In October 2024, whereas getting ready for a visit to Hawaii, an enormous drawback abruptly occurred to me: the UK SIM card in my cellphone wouldn’t work.
For earlier journeys, I’d both made use of the included roaming or purchased a neighborhood SIM card as soon as I’d arrived. The latter was nonetheless an choice right here, however I didn’t need the effort of discovering a vendor on the airport or danger having to decide to an costly contract.
An eSIM appeared like the right different on paper, however I used to be cautious. Was my cellphone (the Pixel 9 Professional XL) suitable with eSIM? How do I add an eSIM to my cellphone? And wouldn’t it even work as soon as I arrived within the US?
Happily, my eSIM expertise was so seamless and spectacular that it satisfied me to make use of it once more on my subsequent journey. And until you’re a cellphone reviewer like me who usually switches telephones, it’s additionally an ideal choice for on a regular basis use.
Listed here are 5 large causes to ditch your bodily SIM card for an eSIM in 2025.
Easy setup
When you’re certain that your cellphone is suitable with eSIM (verify its specs if you happen to’re uncertain), the method of setting it up is simple.
Whether or not you go direct to a UK community (EE, Vodafone, Three or O2), US provider (AT&T, T-Cellular or Verizon) or any of the piggyback suppliers which supply eSIM, the method is essentially the identical.
Earlier than my Hawaii journey, I used Airalo, which specialises in eSIM for worldwide journey. After downloading the app to my cellphone and signing up, I merely copied the ‘SM-DP+Deal with & Activation Code’, then added a brand new SIM in Settings, pasted the small print in and activated cellular knowledge and roaming.
It’s even simpler when organising by way of one other gadget, the place you should utilize a QR code as an alternative of copying something over. Airalo has detailed directions for iPhone and Android on its web site.
Once I touched down within the US, I simply turned on the brand new eSIM and it began working instantly. It eradicated what would in any other case have been an enormous supply of stress throughout my journey.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Seamlessly transfer between networks
Any bodily SIM card can solely be used on one community. Positive, you may swap them out and in of your cellphone, however that usually means juggling a number of contracts with totally different suppliers.
Against this, eSIM allows you to use a number of totally different networks from the identical SIM. Not having fun with your expertise with one supplier? Simply cancel your contract and join one other one in just a few clicks.
This flexibility is one thing bodily SIM playing cards merely can’t match.
A number of numbers with out a number of SIMs
My solely expertise utilizing an eSIM thus far has been for cellular knowledge whereas travelling. However if you happen to’re contemplating switching to it full-time, you’ll wish to even have a cellphone quantity for calls and texts.
With bodily SIM playing cards, you may solely have two numbers on one cellphone – even then, that’s solely if in case you have a dual-SIM cellphone.
In the meantime, Apple allows you to add eight totally different eSIM profiles to the iPhone, whereas Android cellphone makers usually supply at the least 5. You may nonetheless solely have two energetic at anybody time, nevertheless it makes having a great deal of totally different numbers completely seamless.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
A safety improve
In the event you’re involved about safety, a bodily SIM card is a big danger. If somebody steals your cellphone, they will simply entry the SIM and all the information on it, plus impersonate you on calls and texts.
That merely isn’t attainable with an eSIM, which is locked to the gadget it’s put in on. An eSIM stays energetic until in any other case authorised, making it simpler to trace down and really tough to promote.
What’s extra, eSIMs have an additional layer of safety measures that make them extremely proof against hacking and cloning.
The eco-friendly choice
As you would possibly anticipate, eSIMs have a decrease carbon footprint than bodily SIM playing cards.
There’s no plastic used of their manufacturing, which additionally means nothing goes to landfill when you’re prepared to alter contracts. And with buy, activation and help all on-line, emissions from transport are a lot decreased.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Are eSIMs proper for everybody?
No. To get every thing arrange, you’ll want some stage of technical means and a steady web connection. And if you happen to usually change telephones, the switching course of is rather more sophisticated than with a bodily SIM.
There’s additionally a chance that the cellphone you wish to purchase doesn’t help eSIM, with the know-how nonetheless comparatively new.
However for everybody else, I’d extremely suggest you give it a go. Begin with an eSIM whereas travelling and see the way you get on earlier than switching to at least one full-time.
The fantastic thing about a dual-SIM cellphone is that you should utilize each bodily and eSIM concurrently earlier than deciding which is best for you.