Whereas previously a code on a paper voucher was required to obtain eSIM, now the customer handles everything electronically within a few minutes. ” All you have to do is order eSIM via My Vodafone self-service. In a few minutes, the customer will find a QR code in the supermarket, through which he can download it to his phone. Vodafone also comes with the option of not scanning the QR code. All you have to do is enter the so-called EID code into the order and eSIM will be downloaded to your phone automatically , “says Michal Janda, Vodafone’s Director of Products and Services. He adds: ” Even if the customer wants to replace the classic SIM with eSIM, he can do everything simply from the comfort of home .”

The customer will get the new eSIM almost immediately and without the need to visit a Vodafone store. ” In addition to making the digital solution much more convenient and faster, it helps save the environment. There is no need for unnecessary paper or plastic and there is no need to transport the eSIM voucher to the customer , ”explains Zuzana Holá, Vodafone’s Director of Communications and Sustainability.

A prerequisite for using eSIM is a phone that supports this feature. In the past, they were rather a rarity, but their offer is growing from year to year. In 2021, eSIM has already supported every fourth Vodafone phone sold, and their share is expected to increase in the future. According to the GSM Association ‘s prediction, by 2025, even about 60% of all smartphones sold in the world with an integrated electronic SIM card will be fully compatible.

The application of eSIM is not just about mobile phones, but opens the door to smart internet solutions, for example. ” Thanks to the miniature size and integration of the chip into the device, it is possible to connect other smart devices that the classic SIM card does not fit into. These are, for example, various sensors, probes, watches or trackers. The development of eSIM is accelerated, among other things, by the launch of 5G networks, where the massive connection of Internet of Things devices with an integrated SIM card is expected , ”explains Janda.

Plastic cards will replace Eco-SIM

Virtual eSIM is the most environmentally friendly variant of the SIM card. In order to keep the environmental impact of plastic cards as small as possible, Vodafone will introduce the so-called Eco-SIM in the Czech Republic in the first half of this year. These will only be made from recycled plastic.

” Eco-SIM follows on from the  introduction of half-SIM cards  last year. It is important for us to reduce the impact on the planet not only in our own operations, but also to help our customers. This includes a radical reduction of unnecessary disposable waste and the use of recycled materials wherever possible , ”adds Zuzana Holá from the perspective of Vodafone’s sustainable business.

By reducing the size of the SIM card carrier, Vodafone has reduced worldwide plastic consumption by approximately 340 tonnes per year, which corresponds to approximately 1,760 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The introduction of Eco-SIM will further reduce the need for production by 320 tons of primary plastic per year, which has the potential to save another 1,280 tons of emissions.

Vodafone Czechia helps customers save nature

eSIM and Eco SIM are further steps in Vodafone’s efforts to eliminate the impact of its business on the environment. Its infrastructure is already powered exclusively by energy from renewable sources and provides all electrical waste from its networks and used products for recycling or further use. In all its stores, it is also possible to return unused mobile phones for further professional processing, and each customer can thus contribute to the circular economy. At the same time, it will support technologies with a positive social impact, as Vodafone donates all the money from recycling to the  Vodafone Foundation , which supports such technologies.

Customers can also use the so-called Eco Rating when deciding to buy a new phone, which is a unique measure of the impact of phones on the environment from the perspective of their entire life cycle. Vodafone makes it easier for customers to search and highlights the phones with the best ratings. Vodafone Czechia eSim