The SIM in the word ‘SIM card’ refers to’subscriber identity module. The tiny chips contain the information you need for your phone like your number, contacts, pictures and messages. Prior to two years ago, SIM cards were your only option for your mobile to be connected to your mobile network in order to make calls and send texts. But more phone suppliers are now shipping phones with eSIMs, including the first handset with a 5G standalone-compatible eSIM in the UK, suggesting that some time soon most new handsets will support eSIM technology, if not as a replacement to SIM cards, as an additional SIM option.
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What exactly is an eSIM?
An eSIM, also known as an embedded SIM is a substitute for the requirement for the physical SIM card. It’s basically it’s an online SIM card that has been inserted in your phone at the time of the phone’s production. The use of an eSIM comes with advantages and disadvantages. Let’s review some of them:
Benefits of the use of an electronic SIM
You may have more than one number
As with phones that has dual SIM card slots, using an eSIM lets you have several phone numbers. The primary benefit is that you can make and receive texts and calls from either phone, meaning you are able to more effectively manage your outgoing and inbound communications.
They can be extremely beneficial for the separation of work and personal emails. You can also utilize an eSIM along with the physically SIM card, which will permit you to customize your connection across all of your devices.
They are much easier to use than SIM cards.
Even though physical SIM cards must be placed into your smartphone to activate this is a process that often requires the hand-strength of surgeons or a surgeon, an eSIM is activated through scanning the QR code, which is registered to your eSIM profile to the mobile service you use. Some networks will require you to enter an identification number. In the majority of cases, you can connect on your networks in not longer than fifteen minutes.
They make switching service providers much easier
A phone that has an eSIM enables you to switch networks faster because it doesn’t require to purchase an entirely fresh plastic SIM card. This means you don’t have to visit the retailer for your network or wait for the card to arrive via post. If you have an eSIM installed on your phone, you are able to choose the service provider you want to use and link to the network via the internet by obtaining the data that you require to connect via the phone or via internet.
There’s no need to disable accounts for life.
eSIMs are able to store multiple profiles. This means that you can switch between networks and then back without the need to disable your accounts permanently. This is particularly useful when traveling, allowing you to connect to the internet wherever you move. It’s also a generally more economical option to activate global roaming.
They consume less space inside smartphones.
The Nano SIMs are the ones currently used in the majority of modern smartphones. They measure about 8.8mm however eSIMS are only 4 millimeters. Because of their smaller size, that phone makers have more room to include additional features such as more battery capacity or to increase the performance of phones through a speedier processor. This also lets them enhance a phone’s IP ratings against dust and water, because the absence of an SIM card slot means that there are fewer entry points.
Advantages and disadvantages of using an eSIM
It is more difficult to repair in a brand new phone.
If your phone is damaged or breaks, your small plastic SIM hidden within your phone will remain fairly unharmed. You can easily take it out and put it into a new device but that’s not the case for an electronic SIM. You’ll need to locate as well as download the eSIM profiles from cloud storage, and this can be significantly more time-consuming. It can also take longer than what it takes to transfer your existing eSIM profile to the new device in the event of an upgrade.
Users are more easily tracked by networks
People who are concerned about privacy are able to block their mobile phone’s network from following their location by disabling the physically SIM card. But, because eSIMs cannot be removed, and are wired to devices, eSIM user’s phones will remain connected to their provider’s network, and are more easily tracked. While this shouldn’t be an issue for the majority of people living in countries such as Australia but elsewhere in the world, this might be a huge issue like for those who belong to groups that are being targeted by their respective governments.
Hacking
From a security standpoint, eSIMs are generally very secure as they are unable to be physically removed or placed in different devices by criminals and they are able to ask for confirmation from operators every time an attempt is made to modify the profile of a user. However, they’re not completely protected from fraud since hackers will often go to extreme efforts to break into mobile carriers’ systems to access the user’s profile or other information.
Which phones come with eSIMs?
The latest Apple iPhones, such as iPhone 13 series, and the iPhone 13 series and iPhone SE (3rd Gen) include eSIMs. So do Samsung’s most recent Galaxy S22 series devices. The phones that have eSIMs are:
Oppo Find X5 Professional
Google Pixel 6
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
iPhone 13 Pro
Huawei P50 Pro