Transitioning to eSim-only could enslave us even further, as if Windows 11 secure boot shenanigans were not enough. Please raise this with your favorite digital freedom advocate. Let's be proactive on this one.
Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
51–60 of 244 posts
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
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!
>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 I find that for light data users (ie. < 5GB), esims are always almost cheaper than local sims, except for maybe in developing countries.
I think it depends on how you define “developing countries”!
I’m currently in Thailand and I got 6 GB for about $2 total (50 baht for the SIM with 3 GB for 3 days, another 20 baht top up for another 3 GB / 3 days). I did use eSIM for about a month before that though (I just wanted a local number to order some stuff from Lazada).
Another example (also from Southeast Asia, FWIW): Malaysian SIMs are also cheaper, though topping them up is painful so I’d personally stick with an eSIM there.
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#53I 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 wh…
> 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?
I'm not up to date on the state of messaging infrastructure but it used to be the case that some providers would offer non-standard methods for sending messages over their network to intermediary providers. Rather than sending an SMS to a number, a business would ask the intermediary to send a message and the intermediary would use the non-standard method provided by the network provider. The non-standard methods work fine if you're connected to the network directly but if you're overseas that will not be the case and so you can't receive these non-standard messages. Don't quote me on any of that, though.
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#54Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can't transfer eSIMs between devices. iPhones support "transfers" but in reality it involves the carrier reissuing it. You'd have to transfer the physical device, which is going to be a pain.
What prevents you from doing that? Is an activated eSIM linked to the device's MAC address, making it impossible to use with a different device? If that is the case, what would happen if we transferred the MAC address along with the eSIM? (assuming you have a jailbroken/rooted phone)
>Is an activated eSIM linked to the device's MAC address, making it impossible to use with a different device?
After an esim is "activated" it's bound to the esim chip. By design, you can't copy it onto another esim chip or device. If you want to transfer devices, you need to ask your carrier to issue you another esim.
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#55I 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 wh…
Are there even roaming costs at all when calling over wifi? Would make sense to me if there weren't, since you're not using the mobile infrastructure you would be paying for. Then again I could also easily see telcos charging roaming anyway, just because they can.
There's also a technical hurdle of the telco can't know where you're coming from over the Internet. The terminate your end of the vowifi call and from there they only charge for the connection as though it originated in their network, which is all they know for sure (that is their SIM and your account that's authenticated from somewhere in the world)
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
>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 I find that for light data users (ie. < 5GB), esims are always almost cheaper than local sims, except for maybe in developing countries.
I think it depends on how you define “developing countries”! I’m currently in Thailand and I got 6 GB for about $2 total (50 baht for the SIM with 3 GB for 3 days, another 20 baht top up for another 3 GB / 3 days). I did use eSIM for about a month before that though (I just wanted a local number to order some stuff from Lazada). Another example (also from Southeast Asia, FWIW): Malaysian SIMs are also cheaper, though…
Those are all developing countries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IMF_advanced_economies_an...
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#57Was "the SIM's packaging" not just an original credit-card sized SIM? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card#Full-size_SIM , with punch-outs for newer formats?
i think it meant the rims for the punch outs were the best for keeping a nano sim in the reader stable (which presumably took one of the larger formats).
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#58If you use the JMP eSIM Adapter you can use a fully open source app, or even your own build of the app or whatever you like.
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#59This is neat. I’ve only heard about ESTK [0] and sysmoEUICC by sysmocom [1]. ESTK supports a couple neat features, like cloud provisioning of profiles [2] (which makes it possible to add eSIM profiles on iPhone, too, not just Android). [0]: https://estk.me/ [1]: https://shop.sysmocom.de/sysmoEUICC1-eUICC-for-consumer-eSIM... [2]: https://docs.estk.me/manual/download/cloud-enhance/index.htm...
Note cloud provisioning does require an active data esim profile on the card already
Re: Using eSIMs with devices that only have a physical SIM slot via a 9eSIM SIM car
#60I 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.
I think almost all carriers require this. I've seen mentions that the Google Fi eSIM requires US towers to activate, but can be moved / reinstalled later without them (didn't test it though).