Make traveling (and other tasks) a lot easier: Start Using an eSIM Now
Many newer smartphones support eSIMs as well as the physical SIM cards we’ve all been slotting into our devices for years. If you’re wondering what exactly an eSIM is, and whether or not you should be using one, this guide is for you.
SIM cards, as we all know, give you a number and an identity for connecting to cellular networks. SIM stands for Subscriber Identity (or Identification) Module, and the card essentially gives you clearance on your carrier’s network. SIMs can be switched between phones, as long as the phones are unlocked or locked to the same carrier.
No more physical cards
SIMs haven’t changed too much over the years, aside from getting smaller, but now we have eSIMs, too. The ‘e’ is for embedded, which gives you a clue as to how it works. It’s a SIM that’s built right into a phone’s motherboard, so there’s no physical card to worry about. Everything is handled through software, which in theory should make everything about it—from setting it up to switching carriers—a whole lot easier.
Since 2018, cell phone manufacturers have equipped their high-end devices with eSIM technology, creating a revolution in how we use our phones.
Because the technology is so new, most phones are not eSIM compatible.
Here’s how to get started
If your handset has both an eSIM and a traditional physical SIM card slot, in most cases, you can operate two numbers from the same phone because you have both a standard and an embedded SIM in the same device. It’s one of the key reasons you might want to set up an eSIM, Gizmodo reports.
Many eSIM benefits are available
An eSIM also offers plenty of benefits when traveling. With no physical SIM card to worry about, you can quickly and easily sign up for a local eSIM package in whatever country you happen to be in. This doesn’t just work for phones either—several portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices come with eSIM capabilities, so switching between countries is just a question of installing a new profile. There’s no need to go into a store or to wait for a package to arrive.
Although you can only use one eSIM at a time on your phone (for now at least), switching between profiles once you’ve set them up is very straightforward—again, useful for hopping between countries, or voice and data plans, and so on. You can use whichever eSIM suits your current situation best.
