Hello everyone! I’m Stephen from Nigeria’s leading phone engineering company, and today, I want to talk about the newly launched MTN eSIM. But first, let’s discuss what a SIM card is. The full name is Subscriber Identification Module, and it’s that small chip you insert into your phone. It identifies you as a subscriber to a network, allowing you to make calls, send messages, and more.
SIM cards have come a long way since their inception. The first form factor was a large credit card-sized SIM introduced in 1991. Five years later, in 1996, we saw the Mini SIM, which became the standard SIM we used in our old Nokia phones. This Mini SIM was cut down from the larger card. In 2003, the Micro SIM was introduced, which was smaller but had the same thickness as the standard SIM. It gained popularity around 2010 with the launch of the iPhone 4, which was the first smartphone to use a Micro SIM.
Then, in 2012, the Nano SIM was introduced, which was even smaller and thinner. Finally, in 2016, the Embedded SIM, or eSIM, was announced. This is a chip embedded directly inside your smartphone during manufacturing, eliminating the need for a physical card. With an eSIM, you can easily add or remove network operators at your convenience.
The eSIM acts as a substitute for a physical SIM card. If your smartphone supports it, you simply add your SIM profile to your device, and it functions just like a regular SIM card, but without the physical card. The main difference is that you no longer have to worry about losing or damaging a physical SIM card. Instead, you have a reprogrammable profile on your smartphone.
A regular SIM card can hold only one profile, while an eSIM allows for multiple profiles. This is a significant advantage, especially as technology evolves. You can even have your eSIM profile on devices like smartwatches, cars, and computers. With an eSIM, you can enable it to work on multiple devices, unlike a regular SIM card, which is tied to just one smartphone.
How to Get the MTN eSIM
So, how do you get the MTN eSIM? Traditionally, to get a normal SIM, you would need to visit a store to purchase a plastic SIM card. This card would only work with one device. With an eSIM, you simply need to obtain your eSIM voucher linked to your existing profile or a new MTN profile. After that, you scan the QR code, download your profile, and install it on any supported device. It’s that easy!
Of course, you will need to register your eSIM. Now, you might be wondering which devices support the eSIM. Currently, it is available for Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 3, the latest iPhones from the XR to the 11 Pro Max, and the newest Samsung S20 models. If you have purchased a smartphone recently that supports eSIM, you can head over to an MTN store to get started.
For smartwatches, devices like Huawei’s Watch, Apple Watch, and Galaxy Watch also support eSIM technology. This is an exciting time for mobile communications in Nigeria, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops.
MTN is working closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to implement this technology. They have agreed to a one-year trial with a limited number of eSIMs.
What do you think about eSIMs, especially with MTN launching it first in Nigeria? Would you consider getting one? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on my social media. Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful day!
