[Update: Wider rollout] Mint Mobile eSIM support arrives - all eSIM enabled iPhone models, including iPhone 12, supported

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…

Original story (published on November 20, 2020) follows:

Rejoice! There is great news for Mint Mobile users who have been eagerly waiting for eSIM support for ages. Mint Mobile has officially added eSIM support to all eSIM-enabled iPhone models including the new iPhone 12 lineup.

Rizwan Kassim, co-founder of Mint Mobile, posted the following as an announcement for the same on Reddit.

With this new addition, users will no longer be required to stick in a physical SIM card to access their cellular network. Instead, they’ll be able to do the same through the integrated SIM chip present in their phones.

For now, the support is limited to eSIM-supporting iPhones only, as already stated above. This includes the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, all iPhone 11 models, the new iPhone SE, and the new iPhone 12 lineup (all models).

So what about other devices? Well, it is worth mentioning here that very few devices come with an embedded SIM as of now. Only select Samsung flagships, Google Pixels and the like support it, along with the iPhones of course.

The technology is fairly new. Hence, it is very likely that Mint Mobile will add eSIM support to other devices in the near future. For now, it is only in the testing phase.

A far greater % of our subscribers and new customers support iOS eSIM. There are relatively few Android devices in our base that support eSIM. OS support, app support and documentation are all better starting grounds for iOS as well. Supporting Android is on the roadmap (Mid-2021), but it’ll be specific per device model and a slower rollout.
Source

And what about users who want to make use of the ultra-fast 5G speeds? Good news once again, for Mint Mobile eSIM comes with full 5G support. However, to make use of it on your iPhone, you will have to disable Dual SIM mode.

If you are wondering what the hype is all about when we already have good ol’ and reliable physical SIM cards, then there are several advantages that you should know.

For starters, eSIMs enable users to change operators straight from their phone, without having to physically swap new SIM cards.

They also allow people to effectively have two or more numbers, and switch between them at ease. This is quite ideal for anyone that may require an additional number – one for personal use and another for business use, for example.

A user also inquired whether they will be able to connect an accessory like Apple Watch, along with the iPhone to the same service plan via Mint eSIM, to which the co-founder replied:

Unfortunately not. It takes an additional technical stack that isn’t available to us (being able to access voice on two different SIM cards on one account) and has commercial implications that we can’t support. There are no plans to support Apple Watch at this time.
Source

Only select customers will be offered an eSIM for now. If you are lucky, you will be able to avail it in the checkout flow on Mint Mobile’s website when buying a new plan.

This is because the service is still under beta testing. Users can expect a wider rollout next year.

We’re conducting beta testing, in which select customers will be offered an eSIM in the checkout flow on mintmobile.com when they buy a new plan. The team felt it was best to do a phased test before offering it to all customers — new or existing. Once the tests are complete, we’ll turn it on for everyone. Once it’s enabled – existing customers will be able to switch to eSIM via the app.

To purchase a new plan and try your luck, click here.

That being said, let us know what you think about this new service and its implications in the comments below.

It’s finally here! A couple of months after the initial news about the eSIM beta testing phase, Rizwan Kassim, Co-Founder at Mint Mobile, posted on Reddit that Mint Mobile is all set for a wider eSIM rollout.

Again, the rollout is limited to iPhones alone for now and while a date wasn’t provided, the co-founder did say that they are considering Android as well. To read the complete post, you can simply visit the ‘Source’ given above.

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