Jun 5, 2023, 6:06 pm
Last edit by: username
Free data/trials (control-f to find the actual section for each provider)
Be ADVISED: ALL Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong version of EVERY Phone DOES NOT HAVE SUPPORT for eSim
eSIM features to consider
Unique feature
Longer term data (180day to no expiry)
PAYG data
- Eskimo 1GB 2year
- RedBullMobile 100MB 1year
- Yesim 350 coins 1 year
- ExtremeConnect
Be ADVISED: ALL Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong version of EVERY Phone DOES NOT HAVE SUPPORT for eSim
- Best device = Apple iPhone
- Supports dual eSIM (most android phones w/ eSIM have 1 physical + 1 eSIM slot, but cannot use 2 eSIMs together)
- Depending on carrier, supports DSDV (VoLTE voice calls on sim1 gets routed through sim2.data, as though you were doing WiFi calling)
- Some androids might support DSDV
- esim.me
- Allows you to use eSIM on non-native eSIM device
- Requires supported/modern phone
- Pricey / confusing options
eSIM features to consider
- Network coverage
- which networks are supported (not all eSIM list the networks, and networks can change overtime)
- You may want to avoid lower-tier networks or if your phone doesn't support their LTE/5G bands
- Amount of data
- "Unlimited" data typically has fair usage in ToS/fineprint, eg 0.5-1GB per day or 1GB every 3 days, reset on 4th day midnight. may or may not allow hotspot
- Generally data-limited plans allow full-speed w/ hotspot, some offer slow 128kbps after you hit the limit while others cut you off immediately)
- length of coverage
- eg: 1 day, 3 day, 7 day, 30day, 180day, 365day, noExpiry
- Country coverage (single country, regional/EU, global)
- Proxy/Latency/IP
- Most eSIM providers route you back to their main network, which can incur latency
- Your searches will probably geo-locate back to that main network (instead of the country you're in)
- Some of your apps may not work (eg Pandora radio only works in USA, won't work in another country)
- Data sharing / transfering of eSIM to new device
- A few providers allow you to share data, so you can split one plan with multiple eSIM devices (Eskimo, Dent, Vegolink)
- Many providers only allow you to activate eSIM profile once. if you have to switch phones, you either lose that data, or have to pay a token amount to get a new eSIM profile with the remaining balance
- Price/GB
- How data is counted per session
- Usually in ToS, usually its rounded up per 1KB/10KB/100KB/1MB increments. Obviously smaller increment is better
- Method of activation
- Some providers require you to use their app to load the eSIM
- Others send you QR code and/or activation URL, for you to manually load onto phone
- You need valid network access (via wifi or existing mobile data) to activate eSIM
- Expiry countdown
- Some providers start counting down expiry once you purchase, or once you activate eSIM onto phone, or once you set foot into country
- Speed
- generally these eSIM providers get low priority, could be a problem if there is network congestion
- you may want to consider a proper provider over an MVNO
- Visual Voicemail - it seems depending on the phone and carrier, Visual Voicemail might require a Cellular Connection through your provider or their roaming partners. So, Visual Voicemail might not work if you are using a data-only eSIM with roaming turned off for your "home line"
Unique feature
- Ubigi
- free eSIM profile. If you don't have valid plan, the eSIM still allows you to connect & browse ubigi.me (and purchase data via creditcard/paypal)
- Seems native geo-located IP but still through a regional proxy with some latency (Transactel owns part of Ubigi, and Transactel has their own backend)
Longer term data (180day to no expiry)
- Yesim (coins expire 1 year)
- Dent (1 year)
- Eskimo (2 year)
- Esimplus (no expiry)
- AIS eSIM2Fly topup (365 day)
- 3HK (365 day)
PAYG data
- Yesim (varies, deducts from sharedWallet)
- Dent (10/GB)
- RedBullMobile (varies, need to prepay per GB)
eSIM thread
Oct 10, 2019, 7:55 pm
#166
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
TMo refused to do this over the app and told me to go to a store (I had previously tried but there were too many people ahead of me). Hitting the store in the morning I was able to get this done in around 15 minutes, with a moderately clueless rep who basically read my esim code over the phone. Off to Europe in a bit and will try to see how it works with my Vodafone sim.
Oct 10, 2019, 8:25 pm
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
My phone is unlocked. It took the AT&T store 10 minutes to move my service to an eSIM. And half of that was waiting for the safe to open so they could get an eSIM kit out. When they first tried to scan the activation barcode, it gave an error about not being able to successfully activate the cellular plan, but after a quick reboot it activated just fine. Rocking AT&T eSIM and a Google Fi physical SIM for use while traveling overseas.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:18 am
#168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
I finally got an AT&T rep willing to sort things out and knew what to do, which is basically checking if long strings of numbers match up. Some reps are willing to help, but are not trained to troubleshoot. But too many reps in "Advance Tech Support" know what has to be done, but aren't willing to go through the hassle. Literally, 3 Advance Tech Support reps were supposed to get back to me and none of them did. One said he would call me back in 5 minutes that he just had to move to another computer! We confirmed the phone number he was going to call me back on, even though I know he knows the number I'm calling from, but he never called back. I finally said I'm willing to wait and finally got a rep to set it up. The wait was an hour and it took another hour to finally get set up. Previously, during other attempts it was at least an hour, so I probably put in a total of 10 hours. Either they're unstaffed or many people having issues. It should only take 15 minutes, but the rep screwed it up the first time and it took me 10 hours to get it fixed.
Not sure why they insist we pick up an eSIM card with a QR code. On the iPhone you can manually enter in numbers to activate, but AT&T insist we scan a QR code. And in an AT&T store SIMs costs $5! But in an Apple Store it's free. But many Apple reps don't know they have them?!? And one Apple rep insist they didn't carry them. In the end, it's worth the hours to set up the eSIM and not have to have 2 phones for 2 numbers. . . I think.
Not sure why they insist we pick up an eSIM card with a QR code. On the iPhone you can manually enter in numbers to activate, but AT&T insist we scan a QR code. And in an AT&T store SIMs costs $5! But in an Apple Store it's free. But many Apple reps don't know they have them?!? And one Apple rep insist they didn't carry them. In the end, it's worth the hours to set up the eSIM and not have to have 2 phones for 2 numbers. . . I think.
Oct 11, 2019, 8:19 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
If your phone is locked, then I wouldn’t bother. You won’t be able to insert a physical SIM from another carrier and have it work.
My phone is unlocked. It took the AT&T store 10 minutes to move my service to an eSIM. And half of that was waiting for the safe to open so they could get an eSIM kit out. When they first tried to scan the activation barcode, it gave an error about not being able to successfully activate the cellular plan, but after a quick reboot it activated just fine. Rocking AT&T eSIM and a Google Fi physical SIM for use while traveling overseas.
My phone is unlocked. It took the AT&T store 10 minutes to move my service to an eSIM. And half of that was waiting for the safe to open so they could get an eSIM kit out. When they first tried to scan the activation barcode, it gave an error about not being able to successfully activate the cellular plan, but after a quick reboot it activated just fine. Rocking AT&T eSIM and a Google Fi physical SIM for use while traveling overseas.
Thanks!!
Oct 11, 2019, 8:33 am
#170
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
From the network's perspective, an eSim is exactly the same as a SIM card.
Dec 17, 2019, 3:26 am
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,896
Dec 17, 2019, 4:52 am
#173
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Dec 17, 2019, 6:30 am
#174
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 592
Don't quote me, but I recall a statement from one of the prepaid esim FAQ's that up to 50 esims can be stored on capable phones. I have no idea if this is true or varies by phone make & model, but it was in print on a prepaid website. I have no idea which one, and it could be just BS, but it shouldn't require much data space, so I can see it being possible.
But wait, there's more!
I just did a little research on the subject and found a GSMA eSim Whitepaper with this quote:
How much memory will be available in an eUICC and how many Profiles can be stored into it?
The memory of an eUICC can range from several KB to several MB. There is no specific limit on the number of Profiles that can be stored on an eUICC, this depends only on memory available and the size of Profiles. Operators could manage Profile sizes to fit them in the eUICC.
Reference: https://www.gsma.com/esim/wp-content...aper-v4.11.pdf
But wait, there's more!
I just did a little research on the subject and found a GSMA eSim Whitepaper with this quote:
How much memory will be available in an eUICC and how many Profiles can be stored into it?
The memory of an eUICC can range from several KB to several MB. There is no specific limit on the number of Profiles that can be stored on an eUICC, this depends only on memory available and the size of Profiles. Operators could manage Profile sizes to fit them in the eUICC.
Reference: https://www.gsma.com/esim/wp-content...aper-v4.11.pdf
Dec 17, 2019, 8:26 am
#176
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: TH
Posts: 13
How much memory will be available in an eUICC and how many Profiles can be stored into it?
The memory of an eUICC can range from several KB to several MB. There is no specific limit on the number of Profiles that can be stored on an eUICC, this depends only on memory available and the size of Profiles. Operators could manage Profile sizes to fit them in the eUICC.
Reference: https://www.gsma.com/esim/wp-content...aper-v4.11.pdf
The memory of an eUICC can range from several KB to several MB. There is no specific limit on the number of Profiles that can be stored on an eUICC, this depends only on memory available and the size of Profiles. Operators could manage Profile sizes to fit them in the eUICC.
Reference: https://www.gsma.com/esim/wp-content...aper-v4.11.pdf
Dec 17, 2019, 8:31 am
#177
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 592
Good point on the labeling. I generally call them by either the country or date I intend to use them during. Lots of flexibility here fortunately since iPhones gives you a custom name option, and the name is easily edited.
Dec 29, 2019, 12:37 pm
#178
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 389
Dec 29, 2019, 6:39 pm
#180
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AA
Posts: 872