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eSIMs are a digital replacement for the SIM card, but despite their advantages over physical SIMs, the technology can be difficult to use. While transferring a physical SIM card between phones is a simple matter of installing it, transferring an eSIM isn't straightforward. This guide shows how to transfer an eSIM between Android devices without contacting your carrier and alternative ways to move an eSIM to a new phone if a direct transfer doesn't work. This guide works for eSIM-compatible Android phones, but you can't use it to transfer an eSIM from an Android to an iOS device.
Best eSIM-compatible Android phones in 2024
Tired of dealing with physical SIM cards? Get a phone that doesn't need one
Are you fed up with having to rip a SIM card out of your phone whenever it's time to switch carriers - or devices? Fortunately, more and more mobile device manufacturers are hopping on the eSIM-ready bandwagon.
Does Mint Mobile support eSIM?
Mint Mobile supports a wide range of phones and they're easier than ever to activate with eSIM
Mint Mobile offers prepaid cell service for less than the Big Three carriers with simplified plans and an easy setup process. And thanks to eSIM support, interested Android and iPhone customers can try out Mint's service in just a few minutes. When you launch the Mint Mobile app and select one of the best Mint Mobile plans, you will have the option to activate your service with an eSIM if your phone is compatible, or you can order a free SIM card kit if it is not.
OnePlus keeps sending the wrong signals with repeated spec sheet slip-ups
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When you buy a phone, you expect it to have all the advertised features. Some selling points, like constantly evolving AI toolkits, might take time to implement. Others, like dual SIM card support or a particular microchip version, are largely baked into the hardware. If they're advertised, it's frustrating if you don't get them.
Android now lets you transfer eSIMs between your phones
Carrier support is still spotty, but the feature already works with multiple OEMs
Now that they're seeing widespread adoption, eSIMs have started to change the way we shop for cell phone coverage. Since they're built into your device, they eliminate the need to physically remove your SIM card when you want to switch plans. The convenience of using software to download and provision SIM plans is undeniable, but there's a catch – transferring plans between devices isn't as straightforward as it used to be. To move your plan, you often need to go through the whole setup process again, which can range from simply using your carrier's app to visiting a store for a QR code scan. While eSIMs simplify carrier changes or plan trials, they bring new challenges in device transitions.
Devices need a SIM card to access mobile data and work away from Wi-Fi. A recent development in SIM technology is eSIM, which is a software SIM card instead of a physical one. Even though most modern phones support eSIM, it isn't easy to transfer an eSIM from one phone to another. Google is trying to fix that with its new eSIM transfer tool, which should make transferring an eSIM from an old Pixel phone to a new one easier.
The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro support eSIM. However, activating your eSIM isn't as simple as the tried-and-tested method of slotting a physical SIM card into your phone. While eSIM support for Pixel phones goes back years, improving the user experience hasn't changed much. This guide will walk you through the process of activating an eSIM on your Pixel 8 phone and migrating an eSIM from an earlier Pixel phone.
Every smartphone needs a SIM card that assigns you a phone number and lets you call, text, and use the best data plans. But, there's more than one type of SIM card, and the user experience varies between each.
In today's digital age, staying connected while traveling is a necessity. Whether it's for work, keeping in touch with loved ones, or simply exploring new places, having access to a reliable data plan is crucial. However, for privacy-conscious travelers, the process of obtaining a SIM card can be riddled with concerns about identity registration.
Samsung beat Google to the punch on physical SIM to eSIM conversions
This capability silently flew under the radar, but is available for many devices
Switching from your old device to a shiny new Android phone is always a nerve-wracking experience, but it is a tad bit smoother when you upgrade within the same brand. With eSIMs, this process was set to become much easier. However, you still need to de-register an eSIM on the older device before you can reactivate it on the new one. Google has been working on a convenient process to transfer eSIMs from one device to another, or convert your old physical SIM (pSIM) to an eSIM. But we are now realizing Samsung beat it to the punch with One UI 5.1.
Weekend poll: Would you buy a phone without a SIM tray?
Apple did it first. Could Android manufacturers be next?
This week, Android communities on the web were stirred up after the potential lack of a SIM card tray on the Pixel 8 became apparent. While it's unclear whether Google plans to ship eSIM-only versions of its next phones — and, frankly, we'd lean towards it not happening this year — it did cement a certain concern surrounding the future of the SIM card. With Apple having ditched it for eSIM exclusively in the US, could Android manufacturers be ready to make the jump next? And, more importantly, how will consumers respond?
Unless you’re going off the grid for a vacation, you’ll likely want internet access when you leave the country. The words “roaming charges” can send a shiver up your spine if you’ve ever returned from a trip to find a behemoth cellphone bill lurking in your inbox. Perhaps you’ve seen horror stories in the news of travelers’ cellphone bills amounting to thousands of dollars. If you’re not willing to pay inflated fees for your carrier’s roaming data plan and you don’t want to waste precious travel time constantly seeking out free Wi-Fi, an eSIM (embedded SIM card) is the solution for you.
Pay $25 and get $50 in travel data credit with this aloSIM eSIM card offer
Double your money with StackSocial's 50% off digital SIM card deal
One of the biggest pain points of traveling internationally is that most data plans don't cover you unless you sign up for an international plan. It's not that it's difficult to do so, but it usually doesn't come cheap when you add this to your current data plan, even if it's temporary. Depending on your carrier, international data packages can cost up to a whopping $10 per day depending on where you go, which makes a service like aloSIM a much more affordable alternative. Providing an eSIM platform that offers data plans that can connect to different networks around the world, traveling becomes a much simpler — and cheaper — endeavor.
Like many essential products and services going virtual, eSIM cards are slated to become the new way to communicate and connect to the internet, especially for tech-savvy travelers.
How to activate an eSIM on every major US carrier
Here's how to enter the world of digital SIM cards
eSIMs are becoming more popular, but activating them isn't straightforward. Since Apple made the iPhone 14 eSIM exclusive, everyone is wondering when their phone manufacturer will follow suit. However, these steps are still in the early stages, and there isn't a standard way to activate eSIMs on each carrier or device yet.
Does Mint Mobile work in Mexico?
Mint Mobile supports international roaming, but the cost is steep if you use more than a few MB.
Mint Mobile is a prepaid carrier that uses the T-Mobile network for coverage. The company offers multi-month plans for domestic use in the U.S., but if you add credit, you can still connect while traveling abroad. While Mint's plans come with free texts and calls to Mexico and Canada, roaming in those countries requires you to pay by the minute, text, or MB, which can get expensive fast.
Does Visible support eSIM?
Visible allows activations with physical SIMs and eSIMs as long as the carrier supports your phone.
Visible is a prepaid carrier owned by Verizon that has focused on delivering truly unlimited plans with straightforward pricing and no hoops to jump through to get the best rates. Visible has no stores, so customers need to handle most of their own account setup and activation, though customer support is available for assistance. If you want to sign up for phone service with Visible, you can get your phone activated in just a few minutes without waiting for the mail or driving to a store.
Does T-Mobile support eSIM?
If you're ready for a new phone plan, you can get your phone activated in just a few minutes with eSIM on T-Mobile.
T-Mobile is one of the biggest carriers in the U.S., with a wide range of postpaid and prepaid plans available. Thanks to eSIM, there’s no need to wait for a physical SIM to arrive in the mail, nor will you need to commute to a T-Mobile store to get one in person. Once your phone has been activated on your account, you will be prompted to download and install your eSIM as long as you’re on Wi-Fi.
Move over, eSIM — Qualcomm’s adding iSIM to Snapdragon chips
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s integrated SIM gets GSMA approval
Qualcomm carved out its massive slice of market share by integrating cellular connectivity tech into its Snapdragon processors, and the company appears to be going back to the well with its latest move. While eSIM technology is phasing out physical SIM cards across the industry with a dedicated hardware chip for storing encrypted network credentials, the San Diego-based firm is looking toward the next big thing: iSIM.
Google Pixel 7 dual eSIM support has finally started to arrive
Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 and a server-side update seem to have flipped the switch
Dual SIM smartphones have been around forever, and combining that approach with eSIM technology is only the next logical step. Google has supported the dual use of one physical SIM and one eSIM in Pixel phones dating back to the Pixel 3a, but we've long been waiting for the day when we could ditch physical SIMs altogether. According to user reports that are just now starting to surface, Android 13 QPR2 Beta 2 — the test version that should ultimately hit the stable channel as the March 2023 Pixel Feature Drop — now allows you to easily switch between carriers with dual eSIM profiles on the Pixel 7 series.