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Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

arstechnica.com

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Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#31

Post by kalleboo »

Daz1 wrote: post #24
LeoPanthera wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This feels like an American perspective. In Europe (and Asia too?), sim-swapping is pretty seamless, and relatively common.

Not in Japan. Some carriers like Docomo you can't even buy a standalone SIM.

Not true https://onlineshop.smt.docomo.ne.jp/sim-card/index.html

I'm on docomo and I only have a SIM from them, I brought my own iPhone from abroad. When I turned my iPhone in to Bic Camera to have the display swapped, I could just swap my SIM into a spare old phone quickly and it worked seamlessly.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#32

Post by gambiting »

jplona wrote: post #22
thedays wrote: post #2

eSIMs are less convenient and less flexible than regular SIM cards - will iSIMs be any different? How many iSIMs will a phone support? Will they support dual iSIMs or triple iSIMs so I can use one mobile number for work, another for my personal life and a third to use when I'm travelling overseas and want to avoid expensive roaming charges?

Why are eSIMs less convenient for you? In all of the interactions I've had, eSIM works without issue and right away. Most of the times I've needed a physical SIM card I've had to wait for it to be mailed or plan a trip to a physical store, or the old one is the wrong size and I need a new one or an adapter.

I can swap sims in about 30 seconds. With eSim I need to ask my carrier for a new eSim registration code to be generated which takes 48 hours. It's insane and I have no idea why we agreed to this standard.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#33

Post by World177 »

gambiting wrote: post #28
Reason077 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "But it’s disappointing all round. I absolutely love how easy it is for me to buy a new phone, swap in my old SIM and I’m instantly using my old number." In theory, with an eSIM it's even easier to swap in your old SIM because you don't have to deal with the physical SIM card. Especially so if you don't have the physical SIM because it's lost or whatever. In my experience it's super frustrating to have to wait for…

I have two sims in my phone, neither carrier even supports eSIMs yet. The technology is extremely slow to roll out around the world for some reason.

I think the carriers probably do not like it, as it allows their customers to easily switch service. I also think it could possibly be part of the reason Apple released an eSIM only phone, as it forces the carriers to use eSIMs.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#34

Post by gambiting »

mschuster91 wrote: post #10
MrBuddyCasino wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least on the iPhone you can add many and activate two simultaneously. Most phones weren’t dual-sim!

Dual-SIM phones were the hot shit for years when phones were beginning to take off. I remember some weird adapters that cycled through SIMs when the phone was restarted and all kinds of other hacks.

I mean, all top end Samsungs are proper dual SIM phones still(they take two physical Sims). #1 reason why I'm still buying them and not any other brand. iPhones also support dual SIM but only with one physical card and one eSIM.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#35

Post by gambiting »

jraph wrote: post #23
kube-system wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You still get them in that format (but breakaway into smaller formats) if you buy a bring-your-own-sim kit from many carriers.

Where? Here you can get the "breakaway into smaller formats" thing but not credit-card sized, the biggest size is Mini SIM.

Here in UK you get that from most carriers.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#36

Post by kube-system »

jraph wrote: post #23
kube-system wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You still get them in that format (but breakaway into smaller formats) if you buy a bring-your-own-sim kit from many carriers.

Where? Here you can get the "breakaway into smaller formats" thing but not credit-card sized, the biggest size is Mini SIM.

Any US carrier, in my experience.

https://www.flyamz.com/storage/2020/03/USA-SIM-Card-New-ATT-...

https://images5.tanganetwork.com/prod?bucket=tanga-fetched-i...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61bYyPhpYoL._AC_SL1200_....

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#37

Post by vasco »

bilekas wrote: post #9
ipv6ipv4 wrote: post #3

Why isn't this a bit of generic software that can run on anything?

It's a physical storage about the carrier. as far as i understand it's more convenient for carriers to onboard clients and also for users in general if a phone dies for example you can swap it into another. There are CDMA enabled phones that do not need a SIM card but they're a pain to transfer to another carrier. At least today.

I don't need to swap a physical thing to log into my bank on another phone if my main one dies. I'm not sure why this is the answer.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#38

Post by i_love_cookies »

jplona wrote: post #22
thedays wrote: post #2

eSIMs are less convenient and less flexible than regular SIM cards - will iSIMs be any different? How many iSIMs will a phone support? Will they support dual iSIMs or triple iSIMs so I can use one mobile number for work, another for my personal life and a third to use when I'm travelling overseas and want to avoid expensive roaming charges?

Why are eSIMs less convenient for you? In all of the interactions I've had, eSIM works without issue and right away. Most of the times I've needed a physical SIM card I've had to wait for it to be mailed or plan a trip to a physical store, or the old one is the wrong size and I need a new one or an adapter.

at&t refuses to give me a esim for the pixel6 i bought though them on the same account

the concept itself is fine the implementation is a downgrade since it gives the carriers more control

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#39

Post by kalleboo »

Reason077 wrote: post #17
chamakits wrote: post #4

This seems like an inevitability; since eSIMs are already here, and manufacturers are going to be thrilled to have fewer moving parts. But it’s disappointing all round. I absolutely love how easy it is for me to buy a new phone, swap in my old SIM and I’m instantly using my old number. As painful as transferring everything else is with new phones, at least I easily keep the same number. With this (and I’d guess with…

> "But it’s disappointing all round. I absolutely love how easy it is for me to buy a new phone, swap in my old SIM and I’m instantly using my old number." In theory, with an eSIM it's even easier to swap in your old SIM because you don't have to deal with the physical SIM card. Especially so if you don't have the physical SIM because it's lost or whatever. In my experience it's super frustrating to have to wait for…

eSIM is good when the carrier does a good job of it, but it's terrible when the carrier does a bad job. There are carriers where any change to eSIM must be called in and you have to talk to a rep, where it takes hours to issue, etc.

Basically we're going back to the USA-style CDMA days where the carrier is in full control of your experience, which worries me.

I agree they're great for the use case of just buying a travel eSIM and activating that.

Re: Qualcomm wants to replace eSIMs with iSIMs, has the first certified SoC

#40

Post by masklinn »

World177 wrote: post #33
gambiting wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have two sims in my phone, neither carrier even supports eSIMs yet. The technology is extremely slow to roll out around the world for some reason.

I think the carriers probably do not like it, as it allows their customers to easily switch service. I also think it could possibly be part of the reason Apple released an eSIM only phone, as it forces the carriers to use eSIMs.

> it allows their customers to easily switch service.

It’s not like switching is difficult even with a physical SIM.

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