How to use an E-Sim
An e-sim is an embedded electronic sim card which is built into your smartphone or wearable device. With this you can sync your wearable devices to your smartphone or your smartphone directly to your network. You can send and receive messages and even calls on your e-sim device. You can connect your e-sim device directly to your mobile network even when your main sim device like your smartphone is not anywhere near you.
Another question asked was which service providers support an e-sim and whats the price like? At the moment in South Africa e-sims are relatively new and not everybody knows and understands it. The service providers that support an e-sim are:
- MTN
- Vodacom
- Cell-C
- Telkom
On MTN and Vodacom, they charge you R25 a month and is only available to contracted users. So if you have a prepaid plan, you aren’t eligible to get it.
On Cell-C, all you have to do is pay a R50 once off fee to purchase their e-sim plan or voucher.
On Telkom, users are lucky because Telkom supports e-sims free of charge. All you have to do is walk into the store and ask for an e-sim voucher and they would give it to you.
When you purchase or obtain your e-sim voucher from your service provider, basically what they give you is a QR code to scan for the network to identify your device and attach it to a plan or user.
So once you get the voucher you have to go onto your wearable or whatever you’re using it on and you have to go to
- Settings
- Connections
- Mobile Networks
- Mobile plans
- Add mobile plan
From there all you have to do is scan your QR code and you’re off to the races. It’s as easy as that! You don’t have to worry if you left your phone at home and you’re wearing your watch or device, you know you can take your calls and see your notifications.
The other good thing is that if you’re an outdoors or sporty person and if you have added your e-sim to your watch, you don’t have to worry about carrying your phone and going anywhere with you because your phone is already on your watch and you can do everything from there.