Ready To Go Digital? Ditch Your Physical SIM Card For An eSIM!
Apple released the first eSIM iPhone 14 model in certain markets last year. eSIM as a technology has existed for several years, but this is the first time that a technology company decided to completely abandon the physical SIM card in favor of eSIM, which is gradually gaining a foothold in markets like India as well.
Although eSIM is not new in the country, most of the smartphone users are not aware of the use of eSIM cards. In fact, not all iPhone users in India activate the eSIM card, which many find a tedious process. But recently one of the Indian telecom operators contacted their users and advised them to switch to eSIM and gave them several reasons to do so.
eSIM – everything you need to know
eSIM stands for Embedded-Subscriber Identity Module. It is embedded in the device and is basically a virtual SIM card that is simply activated in a supported device. The telco touts the benefits of moving to an eSIM phone or even a smartwatch if it supports the feature.
It also claims that you can use multiple mobile numbers on a single eSIM card and says that switching devices with an eSIM card is easy thanks to the digital profile associated with the number. More importantly, eSIM is also useful in case your device is stolen and it is difficult for the thief to delete the number unless he has high-tech equipment to get it.
However, eSIM has nothing to do with better internet speeds or better cell phone reception. It is simply a digital copy of your SIM card. Also note that you cannot have both an eSIM card and a physical SIM card for the same mobile number.
Once the eSIM is activated, your physical SIM card stops working and if you later decide to switch back to a standard SIM card, the process has to be reversed through the phone service, which can mean your number is unavailable for a few hours or even days. . Telcos are better equipped to handle switching from SIM to eSIM, but we still feel the hassle of switching numbers unless you plan to use one device for 3-4 years.
