Then ask to convert to esim and transfer to iPad Mini 7.

OR

XOX Black postpaid B39 (RM39 monthly) 60GB monthly. XOX runs based on Celcom network.

My wife definitely not going to use the data that much, maybe max ~20GB per month.

last time always auto logout after some days but recently no more, my hotlink already login for few months without auto logout.

I think you need OTP to transfer out, the ipad cant receive sms so will stuck in there … in a way Maxis not suitable to be used on iPad, can consider CDB they have gadget sim RM10 quite cheap …