MegaFon, a leading Russian telecommunications provider, has witnessed a dramatic surge in eSIM adoption among its subscribers. This innovative technology, surpassing traditional physical SIM cards, has seen an impressive year-on-year growth of over 80% within the first five months of 2024. This data, gleaned from anonymized subscriber information, paints a fascinating picture of evolving mobile usage patterns. megafon esim

The analysis reveals a clear preference for eSIM as a primary connection, with a staggering 98% of users opting for this method. Among smartphone brands, Apple reigns supreme, with iPhones leading the pack in eSIM integration. While the iPhone 11 currently holds the top spot, its dominance is gradually waning as newer iPhone iterations gain traction.

This shift towards eSIM coincides with a noteworthy increase in mobile data consumption by eSIM users. Compared to the same period in 2023, overall traffic consumption for January-May 2024 has spiked by a significant 11%. Notably, the most pronounced growth is observed in web browsing and instant messaging, with user activity in these domains flourishing by a remarkable 28% and 23% respectively. Social media usage also exhibits a healthy uptick of 16%. Interestingly, video and music streaming haven’t witnessed a comparable surge, with growth hovering at a modest 2%.

A contrasting trend emerges when examining voice call activity. Subscribers clinging to traditional SIM cards exhibit a 25% higher propensity for voice calls compared to their eSIM counterparts. This suggests that eSIM adoption might be aligning with a preference for data-driven communication channels.

MegaFon’s findings offer valuable insights into the evolving mobile landscape. The growing popularity of eSIM and its subsequent impact on data consumption patterns underscores the continuous transformation of how we interact with the digital world.