THE embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) technology is playing a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste and carbon footprints, according to telecommunications companies.
Globe Telecom recently announced it will introduce an eSIM for its prepaid users by the end of the third quarter of this year.
The Ayala-led company’s move is not only to provide innovative solutions and enhance mobile experience to its customers but also boost the company’s sustainability efforts.
Rival Smart Communications has already gone ahead of launching its own prepaid eSIM in July this year.
The eSIM initiative minimizes the reliance on physical SIM cards made of plastic. This, in turn, eliminates the need for new plastic materials and reduces waste generation and logistics.
“By opting for the eSIM, users are taking a step towards more responsible consumption behaviors, understanding that even small changes, when embraced collectively, can lead to significant positive impact on the environment,” Globe said.
Global shipments
According to Munich smart-card maker Giesecke+Devrient, the global shipments of physical SIM cards at 4.3 billion in 2021 translate to 560,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission and 18,000 tons of plastic. A stack of these cards would be higher than 3,000 kilometers.
Giesecke+Devrient developed the first commercial SIM card in 1991. The firm sold the first 300 SIM cards to the Finnish wireless network operator Radiolinja. Today, SIM cards are widely used in over seven billion devices to connect to cellular networks around the world.
For Globe, it said its move to offer eSIMs to prepaid users is also meant to address the increasing number of phones with eSIM capabilities. Globe’s eSIM is currently available for new and existing Globe postpaid customers.
“By the end of this quarter, we will launch our leveled-up version of the eSIM because we recognize the opportunity and we can also monetize the convenience that eSIM can give our customers. And it’s also going to restructure the way we operate because there’s less cost. It’s fully ‘Do-It-Yourself.’ It’s really convenient for the customer,” said Darius Delgado, head of Globe’s Consumer Mobile Business.
Globe first introduced eSIM technology to its postpaid customers in 2018.
Benefits
An eSIM is an integrated SIM chip that is permanently embedded in the mobile device. It offers users the convenience of having all their mobile information at their fingertips, paving the way for a future of seamless connections.
The introduction of the eSIM for prepaid users comes with many benefits.
According to Globe, users can create multiple profiles using different mobile numbers on a single device. The eSIM technology also enables users to connect multiple gadgets, such as smartphones and smartwatches, under a single mobile number.
“This means users no longer have to fret about leaving their primary phone at home while heading out for a jog or a quick errand,” the Ayala-led company said.
QR code
As for Smart users, they only have to simply scan the Smart Prepaid eSIM, which comes in the form of a unique QR code containing a Smart Prepaid account number, to connect to data, call, and text services.
The Smart Prepaid eSIM initially comes in the form of a printed card, but soon it said subscribers will also have the option to receive their eSIM in digital form such as via email or digital voucher.
Because there’s no physical SIM card, eSIM users don’t have to worry about the lack of a SIM slot in their device as well as losing or damaging their main physical SIM.
Smart said the prepaid eSIM is also well-suited for inbound foreign tourists or returning overseas Filipino workers who can now quickly activate local mobile services without the often tedious process of swapping or changing their main physical SIM with a local SIM.