Nepal Telecom eSIM service has finally hit the floor. The long-awaited eSIM service in the country has now been made available by Nepal Telecom Corporation (NTC). To offer eSIM services to its clients, this state-owned telecom giant has a contract in place with a business based in the UK. The main characteristics of eSIM and how it works, as well as how to obtain Nepal Telecom eSIM in Nepal, will all be covered in this blog.

The first telecom provider in Nepal to support eSIM is Nepal Telecom. Users of the eSIM can access all of the features and services of a physical SIM card without the requirement for a real SIM card.

Implementation of Nepal Telecom eSIM

What is eSIM?

You can access the telecom operator’s cellular services without using a physical SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card by using an embedded SIM, also known as an eSIM. Therefore, there is no requirement to physically enter a card into the phone. Instead, the telecom provider will provide you a mobile number and access to its services while remotely connecting your device to their network.

Additionally, because the data on an eSIM is rewritable, you can choose to switch operators with just a phone call. The GSMA, which established global eSIM standards, supports this technology.

Pros and Cons of eSIM

Pros

• switching network operators is simpler
• dual-SIM connectivity support
• more compact than conventional SIM cards
• Customers that travel often can benefit from eSIM since it eliminates the need for constant physical SIM replacement.

Cons

• It takes time to switch between devices.
• may be somewhat simpler to track

A SIM card that is integrated into a mobile device is known as an embedded SIM and may be used to connect to any provider that supports eSIM. As the name suggests, eSIM cards are permanently incorporated into a device. They are far smaller than standard nano-SIM cards, enabling wearables like smartwatches to use SIM technology and giving IoT devices more sophisticated capabilities.

Devices compactible for eSIM

Insight to Nepal Telecom eSIM implementation

The first carrier in Nepal to support eSIM connections is Nepal Telecom. The telecom provider set aside money for the initiative in the 2078–1979 fiscal year in order to roll out its own eSIM platform. In a similar way, NTC and Monty UK Global Limited entered into a contract in April 2022 to supply the business with an eSIM platform.

This makes it clear that the NTC’s eSIM platform will continue to rely on a third-party solution. Whatever the case may be, eSIM is currently accessible in Nepal as of Bhadra 31, 2079. (September 16, 2022). Additionally, NTC aspires to provide around 150,000 eSIMs to Nepal in the first year.

On the initial day, the business only authorized 50 units for distribution, and that too from a single branch office (Sundhara). However, you may now obtain an eSIM from seven more Nepal Telecom counters, all of which are located in the Kathmandu Valley.

According to the spokesperson form Nepal Telecom, “The customer can replace the SIM card with an eSIM of the same number if their device supports the system.” The actual SIM card that connects to the mobile network has the user’s data pre-programmed into it. Users of the eSIM utilize software to download their profile to the device. However, not all phones at the moment support eSIM.

How to identify if your phone supports eSIM or not?

Okay, so it’s important to know whether or not your smartphone supports eSIM before you stand in line to switch to an eSIM. According to the usual rule of thumb, Nepal Telecom eSIM functionality may be available in relatively recent flagship phones or tablets. To be really certain, though, just dial “*#06#.”

You should see an EID (Embedded Identification Document) value appear next to the IMEI numbers if your device is truly eSIM compliant. Additionally, you can get this information under the Settings’ “Status Information” section (which may go by a different name depending on the manufacturer of your phone). To find out if the phone supports eSIM, you may go visit its product website.

Activation of Nepal Telecom eSIM in your phone

Setup eSIM in iPhone series

• Visit the Settings section.
• Simply choose Cellular / Mobile Data.
• Select Add Cellular Plan / Add Data Plan.
• Scan the QR code that Nepal Telecom provided for you.

Setup eSIM in android series

• Visit the Settings section.
• Click to Mobile Network.
• Select to SIM management.
• Select Add eSIM.
• Select Use QR Code to Add Plan.
• Scan the Nepal Telecom QR code that was sent to you.

Where can you get eSIM in Nepal?

For a FREE eSIM upgrade, any current NTC prepaid and postpaid subscribers are eligible. For Rs. 500, Nepal Telecom is also providing a new postpaid number in the form of an eSIM, and the business promises that this service will also soon be offered for prepaid plans. To obtain an eSIM, however, you can go to any major branches of Nepal Telecom within Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. You can dial “197”, Nepal Telecom’s customer center to obtain the location and contact of the branches.

Aside from the entire physical presence factor, Nepal’s eSIM application procedure is really rather simple. Simply complete the form, attach a photocopy of your citizenship (both sides), and submit it.

The next step will be for an NT employee to activate your phone’s eSIM. If you are already at the front of the line, the entire process takes around 3 minutes. A piece of paper containing a QR code, an ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card ID) number, and an activation code will also be sent to you in case you decide to swap phones. However, Nepal Telecom says you’ll need to make another trip to their office and submit a paper requesting to change back to a real SIM card.

Will the latest iPhone 14 series form US will work in Nepal?

In the US, the iPhone 14 series will only be sold with eSIM, according to a recent announcement from Apple. Users are as uncertain as to whether US versions of the most recent iPhones will function in Nepal. So let’s discuss it here.

The use of the most recent iPhones in Nepal is influenced by a few different variables. First off, starting on September 15, 2022, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) will begin offering its long-awaited Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) service.

Therefore, if a smartphone is smuggled into Nepal from a foreign country including the US and is not registered with the system, it will be regarded as an illegally imported or grey gadget. And all Nepali telecom carriers’ networks would be effectively banned from receiving such devices.

Cellular connectivity should also be taken into account when acquiring the most recent iPhone from the US, in addition to MDMS. As previously reported, the US iPhone 14 range exclusively supports eSIM. Therefore, you will also need a telecom provider that has an eSIM option in order to allow cellular connectivity on such devices here in Nepal.

You may utilize the iPhone 14 series without any issues because Nepal Telecom now provides eSIM to its clients. Providing, of course, that you have registered the phone with MDMS.

Learn more about MDMS system in Nepal.