If you’re new to eSIMs and want to know more, there’s a couple of ways to look at it:

• The eSIM technology itself. What is an eSIM at the technical level?
• The benefits of eSIM versus SIM cards. How do eSIMs improve your experience?

What’s an eSIM?

eSIMs are ‘embedded SIMs’. Unlike a physical plastic SIM card that needs to be manually inserted into your smartphone, tablet or smartwatch, the eSIM is a small chip pre-built into the hardware of mobile devices. It makes everything more convenient. And it’s better for the environment.

What does eSIM mean for mobile users?

eSIMs offer more flexibility and convenience. With a traditional SIM card, you’re tied to a specific mobile carrier/operator and will need to swap out your SIM card when you want to switch. This can be a real hassle, especially if you want to take advantage of different carrier plans. eSIMs make it all much easier to swap between carriers in a 100% digital way, without needing to physically swap out a SIM card.

eSIMs are also more cyber-secure. That’s because eSIM cards are built directly into a device's hardware, making them harder to tamper with or remove than traditional SIM cards. This can help prevent unauthorized access to a user's device or data.

What does eSIM mean for travelers?

eSIMs are an absolute game changer if you travel frequently, allowing you to use local carriers while abroad. Access to travel eSIM stores like Breeze gives users a global eSIM marketplace of mobile connectivity choices to suit every need.

Travel eSIMs are a great alternative to searching for local SIM cards or finding secure, reliable Wi-Fi hotspots while abroad. They also stop you being charged the expensive fees associated with traditional data roaming.

What does eSIM mean for SIM cards?

Physical SIM cards are in decline as their digital equivalent – eSIMs – steadily replace them. More and more devices are eSIM compatible (1 billion by 2025 according to the GSMA), supporting both SIM cards and eSIMs on the same device, and many are even going eSIM-only.