What is an eSim?

d123

Uitlander said:

d123 said:

They will not offer or suggest them, you have to directly ask the in-store staff to supply one.

I followed up on Twitter/X as there is no Tesco mobile shop nearby. After a series of false starts, with different Tesco staff leaving stock responses on the thread that demonstrated that they hadn't read the original question, I eventually got through to someone who claims they have sent me an eSIM pack. I'll wait and see if that actually produces an eSIM as my understanding is that all I need is a QR code that they could email to me, but apparently that is not possible. Half of me is expecting them to send a physical SIM instead as that would be in line with the standard of customer service to date. But I don't really have the spare time to make a 2 hour round trip to the nearest Tesco mobile shop. Tesco mobile are not exactly covering themselves in glory with their approach to this.

I’ll ask, but presumably it’s the same as o2, with them you get a hard copy QR code in an envelope on a piece of card.

edit

like this 

Uitlander

flaneurs_lobster said:

Regardless of whether you receive a physical or eSIM, have you just managed to swap your current SIM for a replacement on the basis of a Twitter/X conversation? 

Must have been just a tad of security questioning/identity verification as well?

Yes. Of course there was a security process to check my ID. That happened via DM. 

Uitlander

d123 said:

I’ll ask, but presumably it’s the same as o2, with them you get a hard copy QR code in an envelope on a piece of card.

Yup. That's what I'm expecfting. Yesterday I got an email saying my "new SIM" had been dispatched by post, this included instructions on how to change a physical SIM. I checked again via Twitter and was told that it was a stock response that had probably not been updated yet to cover eSIMs. They confirmed that they had ordered an eSIM and not a physical SIM. I did ask why they were sending me a QR code by post rather than email as it takes longer this way and costs them more to send it. They claimed they were passing that feedback on.

flaneurs_lobster

Uitlander said:

d123 said:

I’ll ask, but presumably it’s the same as o2, with them you get a hard copy QR code in an envelope on a piece of card.

 I did ask why they were sending me a QR code by post rather than email as it takes longer this way and costs them more to send it. 

Security? Only supply swapped SIM to the address registered for the account?

Uitlander

flaneurs_lobster said:

Security? Only supply swapped SIM to the address registered for the account?

Why do you think it is insecure to send it to the email address registered on the account? Sending by post puts it as risk of interception in the postal system and creates delays.This was pure security theatre that had no benefit and introduced additional delays to what should have been a simple and straightforward exercise. 

Uitlander

I finally have an eSIM from Tesco Mobile working on my phone. Points to note:

• Customer service via their website denied eSIMs were available.
• Web pages about eSIMs are partially written, with areas of copy-pasta from the corresponding page about SIMs
• It is possible to order an eSIM by interacting with them on Twitter. They have a customer verification process in place.
• The eSIM is installed via QR code. For reasons known only to Tesco Mobile this cannot currently be emailed to you at your registered email address, or displayed as a page inside your account online. It is printed and sent to customers by post.
• An email will be sent telling you they are dispatching a physical SIM.
• It takes less than 2 minutes to install an eSIM.
• It took 8 days from the point I first requested an eSIM to receiving one from Tesco Mobile. I would still be waiting had @d123 not posted here saying they were in fact available

molerat

Uitlander said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Security? Only supply swapped SIM to the address registered for the account?

Why do you think it is insecure to send it to the email address registered on the account? Sending by post puts it as risk of interception in the postal system and creates delays.This was pure security theatre that had no benefit and introduced additional delays to what should have been a simple and straightforward exercise. 

It is far simpler to spoof / hijack an e-mail or on line account than it is your house or mail going to it.  Many scammers will have control of the victim's devices.

Uitlander

molerat said:

It is far simpler to spoof / hijack an e-mail or on line account than it is your house or mail going to it.  Many scammers will have control of the victim's devices.

The only fraud I've had to deal with that was successful was a mail interception scam run by people who had access to the local sorting office. Then there are the chunks of post that never make it to their destination. The idea that post is in some sense "more secure" than email is utterly fallacious.

d123

Uitlander said:

I finally have an eSIM from Tesco Mobile working on my phone. Points to note:

• Customer service via their website denied eSIMs were available.
• Web pages about eSIMs are partially written, with areas of copy-pasta from the corresponding page about SIMs
• It is possible to order an eSIM by interacting with them on Twitter. They have a customer verification process in place.
• The eSIM is installed via QR code. For reasons known only to Tesco Mobile this cannot currently be emailed to you at your registered email address, or displayed as a page inside your account online. It is printed and sent to customers by post.
• An email will be sent telling you they are dispatching a physical SIM.
• It takes less than 2 minutes to install an eSIM.
• It took 8 days from the point I first requested an eSIM to receiving one from Tesco Mobile. I would still be waiting had @d123 not posted here saying they were in fact available

I’m glad you finally got sorted, hopefully Tesco sort out their procedures and don’t waste customers time in future, you could have had your eSim almost a week ago if they’d not messed around.

buddies_forever

Hi
I've just read an article in the Guardian where an eSim was used in an elaborate fraud to empty a ladies bank account. So the watchword is be aware, and stay safe. As I can't yet post a link look on the guardian website for the following.

money/2024/feb/19/sim-swap-how-your-bank-account-can-be-emptied-by-phone