eSIM was launched by Indonesian cellular operators

A number of cellular operators in Indonesia have started offering eSIM as a new option for its customers. XL Axiata, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and Smartfren are cellular operators that now provide this electronic SIM option. In an official statement at the end of March, XL Axiata stated that at this initial stage the E SIM could be obtained through 27 XL Centers. However, not only the iPhone, the eSIM feature is now also available for Android phones. Google has inaugurated support for the transfer of E SIM on an Android phone at the MWC 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

Definition of Esim

Esim is different from the SIM card that we know so far. The Apple page says that an electronic SIM can activate the package without having to use a Nano SIM and only by scanning a barcode to use it. This convenience is obtained by customers with an easier and seamless experience to use it.

Esim Advantage

The advantages of this electronic SIM are also obtained by the operator, where the E SIM is the answer to the increase in the SIM card price. In fact, the Ukrainian-Russian war has made the SIM card price increase quite significant. “The source makes 55% chips from Ukraine. Why is it expensive? Neon makes the chip from Ukraine. After the war from Rp. 1,500, the price can be Rp. 7,000-Rp. 8,000 for production. If there is an electronic SIM, reduce COGS (cost of goods sold) reduces the cost of selling,” explained President Director of XL Axiata, Dian Siswarini.

Esim usage limitation

However, Dian added that there is a limit to the use of the eSIM. “But for e sim limits, not all of these handsets are there. The new series is high end. Maybe above Rp 5 million and above,” said Dian, met in Jakarta, Monday night (11/4/2023).

cellular operators that provide eSIM

XL Axiata

XL Axiata is the first cellular operator in Indonesia to provide E SIM services. XL Axiata stated that it will be available in all other XL Centers soon. Although only launched a few weeks, the adoption of this eSIM is said to be quite good.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison launched eSIM in December last year. E Sim can be found at a number of Indosat outlets including the Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison head office outlet, Kota Kasablanka, Roxy, to the Ambassador Mall.

Smartfren

Smartfren has been providing eSIM since 2019. The company states that eSIM can be a new technology to dominate the telecommunications world.

Electronic SIM Features on Android Phones

As previously mentioned, the E SIM feature is now available for Android phones. Google has announced support for eSIM transfers on Android phones at the MWC 2023 event in Barcelona, Spain. With this feature, users can move data from old cellphones to new cellphones, just like on iPhone. Users can also convert physical SIM card profiles to eSIM. This feature has actually been announced by Google since last year.

According to reports, electronic SIM transfer will be present on the Android 13 operating system. Samsung is also reportedly going to be the first Android brand to support this feature on its cellphone. This is good news for consumers who want to switch to new and faster technologies.

In addition, with the E SIM feature, users also don’t have to worry about losing a physical SIM card or buying a physical SIM card when abroad. As a substitute, users only need to buy data packets for their E SIM cards and use them easily.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed a number of mobile operators who are starting to offer eSIM to their customers. Among them are XL Axiata, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and Smartfren. Electronic SIM is different from the SIM card that we know so far, because E SIM can activate packages without having to use a Nano SIM and only by scanning a barcode to use it.

President Director of XL Axiata, Dian Siswarini said that the adoption of this electronic SIM technology is quite good, even though it has only been launched for a few weeks. However, there are still limitations to the use of this technology. Dian also explained that the electronic SIM is the answer to the significant increase in the price of the SIM Card, which was triggered by the Ukrainian-Russian War.

In addition, we also discuss the E SIM feature which is now available for Android phones. Google has announced support for the transfer of E SIM on an Android phone at the MWC 2023 event in Barcelona, Spain. This feature allows users to transfer data from old cellphones to new cellphones, as well as convert physical SIM card profiles into E SIM.

FAQ

1. Apa itu eSIM?

   eSIM is a form of electronic SIM card that can be activated by scanning a barcode and does not require a physical card.
2. Bagaimana cara mengaktifkan e SIM?

   To activate eSIM, users only need to scan the barcode given by the cellular operator and follow the instructions.
3. Apa kelebihan menggunakan eSIM?

   The advantage of using eSIM is that users don’t have to worry about losing a physical SIM card or buying a physical SIM card while abroad. As a substitute, users only need to buy data packets for their E SIM cards and use them easily.
4. Apakah semua ponsel mendukung e SIM?

   Not all phones support eSIM. Currently, only certain phones support this technology. Usually, high-end and flagship phones from well-known brands already support E SIM.
5. Berapa biaya untuk menggunakan eSIM?

   The cost of using eSIM is the same as the cost of using a conventional SIM card. However, because eSIM is still limited to some mobile phones and cellular operators, the cost of use may be higher than conventional SIM cards. However, this depends on the policies of each cellular operator.