The humble SIM card survived for a while, but it’s no longer used in modern high-end phones. Instead, manufacturers install embedded SIMs, or eSIMs, for operators to identify your device. Pay-as-you-go services like Straight Talk still use verified SIM cards, but it’s becoming more common for your phone to come with an eSIM instead of a physical SIM.
But what is eSIM? Here we explain what an eSIM is and how it differs from a removable SIM card.
What is a sim card?
This is the better known solution of the two. It is a subscriber identity module that sits in a separate drawer and slides into the device like a drawer. It is typically provided by your mobile carrier and programmed with account information, such as your phone number and security keys, to identify and authenticate you to your carrier’s network. SIM cards can also store contacts and text messages, although these features are rarely used because today’s smartphones are so much more powerful.
Without this card, your phone doesn’t even have a valid phone number, so you won’t be able to make or receive calls over the wireless network. The US and many other countries require phones to be able to make calls to emergency services, even without a SIM card, but that’s the exception.
This little card has a notch in one corner with gold circles on one side that connect to the card reader inside your phone. SIM cards come in four different sizes: standard, mini, micro, and nano, so you want to make sure you get the right size for the phone you’re using.
Most importantly, since the SIM card is removable, you can easily remove it from one device and insert it into another. This allows you to update your phone without calling your carrier. It’s also a great way to avoid roaming charges when traveling by setting up a pay-as-you-go service with the local operator at your destination; replace your regular SIM card, insert a local carrier card, and you have a new phone number on your network. You can often pick up prepaid SIM cards at airport kiosks and be ready to go with a local number within minutes of landing.
What is eSIM?
The embedded SIM or eSIM cannot be removed. It is a programmable SIM card that is physically connected (soldered) to the motherboard of your smartphone. It does everything a removable SIM card does, but you can’t physically remove it, at least not without breaking the phone and unsoldering the chip.
This may seem problematic at first glance. For example, when you travel abroad using phones with removable SIM cards, you can switch to another carrier’s SIM card to get local coverage and avoid roaming charges with your primary carrier. Similarly, if you want to switch local carriers but keep your phone, the removable SIM card can be easily removed and replaced with a new one in seconds. Your first impression may be that this is impossible with an eSIM.
However, eSIM technology actually makes switching carriers even easier, at least in theory. Instead of waiting for a new SIM card to be delivered or going to a local store to pick one up, you can switch directly on your phone by entering your carrier’s information, often simply by scanning a QR code with your smartphone’s camera. . If your smartphone has an eSIM inside, you’ll find options in settings that allow you to set up the eSIM, switch between lines and carriers, and manage your accounts. If you’re a dual SIM user, eSIM technology can even support multiple accounts, and switching between them is a breeze.
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Unfortunately, while getting an eSIM should be easier than getting a physical SIM, that’s not always the case. Some carriers have been slower to embrace eSIM fluidity than others, and it’s not uncommon to run into some who still want to send you their eSIM codes or have you visit a store before you can set up your phone. This takes away one of the biggest benefits of using an eSIM, but luckily most carriers are working quickly to catch up.
Another significant benefit of eSIM technology is space savings by removing the physical SIM tray. Devices can be smaller because the eSIM chip is built into the device’s motherboard; No unnecessary space is taken by placing a slot and tray on the outer edge of the device. This allows for slimmer designs and larger batteries.
Devices with eSIM technology
Google’s Pixel 2 shipped with an eSIM that only supports Google Fi, while the Pixel 3 and newer Pixel devices support third-party carriers. Samsung added eSIM to its flagship smartphone lineup with the Galaxy S20, and Microsoft’s Surface Pro LTE was the first Windows 10 device to ship with eSIM technology.
Apple introduced eSIM in 2017 with Apple Watch Series 3, the first LTE-capable Apple Watch. While the Apple Watch uses eSIM exclusively, when the iPhone XS and iPhone XR debuted the following year, Apple added an eSIM to complement the physical SIM card slot and offer support for two phone lines. Apple also added an eSIM to the 2018 iPad Pro, though it didn’t remove the physical SIM card slot; The eSIM was offered as an alternative for those who would rather use it to set up their iPad for cellular service instead of a physical SIM card.
Apple continues to use a combination of physical SIM and eSIM in almost all iPhone models. However, last year the iPhone 13 gained support for using two eSIM cards, allowing users to support two SIM cards without the need for a physical SIM card. That paved the way for this year’s iPhone 14 lineup, where Apple has now completely removed the physical SIM card slot on US models, making eSIM the only way to activate your iPhone 14 on the network. of an operator.
Apple
iPhone 14 models sold in most other countries still include two eSIM cards and a physical SIM card slot, just like the iPhone 13. A notable exception to this rule is China, where eSIM has never been released. included in iPhones. Instead, when Apple introduced the iPhone XS/XR in China, it provided two physical SIM card slots. That practice has continued to this day, even with the iPhone 14 line, which still has two physical SIM slots in China, and no eSIM.
However, if you’re in the US and want a physical SIM card slot on your iPhone 14, there’s one thing to keep in mind before you travel to Canada or Mexico to do some cross-border shopping. While all iPhone models in North America support the same 4G/LTE, 5G Low-Band, and 5G Mid-Band frequencies, only US iPhone models support mmWave 5G, which is used for the most remote parts. speeds of Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband and AT&T’s 5G Plus coverage. .
When can I start using the eSIM?
It is very likely that your mobile device already has an eSIM card, as we mentioned above. Cellular-enabled laptops typically connect using eSIM technology, such as the Surface Pro X and various models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung. You’ll still see cases where SIM cards are used in laptop designs, but it’s becoming less common.
Until eSIM technology becomes a universal standard, many phones will continue to have a tray dedicated to a removable SIM card. There’s nothing wrong with using one of these phones, it’s just an older way of identifying yourself on a carrier’s network. However, replacing the SIM card can be problematic, given its size and sensitive non-touch circuitry. Managing an eSIM is easier for everyone, whether you’re changing phones or changing carriers.
If you use a dual SIM phone with a physical SIM and an eSIM, such as an iPhone or Google Pixel, you can also transfer data from your physical SIM directly to your eSIM. Many carriers allow this, and iOS and Android provide tools that make it quick and easy. Once you’ve done that, you can toss your old SIM card aside and free up that slot for a physical SIM card for travel.
Still, while you’ll want to check ahead of time, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out just how many international carriers support eSIM, and it’s hard to argue that it’s much easier to scan a QR code than it is to fumble around with a small and fragile SIM card, especially when you travel through a busy airport. port.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn