In effect, this is what is happening with an embedded SIM card . This means that the old plastic SIM will probably be consigned to the dustbin of technology history sometime in the next decade.
The White Paper noted that the key point with eSIM is that it is not optional. It stressed that infuture millions of devices will be eSIM only. Eventually all will be eSIM-only and plastic SIM cards will be phased out. Perhaps a customer is thinking of switching to more than one network – that’s easy too. Because an eSIM lets users store more than one network in it, and are able to switch quickly between them. This could come in handy if there is no signal, in an area that thenetwork doesn’t cover. If this happens, the subscriber is stuck. But in the near future, he or she could simply switch to the network that offers the best coverage.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, had said: “The primary objective of the e-SIM trial is to assess the technical performance of the e-SIM on telecoms service providers’ network towards eventual rollout, if satisfactory.” The activation of eSIM on the networks of MTN, 9mobile and Airtel has the same pattern. For instance, to activate an eSIM on MTN, a subscriber needs to visit any MTN store. The company’s customer care agents will check if his or her device is eligible and if eligible, the process is set up.