Three UK Prepares to Trial eSIM Support on Mobile Network
Three UK has confirmed to ISPreview.co.uk that the long wait for eSIM support on their 3G, 4G and 5G network may finally be coming to an end. The mobile operator plans to launch customer trials “within the next few months.” Rivals O2, EE (BT) and Vodafone have already launched eSIM, albeit with varying different levels of support.
Most people will probably be familiar with traditional SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, which are the tiny chips that authenticate your identity to a mobile operator – when you slide one into a mobile phone or related device. SIM cards can also store a basic list of your contacts, although online contact lists have largely superseded that feature.
Meanwhile a growing number of new Smartphones (e.g. Google Pixel 3 / 4, iPhone XS / 11 Pro, Apple Watch Series 5 / 4 etc.) are shipping with eSIM technology, which essentially embeds an electronic SIM into your phone and makes it easier to switch between carriers via multiple account support (i.e. no more waiting for new SIM cards to arrive or fiddling with different ones when trying to change network).
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EE has had eSIM support since 2018 via a number of mobile devices, while Vodafone presently only supports it on the Apple Watch Series 3, 4 or 5 Cellular and O2 went live with the technology in September 2019 (here). Meanwhile a big question mark has been hanging over Three UK’s eSIM support, which started two years ago after they confirmed their intention to support it.
Since then the most recent update from Three UK came via Twitter in May 2019, when one of their support agents said, “Currently we’re testing eSIMs for various phones to make sure you guys get the best possible experience. We expect to be able to support these in autumn 2019.” But when customers asked again last month they were instead told “we don’t have any concrete info’ to give at the moment.”
After prodding the operator for a few days ISPreview.co.uk has now been informed by a spokesperson that “Three will be trialling eSIMs within the next few months,” which sounds like it won’t be fully ready in time for the end of autumn as planned. The wait continues.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Any update on when Three will actually launch esim in the UK?
Twitter says Spring this year
But their tweets also seem to suggest that Apple Watch support might not be included on day one as they say its more difficult to implement. Might be true as Voda only to Esim on the watch and not on mobiles so the two implementations must be different. Very odd you would think Esim would have a standard across all platforms and devices.
Thanks Peter for the update.
I won’t hold my breath though, as they promised it when I bought my iPhone XS when they were launched.
Now I’m on the iPhone 11 Pro….. and still false promises from Three.
I currently using Truphone esim profile on an unlocked Pixel 3a I brought from argos. works a treat but the profile simply is for data only. voice calls are made by apps voip Skype/whatsapp etc! There are other providers out there including usa but they are very tight with the data.
USA people simply should use the google voice as its free calls to USA mobiles and landlines where ever you may be in the world! if you are using esim simply purchase global plan profile and good to go! Remember because they charge premium for data ensure phones have data saver on so to restrict high data apps connecting to data networks and eating your data unnecessary.
I find it odd that Three HK have Apple Watch support, and are part of H3G yet we don’t here.
I love my Three contract for cartoons reasons but long to use an Apple Watch.
Six months later…. still nothing.
I really don’t get why it’s so challenging for them to implement this.
Any update on Three UK supporting eSIM and Apple Watch eSIM?