After the disappearance of the jack on most smartphones, it's the SIM card's turn to pay the price for this race for miniaturization. Phone manufacturers have developed a new standard called eSIM or non-removable SIM card. More compact and simpler, the eSIM is about to replace the traditional SIM card..
What does eSIM look like?
Is the good old SIM card dying? Will it, like the Walkman or the alarm clock, join the Pantheon of consumer goods? In any case, this is what most smartphone manufacturers suggest.
The traditional SIM card and its mini and nano versions are no longer popular with the electronics giants. They prefer the more versatile and easier to use eSIM (Embedded SIM) or integrated SIM..
Unlike its ancestor, the eSIM is not a physical card but a virtual one. The chip is directly soldered on the motherboard of the device (smartphone, smart watch, etc.). No need to slide or remove it to benefit from the services of an operator's mobile network.
Advantages of eSIM
This new version of the SIM card could make people happy. I am thinking in particular of those who have taken the bad habit of misplacing the extraction tool of the SIM card drawer but also of people who regularly change mobile subscriptions..
With the eSIM you no longer have to wait for a letter from the Post Office with the new card to take advantage of your new subscription. The commissioning of the equipment takes only a few minutes and everything can be done online via the internet.
Finally, last important point, the welded eSIM cards have the advantage of being particularly thin. Manufacturers no longer need to integrate a drawer system to house the chip, we can imagine that smartphones will lose a few millimeters in thickness. This will also improve the tightness of the devices.
The integration of this new module into connected objects has many advantages. Multiple devices (tablet, watch, car) will be able to access the internet from a single mobile subscription with a single phone number. We can easily imagine the gain for multi-screen users.
Understand how eSIM works?
You understand that the eSIM is directly welded inside the device. Its operation is therefore completely different from a conventional SIM card and its famous toolbox. You will therefore have no manipulation to do or even need to go to a shop to make a subscription change.
The activation of the virtual card is done directly from the internet. This allows the line to be opened or changed almost immediately. But rest assured the operation does not present any particular difficulty. It is a simple update.
Activate an eSIM card
When subscribing to your new subscription, the operator will send you a voucher. On the latter will appear a QR code containing all the information about your package. All you have to do is scan this code using your mobile camera.
Your smartphone or connected watch will then automatically download the data and activate your new profile. Installation takes only a few minutes. Once the operation is finished, you can immediately take advantage of your package and all these services (phone calls, SMS, MMS, internet connection, etc.).
Note that the QR code provided is for single use only. You can therefore only use it once on your device. Likewise, during a service call, you should not forget to delete the eSIM profile on your smartphone before giving it to one of the technicians.