If you want to use your smartphone, you’re going to need a SIM card. The Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) is essentially what you use to connect your phone to a mobile network or carrier so you can use your phone for calls, texts, and the internet.

A SIM card is a small plastic rectangle card you slot into your phone. SIM cards have shrunk over the years from the Mini-SIM to Micro-SIM, and the latest, known as the nanoSIM.

eSIM is an embedded SIM card, which is a method to allow access to carrier information without inserting a physical SIM card in your smartphone. eSIM works the same as a physical SIM does, but the way to activate it differs from a physical sim. To activate eSIMs on a eSIM compatible device, you need to scan the QR code found in your account after purchase, your new number and eSIM will then be registered on your device.

The eSIM is an excellent alternative to a physical SIM card.