eSIM vs SIM card: Your Ultimate Guide | Smiles Connect

Searching for the right SIM service provider could already be a pain in the neck, but choosing between a physical SIM card and an eSIM could also be challenging. But don’t worry, Smiles Connect is here to help! In this article, we will teach you what eSIM is, explore the advantages and disadvantages of eSIM, compare the difference between physical SIM cards and eSIM, and much more!  We hope you find the service that best fits your needs and allows you to share “Smiles” with your loved ones. Before you dig deeper, here are some words related to this topic in Japanese:

• What is SIM?  > シムとは？ (sim to was?) 
• eSIM compatibility > eSIM対応　(ii sim taiou)
• what is eSIM?  > イーシムとは？(ii sim to wa?) 
• The advantages and disadvantages of eSIM  >  eSIMのメリット、デメリット  (eSIM no meritto, demeritto) 
• Sim or eSIM, which one is better?  > SIMとeSIMどっちがいい？ (SIM to eSIM dochigaii?) 
• How to put in a SIM  > SIM入れ方 (SIM irekata) 
• How to use an eSIM  >  eSIM使い方  (eSIM tsukaikata) 

What is a SIM card?

A SIM card is a physical card you insert into your device. This card allows you to receive data connection and other services that you selected from your chosen provider. At Smiles Connect, all of the plans offer SIM card options! But before you do anything, please check our compatibility list to see if your device can use our SIM card!

What is an eSIM?

An eSIM is a digital version of a physical SIM card, leaving no need to insert anything into your device. The “e” for eSIM stands for “embedded” meaning it is already in the device and there is no need to physically insert a SIM! All you have to do is to follow the directions on your device and you will be good to go! 

Concerned about whether you can have a Voice SIM plan on an eSIM? At Smiles Connect, we offer both physical SIM and eSIM for Voice SIM plans! Here is the list of the plans provided at Smiles Connect.　

• Voice Plan: 3GB  ￥1380, 10GB ￥2,280,  30GB ￥3980　(all per month) 
• Data Plan: 50GB ￥2680, 100GB ￥3680 (all per month) 
• Voice + Data Combo Plan: 53GB ￥2980, 110GB ￥4980 (all per month) 

Order now!

How do you put in a SIM card?  

On your iPhone, there will be a small hole where you must insert a pin to open it and insert your SIM card. For Android users, the steps for installing the SIM card are similar to the ones for iPhone. 

• Learn how to insert your SIM card for iPhone here
• Learn how to insert and install a SIM card for Android here

How do you use an eSIM?

All of the steps will be on the device. Your provider will send all the details needed to start using your eSIM. At Smiles Connect, we will send a QR code plus a hyperlink via email, and by reading that code or tapping on the hyperlink, you will be able to set up the eSIM through your device. (Here is a guideline on how to activate your Smiles Connect eSIM!) 

Is it possible to connect to multiple eSIMs in one device? 

If your model supports using eSIM, you can have multiple eSIMs on the same device. You can do something called “dual SIM,” meaning you can use two active SIMs at the same time (for further explanation, take a look at this for iPhone). If you have an Android, the number of eSIMs that you can install and the number that you can use at one time varies. So please check your phone for more information!

The advantages and disadvantages of eSIM

(Click here for full comparison by Smiles Connect! ) 

Advantages: 

• Ability to install multiple eSIMs on your device 
• Can use it together with a physical SIM card 
• Switch the service to use at your convenience 
• No physical delivery is needed so you can use it right after your order!
• No risk of losing your SIM card 
• Eco Friendly as there are no physical materials required for installation 

Disadvantages: 

• The potential of complicated steps to install eSIM compared to a physical SIM card (But don’t worry, at Smiles Connect, we made the steps as simple as possible and you will always have our customer support 24/7) 
• Limited device compatibility (so check our device compatibility list before purchasing our product!!) 
• Difficult to swap devices 
• Requires greater technical understanding

We hope that this guide has clarified the differences between the physical SIM card and eSIM, we hope we helped you understand their unique benefits. Which one will you choose? Let us know! Share Smiles with Smiles Connect!

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