With the gaining popularity of devices with eSim capabilities, traditional SIM cards may soon be extinct.
Instead of the archaic Sim card swap when consumers travel, tourists and all travellers alike will have the opportunity to turn on a virtual “embedded” SIM (or eSIM) using software and forgo-ing the potential catastrophe of losing your physical SIM card.
Although eSims are nothing new in Australia (they launched in 2018), they are not yet readily available but that soon could be changing as the market expands.
According to WhistleOut, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Woolworths Mobile, and Kogan Mobile all provide postpaid eSIM plans.
For prepaid, more options are available with the above providers and amaysim, gomo, felix, and Lebara.
Beyond helping consumers avoid carrier roaming fees, there are more reasons to activate a secondary plan via an eSIM.
By adding two lines, it is now possible to toggle from personal to work calls easily and plans usually last anywhere from a day to a year to cover a state, country, or worldwide.
It is important to note that for a second line of work, consumers potentially require an additional number, not just a data package.
Before taking the plunge and buying an eSIM, however, be sure to check that your device isn’t locked and that your device is an eSIM-capable phone like an iPhone 14, Galaxy S23, or Pixel 7. For iPhone, two SIMs can coexist, and users can download an eSIM easily.
Specifically for these devices, Optus offers eSIM postpaid plans and for ease, Optus directs users to the My Optus app to download an eSIM directly to a phone.
Roaming is also supported by eSIM mobile plans and typically is billed in the same way as the telecommunications company equivalent non-eSIM plan.
Beyond usual providers, Google Voice offers a complimentary service for making phone calls, sending text messages, and voice mail by giving users a U.S. phone number.
By using a Google Voice number, consumers can use the number with all devices without requiring an independent SIM-based number for all of a user’s phones in Australia.
Although the growth of eSims had stalled initially, popularity is on the rise, especially in the U.S. and Europe, but now that companies are phasing out of old phones for younger models, eSim-compatible models, eSims could be the future of travel telecommunications.