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I've never had any additional costs incurred due to eSIM. It's always been free and instant, where as physical SIM cards I at times have had to pay a fee to swa

I've never had any additional costs incurred due to eSIM. It's always been free and instant, where as physical SIM cards I at times have had to pay a fee to swap out and it's always been a multi day process

izacus 3y ago
Well, I did. Among others, the one of my carriers demanded (still does!) physical presence in their store to transfer eSIM which is a significant cost to anyone when their phone breaks. This was not the case with a small plastic card. I've also had actual costs being charged when eSIM provisioning failed with "error -2" or whatever during travel and then carrier support refused to do anything about it (after taking my money for the card of course).
- vel0city 3y ago
  One carrier of mine demanded I appear in a physical store to issue a new physical SIM so it's not like eSIMs created or enabled that policy.
  - izacus 3y ago
    For my experience eSIM absolutely created that policy. The same carriers pSIMs still don't require that, so I'm not sure what exactly are you arguing here? The fact that your carrier has a shitty policy it's now ok to spread it?
    - vel0city 3y ago
      I'm arguing shitty carriers can make shitty policies regardless of the underlying technology. It's not like eSIMs forced them to do that policy, the carrier just decided to be shitty all on their own. eSIMs can be delivered entirely digitally, so in reality they should be even easier and have even fewer needs to ever be in person. eSIM didn't make that policy, your carrier did.
  - alwa 3y ago
    To add insult to injury, one carrier demanded this of me, then its retail store franchisees refused to issue me a SIM unless I purchased a new device or a new line so they’d make commission!
  - Dylan16807 3y ago
    "new SIM" and "transfer SIM" are pretty different situations.
    - vel0city 3y ago
      When I transfer my subscription to a new physical SIM I am issued a new SIM card, aren't I? Or do they use used SIM cards in those situations? I've needed to go from a full-size SIM to a mini to a micro to a nano over the years. Each time was a new physical SIM, each time was more of a "transfer" to the new SIM card.
      - Dylan16807 3y ago
        Those situations you are describing are "new SIM". The pretty different situation, the one izacus was complaining about, is when you take your active SIM out of one device and put it into a different device. eSIM broke this for them.
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
        vel0city 3y ago
        Once again, eSIM didn't break this for them, their carrier's shitty eSIM policy broke it. There's little reason why they couldn't provision it through a web page or other forms. It's practically the same thing as needing to come into the store to get a new SIM because the old phone was a different size SIM or if a SIM was broken. Provisioning an eSIM should be as simple as logging into your carrier's app or website and clicking a button or scanning a QR code. If it's any more complicated than that, your carrier sucks and you should start the porting process immediately. They're obviously customer-hostile and aren't deserving another month's subscription.
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Yes the carrier sucks but the differences between normal SIMs and eSIMs enabled them to make this policy for transfers. The reason I originally replied is because you said "it's not like eSIMs created or enabled that policy". Even as a single policy, it affects a lot more situations now. eSIM enabled a big expansion of scope. And "different size SIM or if a SIM was broken" is significantly rarer than changing phones.
loa_in_ 3y ago
Is this a worthwhile trade-off? Saving few days and a fee but losing a physical token of a SIM?

izacus 3y ago

Well, I did. Among others, the one of my carriers demanded (still does!) physical presence in their store to transfer eSIM which is a significant cost to anyone when their phone breaks. This was not the case with a small plastic card. I've also had actual costs being charged when eSIM provisioning failed with "error -2" or whatever during travel and then carrier support refused to do anything about it (after taking my money for the card of course).

vel0city 3y ago
One carrier of mine demanded I appear in a physical store to issue a new physical SIM so it's not like eSIMs created or enabled that policy.
- izacus 3y ago
  For my experience eSIM absolutely created that policy. The same carriers pSIMs still don't require that, so I'm not sure what exactly are you arguing here? The fact that your carrier has a shitty policy it's now ok to spread it?
  - vel0city 3y ago
    I'm arguing shitty carriers can make shitty policies regardless of the underlying technology. It's not like eSIMs forced them to do that policy, the carrier just decided to be shitty all on their own. eSIMs can be delivered entirely digitally, so in reality they should be even easier and have even fewer needs to ever be in person. eSIM didn't make that policy, your carrier did.
- alwa 3y ago
  To add insult to injury, one carrier demanded this of me, then its retail store franchisees refused to issue me a SIM unless I purchased a new device or a new line so they’d make commission!
- Dylan16807 3y ago
  "new SIM" and "transfer SIM" are pretty different situations.
  - vel0city 3y ago
    When I transfer my subscription to a new physical SIM I am issued a new SIM card, aren't I? Or do they use used SIM cards in those situations? I've needed to go from a full-size SIM to a mini to a micro to a nano over the years. Each time was a new physical SIM, each time was more of a "transfer" to the new SIM card.
    - Dylan16807 3y ago
      Those situations you are describing are "new SIM". The pretty different situation, the one izacus was complaining about, is when you take your active SIM out of one device and put it into a different device. eSIM broke this for them.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
      - vel0city 3y ago
        Once again, eSIM didn't break this for them, their carrier's shitty eSIM policy broke it. There's little reason why they couldn't provision it through a web page or other forms. It's practically the same thing as needing to come into the store to get a new SIM because the old phone was a different size SIM or if a SIM was broken. Provisioning an eSIM should be as simple as logging into your carrier's app or website and clicking a button or scanning a QR code. If it's any more complicated than that, your carrier sucks and you should start the porting process immediately. They're obviously customer-hostile and aren't deserving another month's subscription.
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Yes the carrier sucks but the differences between normal SIMs and eSIMs enabled them to make this policy for transfers. The reason I originally replied is because you said "it's not like eSIMs created or enabled that policy". Even as a single policy, it affects a lot more situations now. eSIM enabled a big expansion of scope. And "different size SIM or if a SIM was broken" is significantly rarer than changing phones.

loa_in_ 3y ago

Is this a worthwhile trade-off? Saving few days and a fee but losing a physical token of a SIM?