Enough is enough - eSIM *now*

[give-us-eSIM]

As per $subject. It is now inexcusable for Smarty to not support eSIM. 3 UK support it, yet are limiting it to post-paid, with prepaid excluded. This is not acceptable. 

Why are *all* US carriers supporting eSIM for post *and* pre-paid, even before Apple forced their hand, yet the UK - again - lags behind? 

[WelshPaul]

Not all US carriers offer eSIM. In fact, many don’t.

[give-us-eSIM]

Name me *one* US carrier that doesn’t offer eSIM.  I’ll wait….

PS - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209096 - oops. Looks like every US carrier I’ve ever heard of. It doesn’t matter if the service is pre or post paid - they support eSIM.

Waiting for you to educate us on which mythical US carrier doesn’t support eSIM. 

[JJP2]

 https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/esims 

As you can see above, not all US carriers support eSIMs

AFAIK, Three did a trial on eSIMs, but do not currently offer it.

If you want eSIM that bad, don’t use an MVNO. The only UK MVNO’s that currently support eSIM are Sky Mobile and Voxi.

[give-us-eSIM]

>  As you can see above, not all US carriers support eSIMs

No. No I *don't* see that. Given, that website cited is a *third party* site, with *outdated information*. From a quick read of the opening paragraph it's clear the person who wrote that is *clueless*. 

Again - here's the list of US carriers from *APPLE* that *fully support eSIM*. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209096

If you haven't worked it out already, this is a list of *every single US carrier operating in the continental United States*. 

AT&T 
Boost Mobile 
Caroline West Wireless 
Cellcom
Credo Mobile 
Cricket
C Spire 
FirstNet 
H2O Wireless 
Nex-Tech Wireless
PureTalk
Red Pocket
Spectrum Mobile 
Straight Talk 
Strata Networks 
T-Mobile USA 
Tracfone 
UScellular 
Verizon Wireless 
Xfinity Mobile

..from that list of carriers that *universally support eSIM*, which US carrier is missing? Please educate me. 

> If you want eSIM that bad, don’t use an MVNO.

Smarty aren't an MVNO, FYI. If you haven't worked it out already, I'm pretty well informed on US & UK carrier markets. Also, I am not a UK resident. I have *no need* for a UK postpaid service. In addition to UK carriers being *awful* - come to the US and use any of the big 3, they're leaps and bounds ahead in terms of spectrum, small cell deployments, c-band, mid-band and mmWave (non existent in the UK) - their support for eSIM is *dire*. Period. 

> The only UK MVNO’s that currently support eSIM are Sky Mobile and Voxi

*eyeroll* *sigh*.  Voxi are a) not an MVNO & b) do not support eSIM.

> AFAIK, Three did a trial on eSIMs, but do not currently offer it.

Three has supported eSIM on postpaid plans for months now!   

[JJP2]

Do as you wish, be argumentative, whatever, if it makes you feel better !

Voxi is most definitely an MVNO

Whatever, you do you, but it won’t suddenly magic into life eSIMs for Smarty customers !

If you want eSIM, then obviously, at the current time, you need to choose another mobile company ! 

Oh and if you can be bothered, look at Whistleout on YouTube. They know the US cellphone market, and not all US carriers offer eSIM. Even if all US carriers did offer eSIM, what good is that to you in the UK ?! Maybe you should move to the USA if you, in the UK, think the use of eSIM’s in the USA have any bearing on the use of eSIM’s in the UK and elsewhere. 

[give-us-eSIM]

> Voxi is most definitely an MVNO

Voxi & Smarty are 'experimental' brands of Vodafone and 3 UK respectively. They're the equivalent of Cricket Wireless or Visible here. A carrier can't be an 'MVNO' when they are *literally the carrier*. 

> Whatever, you do you, but it won’t suddenly magic into life eSIMs for Smarty customers !

I'm not asking for help. I'm better informed than every single person that comments on this forum. I'm now publicly vocalising for others considering Smarty that 3 not supporting eSIM for prepaid is now wildly unacceptable. The new iPhone will be sim tray free in Europe from September, so they're going to be forced to adopt it. Good.  

> Oh and if you can be bothered, look at Whistleout on YouTube. They know the US >cellphone market,

LOL. You just keep on, don't you? The US is my home market. I work for one of the major carriers. 

> and not all US carriers offer eSIM. 

*Yes*. *They*. *Do*. I'm really tired of telling you this, yet you continue to say otherwise. You are yet to name me a *single* US carrier that doesn't support eSIM. 

> Even if all US carriers did offer eSIM, what good is that to you in the UK ?!

It's of no use. That's entirely my point. 

> Maybe you should move to the USA

I did. I'm an American. 

[wixfordhall]

If you work in telecoms you know that traditionally the US is far far behind the UK in telecoms adoption, but not in eSIMs preincipally thanks to apple.

Trying to argue that we are about as bad as the USA  (which isnt accurate by the way) re eSIMs just diminishes your credibility

[EricCop_1431718]

That info is not accurate. T-Mobile (my carrier) has supported e-sim for the past 3years or so.

[WelshPaul]

This is the UK, not the US @give-us-eSIM. Either open your wallet and spend the extra per month required to get eSIM support or pack your bags and move abroad to a country that offers 100% eSIM support (if that’s your thing).

[give-us-eSIM]

> This is the UK, not the US.

Obviously. That's why there is such difficulty obtaining eSIM on any pre-paid plan. 

> Either open your wallet and spend the extra per month required to get eSIM support

Why can British carriers simply not offer eSIM for prepaid services? It's totally within their technical ability to do so, they just *choose* to not offer it. 

I don't want postpaid. Why would I want *two* cellular contracts? I have my main service in the US - which is great, and performs far in excess to any UK carrier - yet I want to use my iPhone 14 with a prepaid UK carrier when I return to the country of my birth. Is this concept too difficult for you to understand? 

> or pack your bags and move abroad to a country that offers 100% eSIM support. 

I did. A decade ago. Hence how I know how *poor* UK carrier support is for eSIM. 

[WelshPaul]

> I did. A decade ago. Hence how I know how *poor* UK carrier support is for eSIM. 

Problem solved then! 👌🏻

[give-us-eSIM]

> Problem solved then! 

..except, not. As no UK carriers offers eSIM for prepaid service. This is an *inexcusable situation*. I've been using eSIMs since 2018 (T-Mobile launched eSIM with the XS launch). I don't want to use physical SIMs, especially when travelling.

Why are you so forgiving to how inept your home market carriers are? 

[WelshPaul]

> Why are you so forgiving to how inept your home market carriers are? 

I’m not… 
You make it sound like SMARTY are the only UK network to not offer eSIM and that they do it out of spite or something. Most UK MVNO’s charge a lot less than the main networks (SMARTY being the cheapest - I think) and thus don’t have money to invest in the latest and greatest features as and when they become available. It costs the network money every time an eSIM is issued so I can understand why eSIM isn’t a priority for the majority of MVNO’s.

[give-us-eSIM]

Please stop perpetuating the myth that eSIM comes with a per unit cost. It doesn’t. How much do you think the *physical creation* and *shipping* of SIMs cost carriers? Free? Be serious…

The infrastructure for eSIM provisioning is largely handled by Ericcson & Nokia. Every commercial agreement is different. For example, the largest carrier in the US pays no cost to issue eSIM. I wonder why…

As for Smarty being cheap; that’s one of the single biggest reasons why the UK carrier market is so dire performance wise. Here in the US, we pay way more, but our service is infinitely superior.  

NB: 3 *was* the last carrier - by years! - to offer eSIM! All UK carriers are behind the US market.

[EricCop_1431718]

Agreed! I can't think of one US carrier who doesn't support e-Sim. If there is one, you can be sure they will quickly update as Apple (a US company) has just released the iPhone 15 today and it only supports e-sims.  If you're like me and didn't realise your carrier doesn't support e-sim before you left the Apple Store with your new phone, it's a real nightmare!

[itsJAMIElike]

All due respect, as nice as I want an e-sim, it's a value network and they need to keep their business interests at heart. They need some reasons to push people to Three, otherwise why would anyone be a Three customer. 

[give-us-eSIM]

3 doesn’t offer eSIM on PAYG either. eSIM costs *less* to provision, and is far better for our environment than SIM cards. 

[MSF]

@give-us-eSIM  I'm afraid the 'environment' argument is not that strong.

In order to improve the environment, it would be necessary to look at the big polluters first. We can consider dirty power stations opening in China, the marine cargo fleet shifting vast amounts around the world on inefficient engines and oh yes.....large numbers of gas-guzzling cars in the US among other countries.

[JJP2]

Yeah, but removing tiny bits of plastic will save us all 😙😉

[Chalkychap]

Are SMARTY a true PAYG service provider? 
I suspect not - therefore, it does appear inexcusable that SMARTY do not offer an eSIM option for their monthly plans.

[wixfordhall]

eSIM adoption in the the UK is still mediocre in 2023.  Quite a disgrace.  Three has had a long history of not offering eSIMs.   When anybody asks me for a carrier that can I have to say:  I'd like to recommend SMARTY but this far nothing, and Three, well it's complicated.   

SMARTY has a pretty compelling package, it's really a tragedy that they don't see the value in eSIM.

When you visit a country that /gets it/ you realise that eSIMs are just the way to go,  SIMS can be delivered electronically,  no messy paperwork and sluggard delivery times,  no physical SIM to cut or chop or lose, or get stuck in a SIM slot.

What are we all waiting for UK Telecoms.

SMARTY should volunteer to be part of the solution not the problem.

shame shame shame

[JJP2]

There have been many threads on this forum re eSIMs. 

At the current time, Smarty do not support eSIMs, just like the majority of UK networks. At as today, September 13th 2023, the only UK networks that support eSIM are EE, O2, Vodafone, LycaMobile and Spusu.

By the way, this is the Smarty community forum, a community of Smarty users. As we don’t work for Smarty, we of course have no control over its business decisions. Just like I have done, as a user of eSIMs when travelling, and knowing how convenient they are, you could always contact Smarty via webchat, to let the company know you would like them to offer eSIM. 

[give-us-eSIM]

> At the current time, Smarty do not support eSIMs, just like the majority of UK networks.

There are 4 major networks in the UK (3 UK, EE, Voda, O2). ALL of those carriers support eSIM. Smarty is the experimental brand of 3 UK. Given 3 UK now supports eSIM, they should be supporting it. 

[give-us-eSIM]

> SMARTY has a pretty compelling package, it's really a tragedy that they don't see the value in eSIM.

THIS. Smarty offers an overall excellent service. CS is good, coverage and speeds are fine, yet it's let down by not offering eSIM. Fix this, and hopefully if Voda keeps the Smarty brand (there's a good chance it's all closed down upon merger, unfortunately) they can continue to have good success. 

[EricCop_1431718]

Yes. This is INSANITY. I proudly walked out of the Apple Store this morning with my new iPhone 15 not thinking for a minute that my carrier in the UK doesn't support e-sim.  Is Smarty willing to risk losing a significant pool of customers who upgrade their hardware in the coming days? C'mon Smarty! Get with the times!!!!!

[WelshPaul]

The iPhone 15 has a SIM slot @EricCop_1431718

[EricCop_1431718]

Not according to the staff at the store and tech support. I have the phone and do not see a SIM slot. I would love for you to be right, however!

[JJP2]

@WelshPaul is correct - The iPhone 15 series has a physical SIM slot - It’s only the American versions that are eSIM only, so unless you have bought an iPhone in the USA, you are fine. 

By the way, it’s only O2, EE, Vodafone, LycaMobile and Spusu that currently support eSIM in the UK.

[give-us-eSIM]

> By the way, it’s only O2, EE, Vodafone, LycaMobile and Spusu that currently support eSIM in the UK.

WRONG. 

ALL the big 4 networks (3 UK, EE, Vodafone, O2) support eSIM for 'contract' customers. They ALL refuse to allow PAYG customers to use eSIM. *THAT* is my issue.  

[JJP2]

My point stands !

If eSIM is that big an issue for you, you can always take your horrendous “I am right, everyone else is wrong” attitude back to the USA ! OR, of course, you can take out a contract with a network that offers eSIM. However, you won’t of course, you are way too cheap for that, you want champagne service for lemonade money, and think that continually screaming like a child will get you what you want. Time to grow up and act like  an adult !

Why are you still here ? You can continue to moan like a child, or pony up for a contract. 

If the lack of eSIMs here bother you that much, you must really struggle in daily life !

[give-us-eSIM]

> My point stands !

Your 'point' was to try and suggest that it was 'only' a handful of networks in the UK support eSIM. You were completely wrong in this assertion, given *every major carrier in the UK supports eSIM for contract customers*. 

> If eSIM is that big an issue for you, you can always take your horrendous “I am right, everyone else is wrong” attitude back to the USA

I *live in the US*. It is my place of permanent residence. Did you not read that?

> of course, you can take out a contract with a network that offers eSIM

Bzzt. No. I can't. Even as a multi-millionaire, I cannot take out a contract with a UK carrier as I am not permanently resident in the UK. Also, why the f4uk should a user have to do that simply because UK carriers are behind the times and *actively refusing* to provision eSIM for PAYG? Makes *no* sense. 

You keep apologising for their poor behaviour though, accepting mediocrity is clearly something you are comfortable with. Others, like myself, with far higher standards are not OK with it, however. 

[baz1536]

Just an update to this Sky Mobile also offer eSIM but like the others only on contract.

[JJP2]

Spusu, the Austrian network, who have operated as an MVNO on EE in the UK for a few months, also offer eSIM on their 30 day plans. 

[give-us-eSIM]

>Just an update to this Sky Mobile also offer eSIM but like the others only on contract.

Exactly! UK carriers are a *disgrace* in only offering eSIM to postpaid not prepaid customers.

It makes no sense whatsoever to take this approach. eSIM is better for *everyone*. It's cheaper for the carriers, better for the planet, and (mostly!) easier for customers. If customers struggle with it, they can keep their physical SIMs. 

..yet here we are, in 2023, and UK carriers are still refusing to offer their prepaid customers eSIM, and other benefits like access to 5G (NA or NSA, doesn't make a difference). It's just how they restricted LTE, VoWiFI, VoLTE for years before realising it's in their interests to align customers across single platforms. 

[give-us-eSIM]

3 UK now - finally - supports eSIM on PAYG !!! 

[JJP2]

So does GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile. 

Maybe you will stop throwing tantrums and be an adult for a change, eh ? 

You have a few options to choose from now. 

[give-us-eSIM]

> So does GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile. 

Both just recently started supporting them.

All you're evidencing is just how unacceptable it is that Smarty are not supporting eSIM! Ya know.. like the *entire point of my original post was*? Idiot. 

> Maybe you will stop throwing tantrums and be an adult for a change, eh? 

ZzzZzZz 

[Lordvega]

Lyca mobile and Spusu on EE support eSIM

lyca is PAYG too 

[Stewie_Mac]

Give up on these drones, mate. You are correct in what you say. But then again look at the holes in cell coverage in the UK and the absence of 5G outside cities, a pathetic joke. Where I live, in 2024, there are still villages with no reliable data signal from any network.  Offcom are a bad joke, the Tories are an incompetent worse joke and the forthcoming Labour government will be the sickest joke of all.