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

neilzone.co.uk

141–150 of 244 posts

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

#141

This seems like it might be useful for web scraping. Ive been having a munch easier time scraping/ not having to buy proxies since moving to strictly 5G modems. Something like this might help get past the two sim limit on both devices.

You can use a USB hub (example with 20 ports: https://www.sipolar.com/product/a-805p-20-ports-usb-2-0-hub/) and attach multiple USB dongles to it. This blog post describes a setup for web scraping: https://scrapingfish.com/blog/byo-mobile-proxy-for-web-scrap...

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

#142
post #130
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I really hate not having to physically juggle small smartcards whenever I want to use another network/provider (my phone has several eSIM profiles installed right now), being able to choose from dozens of providers competing on price and functionality, and not having to stand in line at the SIM store first thing after a long-haul flight too. eSIMs could have been an anti-consumer nightmare, but fortunately they…

You can't just take "important" esim out of your phone when travelling. If you lose your device or if it's stolen recovering eSIM from many countries is PITA.

I can delete mine and then reinstall it on any device from the QR code if required. Not all providers allow that, unfortunately, but I wouldn’t use one that doesn’t allow instantly receiving a new QR code in some way.

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

#143
post #123
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I really hate not having to physically juggle small smartcards whenever I want to use another network/provider (my phone has several eSIM profiles installed right now), being able to choose from dozens of providers competing on price and functionality, and not having to stand in line at the SIM store first thing after a long-haul flight too. eSIMs could have been an anti-consumer nightmare, but fortunately they…

> eSIMs _could_ have been an anti-consumer nightmare Really? Because I can swap a SIM card between phones in 30 seconds whereas swapping eSIM lies between "hoping it works" and "not possible", passing by "you'll need a document" or "visit the store, if it's anywhere in your city/country"

I can swap my eSIM between phones faster than I can remove my phone case.

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

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was in Holland, one of the MVNOs. They had a crappy app and it would generate a different QR code every time (so they were not reusable). And a lot of operators have restrictions on phones. Imported phones are often blocked (and also not given access to VoLTE). For me it is a big deal if it charges "sim fees". I do swap my sims very regularly. For testing, or to put one in my tablet when I travel. I just want to…

Most eSIMs are not reusable; that's just standard, not a weird restriction.

I’ve used many that are reusable, so I’ll continue considering it a common but weird restriction.

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

#145
post #140

Tangentially related - I recently got the holy grail of eSIM travel router setup: - GLiNet Mudi v2: https://store.gl-inet.com/products/mudi-v2-portable-4g-lte-r... - EIOT Physical eSim https://store.gl-inet.com/products/esim-experience-seamless-... - 20GB Worldwide Airalo for 365 days ($69): https://www.airalo.com/global-esim/discover-365days-20gb Buy the airalo esim on my iphone. Download the QR code. Upload it to t…

Nice, thanks for the reccomendations, the Mudi V2 looks great.

Any limitations / bumps in the road, or it "just works"?

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

#146
post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most eSIMs are not reusable; that's just standard, not a weird restriction.

I’ve used many that are reusable, so I’ll continue considering it a common but weird restriction.

Which operators? From your other comments I would think Vodafone (CallYa?) Germany - any others?

(I haven’t seen any other that ships reusable QR codes yet.)

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

#147

Haha what a coincidence, I bought a 9eSIM adapter a few weeks ago! There is a new eSIM-only card in Germany where you get 3 GB of data plus unlimited SMS and calls per month for free. To order it I had to use Frida and the Android emulator to fool the app into thinking the device had an eSIM. After that you have to do some JavaScript shenanigans on the website to get the QR code. But after that, everything works flaw…

What’s your use case for the adapter. To use the free service on a non eSIM capable phone? Or for some other stuff? Thanks for the info about the provider. Didn’t hear about the offering yet.

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

#148
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note cloud provisioning does require an active data esim profile on the card already

Interesting, do you know why that is the case? Does it use BIP as a communication channel, and the iPhone doesn't route that over Wi-Fi?

correct

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

#149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems that bringing up the city/state box after you enter zip code is being slow right now. if you wait a bit do they show up for you after entering zip code?

You're right! It took 7 minutes according to chrome dev tools but the state and city did eventually show up. Then my credit card's fraud protection declined the order so I had to go back and watch the spinner spin for another 5.2 minutes but I eventually was able to purchase one.

sorry for the trouble. glad you got it to work.

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

#150
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience, wi-fi calling works as if on the home network, regardless of IP location/endpoint. So this would work similarly with an eSIM.

At least Vodafone Germany intentionally blocks (or used to block) foreign IPs for their gateway. I'll always trust them to needlessly ruin perfectly fine technologies. Fortunately, as far as I remember at least iPhones route VoWiFi traffic over a VPN, if any is connected, so that's one way to still use it abroad.

This is actually less unreasonable than it seems at first.

The Vo WiFi spec only defines handover procedures for networks that implement VoLTE, but VoLTE roaming was historically almost nonexistent, although the situation is improving somewhat.

This means that if you go out of range of your WiFi router, your cell phone has no idea how to request a handover from the network, and the call drops.

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