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Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

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Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#11

Post by wkat4242 »

raincom wrote: post #9
wkat4242 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in Europe and I've had very poor experiences with local carriers in getting an eSIM :( Most of them outright refuse unless you are on a mobile contract plan with them (I'm not, I hate contracts so I only use prepay). On prepay they don't want to support it here in Spain for whatever stupid reason even though I've had my prepay number for 10 years. They also levy much more restrictions on the whole ordeal: Usually…

People use Airalo app to buy eSIMs, wherever they travel to. One can buy eSIM even before you land in foreign lands. I don't have experience with Airalo, but many recommended that app on this site.

Ah ok, but that's only for temporary use, it's not intended for real permanent usage, right?

I'll consider it if I ever travel outside of europe though (roaming inside EU was fixed several years ago luckily).

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#12

Post by wkat4242 »

Veliladon wrote: post #8

We really dodged a bullet on eSIM. The implementation could have really sucked if the carriers controlled it from the start. Apple do a lot of dumb shit but they set a really high bar for an eSIM implementation for others to match.

But they do control it. This is a big problem in Europe. You can't get one on a prepay contract with most of the local carriers, they limit the phones they will allow them to be used on to only locally sold versions, and they often charge for a SIM swap or limit the amount of times you can change phones per month.

None of these limitations were present with physical SIMs.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#13

Post by raincom »

wkat4242 wrote: post #11
raincom wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People use Airalo app to buy eSIMs, wherever they travel to. One can buy eSIM even before you land in foreign lands. I don't have experience with Airalo, but many recommended that app on this site.

Ah ok, but that's only for temporary use, it's not intended for real permanent usage, right? I'll consider it if I ever travel outside of europe though (roaming inside EU was fixed several years ago luckily).

For instance, Eurolink eSIM card with 180 days validity can be had for 180 euros on Airalo.com. They also have re-chargeable eSIMs, just you need to top up just before it expires.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#14

Post by housemusicfan »

wkat4242 wrote: post #10
housemusicfan wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can easily be resolved by not buying an Apple phone and buying a phone that still retains a physical SIM slot. Stop giving companies money for making stupid decisions. It only emboldens them further.

The Samsung Z Flip 5 has this too :( Only 1 real SIM and the rest only eSIM. However it is a bit more understandable because the flip has very limited space due to the hinge components.

The USA versions of Apple's flagship phones (iPhone 14 and up) have ZERO physical SIM slots. They are dual eSIM only.

Models sold elsewhere in the world retain a single physical SIM slot.

Yes you read that correctly. They made multiple versions and the American one is deliberately crippled.

I'm certain the space regained by removing the SIM slot in a US-only variant has been repurposed for...absolutely nothing.

It defies logic why they would do this, beyond some grand social experiment they can execute with little risk due to cult-like monopoly control of the market.

I refuse to believe that they sold more than 12 of these SIM-less phones.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#15

Post by wkat4242 »

raincom wrote: post #13
wkat4242 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah ok, but that's only for temporary use, it's not intended for real permanent usage, right? I'll consider it if I ever travel outside of europe though (roaming inside EU was fixed several years ago luckily).

For instance, Eurolink eSIM card with 180 days validity can be had for 180 euros on Airalo.com. They also have re-chargeable eSIMs, just you need to top up just before it expires.

Ah but that is really really expensive :)

I can get a local SIM with 50GB data that is available with a 10 euro topup each month.

Don't forget the purchasing power in Europe is much lower than in the US (especially southern Europe). For this reason local carriers are a lot cheaper too.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#16

Post by wkat4242 »

housemusicfan wrote: post #14
wkat4242 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Samsung Z Flip 5 has this too :( Only 1 real SIM and the rest only eSIM. However it is a bit more understandable because the flip has very limited space due to the hinge components.

The USA versions of Apple's flagship phones (iPhone 14 and up) have ZERO physical SIM slots. They are dual eSIM only. Models sold elsewhere in the world retain a single physical SIM slot. Yes you read that correctly. They made multiple versions and the American one is deliberately crippled. I'm certain the space regained by removing the SIM slot in a US-only variant has been repurposed for...absolutely nothing. It de…

What?? I had no idea about this. I have not had an iPhone since the 6 so I haven't followed it that closely. I remember they offered eSIM for dualsim, I had no idea they were eSIM only in the US even for primary SIM use. Wow. This will so not work over here.

> I'm certain the space regained by removing the SIM slot in a US-only variant has been repurposed for...absolutely nothing.

Yeah, after all the specs are no different in any other way I guess?

Samsung is doing something similar here though. They leave out the mmWave antennas. On US models you can see the antenna cutouts on their premium models but in Europe there is nothing in that space, just empty.

It's a shame because while mmWave is not a thing here right now I don't buy my phones for just one year.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#17

Post by em500 »

wkat4242 wrote: post #11
raincom wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People use Airalo app to buy eSIMs, wherever they travel to. One can buy eSIM even before you land in foreign lands. I don't have experience with Airalo, but many recommended that app on this site.

Ah ok, but that's only for temporary use, it's not intended for real permanent usage, right? I'll consider it if I ever travel outside of europe though (roaming inside EU was fixed several years ago luckily).

This might be because most countries nowadays require a photo ID for SIM cards. The Netherlands, UK and US are among the few that don't (yet).

https://prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com/wiki/Registration_P...

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#18

Post by Nextgrid »

wkat4242 wrote: post #12
Veliladon wrote: post #8

We really dodged a bullet on eSIM. The implementation could have really sucked if the carriers controlled it from the start. Apple do a lot of dumb shit but they set a really high bar for an eSIM implementation for others to match.

But they do control it. This is a big problem in Europe. You can't get one on a prepay contract with most of the local carriers, they limit the phones they will allow them to be used on to only locally sold versions, and they often charge for a SIM swap or limit the amount of times you can change phones per month. None of these limitations were present with physical SIMs.

> You can't get one on a prepay contract with most of the local carriers,

To be fair, on this particular point it can be incompetence. Telecoms have absolutely no skilled engineering capacity (third-world body shop is as good as it gets) and the entire thing runs on decades of duct tape and outdated, unsupported and vulnerable software.

The most likely reason for this not to be possible on prepay is that prepay and postpay are managed by completely different systems and making the prepay system work with eSIMs would be too difficult, or maybe they tried, it broke, they rolled it back and have a "TODO" to fix that (of course the TODO will never be addressed).

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#19

Post by housemusicfan »

wkat4242 wrote: post #16
housemusicfan wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USA versions of Apple's flagship phones (iPhone 14 and up) have ZERO physical SIM slots. They are dual eSIM only. Models sold elsewhere in the world retain a single physical SIM slot. Yes you read that correctly. They made multiple versions and the American one is deliberately crippled. I'm certain the space regained by removing the SIM slot in a US-only variant has been repurposed for...absolutely nothing. It de…

What?? I had no idea about this. I have not had an iPhone since the 6 so I haven't followed it that closely. I remember they offered eSIM for dualsim, I had no idea they were eSIM only in the US even for primary SIM use. Wow. This will so not work over here. > I'm certain the space regained by removing the SIM slot in a US-only variant has been repurposed for...absolutely nothing. Yeah, after all the specs are no dif…

Specs typically vary slightly with LTE band support but nothing that would drive large mechanical changes. This was a deliberate move, an A/B test of sorts.

Good point on the mmWave support. I wonder if that's where the antenna is located. I don't care about mmWave, nor does anyone I know, so it doesn't even cross my mind.

mmWave is a dying tech. It will suffer the same fate as WiMAX. If this is the trade off (and it shouldn't be), I'll choose the SIM slot every time.

Re: Demystifying ESIM Technology [video]

#20

Post by WallyFunk »

someotherperson wrote: post #5
anderspitman wrote: post #2

I've had a great experience with eSIMs these past few days during a trip to Europe (coming from the US). It's so convenient to be able to arrive at a city and use airport wifi to download a mobile data package for a few bucks. The process is slightly clunky but not bad at all.

They’re very useful. Although it’s sometimes hard to get eSIMs direct from carriers internationally since many only grant them on post-paid contracts. SIM cards also have their place, however, which is why Apple’s take on it is weird. When traveling, especially with so much MFA (for better or worse) is linked to a phone number, it makes having your phone damaged a major issue. You can’t simply pop out the SIM and mov…

> SIM cards also have their place

They're trying to kill physical SIM cards like they did with CDs. They only have their place insofar as you can say 'I can touch this, and also swap it out with another one' / otherwise 'tangible computing'.

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