SMARTY Finally Introduce eSIM Support to UK Mobile Network
Consumer mobile provider SMARTY, which is a virtual mobile operator (MVNO) on Three UK’s (VodafoneThree) national UK network, yesterday finally joined the large club of providers able to offer eSIM (Electronic SIM) support to their customer base of mobile users.
The eSIM standard is an alternative to physical SIM cards, which works by essentially embedding an electronic SIM into your device (Smartphone) that could – once fully implemented – make it easier and quicker to switch between operators (e.g. not having to wait for a SIM card to arrive), as well as to use additional networks alongside your main mobile plan (e.g. eSIMs for travel when abroad).
The good news, as first spotted yesterday by a member (CarlO1460) of ISPreview’s community forum (here), is that customers of Smarty can now also take advantage of eSIM support (here). “If you’re an existing SMARTY customer, you can swap your physical SIM for an eSIM today. New customers and Group owners will be able to order an eSIM directly soon. In the meantime, you can still activate one by doing a SIM swap,” states Smarty.
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As usual, you’ll first need to double-check that your mobile phone is actually eSIM compatible. The easiest way to do this is by dialling *#06# into your keypad. If you then see a pop-up that includes an EID number on the screen, your device should be compatible. The move comes just in time for the next refresh of Apple’s iPhone series, which is expected to include at least one eSIM-only model. Better late than never, hay Smarty.
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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No doubt after the pending removal of the SIM tray from more iPhone’s.
Another reason why I can’t see myself getting an Iphone, saying that the one I would buy, the 16E, does still have a sim tray.
I prefer the idea of a proper sim, I don’t know why, maybe it is because it is something I always had in my phones and have found it useful to be able to stick it in a spare dumb phone if my every day phone have a fault, I have done that in the past, granted not for a few years.
Don’t like the idea of Esim, I can understand why some people may, but not for me.
When i get a new phone, because I expect at some popint I will need to, my Oppo is over 4 years old, I will make sure my new phone has a normal sim tray
> I can’t see myself getting an Iphone
To be honest, other phone manufacturers will most likely move over to eSIM only phones.
It is not just limited to iPhone.
> To be honest, other phone manufacturers will most likely move over to eSIM only phones.
Google just moved Pixel 10’s to eSIM only.
@ad47uk
I agree. I have the 16 Pro Max – I won’t get another until this one is 10000% dead. I also like a physical sim – as esims are so disposable these days – when you need another number it’s simple quick and very cheap
@quiet lion
This is incorrect. UK pixel 10s will still have SIM card slots.
@Anonymous, I go for cheaper phones, around the £150 mark and a lot of them don’t have esims. The phone I have now cost me £130 over 4 years ago and is still working fine, even if i had to glue the screen back on a few weeks ago :).
@Quiet Lion, I doubt I would buy a Pixel phone either, out of my price range
> This is incorrect. UK pixel 10s will still have SIM card slots.
For now.
Done it but strange ESIM show working with my mobile number and my old SIM that replaced ESIM still working on spare phone (two working at the same time?) I thought SIM card are supposed to be deactivated once you have setup ESIM?
They are – you are correct. But you might still get signal on the old sim – it’s the routing that matters. Have you tested it to see which sim gets the call?
Excellent news
FINALLY!!!!! AT LAST!!! I’ll be grabbing this over the weekend! They beat 1P Mobile to it lol as they STILL haven’t got them available to buy yet, lots of delays apparently.
Haha yes, they did beat 1p Mobile to it. No idea what’s going on at 1p, especially as Mozillion (who also run on EE) had eSIMs right out of the gate.
Any idea when 1P will FINALLY get eSim? lol
Finally! They did stick out like a sore thumb considering Three itself and iD Mobile have both had eSIMs for some time. The only ‘big’ provider on Three without it now is Superdrug Mobile.
What difference does it make unless you have a phone that only have Esim?
Normally, the sim is left in the phone until you change phones.
> What difference does it make unless you have a phone that only have Esim?
Who wants to use a physical SIM? eSIM is quicker, safer, more secure and immediately replaceable if needed.
eSIM is terrible abroad. If your phone is damaged abroad you can’t transfer your eSIM to another phone. You can’t get a new eSIM because an eSIM has to be activated on its home network.
Also eSIM gives up control. You can’t just move eSIMs between devices, you can’t plug an existing eSIM into a 5G hotspot or 5G router.
@Quiet Lion, how is Esim more secure? Okay, it is not possible to take the sim out and stick it in another phone, but to do that someone has to have your phone at the start. If you think that an esim can’t be cloned, don’t be so sure, I have not looked into it, but even if it can’t be now, someone will find a way.
NOTHING is secure, I know you said more, but in this day and age, means very little.
Not sure about the quicker part either. I go for sim free phones, so if I buy a new phone, I take the old sim out of my old phone, put it in my new phone and that is it, done and dusted apart from going through the security questions.
I have had the same sim since I started with Smarty around 6 years ago, for the most part it stays in my phone. But then, I am not like some people who change their phones as much as they change their socks.
I really don;t get this constant chaging of phones, when they all do the same thing but maybe a little faster, I think for some people it is, Look at me, I have a new phone.
> eSIM is terrible abroad. If your phone is damaged abroad you can’t transfer your eSIM to another
> phone. You can’t get a new eSIM because an eSIM has to be activated on its home network.
This is just false. I am permanently ‘abroad’. I have activated eSIMs from Voxi, Vodafone, EE, 3 UK without *any* issues outside of the UK.
> how is Esim more secure?
Your phone is stolen. Physical SIM card is immediately removed rendering your ability to trace the device as >/dev/null.
With eSIM you can configure Android & iOS to prohibit Airplane Mode without unlocking the device. You can even prevent Find My being disabled upon poweroff which means when thief turns off the phone, it’s still being tracked.
eSIM also isn’t vulnerable to physical SIM exploits.
@Quiet Lion – how do you prevent airplane mode being turned on or find my phone being disbaled? I have an S25 Ultra, thanks!
Once again the industry dancing to apples tune. I prefer a physical sim card.. So much easier whem I’m in Asia picking up a local sim.
I disagree. With esim you can use a comparison sites, find the best deal for the country you’re visiting and instantly get it set up. Even ahead of time.
Going to a shop and buying a sim card, not knowing whether its a good deal then activating and topping it up.. much more of a hassle.
Whether you like it or not technology moves forward and a physical sim card is something that’s just no longer needed in many cases.
Of course not all networks support it and not all phones do either, so they will stick around for a good while. But it’s something that doesn’t make a lot of sense in this day and age.
@Dan, if he is only in asia for say a few weeks or even a couple of months, surly easier to get a sim and use that, than muck around with A Esim.
Sim free phones, still easier to use sims in my opinion, just take the sim from the old phone and stick it in the new one.
Granted not so much for people who find it difficult to hold small things in their fingers, but for the majority of people it is easier.
Unless I am forced to go for esim, I will stay with my psychical sim, even if my next phone does have esim, as well as a sim tray
Technology may move on, but it don’t mean we have to use it or change just because companies want us to.
I know what the next thing to come out will be, Esims will save the planet, as no need to make sims, we have that rubbish with pushing loyalty cards to apps.
@Ad477uk what makes you think it’s more hassle to “Muck around with an esim” than a physical SIM? They can be activated and deactivated very easily and as @Dan pointed out, there’s various comparison sites that let you find the ideal esim for your journey well ahead of time. I’ve been using esims when going abroad for the last couple of years and it works really well, I’ve got data the second my plane lands and I can pick whatever amount of data I need for whatever length of time I need. If you’re travelling through several countries, many offer regional and even international eSims that support multiple countries.
I’m still not 100% sure I see the benefit of a device that’s purely esim only, other than ease of manufacturing and waterproofing, but esims in general are very useful.
@Kushan, a mate, used to go abroad a lot and sometimes it was sudden, a day notice, maybe two, so he has stuff to do, and he found that getting a sim where ever he went was simple. I don’t think he would want to be mucking around with looking online to see what is available and then if something goes wrong, which it can. Also, what do you do with the provider you are with? You have replaced their esim without another Esim. At least with a normal sim, you just stick the original sim in a safe place. Even easier with sims if phone have dual sim, do phones have dual Esims?
If esim only phones were cheaper to manufacture, then I would have thought Apple’s 16E would have had esim only. Waterproof? Not really, as they still have a charging port.
As i said above, my phone is getting on, but I will keep it for as long as I can and will get another phone with a sim tray, don’t have to get in contact with my provider. Just something else that can fail.
I’ve just checked the Help section of Talkmobile for eSim and seen this answer:
“All Talkmobile plans are available on eSIM for use with compatible devices. You can choose a physical SIM or an eSIM at checkout. To change your current Talkmobile SIM to an eSIM, please contact our Help Team via Webchat or by phone.”
Looks like maybe VodafoneThree are now starting to align some standards across the house. We might even get RCS on iOS on Vodafone if we’re lucky!