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eSIMs feel like a solution waiting for a problem. Consumers are happy with physical SIMs, you obtain one, you put it in your phone then you forget about it unti

eSIMs feel like a solution waiting for a problem. Consumers are happy with physical SIMs, you obtain one, you put it in your phone then you forget about it until you swap your phone. I'm sure eSIMs are a good idea if your aim is to gain even more control over our personal devices.

abraham 1y ago
eSIMs are nice in that you can install an app and it can activity service immediately. You don't have to go to a store or wait for a physical SIM to be mailed to you.
- embedding-shape 1y ago
  Also nice for people who frequent different countries, easier to switch by tapping a button in the phone than having to replace the physical SIM card each time. And no more forgetting the right SIM or not having a tiny thing to get the SIM card out in the first place (or having to borrow someone's earring).
zdc1 1y ago
I've been using an eSim on my iPhone and it's been wonderful because: 1. migrating between iPhones also transfers the eSim 2. if I get a tourist sim card at an airport, I don't have to worry about taking out or losing my main sim 3. the ability to have multiple sims is also ideal: I currently have phone plans in AU and SG, in addition to any tourist sim cards I pick up
- klabb3 1y ago
  It sounds like you’re talking about the benefits of having both? The new iPhones have only eSIM which is currently a hurdle, especially for the ”tourist SIMs”. OTOH, I’m sure Telcos will shape up their support and iron out the major bugs rather quickly precisely because of this.
  - masklinn 1y ago
    > It sounds like you’re talking about the benefits of having both? physical sims make no contribution to any of their points.
    - delusional 1y ago
      > 2. if I get a tourist sim card at an airport That sounds like it would be a physical sim, or am I incorrect?
      - deaux 1y ago
        They probably do mean getting a tourist eSIM at the airport.
      - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
        iPhones are eSim only for a few years now.
- ycombinatrix 1y ago
  >if I get a tourist sim card at an airport, I don't have to worry about taking out or losing my main sim bold of you to assume we'll still have a sim card slots
- fragmede 1y ago
  Fwiw, I can't remember the last time I bought a physical sim at an airport. Airalo lets me buy an eSim at the departing airport, which means I've got cell data from the instant I arrive. They're not the only company offering this, and I'm sure I could min max and find a more cost optimized service, but it's done me well enough. Depending on the amount of international travel you do, and to where, however, US travellers may have a better time with a carrier like T-Mobile which include international data to a number of countries.
  - chasil 1y ago
    It's important to point out that few MVNO operators on T-Moble extend this international access.
kurtis_reed 1y ago
No, they're a huge improvement
trenchpilgrim 1y ago
eSIMs are fantastic for anyone who travels internationally.
masklinn 1y ago
> Consumers are happy with physical SIMs, you obtain one, you put it in your phone then you forget about it until you swap your phone. As a consumer I was much happier with esims: I swapped provider, got the esim in the mail essentially instantly, put it in my phone, and forgot about it util I swapped phone... at which point esim transfer was part of the migration so I essentially didn't have to think about it either.
pona-a 1y ago
For me, eSIM was the only solution to a very real problem: being able to use virtual carriers without mailing a physical SIM. I can pay anonymously for a regional SIM from my MVNO at an affordable price, without giving a local carrier a copy of my passport to retain indefinitely. Unfortunately, they still only resell incumbent bandwidth--but that's the reality of spectrum licensing.

abraham 1y ago

eSIMs are nice in that you can install an app and it can activity service immediately. You don't have to go to a store or wait for a physical SIM to be mailed to you.

embedding-shape 1y ago
Also nice for people who frequent different countries, easier to switch by tapping a button in the phone than having to replace the physical SIM card each time. And no more forgetting the right SIM or not having a tiny thing to get the SIM card out in the first place (or having to borrow someone's earring).

zdc1 1y ago

I've been using an eSim on my iPhone and it's been wonderful because: 1. migrating between iPhones also transfers the eSim 2. if I get a tourist sim card at an airport, I don't have to worry about taking out or losing my main sim 3. the ability to have multiple sims is also ideal: I currently have phone plans in AU and SG, in addition to any tourist sim cards I pick up

klabb3 1y ago
It sounds like you’re talking about the benefits of having both? The new iPhones have only eSIM which is currently a hurdle, especially for the ”tourist SIMs”. OTOH, I’m sure Telcos will shape up their support and iron out the major bugs rather quickly precisely because of this.
- masklinn 1y ago
  > It sounds like you’re talking about the benefits of having both? physical sims make no contribution to any of their points.
  - delusional 1y ago
    > 2. if I get a tourist sim card at an airport That sounds like it would be a physical sim, or am I incorrect?
    - deaux 1y ago
      They probably do mean getting a tourist eSIM at the airport.
    - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
      iPhones are eSim only for a few years now.
ycombinatrix 1y ago
>if I get a tourist sim card at an airport, I don't have to worry about taking out or losing my main sim bold of you to assume we'll still have a sim card slots
fragmede 1y ago
Fwiw, I can't remember the last time I bought a physical sim at an airport. Airalo lets me buy an eSim at the departing airport, which means I've got cell data from the instant I arrive. They're not the only company offering this, and I'm sure I could min max and find a more cost optimized service, but it's done me well enough. Depending on the amount of international travel you do, and to where, however, US travellers may have a better time with a carrier like T-Mobile which include international data to a number of countries.
- chasil 1y ago
  It's important to point out that few MVNO operators on T-Moble extend this international access.

kurtis_reed 1y ago

No, they're a huge improvement

trenchpilgrim 1y ago

eSIMs are fantastic for anyone who travels internationally.

masklinn 1y ago

> Consumers are happy with physical SIMs, you obtain one, you put it in your phone then you forget about it until you swap your phone. As a consumer I was much happier with esims: I swapped provider, got the esim in the mail essentially instantly, put it in my phone, and forgot about it util I swapped phone... at which point esim transfer was part of the migration so I essentially didn't have to think about it either.

pona-a 1y ago

For me, eSIM was the only solution to a very real problem: being able to use virtual carriers without mailing a physical SIM. I can pay anonymously for a regional SIM from my MVNO at an affordable price, without giving a local carrier a copy of my passport to retain indefinitely. Unfortunately, they still only resell incumbent bandwidth--but that's the reality of spectrum licensing.