When it began arriving on smartphones about six years ago, eSIM technology, the digital equivalent of the SIM card that carries your phone number, was tough to recommend. The technology was intended to simplify the process of activating a new phone line when you’re taking a smartphone abroad and connecting to a foreign network, for instance. But in the early days, eSIMs were a mixed bag. Some plans failed to activate, and others charged exorbitant rates for stingy amounts of cellular data.
In 2023, eSIM technology reached a high point. Now dozens of trustworthy mobile network operators offer fast, reliable wireless services for much less than traditional carriers. The steps to activate eSIMs are now simpler, too.
That all leads to benefits that could help you save thousands of dollars over a few years on wireless service. For one, when traveling abroad, you can easily use eSIM to activate a phone plan and pay a few dollars for a generous bucket of cellular data (for example, $4.50 for one gigabyte of data in Italy using the eSIM app Airalo).
For domestic wireless service, if you subscribe to AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon, you can use eSIM to experiment with cheaper phone plans offered by discount carriers like Visible, Consumer Cellular and Mint Mobile that cost as little as $25 a month — and break up with your big carrier once you’ve found a satisfying phone plan.
