Connectivity is key for all businesses, but especially important for smaller companies looking to grow and compete with more established competition. That’s why the emergence of eSIM is proving to be a game changer for many startups looking to cut costs, improve productivity, and maximise flexibility.
But what is eSIM? eSIM stands for ‘embedded SIM,’ and it’s essentially the next evolutionary stage of the small physical SIM card you’ve been slotting in and out of your phone for years now. The most obvious difference with eSIM is that it’s a digital card built into many modern phones, and instead of switching it for another when you want to change provider, you simply reprogram it.
Here we explore the other important differences and the potential benefits of eSIM.
Cut Costs on Connectivity
Minimising costs is key for any small business and eSIM supports this goal, especially for those with employees who need to go on regular international work trips
eSIM allows travellers to easily switch to local carriers at local rates with just a few taps. This allows businesses to avoid costly roaming charges or the hassle of purchasing and setting up new physical SIMs with each new country they visit.
Secondly, traditional SIM cards can usually lock companies into long-term contracts, restricting their ability to switch providers when a better deal emerges. eSIM makes switching providers easier, giving small business owners much greater flexibility.
Convenience is King with eSIM
Traditional SIM cards demand physical access to devices, which can be a logistical hassle, especially if employees are in different locations. eSIM makes updates far easier, for activation, deactivation, and switching between plans with the need to distribute physical cards.
This also makes things more convenient when expanding operations. Instead of coordinating with different providers to deliver physical SIM cards, businesses can deploy new devices with eSIM, making the set-up process more streamlined.
Improved Security
While traditional, physical SIM cards can be lost, stolen, or switched out, potentially exposing sensitive business data, eSIM has none of these flaws.
eSim is embedded directly into devices, making it much more secure and protected against tampering (or even just innocent mistakes). The technology also gives larger businesses that employ a mobile device management (MDM) system, allowing central teams to remotely lock or wipe devices if they are lost or stolen
Simplified Line Management
Managing multiple lines across different devices and employees can be a complex task for small businesses that want to focus on getting results. With eSIM, businesses can more easily manage multiple numbers on a single device, giving employees the option to switch between personal and business numbers as needed and removing the need to carry more than one phone.
This also benefits managing the devices of freelancers or those working on short-term contracts. When the employee no longer needs access, the business can simply deactivate the line without needing to collect a physical SIM card.
Future-Proof Technology
eSIM is the future, and arguably the present, of the SIM card. More devices are supporting the technology and more telecoms providers are offering eSIM-specific plans.
Adopting it now can give small businesses access to the advantages of this emerging technology, help them future-proof their operations, and minimise potential disruption further down the line.
