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Question

Nano SIM (eSIM + Physical SIM)? How does that even work?

  • December 26, 2022
  • 9 replies
  • 169 views

Ok call me old school but all my phones have used physical sim cards.  I go to order an iPhone 14 and noticed that it uses something called an Esim? (Nano SIM (eSIM + Physical SIM) WTH? So … how does that even work?  I’m coming from a iPhone 12 which has a sim so what to do when I get my 14?

Thanks so much!

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9 replies

Sophia
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  • Mobile Master
  • 12515 replies
  • December 26, 2022

An eSIM allows you to use two cell plans in one phone. For example, I have a European plan on my eSIM and my Canadian line on a regular (nano) SIM.

That said, if you have no use for a second line, you’re much better off with a physical SIM because you can take that from phone to phone by just removing it from the old phone and inserting it in the new one. Koodo requires for an eSIM to be purchased again every time you want to switch it over to another phone.


  • Author
  • Ambassador
  • 32 replies
  • December 26, 2022

Yes but my understanding is that the iphone 14 does NOT have the capability to house a physical sim card?


Sophia
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  • Mobile Master
  • 12515 replies
  • December 26, 2022

No worries there, the Canadian version has a physical SIM card.


  • Author
  • Ambassador
  • 32 replies
  • December 27, 2022

Awesome. Thanks


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  • Mobile Master
  • 13576 replies
  • December 27, 2022

ATM only American iphone 14s don’t have a physical sim card option.


  • Author
  • Ambassador
  • 32 replies
  • December 27, 2022

BTW, can one just choose to use the new SIM they send you instead of using the current one … or does one have to “activate” that new one in order to use it?


Sophia
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  • Mobile Master
  • 12515 replies
  • December 27, 2022

If the old one fits your new phone, you just need to swap the SIM card over. The new one you can keep as a spare (it won’t be activated).


  • Author
  • Ambassador
  • 32 replies
  • December 27, 2022

Yes but IF I wanted to use the new instead of the old, does one have to “activate” that new one in order to use it? 😉


Sophia
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  • Mobile Master
  • 12515 replies
  • December 27, 2022

Yes, you will need to activate it in self serve. That will render the old one inactive.