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Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

neilzone.co.uk

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Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#21

Post by doix »

PopAlongKid wrote: post #10

I wish I knew if this would have helped me on a recent trip out of the U.S. In preparation, I upgraded my older, low-end smartphone to one with a more recent version of Android, NFC (for tap-to-pay), a headphone jack, and support for two physical SIMs. So when I arrived at my destination, I was able to purchase a 30-day SIM for a local phone number and data, but my primary SIM was useless outside of the U.S. so no ac…

I really don't see the connection between an eSIM and your SIM not working abroad here.

All an eSIM does is replace a physical one with a "digital" one. You'd still be using your carrier in these places. For your sim to work, your carrier would need to have agreements in place with providers in the country you're in. And then they'd charge you an extortionate amount of money to making any calls or use any data.

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#22

Post by goda90 »

PopAlongKid wrote: post #10

I wish I knew if this would have helped me on a recent trip out of the U.S. In preparation, I upgraded my older, low-end smartphone to one with a more recent version of Android, NFC (for tap-to-pay), a headphone jack, and support for two physical SIMs. So when I arrived at my destination, I was able to purchase a 30-day SIM for a local phone number and data, but my primary SIM was useless outside of the U.S. so no ac…

Another factor for international travel is whether you phone has the right bands to get signal. My carrier claims to have international roaming, but I look up what bands my model phone has and what the country I'm going to uses and I pretty much would not get signal anyway.

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#23

Post by dangus »

yapyap wrote: post #2

I like the initiative and I’m not against experimenting, it’s fun. But why would you ever want an eSIM in a SIM device, I’d assume it’s more often the other way around

Let’s say you land in a new country that your primary provider won’t roam to for free or at all, there’s no need to visit the airport shop that sells SIM cards with limited options and try to buy and set up something which is often in a different language.

You can buy your eSIM service at the best possible price ahead of time online and have it ready to go when you land, and you don’t have to upgrade your not-that-old phone to do so.

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#24

Post by klausa »

nico wrote: post #19
klausa wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity: where are you traveling with data that expensive?

The service is called Holafly, it was advertised on the plane, and my travel mate bought it without hesitating (because of the convenience of an eSIM, even though they didn’t get a local number)

I meant the physical destination, not the service :D

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#25

Post by someplaceguy »

PopAlongKid wrote: post #10

I wish I knew if this would have helped me on a recent trip out of the U.S. In preparation, I upgraded my older, low-end smartphone to one with a more recent version of Android, NFC (for tap-to-pay), a headphone jack, and support for two physical SIMs. So when I arrived at my destination, I was able to purchase a 30-day SIM for a local phone number and data, but my primary SIM was useless outside of the U.S. so no ac…

Recently I tried to reinstall an eSIM on my Android phone while overseas but was told by my carrier that the eSIM can only be activated while connected to antennas located in the carrier's country, i.e. it can't be activated overseas, despite my plan supporting call roaming and both countries being in the EU.

I don't know whether this is carrier-specific or the same for all carriers.

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#26

Post by gruez »

nico wrote: post #19
klausa wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of curiosity: where are you traveling with data that expensive?

The service is called Holafly, it was advertised on the plane, and my travel mate bought it without hesitating (because of the convenience of an eSIM, even though they didn’t get a local number)

>it was advertised on the plane

That's basically guaranteed to be overpriced. Anything prominently advertised means you're going to be paying for the advertising budget.

Also, it's "unlimited data", which probably makes it more expensive than it needs to be due to adverse selection. For instance it charges $50 for 15 days in europe, but on esimdb[1] you can easily find esims for just over $1/gb. It might still be worth it if you're using absurd amounts of data, but citing it as an example of esims being very expensive doesn't really make sense.

https://esimdb.com/region/europe

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#27

Post by notpushkin »

herbst wrote: post #18
pjmlp wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have not yet traveled to a place that doesn't have cheap prepaid SIM on the Airport, or some Internet cafes.

Cheap is very subjective. There is always a way cheaper Esim option, especially if you have high usage. Not the common Esim provider spamming all of Google. But you often find local Esim resellers for local networks. Writing this from my Caravan WiFi, with a small streaming computer, 2 mobiles and a laptop using about 250 GB a month :)

In my experience, getting an eSIM is usually cheaper than the airport SIM card plans, but often there are cheaper plans available when you get to the city. In any case, having both options is nice!

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#28

Post by doix »

orisho wrote: post #6
yapyap wrote: post #2

I like the initiative and I’m not against experimenting, it’s fun. But why would you ever want an eSIM in a SIM device, I’d assume it’s more often the other way around

You may find yourself in that situation if you have a device that only supports SIMs, and you can't use any of the cheap travel esim providers with it. For travel, you would replace your local SIM with the 9eSIM, and be able to switch providers depending on destination. The difference can be huge in some countries, where a local provider's travel plan can be 30 to 50 USD, while a equivalent on an ESIM provider is jus…

In which countries are eSIMs cheaper? I have never encountered this in Africa or in Asia. I was just in Vietnam, a local SIM was probably 50% cheaper than anything I could find on esimdb.

Currently I'm in Georgia, unlimited internet for a week is 9 GEL, or around 3ish USD per week. The cheapest on esdimdb is 19 USD for unlimited internet for a week.

What we usually do when we travel is buy the cheapest eSIM, usually on some introductory offer to get like 1GB for 1 USD (so we can order taxis, maps etc), then go to a local provider and get a local SIM.

One place where an eSIM was a good choice was China. I don't quite understand how it works, but it seems if you use an eSIM in China you get around the great firewall without needing a VPN.

I wish eSIMs were cheaper, so I wouldn't have to deal with the headache of doing that. When going to local providers, sometimes they offer an eSIM option, but there is usually no price difference.

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#29

Post by notpushkin »

londons_explore wrote: post #9
harha wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One announce with eSIM is that you can’t move them freely, despite being advertised as equivalent. Depending on the provider it can get quite complicated (physical visit in store, fees) to move to another device.

Could one make an all-software sim card emulator which would enable this? Or does the esim spec have some kind of DRM to require you to use physical hardware with an embedded yet secret-to-you key?

There is SoftSIM, but I think it’s geared towards IOT applications: https://onomondo.com/product/softsim/

Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car

#30

Post by ewuhic »

I always wondered - can you have no roaming if you use eSIM with wifi calling and an exit node in country where eSIM is issued? So, basically:

- you bought eSIM in Germany

- you are currently in US

- you use tailscale with exit node at your apartment in Germany

- voila, no roaming when you call German mobile lines

Right?

[EDIT FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTION]

If I have troubles receiving SMSs from Germany to German number while in US, would wifi calling icrease the chances of receiving the said SMSs?

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