It is no secret that our world is in trouble. We are facing some of the biggest environmental challenges in history and it is going to take all of us working together to solve them. One way we can make a difference and reduce our carbon footprint is to start using eSIMs. eSIMs are a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastic SIM cards 
and they have a number of advantages. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of eSIMs and look at how using them can help save the environment whilst also saving time and money.
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a virtual SIM card which is stored on your phone. eSIMs are similar to traditional plastic SIM cards but they do not require you to put the physical SIM card into your phone.
The benefits of eSIMs
1. eSIMs are kind to the environment
eSIMs are a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option than traditional plastic SIM cards. They do not require any plastic packaging, which reduces waste and helps to reduce your carbon footprint. An eSIM is presented in fully biodegradable paper packaging which contains a small paper booklet with a QR code printed on it.
A QR code is a type of barcode which can be scanned by a smartphone. If you scan the code with your phone, it will give you access to information that is unique to that QR code. You do not need to download any special apps to scan a QR code, as your phone already has a QR code reader built into it. When you scan the QR code, your SIM card is automatically added to your phone. This saves plastic waste and packaging from ending up in landfill and there is no need for delivery, which results in less CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere.
2. eSIMs are great for BYOD
The way we work has changed completely with more people working from home or on the go. eSIMs are great for businesses who operate BYOD (bring your own device) as they make it easy for employees to use their personal devices for work purposes, without having to worry about compatibility issues or separate data plans. It is also easy for employees to differentiate between personal calls and work calls. With eSIMs employees can connect to multiple networks, which is great for those who travel frequently for work. Having access to multiple networks means that they can stay connected no matter where they are in the world. eSIMs are also more secure than plastic SIM cards which means that there is less risk of data breaches.
3. eSIMs are ideal for travel
eSIMs are a flexible option for people who travel frequently. They allow you to have multiple phone numbers on one device, so you do not have to carry several physical SIM cards and keep switching them manually. Additionally, eSIMs can help you keep track of your phone usage when you are traveling. This is helpful for knowing which countries your data plan works in and which ones it does not. You can choose different data plans for work and personal use and can turn off data on either SIM when you do not need it. If one SIM has better coverage in your area, you can use that one for calls and texts and the other for data. When you travel, eSIMs make it easy to add a local SIM so you do not have to pay high roaming fees.
4. They are easy to manage
With eSIMs, you can have two different phone numbers, one for work and one for your personal life. From your phone, you can choose a primary and a secondary SIM so that you can easily manage your work and personal calls. This is useful as you can use the data from a secondary SIM card and still make calls from the primary one. You can also see who is calling to which SIM, so it is easy to identify if it is a work call or a personal call.
5. If you lose your phone, the eSIM is easy to restore
If you lose your phone, you do not have to worry about losing your eSIM. eSIMs are quick and easy to set up and you do not have to wait for a replacement SIM card to be delivered. Activating a new SIM card can be time consuming as you would usually have to wait for a new plastic SIM to be sent out by post, which could take 2 to 3 days. With eSIMs, the process is much quicker and easier as the QR code can be sent to you immediately and be live in minutes.
6. eSIMs are secure
eSIMs are more secure than physical SIM cards for a variety of reasons. For one, eSIMs can only be used on devices which have been authorised by the owner of the eSIM. This means that if your eSIM is lost or stolen, criminals will not be able to use it without your authorisation. Additionally, because eSIMs are digital, they cannot be damaged like physical SIM cards and are stored in the cloud making them more difficult to duplicate or steal. VoIP services are becoming increasingly popular and eSIMs make these services even more secure as they are difficult to hack.
7. eSIMs are not only for mobile phones
eSIMs are making an enormous impact in the “Internet of Things” or IOT industry. As eSIMs are embedded directly into a device, they can be used remotely which means that they can be used in any compatible device, not just mobile phones. This flexibility opens up a world of possibilities for the IOT industry. eSIMs can not only be used in personal devices such as laptops, tablets and smart watches but also across all industries that operate internet compatible devices. This could be for item tracking in the shipping and logistics industry, vehicle tracking for the transport industry, CCTV cameras and alarm monitoring within the security industry, the list is endless. eSIMs also reduce device weight and size as they do not require a physical card which is especially important in the case of small or lightweight devices such as drones.
Not all devices or networks support eSIMs yet, but they will eventually as eSIM technology is becoming more common. Most devices will eventually have this capability and at present, EE, O2 and Vodafone all currently support eSIMs in phones, laptops and tablets in some capacity.
8. eSIMs are the future
Dual-SIM phones, which are phones which have both a physical SIM card slot as well as eSIM compatibility are becoming standard. Although not all devices are compatible with eSIMs just yet, manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung already have many eSIM ready models and are making huge strides towards delivering even more eSIM compatible devices.
For information about dual SIM with eSIM on iPhone, visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044
For information about dual SIM with eSIM on Samsung devices visit https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/how-to-use-an-eSIM-with-your-galaxy-phone/
Switch to eSIMs today
eSIMs are the future of mobile communication and offer a variety of benefits over physical SIM cards. If you are looking for a more secure, environmentally friendly and convenient option, eSIMs are the way forward. For more information about eSIMs contact Comms Connect on 020 8457 2470 or visit our website www.commsconnect.co.uk
Leave a Reply