I never understood why people like eSIM so much. How often could you need to switch cellular providers? Pulling out a SIM card once or twice a year isn’t worth the stupid app based bullshit carriers are pushing onto use with eSIM.
If you’re from the US, you’re probably burnt by your mobile providers. I don’t believe I’ve heard any horror stories about esim in my country and our neighbors (except for the fact that you still have to pay $3-5 to switch to “esim”, as if you are getting something besides a string of numbers)
Here is my use case:
0. I have a device with 1 sim slot
I have my main physical SIM-card with a known number (relatives, work partners etc). I have some data there as well. This is my “daily driver”
I have a separate e-sim with an “unknown” number that I use for sms-verification things for web services. It also has some dirt cheap data (but the coverage is not great).
At least on Pixel phones you can have a physical and e-sim card both active at the same time, and you can choose, for example, “sms and calls default to 1, mobile data default to 2”. There is an option to "switch to another sim for data, if the signal is bad. (There are talks about simultaneously active several e-sims, but it’s not here yet)
Even if you discard a security angle (sms verification should not be a known number - “restore sim” attack is quite common for a targeted action), a lot of people can benefit from “1st physical sim has great calls plan/ coverage, 2nd sim has cheap internet”
It sounds to me like there are a lot fewer dual SIM phones available in the USA. Everyone seems to be talking about single SIM phones, but even basic Samsungs here have two SIM slots. Cell coverage/calls plans also seem to be a lot better over here if getting a second subscription is worth it for calls.
@skullgiver@ijeff people like eSIM because it allows multiple networks on phones that only have one physical slot; which nowadays, in my experience, is all except some cheap Xiaomis that have a microSD slot that doubles as dual SIM.
On modern phones you don’t even have to switch carriers. You can have multiple lines on a single phone and use them at the same time. Ie I can use one phone to text from my work number and my personal number at the same time. Or if you live/work near a country border you can text/call/data from either line at the same time.
I never understood why people like eSIM so much. How often could you need to switch cellular providers? Pulling out a SIM card once or twice a year isn’t worth the stupid app based bullshit carriers are pushing onto use with eSIM.
If you’re from the US, you’re probably burnt by your mobile providers. I don’t believe I’ve heard any horror stories about esim in my country and our neighbors (except for the fact that you still have to pay $3-5 to switch to “esim”, as if you are getting something besides a string of numbers)
Here is my use case: 0. I have a device with 1 sim slot
At least on Pixel phones you can have a physical and e-sim card both active at the same time, and you can choose, for example, “sms and calls default to 1, mobile data default to 2”. There is an option to "switch to another sim for data, if the signal is bad. (There are talks about simultaneously active several e-sims, but it’s not here yet)
Even if you discard a security angle (sms verification should not be a known number - “restore sim” attack is quite common for a targeted action), a lot of people can benefit from “1st physical sim has great calls plan/ coverage, 2nd sim has cheap internet”
It sounds to me like there are a lot fewer dual SIM phones available in the USA. Everyone seems to be talking about single SIM phones, but even basic Samsungs here have two SIM slots. Cell coverage/calls plans also seem to be a lot better over here if getting a second subscription is worth it for calls.
Even the Galaxy S series is single-sim in the US.
It’s actually great for traveling. You can buy a travel eSIM from wherever and have it activated right away.
That’s my use case as well.
Just find a carrier you like for the country you’re traveling to, download the eSIM, and you’re ready to go.
All while keeping the physical SIM card of my regular, domestic carrier in the SIM card slot.
This simple issue was a major hassle before eSIM cards existed, and now it’s the easiest, most convenient thing in the world.
@skullgiver @ijeff people like eSIM because it allows multiple networks on phones that only have one physical slot; which nowadays, in my experience, is all except some cheap Xiaomis that have a microSD slot that doubles as dual SIM.
On modern phones you don’t even have to switch carriers. You can have multiple lines on a single phone and use them at the same time. Ie I can use one phone to text from my work number and my personal number at the same time. Or if you live/work near a country border you can text/call/data from either line at the same time.