Aniket
Usually, the SIM card is inserted in the SIM card slot in the phone. These slots are available in both smart and keypad phones. Early phones, whether smart or keypad, had space for only one SIM card. But along with technology, there have been changes in this also. If you are technology savvy then you must have heard about the Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) card. This feature was first introduced by the company in iPhone 14. Today we are going to tell you about this eSIM card. Let us know in detail what an eSIM card is and what are its advantages and disadvantages.
Along with the mobile phone, the SIM card was also invented. Till now there is no use of mobile phones without SIM card, because through a SIM card only a network comes in the phone, through which we can talk anywhere, on any number. Then to make mobile phones a little more interesting, memory cards were made, through which people used to listen to songs and watch movies. Later, a little more change was made in it and the mobile phone became a smartphone. There is no need to install a separate memory card in the smartphone.
What is eSIM?
E-SIM stands for Embedded Subscriber Identity Module. It is a virtual SIM used in mobile, tablet, smartwatch. The special thing about this SIM is that you do not have to insert any kind of card in your phone. It is activated over-the-air through the telecom company. An E-Sim is basically a small chip inside your phone and works similar to the NFC chip that is used for payment technologies like Apple Pay and Google Pay. This is a virtual SIM installed in the mobile phone. Through e-SIM, you will be able to do all the work including calls, messages, but you will not need to insert it in the phone.
Benefits of eSIM
easy to activate- E-Sim is easier to activate than a physical new SIM card. To activate the physical SIM card, it must be placed correctly in the manual phone tray. You also need the SIM ejector pin to open the SIM tray slot in your phone. On the other hand, E-Sim can be activated by simply scanning a QR code. By scanning the QR code your E-Sim gets registered on your mobile network.
Easy to switch networks- A single E-Sim can store multiple network profiles (the number can go up to 3 or 5). Due to this feature, the user does not need to carry multiple physical SIMs and go through the hassle of inserting them when needed. You can simply switch to another network from your phone’s network settings.
take up less space- eSIM benefits are good for both manufacturers and users. Since E-Sim does not need a separate slot, the SIM space can be used by the manufacturer to add extra features and better design.
Will be able to run multiple numbers simultaneously- In e-SIM supporting devices, you can use multiple e-SIMs simultaneously, but the thing to note is that only one e-SIM will work at a time. Although you can switch it whenever you want.
Disadvantages of E-Sim
Difficult to switch devices- It may be difficult to switch the device in an emergency situation. For example, what if your phone suddenly stops working? With a physical SIM, you can easily remove it and insert it into another phone. You cannot do this with E-Sim.
Currently supported in premium smartphones- Currently, E-Sim supports limited premium phones which is difficult for everyone to afford. It is quite difficult to use for the average user or a common user. Also, if one switches to E-Sim, one will have limited phone options.
eSIMs future
Talking about the future, not only smartwatches but one day all phones may use SIM cards. GSMA has also announced a standard for this new type of SIM. Apart from Samsung and Apple, many other operators including Vodafone are also in the process of adopting this technology. Network data currently stored in standard SIMs can be rewritten in future eSIM devices. That means just one or two phone calls and you will be able to change your network operator. Another problem with physical SIM cards is that they currently come in two or three sizes. This means that whatever device you use, be it iPhone or Android, there will be no problem with the size of the SIM slot with the SIM card.
On the other hand, there is no guarantee that eSIM gives better connectivity, but it saves the hassle of going to the store to get a new SIM card. The biggest drawback of eSIM is that if you switch devices frequently, you cannot just remove the SIM card and put it in the new phone, for this you will have to do the entire activation process again.
