They are working hard on taking away SIM cards so that you can’t move to another phone without your provider charging you and giving you an okay.
Yes in theory eSIM cards are better, but the way many providers handle issuing you an eSIM card is a nightmare. Whereas with a physical SIM I can just pull it out and put it in any phone that supports that provider without a problem.
I went as far as buying one of those physical SIM cards that holds e-sims on it so that I can swap that into a new phone. But newer phones are more frequently not coming with SIM slots at all.
Nanosims provide this key feature where I can put my sim in a cheap 20$ flip phone when I go snowboarding or kayaking and don’t want to risk breaking my smart phone.
This also is a convenient way to get Google, and tech, and social media noise away from me for a short time.
I also noticed there is a complete lack of esim capable dumb phones. This has me starting to question the motivation behind esim.
How often you need that though? I mean ordering a SIM. And if you need it immediately you just go to one of provider’s kiosks (which is plenty of them) and you get one instantly.
As for multi sims, that’s useful especially if you travel, but on the other hand there are phones with multi SIM slots. I have one right now. The sun card slot is just longer and you can put multiple.
The whole esim reminds me when I was at Verizon when they still used CDMA. Phones didn’t have SIM and you had to call provider to make a change. So to me it feels like a step backward.
I think what Cape is doing is innovative wrt esims.
But I’d still lose out in flip phones atm. I’d be totally fine beaming my esim over to the flip phone in a p2p manner and beaming it back when I am done. Its just a matter of, hopefully, someone making such a flip phone.
If it’s just for a throwaway situation like risky adventures in the mountains, I guess some refurbished device that is 3/4/5g capable would suffice me. Not like you can use 2G nowadays anyway.
I like eSIMs now because I can get a different account every month, data only and then I use jmp.net to have SMS and voice call services with a permanent number for when I need that. Its cheaper then anything else and more private too.
I don’t know who you’ve been getting your esims from but it I’ve used simjuno and nadanada both are pretty easy to setup.
They’ve also done stuff like that with physical sims too. Obviously they couldn’t prevent you from taking out the sim card, but carrier locking has been/is a thing.
And there’s been times where x phone was only available with y carrier for a while.
Lock ins are only a problem if you sign a contract to get your phone costs subsidised. The solution is not physical sims, its stop buying over priced shiney things with a contract just cuz MaBell will give you a “deal”. You can almost always get a better deal yourself if you are willing to look for it.
I pay in a year less then most ppl pay for a month of the same exact service, but instead of paying T-Mobile or Verizon $40 I pay $4 for the same amount of data. Instead of buying the latest phone I get a used one that will get updates for the next 3+ years.
I don’t see how apple or Verizon or anyone else could really ever make this setup not work for me unless they lobby congress to destroy MVNOs and used phone resale.
What does the cost of the phone have to do with changing your plan monthly? You can not get ripped off and not have to do all that hoop jumping each month.
Well related because just buying a phone outright in my area is not easy. I have to ship the phone direct from manufacturer because all the major retailers refuse to sell unless you buy through a contract.
Well I dont have to change it monthly if i don’t want to but I happen to want to because it makes it harder to track and create a profile If I do. My actual phone/SMS service stays the same either way and routes over XMPP.
The cost of the phone is why most average people get suckered in to long term contracts.
Always buy unlocked. I transferred carriers on the bus one afternoon and by the time I was home, it was done and I had already deactivated my old account. Kept my mincer and everything. It was even simpler because I have a dual eSIM. Once it was done, I deleted my original eSIM. There’s also the big advantage of using dual eSIM when traveling internationally as you can just activate foreign networks immediately.
But even if you don’t buy unlocked, the carrier has to unlock your phone if you’ve been with them for like 60 days or something according to the FCC. My friend couldn’t get his phone unlocked so he threatened to report them to the FCC and BOOM. Unlocked remotely. It was crazy that it had to go that far.
Locked phones aren’t really a thing in Canada; they are all unlocked. That doesn’t dictate the eSIM switching process be easy between devices though :/
Also, wtf is with the “only one or two eSIMs” limit. That physical eSIM card I bought will fit as many fit in storage; something like 8 apparently. I hate arbitrary “no, only X” limits without a justification.
There is only zero, one, and N (more than can be used because of physical or natural limits) in my mind. :P
The first phone I got with an e-SIM crashed during startup. After it cooked my old SIM card. It was so arduous to get fixed. So fucking stupid. This tech isn’t ready for prime time if it can’t handle the phone crashing at specific points.
They are working hard on taking away SIM cards so that you can’t move to another phone without your provider charging you and giving you an okay.
Yes in theory eSIM cards are better, but the way many providers handle issuing you an eSIM card is a nightmare. Whereas with a physical SIM I can just pull it out and put it in any phone that supports that provider without a problem.
I went as far as buying one of those physical SIM cards that holds e-sims on it so that I can swap that into a new phone. But newer phones are more frequently not coming with SIM slots at all.
I’m resisting esims for as long as possible.
Nanosims provide this key feature where I can put my sim in a cheap 20$ flip phone when I go snowboarding or kayaking and don’t want to risk breaking my smart phone.
This also is a convenient way to get Google, and tech, and social media noise away from me for a short time.
I also noticed there is a complete lack of esim capable dumb phones. This has me starting to question the motivation behind esim.
Ehh…esims have their upsides (like instant delivery from your cell provider).
And for your case: Multi-sims (with telephone) are a thing.
How often you need that though? I mean ordering a SIM. And if you need it immediately you just go to one of provider’s kiosks (which is plenty of them) and you get one instantly.
As for multi sims, that’s useful especially if you travel, but on the other hand there are phones with multi SIM slots. I have one right now. The sun card slot is just longer and you can put multiple.
The whole esim reminds me when I was at Verizon when they still used CDMA. Phones didn’t have SIM and you had to call provider to make a change. So to me it feels like a step backward.
I think what Cape is doing is innovative wrt esims.
But I’d still lose out in flip phones atm. I’d be totally fine beaming my esim over to the flip phone in a p2p manner and beaming it back when I am done. Its just a matter of, hopefully, someone making such a flip phone.
If it’s just for a throwaway situation like risky adventures in the mountains, I guess some refurbished device that is 3/4/5g capable would suffice me. Not like you can use 2G nowadays anyway.
I like eSIMs now because I can get a different account every month, data only and then I use jmp.net to have SMS and voice call services with a permanent number for when I need that. Its cheaper then anything else and more private too.
I don’t know who you’ve been getting your esims from but it I’ve used simjuno and nadanada both are pretty easy to setup.
As soon as the ability to just physically remove the SIM is gone, the big providers will add locks in software to enshittify the experience.
That’s a given. I can see Apple becoming a mobile service provider and locking all iPhones users to them, for example.
eSIM experience will only stay smooth as the alternative physical SIM option exists.
They’ve also done stuff like that with physical sims too. Obviously they couldn’t prevent you from taking out the sim card, but carrier locking has been/is a thing.
And there’s been times where x phone was only available with y carrier for a while.
Lock ins are only a problem if you sign a contract to get your phone costs subsidised. The solution is not physical sims, its stop buying over priced shiney things with a contract just cuz MaBell will give you a “deal”. You can almost always get a better deal yourself if you are willing to look for it.
I pay in a year less then most ppl pay for a month of the same exact service, but instead of paying T-Mobile or Verizon $40 I pay $4 for the same amount of data. Instead of buying the latest phone I get a used one that will get updates for the next 3+ years.
I don’t see how apple or Verizon or anyone else could really ever make this setup not work for me unless they lobby congress to destroy MVNOs and used phone resale.
Apple always sells their phones unlocked when you buy directly from them. I don’t ever see them ever going back on that.
Won’t happen because then the major carriers will throw a fit.
That sounds like a major pain in the ass.
A lot less pain then getting stuck paying off $1000 phone and over $300 for service. I guess some people just prefer to get ripped off
What does the cost of the phone have to do with changing your plan monthly? You can not get ripped off and not have to do all that hoop jumping each month.
Well related because just buying a phone outright in my area is not easy. I have to ship the phone direct from manufacturer because all the major retailers refuse to sell unless you buy through a contract.
Well I dont have to change it monthly if i don’t want to but I happen to want to because it makes it harder to track and create a profile If I do. My actual phone/SMS service stays the same either way and routes over XMPP.
The cost of the phone is why most average people get suckered in to long term contracts.
Always buy unlocked. I transferred carriers on the bus one afternoon and by the time I was home, it was done and I had already deactivated my old account. Kept my mincer and everything. It was even simpler because I have a dual eSIM. Once it was done, I deleted my original eSIM. There’s also the big advantage of using dual eSIM when traveling internationally as you can just activate foreign networks immediately.
But even if you don’t buy unlocked, the carrier has to unlock your phone if you’ve been with them for like 60 days or something according to the FCC. My friend couldn’t get his phone unlocked so he threatened to report them to the FCC and BOOM. Unlocked remotely. It was crazy that it had to go that far.
Locked phones aren’t really a thing in Canada; they are all unlocked. That doesn’t dictate the eSIM switching process be easy between devices though :/
Also, wtf is with the “only one or two eSIMs” limit. That physical eSIM card I bought will fit as many fit in storage; something like 8 apparently. I hate arbitrary “no, only X” limits without a justification.
There is only zero, one, and N (more than can be used because of physical or natural limits) in my mind. :P
Certain wireless providers ban phones they don’t like anyway, even if it’s unlocked. It’s depressing.
The first phone I got with an e-SIM crashed during startup. After it cooked my old SIM card. It was so arduous to get fixed. So fucking stupid. This tech isn’t ready for prime time if it can’t handle the phone crashing at specific points.
what the fuck? I stopped on “no jack for you sir” phase, no doubt I am not going for another smartpone when the current one dies out