In 2022, when the iPhone 14 hit the market, tech enthusiasts were buzzing about eSims. Those who owned phones compatible with this technology bombarded their telecom service providers with queries about its availability. In Uganda, Airtel Uganda pioneered eSim technology earlier this year, followed by MTN Uganda. Everything seemed promising, marking a new stride in technology. Excited about the eSim trend, I jumped on the bandwagon and have been using the Airtel eSIM for over two months now. However, like any innovation, there are both positive and negative aspects. Let me share my experience with you so I can help you navigate the Pros and Cons of eSim technology.
I’ve been using an iPhone for over 5 years, and one feature I wanted was the ability to have two phone numbers on my device. The eSim technology finally made this dream a reality. With my iPhone 11, I could use both Airtel Uganda and MTN Uganda sims without needing an extra phone or dealing with the hassle of managing two phones. Just as I was enjoying the joy of transforming my single-lined phone into a double-lined one, a new realization struck me.
I had a new complaint from someone trying to call me, saying they couldn’t reach me because my phone was off. I found it strange because I was confident that both my nano-SIM and the newly acquired eSIM were working fine. As the complaints continued, I decided to investigate the issue. It turns out, that whenever I was on a call, making a call, or using a USSD code command with my Airtel line, the network on my MTN line (and vise versa) would drop and show ‘No Network‘ as displayed in the image below. If the card line displayed ‘No Network,’ I couldn’t use data if that particular sim is enabled as my active mobile data service provider. However, if I wasn’t using a specific line, both cards functioned seamlessly.
Even though the eSim lets me have a phone with two lines, it doesn’t work as smoothly as a regular double-line phone with two SIM trays. In a typical double-lined phone with two physical SIM cards, both the person calling and the one receiving the call will get a notification. The caller hears a message like “the number you are calling is on another line,” and the receiver sees a new call pop up on their screen while they’re already on another call. They can choose to accept or decline the new call. This is what I expected the eSIM to do, but it seems my expectations were just my thoughts.
After telling you all that, you might think I turned off my eSim, right? Nope! I still like using the eSim because I don’t need an extra phone. But if you’re someone who doesn’t want to miss any calls, this tech might not be the best for you. You could also turn on ‘Who called‘ notifications to see who couldn’t reach you due to network issues.
Additionally, if you have your eSIM activated on your phone, please share your experience.