First to launch: Cable and Wireless Seychelles unveils eSIM service

Only a handful of devices are compatible with the eSIM, such as the iPhone XR onwards. (Cable & Wireless Seychelles)

Telecommunications company Cable & Wireless Seychelles has launched an eSIM service for its customers as new technologies have allowed SIM cards to be digitised.

At the launching of the eSIM, Malika Romain, the product and services executive said that "over the years, SIM cards have gotten smaller and smaller, from the size of a credit card to the newer and common nano-sims."

She said that new technologies have allowed SIM cards to become entirely digitised, thus eliminating the need for a physical card.

With the recent iPhone 14 launch where phones sold in other countries like the United States will use exclusively eSIM, Seychelles is moving towards getting ready to do the same.

CWS has launched the eSIM service for its customers and those who have compatible devices will be able to use the embedded SIM (subscriber identity module), rather than the physical ones that need to be inserted into the devices.

This will be the first time that the service is offered in Seychelles.

"With eSIM customers will have the flexibility of having multiple SIM profiles on their devices, where they can have two active SIMs - an eSIM and a physical SIM or 2 eSIMs depending on the device - which is ideal for those with more than one phone number. This also allows dual-SIM functionality on a device that does not have two SIM card slots," added Romain.

People wishing to switch to eSIM can visit a CWS customer service centre and make a request. The customer will receive a unique QR Code, and after it is scanned, it will install the eSIM directly onto their phones.  

For the moment, only a handful of devices are compatible with the eSIM, such as the iPhone XR onwards, Google Pixel 2, Samsung Galaxy S20 series among others.

People can check if their devices are compatible with eSIM, by dialling the code *#06# on their devices and looking for an EID.

Romain said that the eSIM is also less cumbersome for CWS as it "eliminates the packaging needed for its physical SIM card, thus offering a greener solution to its customers."  

The eSIM will also benefit tourists or foreigners travelling to Seychelles often as they can now keep their CWS eSIM on the devices and only activate it whenever they are in Seychelles, rather than having to purchase a SIM card.

The chief executive of the CWS, Georges D'Offay, said that "the availability of CWS' eSIM offers new experiences and solidifies the enhancement of global connectivity. We hope that this will be exciting for customers as in the coming future, more devices will be enabled with the eSIM. Therefore, we hope that customers can embrace this technology and all the perks that come with it."

The eSIM, which was first introduced in 2012, has the same performance functionality as traditional SIMs – storing unique subscriber IDs, authentication keys, and mobile applications. However, they also provide an additional range of benefits beyond those of a traditional SIM.