Telstra opens up eSIM to MVNOs

Telstra today announced MVNOs powered by its network will soon be allowed to start offering eSIMs to their customers. To date, only the network owners - Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone - have given customers the option to have an eSIM rather than a physical SIM card.

For those not familiar with the term, eSIM - an electronic SIM or embedded SIM - is a rewritable SIM card that’s built into a cellular device like a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch. There's no need to pop open a slot or pry off a case to put in a SIM; an eSIM never leaves your phone.

Telstra says it has already tested eSIM with two MVNOs, but would only confirm that child-company Belong was one of them. At this stage, no Telstra MVNOs have confirmed they'll be offering eSIM, but it would naturally make sense for Belong to. Boost Mobile has also previously expressed interest in eSIM.

Telstra expects MVNOs to start offering eSIM in the next few months.

Optus and Vodafone have yet to open up eSIM to their own MVNOs.

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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