If you purchase a mobile device – iPhone or Android – produced in recent years, you’ll find an eSIM among its features. In Nigeria, the norm is the physical SIM card. You visit a mobile operator’s shop to purchase one, register it, and insert it into your phone to make calls. However, this is about to change with the advent of eSIMs.
The Nigerian government, not long ago, mandated citizens to link their SIM cards with their NINs – National Identification Numbers. Many Nigerians who were unable to complete this exercise had their lines barred. Making calls, sending SMS, and browsing the internet became impossible.
With the COVID restrictions and all, it was challenging to visit a store to purchase and register a new SIM. An eSIM would have made all of these more manageable. For this reason, it’s one technology many Nigerians would find advantageous.
In this post, you’ll find out how to use eSIM in Nigeria. First of all, let’s look at what eSIM technology is all about.
eSIM: What is it?
In simple words, an eSIM (embedded SIM) is a 5 mm x 5 mm chip found inside smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and other electronic devices. The chip reads and stores information from SIM cards and is permanently attached to the motherboard during assembly.
With eSIM, you can choose whether or not to use a traditional SIM card. Device owners with such a chip can easily toggle between many phone numbers. They won’t have to manually unlock the SIM card slot and swap out SIM cards.
A device with an eSIM card and a mobile service provider that supports eSIM is required to take advantage of the technology.
Why Use an eSIM?
To use an eSIM, you don’t have to physically insert a SIM card. Both an eSIM and a regular SIM card can function on the same mobile handset. That’s right, you can use both a traditional SIM card and an eSIM number simultaneously.
Space-wise, an eSIM is three times more efficient than a nano-SIM card. With this, manufacturers may create sleeker gadgets. Both smartphones and smartwatches are affected by this.
A phone without cutouts can better resist the infiltration of dirt and liquid. With eSIM, tomorrow’s phones can withstand drops, spills, and other mishaps. You can switch carriers without getting a new SIM card via your phone’s settings.
At any given time, a single eSIM can hold the equivalent of five physical SIM cards. This is helpful for people with separate work and personal phone numbers or those who buy a local number in a foreign country to avoid high roaming fees.
There are several situations in which a portable modem equipped with an eSim would be the ideal piece of technology for a mobile professional. There’s a catch, though: only one can be used simultaneously.
How to Use eSIM in Nigeria
You can configure the eSIM at home in a process that is almost as easy as taking a selfie. Simply point your phone’s camera at a two-dimensional barcode (or BIDI code) provided by your mobile operator. The phone will automatically capture the configuration, which will transfer to the eSIM.
However, you first must visit your mobile operator to request one. You can do this with MTN, 9Mobile, and Airtel. Glo is the only mobile network in Nigeria yet to offer eSIM support, but they should relatively soon.
You may have to select if an eSIM will be used for calls and data or just for data. Also, you may set whether the eSIM card will work as a single line or concurrently with another line in another eSIM profile. Your options will vary depending on your device. In particular, the settings are different for Android and iOS.
The eSIM’s settings can be altered via the operator’s mobile app via a QR code. If your phone has more than one line, you’ll need to designate which one will be used more frequently.
Multiple configurations can be made to the same eSIM, allowing it to function with different domestic and international operators. This is an excellent option for folks who frequently travel internationally but don’t want to give up their mobile number or run the risk of obtaining an unexpectedly high phone bill.
Devices that Use eSIM Cards
Nowadays, Apple products are the ones most likely to include eSIM. It’s included in the newest Apple mobile devices, from iPhone XS to recent. The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both use embedded eSIM technology.
The Google Pixel 2 was the first smartphone to support an eSIM card when it was released in 2017. Google PIXEL 2, 3, and 3 XL, as well as the PIXEL 4 and 4 XL, all include built-in eSIM functionality.
Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro tablet, the Surface Pro 5, and the cellular variants of Huawei’s latest Watch, the Watch 2, both include eSIM. Portable modems now commonly feature eSim technology.
An eSim modem, which is small and lightweight, may be taken anywhere and used as an Internet connection tool. More than a year has passed since such products first hit store shelves.
These devices typically include a robust battery and an integrated Sim, allowing you to maintain a constant internet connection. Many successful businesspeople consider their eSim portable modems an indispensable tool for their professional lives.
Bottom Line
There you have it. eSIM works just like your standard SIM card, except that it’s not a physical item. It’s embedded into your device, and you only need to scan a code to use it. eSIM is currently available with three out of the four major mobile networks in Nigeria.