Apple and Google Leading the Way on eSIM Adoption

[axantas]

Hmm, eSIM would be very easy if you are switching carriers. You just scan in the new carrier’s eSIM QR code.

You might mean switching phones. I believe it is easy to switch between iPhones.

About eSIM on iPhone - Apple Support

Learn what an eSIM is, how to set up an eSIM on your iPhone, and how to transfer a physical SIM to an eSIM.

support.apple.com

iPhones to Android or vice versa, that might be tricky. I don’t know if it’s possible, but maybe one can move it to physical SIM first. I asked the carrier who supports eSIM in my country at that carrier’s store, the lady said they can move eSIM to physical SIM back n forth quite easily on the spot, and she said they do it all the time for people, going back n forth. So I guess it depends on the carrier, how easy they actually want it for their own customers.

In theory and Apples help guide, it works that way. In reality, you will bang your head against the wall in quite a lot of cases...

Having a real SIM in hands is easy. The esim handling is fully under control of your provider. A physical SIM is a device, that works as a device - phone independent. The esim needs a registering process controlled by your provider, which may gracefully grant you something - or refuse it...

 

[ian87w]

In theory, yes. In my lived experience, I had to visit multiple local carrier stores trying to find the QR card, which none of them had in stock. Then I had to call the carrier and have them ship the QR code to my home address and that took a week.

Yeah, reading from other comments, it's like the carriers really don't want to make it easy for customers. Technologically, eSIM should be easy, but all these problems seem to stem not from the tech, but from the carriers themselves. It's unfortunate.

 

[alexandr]

It depends on your carrier, but in my experience eSIM was a bit of a pain when upgrading my phone a year and a half ago. I had to call the carrier and have them send me a code. Much easier to just move a physical sim.

I think I read somewhere that this may be resolved now, and that when activating your new phone now it can move the esim over from the old? Not sure.

right, but having your main line esim frees your physical sim slot and is amazing for travel etc. i can appreciate that it may have been a bit of a pain switching your esim(even though i think they process is better now), but how often do you upgrade your phones though?..

 

[wd4fsu]

Be VERY cautios about that hyped esim thing.
I can only speak about my case in Switzerland, but I recently wanted to switch my esim (Prepaid) from an iPhone X to a 12. Easy thing, I do have that scannable code. But I was wrong. The code is (depending on carrier) only valid ONE TIME. Removing and adding the esim means, that I have to visit their store (for security reason) and get another code. The code cannot be provided online (for security reason). I have to get another piece of plastic with a new code on it. Furthermore a change of esim can only be done in your providers home network - impossible during roaming.

Owning a real SIM ist just pop out pop in, finished. esim ties you - depending on your provider - to one device, unless you are granted an audience in a shop of your preferred provider and maybe pay for the new plastic.

So: also be cautious about a local carrier holiday esim in your primary slot. You may not be able to add your home-esim anymore without that audience.

I am very disappointed by that esim hype. Try to avoid it as long as I can...

This may be true for your carrier, but certainly isn't true for others. The QR code method is a baby step to full eSIM support, where all you do is provide your EID to your new carrier (found in your "About" settings) and they activate your new line and send a new eSIM to your phone. You have to be on WiFi to get it, and it knows which carrier to get the eSIM from via a eSIM Directory Server. It's actually pretty slick, and gives you a painless way to have multiple SIMs resident in your phone, so you can just select the one you want to use.

Leisure reading here: https://www.gsma.com/esim/

Hopefully your carrier is working on support!

 

[ian87w]

In theory and Apples help guide, it works that way. In reality, you will bang your head against the wall in quite a lot of cases...

Having a real SIM in hands is easy. The esim handling is fully under control of your provider.

Yeah, it's really sad seeing how carriers are going out of their way to make things harder for their own customers. It really baffles me. It's why we cannot have nice things...

 

[axantas]

I’m not sure how eSIMs work, exactly, but I agree. I often want to move SIM cards around between different devices. While it would be convenient to not have to deal with the physical cards, it would need to be easy and near-instantaneous to move them back and forth.

Unfortunately you are 100% wrong.

WE are controlling it.
Regards
Your provider 😈

 

[axantas]

This may be true for your carrier, but certainly isn't true for others. The QR code method is a baby step to full eSIM support, where all you do is provide your EID to your new carrier (found in your "About" settings) and they activate your new line and send a new eSIM to your phone. You have to be on WiFi to get it, and it knows which carrier to get the eSIM from via a eSIM Directory Server. It's actually pretty slick, and gives you a painless way to have multiple SIMs resident in your phone, so you can just select the one you want to use.

Leisure reading here: https://www.gsma.com/esim/

Hopefully your carrier is working on support!

You are absolutely right. Unfortunately, providers are not interested in provider swapping. I remember having read statements, that they do not like that at all and so they have introduced all kind of obstacles, the new esim has in its profile.

 

[davidjschloss]

Not sure if this is a good idea. Wouldn't eSim just add more friction for a consumer looking to switch carriers? Earlier one could just pop a new card into an unlocked device and be on their way, but now they have to call their carrier and having to wait/ deal with QR code cards and other delays?

Maybe but I've never swapped out a sim with a new sim without having to contact the carrier anyhow. In the older days of the iPhone, it took 30 mins or more to get Verizon to get their stuff together enough to port your number to the new sim.

I've still had to tell the carrier what IMEI and other numbers to get it working.

Yeah, it probably would slow things down compared to having an activated SIM and popping it in, especially if you're traveling and want to use a local sim—but that usually gives you a new number. With esim, that local provider can just temporarily provision your mobile device for the local service.

 

[axantas]

... With esim, that local provider can just temporarily provision your mobile device for the local service.

True, this works absolutely flawless, if you just use the free second esim slot in your iPhone. I did it in Thailand. No problem. Fortunately I still had the physical SIM in the first slot. Switching BACK your esim from the one abroad to your old esim is often a painful process. So: Do NOT remove your home esim, unless you are near a shop of your provider at home.
Depends on your provider, but all I have heard until now is a pain in the - you know...

 

[4nNtt]

eSIM isn’t really ready for the masses. Carriers are really dragging their feet on supporting it well. I’d only use it on really large corporate orders.

 

[bviktor]

Not sure if this is a good idea. Wouldn't eSim just add more friction for a consumer looking to switch carriers? Earlier one could just pop a new card into an unlocked device and be on their way, but now they have to call their carrier and having to wait/ deal with QR code cards and other delays?

The exact opposite is true. It's much simpler to switch carriers. No surprise the carriers aren't in a rush to implement it.

 

[Eso]

Connecting to a cellular network needs to work like connecting to wifi. You open the cellular menu, view the available signals, then connect to your network of choice. You can buy plans directly at that time, including perhaps buy a day pass for a different network when in an area with poor signal.

 

[tamara6]

What if you only want to temporarily change your sim. People who travel typically swap out the sim from their normal cell plan for a sim from a "local" company. This makes it easy to make local calls, or for people to call you while you are in country. And then swap back to your normal cell company when you go home. Esims would seem to make this process harder.

 

[avanpelt]

I tried an eSIM about a year and a half ago with AT&T. Everything was fine until I went to switch phones a little over a year ago. At the time, there was no easy way to move the eSIM from one phone to another. The only option was to visit an AT&T corporate store to get a new eSIM QR code. I kept the QR code I received with the original eSIM, but the code was apparently a one-time use deal that couldn't be used to move the eSIM to my new phone. I skipped going to the AT&T Store to get a new QR code and I went back to a physical SIM in the new phone. I'll stick with a physical SIM until it's easy to swap eSIMs between phones.

 

[axantas]

Connecting to a cellular network needs to work like connecting to wifi. You open the cellular menu, view the available signals, then connect to your network of choice. You can buy plans directly at that time, including perhaps buy a day pass for a different network when in an area with poor signal.

Providers are scared and do the opposite of what they should do. Have Whatsapp (Skype or whatever). Have a WiFi network and you are set. Who needs a mobile network and a phone number...
Yes I am exaggerating, but...

 

[repoman016]

Not sure if this is a good idea. Wouldn't eSim just add more friction for a consumer looking to switch carriers? Earlier one could just pop a new card into an unlocked device and be on their way, but now they have to call their carrier and having to wait/ deal with QR code cards and other delays?

and i'm sure have to pay whatever carrier fee's they feel like making money from. If you didn't know any better, they would still charge you 20-25 bucks to take that sim out of your old phone and put it in your new one.

 

[axantas]

What if you only want to temporarily change your sim. People who travel typically swap out the sim from their normal cell plan for a sim from a "local" company. This makes it easy to make local calls, or for people to call you while you are in country. And then swap back to your normal cell company when you go home. Esims would seem to make this process harder.

Esims do actually make that process impossible.

It depends on your provider, what your are generously granted, but I have been informed, that the activation process only can be done in that particular providers home network. So: being abroad, re-inserting your home esim is impossible due to esim system restrictions. Furthermore there are "one Time" QR-codes. After a swap/change you have to get a new plastic thing from your provider.

Please do tell me if I am wrong, having done it yourself at least once. I would be glad to hear the contrary.

 

[technole]

Roaming isnt supported on Apple Watch, you are locked into carriers coverage area. Part of it is the watch doesn’t have radios for all bands like the phone does. ESIM is great though, allowed the phone to have two separate carrier plans and phone numbers.

 

[mtneer]

The exact opposite is true. It's much simpler to switch carriers. No surprise the carriers aren't in a rush to implement it.

It doesn't matter if the technology is theoretically capable of being easy. The customer's experience is heavily impacted by how the carriers drag their feet or make you jump through hoops.

 

[ksec]

In my country, despite iPhones and some flagship Galaxies having eSIM for sometime already, only one carrier supports it, and it’s not even the top 3 carrier. The top 3 not only don’t have eSIM support, but don’t even support VoLTE. Sometimes I wonder what are these carriers doing. Better coverage? Nope. Better speed? Nope. All they do is just selling new numbers with promos for new accounts, but zero efforts to actually retain users.

I used to fault them, then to learn there are all sort of problem.

Inserting a Physical Sim is easy and everyone understands. Getting a eSim working is hard. And if you expect 90% of your customers dont understand tech and require some help with QR Code eSIM. That is going to be a problem on your front line staff. This needs to be rolled out slowly, strategically and progressively.

Not every phone support eSIM, which means they will have to ask whether your phone support it or not, another support nightmare. Nano Sim is simple, and it works. You will have to wait for more iPhone with eSIM being sold and reach critical mass before Carrier start doing something. iPhone XS, the first iPhone with eSIM was only released two years ago. By 2023 you should see more than half of iPhone user with eSIM iPhone.

eSIM isn't free, generating eSIM Code turns out to be about the same cost as a physical eSIM with all sort of parties with financial interest in between ( Including Apple *cough* ). Sounds like a bag of hurt to me. Not sure if this is still the case or not.

I would be glad to hear the contrary.

You can have more than one eSIM stored on the phone. So theoretically you shouldn't need to activate again. You just switch to another eSIM.

 

[technole]

In theory and Apples help guide, it works that way. In reality, you will bang your head against the wall in quite a lot of cases...

Having a real SIM in hands is easy. The esim handling is fully under control of your provider. A physical SIM is a device, that works as a device - phone independent. The esim needs a registering process controlled by your provider, which may gracefully grant you something - or refuse it...

Not quite, phones can still locked to US carriers until paid off and so they SIM lock the iPhone.

 

[axantas]

You can have more than one eSIM stored on the phone. So theoretically you shouldn't need to activate again. You just switch to another eSIM.

Theoretically. I reality, you may have an esim that can only be activated once. Then you need to have another QR code from the providers local shop to activate another esim for your phone number. You just will know it, if you try it and - mostly fail.

A real SIM just works as a SIM - until kaputt. I am not against esim at all. I would love to see working them the way physical SIM do.
Real case: We do have a somewhat extraordinary situation at the moment. I do own an esim witch is blocked on an old phone until I do show up in a a shop of my provider. Unfortunately blocked outside my home country due to travel restrictions.

 

[tennisproha]

I have a cellular Apple Watch but the eSIM goes unused because I’m not paying $10-$15 extra for something that should be included in my plan. Charging data for a wearable that barely uses any data is a ridiculous racket.

 

[Mac... nificent]

AT&T is a joke with eSIM support.

You had me at "AT&T is a joke".

 

[Arislan]

Be VERY cautios about that hyped esim thing.
I can only speak about my case in Switzerland, but I recently wanted to switch my esim (Prepaid) from an iPhone X to a 12. Easy thing, I do have that scannable code. But I was wrong. The code is (depending on carrier) only valid ONE TIME. Removing and adding the esim means, that I have to visit their store (for security reason) and get another code. The code cannot be provided online (for security reason). I have to get another piece of plastic with a new code on it. Furthermore a change of esim can only be done in your providers home network - impossible during roaming.

Owning a real SIM ist just pop out pop in, finished. esim ties you - depending on your provider - to one device, unless you are granted an audience in a shop of your preferred provider and maybe pay for the new plastic.

So: also be cautious about a local carrier holiday esim in your primary slot. You may not be able to add your home-esim anymore without that audience.

I am very disappointed by that esim hype. Try to avoid it as long as I can...

This depends on your carrier and your own level of technical knowledge. US T-Mobile tells you that you need to go to a store to set up eSIM or that you need a physical SIM to start your service. Both statements are incorrect. You can go into their system and do a SIM swap via the web portal to an eSIM even if you haven't got a physical SIM. Set up 3 phones this way the other day. If I want to move the line to another eSIM phone, I just do that same SIM swap. Adding a "holiday" line to the eSIM is simple also. It doesn't override your other eSIM, just lets you pick between them. Now, this is all variable by carrier. Verizon US is still in the "you have to call in for everything eSIM related" mode and their customer service is hit or miss. Ironically, a lot of the resellers like Mint are more on the ball than the major companies. Mint will let you activate an eSIM via their app.