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 - Note: Even though Eskimo is based in Singapore, Singapore is not one of the included countries, probably due to regulatory reasons
- 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
Jun 7, 2019, 12:44 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Well, I took gfunkdave advice and called T-mobile to get a sim swap. I got an idiot on the phone. I told her to send me to tech support to get the sim swap as she did not understand what a sim swap was. Instead, she sent me to a supervisor. We had a very long talk. she told me that they will never use esim for a post-paid account. You are to use the e-sim with a foreign carrier. She also stated that she receives several calls a week when are they going to esim for post-paid accounts. When I got through with her I sent a live chat message for a sim swap. The rep there said they no longer do sim swap with just an EID number. I think they have noted my account so I can not ask for a sim swap. Of course, The foreign carrier I use does not have esim. So I am just outta luck.
If not, you'll just have to be a caveman and swap out the physical SIMs...
Jun 7, 2019, 2:58 pm
#77
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
I was just refused to transfer my postpaid account to eSim by Tmobile by chat (giving the EID number for the sim) and my foreign carrier (in Italy) has no eSim support. I will try again tonight but this sucks.
Jun 8, 2019, 5:10 am
#78
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,041
Well, the eSIM concept sure seems to be stalling. I was excited about this but it appears Apple was far more excited about this than the carriers.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to why the carriers are so resistant to eSIMs? I mean, why do the care? I pay for my phones in cash, so it's not like I'm on a contract. I can leave any time I choose, so it's not like a physical SIM keeps me "locked" to T-Mobile.
Regards
Does anyone have any thoughts as to why the carriers are so resistant to eSIMs? I mean, why do the care? I pay for my phones in cash, so it's not like I'm on a contract. I can leave any time I choose, so it's not like a physical SIM keeps me "locked" to T-Mobile.
Regards
Jun 8, 2019, 11:32 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI,IAD,DCA
Programs: UA gold, Hyatt Plat Marriott silver,Hilton Gold, PC Plat., SPG Gold.,Hertz Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 650
AT&T has the esim so does Verizon. The last time I checked AT&T they were $120.00 a line. I am sure there are better deals, but that is ridiculous. I just don't understand T-mobile on this.
Jun 9, 2019, 11:05 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: PDX
Programs: AA Plat, Nexus
Posts: 358
I've heard the theory that TMobile likes the $25 per SIM card activation fee and somehow hasn't figured out how to charge that for eSIM.
I'd blame it on inertia in upper management, though, as it's easy to do and works fine. (Source: Did it with no issues, very quickly, no issues in the month or two since I did it).
I'd blame it on inertia in upper management, though, as it's easy to do and works fine. (Source: Did it with no issues, very quickly, no issues in the month or two since I did it).
Jun 10, 2019, 8:45 am
#81
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: PHL
Posts: 10,060
Well, I took gfunkdave advice and called T-mobile to get a sim swap. I got an idiot on the phone. I told her to send me to tech support to get the sim swap as she did not understand what a sim swap was. Instead, she sent me to a supervisor. We had a very long talk. she told me that they will never use esim for a post-paid account. You are to use the e-sim with a foreign carrier. She also stated that she receives several calls a week when are they going to esim for post-paid accounts. When I got through with her I sent a live chat message for a sim swap. The rep there said they no longer do sim swap with just an EID number. I think they have noted my account so I can not ask for a sim swap. Of course, The foreign carrier I use does not have esim. So I am just outta luck.
Thank for this thread. My wife got the Xs Max. I've been trying to get t-mobile to swich it to e-sim. I tried Twitter & iMessage several times, they're not willing to do it. I went to the store, got a rep who's willing to try eventhough he think it will not work. He was surprised that the system accept the eid number 
. I do have to wait 30-45 mins to continue on the next step though.
. I do have to wait 30-45 mins to continue on the next step though.
Jun 10, 2019, 9:00 pm
#82
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/next-...esims-anderson
Jun 17, 2019, 6:40 am
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Just a quick report that I used my Ubigi e-SIM in France all last week, and it worked fine. I bought a 3GB plan from their app when I landed at CDG and it started working right away. My phone seemed to prefer the SFR network, but I had weird connectivity dropouts with them. It also worked with Orange, so I set my phone to Orange manually and everything worked well.
Jun 18, 2019, 2:01 am
#84
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 1,100
Traveling through Switzerland, Austria, Hungary. Bought the Europe-wide $59 10GB Ubigi package for my wife. She’s a data monster and ate through the entire allotment (half through tethering) in 5 or 6 days. Tried to “top up” with another 10GB but was told that “I already purchased that.” I was able to buy her the $25 3GB package, but had to restart the IPhone to get it going.
Jun 18, 2019, 6:30 pm
#85
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 409
10GB in 5 or 6 days, while on vacation?! Tell her to stop streaming Netflix on vacation! 😄
Traveling through Switzerland, Austria, Hungary. Bought the Europe-wide $59 10GB Ubigi package for my wife. She’s a data monster and ate through the entire allotment (half through tethering) in 5 or 6 days. Tried to “top up” with another 10GB but was told that “I already purchased that.” I was able to buy her the $25 3GB package, but had to restart the IPhone to get it going.
Jun 30, 2019, 7:39 pm
#88
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Advice Needed re Ubigi and Verizon Iphone Xs
I have an unlocked Verizon Iphone Xs. My primary number is on the esim and the secondary number is on the physical sim.
Today, while still in my home area, while using the Ubigi website as a guide (the picture instructions did not exactly match my reality), I tried downloading a Ubigi profile. After I installed the QR code, my primary number stopped accepting and making calls. Yikes, I immediately deleted the Ubigi profile, reset some settings, and things seem to be back to normal.
Anyone have an idea of why the Ubigi altered my phone's ability to make/receive calls and how I can install Ubigi so that I can use it for data when I travel.
Many thanks.
Today, while still in my home area, while using the Ubigi website as a guide (the picture instructions did not exactly match my reality), I tried downloading a Ubigi profile. After I installed the QR code, my primary number stopped accepting and making calls. Yikes, I immediately deleted the Ubigi profile, reset some settings, and things seem to be back to normal.
Anyone have an idea of why the Ubigi altered my phone's ability to make/receive calls and how I can install Ubigi so that I can use it for data when I travel.
Many thanks.
Jun 30, 2019, 7:46 pm
#89
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 409
Only one eSIM at a time can be used I believe. “You can store more than one eSIM in your iPhone, but you can use only one at a time. To switch eSIMs, tap Settings, tap either Cellular or Mobile Data, and then tap the plan you want to use. Then tap Turn On This Line.“
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044
I have an unlocked Verizon Iphone Xs. My primary number is on the esim and the secondary number is on the physical sim.
Today, while still in my home area, while using the Ubigi website as a guide (the picture instructions did not exactly match my reality), I tried downloading a Ubigi profile. After I installed the QR code, my primary number stopped accepting and making calls. Yikes, I immediately deleted the Ubigi profile, reset some settings, and things seem to be back to normal.
Anyone have an idea of why the Ubigi altered my phone's ability to make/receive calls and how I can install Ubigi so that I can use it for data when I travel.
Many thanks.
Today, while still in my home area, while using the Ubigi website as a guide (the picture instructions did not exactly match my reality), I tried downloading a Ubigi profile. After I installed the QR code, my primary number stopped accepting and making calls. Yikes, I immediately deleted the Ubigi profile, reset some settings, and things seem to be back to normal.
Anyone have an idea of why the Ubigi altered my phone's ability to make/receive calls and how I can install Ubigi so that I can use it for data when I travel.
Many thanks.
Jun 30, 2019, 7:52 pm
#90
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Only one eSIM at a time can be used I believe. “You can store more than one eSIM in your iPhone, but you can use only one at a time. To switch eSIMs, tap Settings, tap either Cellular or Mobile Data, and then tap the plan you want to use. Then tap Turn On This Line.“
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044