As more phone companies are working towards creating more room for their devices like Apple removed headphone jacks recently, standard sim cards are now slowly being phased out with new technology. Safaricom launches eSim service in Kenya for its network after an announcement made on the company’s Twitter handle.
It has since revealed details regarding the types of phones that will be able to activate these eSims and how customers can have them activated.
Because phone companies want to make better devices, there has always been a need for them to make more room for hardware. With the constant shrinking of SIM cards, the problem appears to have been solved entirely with the development of eSims.
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The eSim technology was first unveiled to the world in 2017. eSim in full stands for Embedded Sim card. They are not sim cards but chips that are embedded within devices like phones and PCs.
Safaricom launches eSim service in Kenya and announced the procedure for people to enable these sim cards. Those interested in getting their hands on the embedded SIM would need to visit a Safaricom Shop.
At the shop, and with a supported phone, you should scan the Esim QR code with your smartphone. Afterwards, your phone will download and install the eSIM settings for your Safaricom number. Your eSIM is then ready.
Only a few devices with the most recent technology are currently supported. With time, hopefully, more devices will be supported. So far the devices that Safaricom customers can get connected are:
- iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 12 and SE 2020.
- Samsung: Galaxy S21, S20, Z Fold and Note20.
Apart from allowing phone companies to have extra space for hardware during manufacture, eSim technology appears to solve all of the problems that users had with regular sim cards. One of the most interesting benefits is the ability for customers to get connected to various networks as long as they support the use of eSims.
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Pros of eSim technology.
- An enabled phone will let you connect with any other network in the world that supports eSim technology.
- There is the convenience of just switching from one service provider to another. Here, one can have several operator profiles.
- No data roaming charges since someone can just travel to another country and connect to a service provider that supports this technology.
You’d believe that employing this technology has no disadvantages, given the benefits that appear to address existing difficulties with standard sim cards. One of the notable concerns so far is the inconvenience in case your phone blacks out. This time you cannot easily switch your sim card into another phone. You will probably need another eSim enabled phone.
However, as incredible as the potential of eSim technology sounds as it would act as a major driver of digital penetration in Africa. It appears to be something that is still out of many people’s reach. When it comes to digital inclusion, many people in Africa are still left out.
The majority of phone manufacturers that support eSims, such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, produce smartphones that are still out of reach for many Africans in terms of affordability. Even if telecom companies across the continent made numerous attempts to urge people to use this technology, many people would still be left behind.
One viable option is to enhance smartphone penetration by supposedly lowering the costs of these devices to make them more affordable to the general public.
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